Timothy and Lydia: Gospel Partners — Acts 16:1-15 Daily Word

Discover how Paul encountered Timothy and Lydia, two unlikely gospel partners from different backgrounds who became faithful workers in the early church through God’s calling and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

In the midst of the early church’s missionary journeys, Paul encounters unexpected companions who become partners in the gospel. Timothy and Lydia — two individuals from very different backgrounds and circumstances — are faithful servants raised up in response to God’s calling. In this passage, we witness how a community of faith is formed and expanded under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Timothy and Lydia: Partners Built by the Gospel

[Scripture]

Acts 16:1-15 (ESV)

[1] Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. [2] He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. [3] Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. [4] As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. [5] So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. [6] And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. [7] And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. [8] So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. [9] And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” [10] And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. [11] So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, [12] and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. [13] And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. [14] One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. [15] And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Acts 16:1-15, ESV)

[Daily Word]

Timothy, a Fellow Worker in the Gospel

Paul meets Timothy in Lystra, a man who would become a steadfast partner in ministry. The fact that Timothy is referred to as a “disciple” indicates that he had already received the gospel. The text introduces him by saying “his mother was a Jewish woman who believed, but his father was a Greek” (v. 1), revealing that Timothy was of mixed heritage.¹ Timothy was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium (v. 2).

The True Reason for Circumcision

As Paul prepared to take Timothy along as a fellow worker on his missionary journey, he first had Timothy circumcised (v. 3). Paul had consistently opposed circumcision as a requirement (Acts 15). Nevertheless, the reason he had Timothy circumcised is recorded in verse 3: it was because of “the Jews who were in those places”, and because everyone knew that “his father was a Greek.” In other words, it was because the Jews were particularly sensitive regarding Gentiles. The reason for Timothy’s circumcision was not a matter of soteriology, but rather a consideration of what the Jews regarded as important. Since Timothy was a Gentile, he needed to be accepted as one who was welcome among the Jews in order for there to be genuine unity in the work of the gospel.

The Delivery of the Jerusalem Decrees and the Growth of the Church

Paul then traveled through the churches of southern Galatia, delivering the decrees established by the Jerusalem church (v. 4). The content of these decrees was that Gentiles need not be circumcised in order to be saved, but instead were to abstain from four things: ① food polluted by idols, ② sexual immorality, ③ the meat of strangled animals, and ④ blood (15:19). As a result, the faith of the believers in each church was strengthened and the church continued to grow.

The Guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Macedonian Vision

In verse 6, however, we see that the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from speaking the word in Asia, and also kept him from entering Bithynia, a region in northern Asia Minor.² Paul therefore traveled down to Troas (v. 8). Troas was a major port city connecting Asia Minor and Macedonia. It was there that Paul received a vision of a man from Macedonia standing and pleading with him to come over and help them (v. 9). Through this vision, Paul and his companions became convinced that it was God’s plan for them to go to Macedonia. [10] And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:10, ESV) Just as the Gentile mission that began at the church in Antioch was carried out under the direction of the Holy Spirit, so too the mission to Macedonia was shown to be something God himself was leading.

Arrival at Philippi and the Conversion of Lydia

Verses 11 through 13 move quickly through the account of Paul and his companions departing from Troas and arriving at Philippi. The text provides some additional detail about Philippi: it was the first city one would encounter upon entering Macedonia from Asia Minor, and it was a Roman colony with a large population of Roman soldiers. Upon arriving there, Paul and his companions sought out a place of worship where Jews gathered on the Sabbath — “a place of prayer” (v. 13).³ Paul and his companions sat down and spoke the gospel to the women who had gathered there by the river, and through this ministry Lydia and her household came to faith.

Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a woman of considerable means who owned her own home. She was a devout Gentile who worshiped God, and the Lord opened her heart to hear and believe the gospel, so that her entire household was baptized.

The Gospel Comes to Those Whom God Has Prepared

God brings the gospel to those who have been prepared for the Lord. The first city Paul reached in Macedonia was Philippi, a place entirely unfamiliar to him. Yet the reason he arrived there was to meet Lydia and proclaim the gospel to her. Once the gospel was shared, her entire household was baptized, which meant that a beachhead for the evangelization of Philippi had been secured.

The church at Philippi later became the congregation that loved Paul most deeply, actively supporting his missionary work. God empowers those who proclaim the gospel, and when we go out in that proclamation, He prepares those who are ready to meet the Lord. Therefore, may we all stand ready at every moment to share the gospel, be used by God, and become a joy to Him — and toward that end, let us pray together.

Timothy and Lydia, Acts 16, gospel partners, early church, missionary journeys

Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com