The best is yet to come

In Acts 16, we see two different conversions.

Firstly, Lydia. She is a wealthy woman, who is religious (described as “a worshipper of God”), but is not a believer in the Lord Jesus until Paul begins to share the word. There are a couple of things to notice:

• The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. This was sovereign work of God. This reminds us of our complete dependence on the Lord to save people. It is his work ultimately.
• At the same time, her heart was opened as she listened to Paul’s message. So, it is our responsibility to share the gospel because this is the means that God has appointed for people to believe. The gospel has content, which we need to share and point people to the One who alone can save them. At the same time we trust the Lord to work, and pray for him to work.

Secondly, there is the jailor. He is male, not wealthy, doing a job that is not particularly desirable. He may have been a retired soldier, who still needed to earn something. Notice that it wasn’t the earthquake that brought him to ask the way of salvation, it was the fact that Paul and Silas were still there and hadn’t escaped as most people would. Paul and Silas were different. It was this difference- Christian character- that exposed the jailor’s heart and the need to be saved.

So, God uses the gospel, and he uses changed lives. Let’s not despise these means; rather, let’s be active in them.

A few more things:

• The contrast between the social standing and background of these two new converts shows us that the gospel is for all.
• The fact that both offered Paul hospitality shows that the transforming power of God’s grace is seen regardless of background.
• The call at the start of the chapter shows us the God places his people in a place because there are people there that he is going to save. You are where you are for a reason.