FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARLY CHURCH: Open Homes, Open Hearts
Reading: Acts 16:12-34
Preacher: Rev. Phil Swain
In the leadup to Pentecost we are continuing our series looking at Foundations of the Early Church and highlighting some of its defining characteristics. This week we will be looking at the theme of “Open homes, open hearts” – how the early church was one of hospitality and inclusion. In particular we will zoom in on Lydia – one of significant leaders in the church in Philippi – and ponder how we might also have an openness of our homes and hearts and the power this openness might have to transform lives.
Sermon Text
This is our second week exploring the foundational aspects or characteristics of the early church. As Kevin mentioned last week, in those first 50 years after Jesus, death and resurrection – the Early church existed in two competing realities that they had to navigate.
On one hand, because of their faith, new Christians were being singled out and persecuted which was causing much suffering – as we heard in last week’s story of Stephen.
I also think that the Early Church found itself in a social context which is not that different from the one we are currently in. The Roman culture was one of excess and indulging in whatever you felt like doing. There was a division between rich and the poor with the rich always getting what they want. And the church was not the centre of society but rather just one of many, many groups or ideas or options that people could explore.
And yet at the same time, under the leadership of Peter and Paul the super-missionary, they experienced explosive growth with new churches being established across the known world.
So in these weeks leading up to Pentecost as we explore the book of Acts and some of the letters of the New Testament, one of the questions we are pondering is “What can we learn from the Early Church”? How might an understanding of the core aspects of the Early Church guide us as we move forward in our vision and mission planning?
Last week we were encouraged to be bold in our witness of the good news that we have found in Jesus … today we are looking at how another core aspect of the early church – hospitality – and how they discovered that through opening their homes and hearts they had the power to transform lives and communities.
I am going to get to our bible reading in a moment, but first, I would love for us to pause and do some reminiscing.
Have you ever had a great experience of receiving hospitality … when someone opened up their home to you, or bless you with food and company around a table, or graciously or unexpectedly met your needs.
If you are a sharer – then turn to the people around you and in a few sentences, share the story of a time when you received wonderful hospitality. If you are not a sharer, sit and reflect on this in your own mind and space.
(How many of these stories were about motherly type figures?)
For me, two stories came to mind …
- NCYC in Toowoomba – lady whom I did not know, can’t remember her name. From the church and lived down the road from the hospital that my younger sister was admitted too. She did not know me but she took me in, fed me, washed my clothes, let me use her phone for long distance phone calls … just because she was asked.
- The other is about my mum (and its mothers day so appropriate I guess). My family always had a hot Sunday lunch (the classic Sunday roast).
When I was about 17 I went through this phrase after reading the verse from the bible “look after widows and orphans” of randomly inviting one or two of the widows from church home to join us for Sunday lunch. My mother never seemed to worry about having to feed extra people (or never showed me that it bothered her) … she would just work it out and we would all eat together around the table.
There is something powerful about hospitality. There is something about being invited to the table that moves us. There is something about the conversations shared around a meal that is meaningful.
As we reflect on the foundations of the early church, we see that it wasn’t built on grand cathedrals or elaborate programs. It was built on ordinary people within the early church having open hearts and open homes. It was built on hospitality and the willingness to welcome others into their lives.
And Acts 16 is a great example of this. Paul is on his second missionary journey and things are all up in the air. What they had expected to be the mission itinerary had not worked out and the spirit had led them across into Macedonia, to the city of Philippi. Philippi didn’t have a synagogue for Paul to speak in, so instead they went to a known place of prayer, down by the river where they meet Lydia.
We are told that Lydia was a successful businesswoman a dealer in purple cloth – which was a luxury item in those days. This is an indication that Lydia was most likely wealthy and had good social standing.
We are also told that she was a “worshipper of God”. There is a little debate about what this phrase means, but most commentators would suggest that she was a person who was spiritually searching, who has had some experiences of God but had yet to work out what that might have meant. That she was spiritual but not yet religious or committed. So, when Paul came along and sharing about Jesus and the grace, forgiveness and love that God was offering … this resonated with Lydia. Luke uses that beautiful line, “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.”
Actually, I think that her heart was already opened before then. God was already working in Lydia life – it was just that when Paul turned up her heart was ready to respond. Lydia’s openness wasn’t just about listening; it was about transformation. When Paul shared about Jesus, Lydia embraced this and wanted to show her commitment to Jesus through baptism. She and all her family were baptised.
Yet is didn’t stop here. Lydia’s personal transformation needed to be lived out in action. She immediately offered her home to Paul and his companions. Her open-heart lead to her opening her home – and in doing so her home became the first house church in Philippi.
And for Lydia, it wasn’t just an offer to “come around to my place if you like”, she was insistent that Paul and his team needed to stay at her home. I think for this smart business woman, this was more than just being hospitable … she was also being strategic. She knew the importance of hospitality and wanted to use the resources she had, especially her home, for the benefit of kingdom of God. Lydia’s home became the base for mission in Philippi and the location of a key house church plant.
And just on the side, Luke’s recording of this story also highlights the affirmation of women in the early church movement. Luke mentions the family, but not the husband or fathers name (which is the culturally correct thing to do) and refers to the house as “her home”. I think that Luke is wanting to say that this is Lydia’s story, this is Lydia’s decision and response, Lydia is the one who becomes the key leader in the church and who makes such a difference for the kingdom. It is just a wonderfully affirming and inclusive way of writing and I wanted to note it.
But back to hospitality … as we mentioned before, there is something powerful in both an open heart and an open homes. Hospitality can deeply impact people and change lives. Hospitality isn’t about perfect homes or gourmet meals. It’s about saying, “There’s space for you here.” Hospitality isn’t just about entertaining guests; it’s about creating spaces where people can encounter God … and this is Lydia’s story.
I think that over its history, the church has had a bad habit of putting hospitality in the second tier of important ministry gifts … behind things like teaching and leadership. But I think that Acts 16 is reminding us that hospitality is not only top tier but probably the most impactful ministry tool that we have.
The second story from Acts 16 highlights this – the encounter with the Philippian jailer. After a series of dramatic events which included an arrest, a jail, a midnight praise and an earthquake … we find the jailer having an experience of grace and asking Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?”
Paul, never one to miss an opportunity to talk about Jesus replies, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” and they shared the good news with him and he came to believe in God and is baptised.
What is the first thing that the Jailer does in response to his transformation? He brings them into his home, washes their wounds, and sets a meal before them. Hospitality is a natural response to God’s grace. When our hearts are transformed, we open up our hearts and homes to others.
And this is not limited to Acts 16. The foundation practice of the early church was meeting … in people’s homes. They would gather in small groups, around a meal, to hear some of the letters read out, to learn from each other, to pray and support each other and to remember Jesus and what Jesus did.
The early church grew not through flashy programs but through simple acts of hospitality. Open hearts led to open homes, which led to transformed lives.
I wonder, In our busy lives, how can we practice this kind of hospitality? Who can we welcome into our homes and our lives? That’s was the spirit of Lydia or the jailer and that was the heart of the early church
Hospitality is a tangible expression of God’s love. When we open our hearts and homes, we create spaces where God’s transformative power can work.
Amen.