After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Pastor David has charged us to BE the Church. What does that look like? As we continue to learn about Lydia and the church in Philippi, we are given some idea of the Church’s origins. For one, the Church wasn’t in a singular building or synagogue, it was in the homes of the believers! Lydia welcomes Paul and Silas back into her house after they are freed from the Roman prison by an angel of the Lord. The other believers offer safety and encouragement for them until they escape the city and the Roman officials.
There are a lot of advantages to a church building. We have a big space in which to gather. There’s a stage for the band to stand on and conference rooms for meetings and specialized spaces for children and teens and potluck dinners. But there is something different about bringing the Church into our homes that you may have experienced if you have ever worked from home. When we worship at one address and live in another, it’s easy to think that God resides at the church and we go and visit him once a week. It’s also easy to encourage one another on Sunday afternoon and then hide out in our living rooms for the rest of the week. When we bring the Church into our homes, we remember that we ARE the Church.
So as we strive to BE the Church, we can look to Lydia and the other men and women in Philippi who opened their homes to worship, encourage, and shelter one another as an example of how to live: devoted to each other in love and in our common goal of spreading the gospel.
