A WOMAN’S PLACE IS IN THE CHURCH

Acts 16: 9-15

Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 13, 2007

I’m not complaining. I don’t really have time to watch much television. I don’t think I’m missing much—seeing the occasional program. I watch a couple of the CSI programs and other police dramas and, usually, the news. I understand that there is a new show on television called, “Thank God! You’re Here!” I understand that its premise is improvisational comedy, with the guest finding themselves thrust into a situation to rescue or resolve.

While I could wish they’d chosen a different name for their program—since I assume they could have switched out “Oh, boy!” as an exclamation, not being particularly pious in using God’s name, the title gives us opportunity to talk about the Church. As I asked the children in the message just a moment ago, who’s needed to keep us from simply stuttering onto the world’s stage with “Ch-ch?” What’s needed to make us CHURCH? UR—you are!

In these Sundays after Easter, have you noticed that the first lessons have been from Acts? Maybe they’re trying to tell us something—that Easter’s news moves us to act? Again and again we read in Acts, Luke telling us that Word of the Lord grows. God acts and His Church grows. He works through Paul, Easter’s news changing his life. He works in Lydia’s heart and Easter’s news changes her life. He works through you to grow His Church. You are needed.

I couldn’t resist the title this morning as we remember Lydia and how God built His Church through and with her. Maybe when you read it, you wondered, “What is pastor going to talk about with this?” While it would be kind of fun to use the pulpit to address the role of women in the church, that’s more of a topic for a Bible class or a discussion session—where you have a chance to talk. My point is simply that everyone—women, men, students and children—are needed in the Church, so that the Word of the Lord can continue to grow.

The Word of the Lord grows—God builds His Church in Europe. Up until Paul’s vision of the Macedonian man calling him to come help them, the Gospel had not yet been preached in Europe. Can you imagine how human history would have been different if Lydia and those other women would have walked away? No Roman Catholic Church. No Greek Orthodox Church. No German Lutheran church, either. What if the disciples would have misunderstood Jesus’ command to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth as stopping at Palestine—or Asia’s—limits? God builds His Church—where He wills.

Luke records their journey to Philippi. When they arrive, they look for the synagogue. That was Paul’s normal beginning point. However, Philippi apparently lacked a full-fledged synagogue. You need ten men for a synagogue and Paul and his companions only find women. God takes what was not even a synagogue and makes His Church.

Isn’t that the way God always works? Into the nothingness, He spoke His Word and Creation happened. Into Mary’s womb He spoke His Word and Jesus was conceived and born. Where there is nothing—like our hearts—He speaks His Word through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for sinners—and there is faith and forgiveness. Paul preaches the Word to this group that doesn’t qualify as a synagogue and they become the Church in Europe.

Again, God works this way. He didn’t send Paul and his companions to find the largest synagogue in Greece—He doesn’t wait for us to be qualified or act because we have the credentials. We just confessed that before God, we aren’t qualified or have any credentials except as sinners. Easter’s news is that God has qualified you and me in Christ. Where there was nothing, now there is salvation and life. You and I are members of His Church.

So God builds His Church with Lydia. Through Paul’s witness and preaching, the Spirit opens Lydia’s heart and she is connected to Jesus. How does Lydia respond? How does the Church still respond?

Lydia is built. Her heart is changed, her destiny changed—her life is changed as she confesses Jesus Christ as her Savior. She is built by the Word and working of the Holy Spirit toward maturity in Christ. What does she do? Lydia becomes one of the leading members of the church in Philippi. We hear about her again in Acts, active in the church.

Lydia cares. Immediately she invites Paul and his companions to stay in her house. She responds to the Gospel with hospitality. The Spirit works through her personality, her gifts to take care of Paul and his companions.

Lydia reaches out. She is baptized and Luke tells us that her entire household was baptized with her. Her household could include any children, her employees, her servants and slaves and all those who benefited from her business. Lydia builds. Lydia cares. Lydia reaches out. Do these verbs sound familiar?

They make our mission statement missional. Remember our mission? We are called by God to reach out, care for and build one another toward maturity in Christ. God built His Church in Europe with Lydia. He plans to build His Church in Aurora, Parker, Denver—Colorado! He plans to do that with you.

You and I are connected to Jesus. We have been “built” into Christ and His Church through baptism and the preaching of the Word and the speaking of the forgiveness won by Christ into your heart. Your heart has been opened—as was Lydia’s—to know and confess Jesus as your Lord. You are here at Mount Olive, not simply by your choice, but by God’s building.

Lydia responded. So can you and me. Jesus sent His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. He includes where you work, where you go to school, where you live and where you shop as places where you can be part of His building His Church. By His Spirit and with His Word, you and I are called to build, care and reach so that the Church can be built.

Who is needed to make the Church complete? UR—you are! Paul writes to the Philippians years later—as he reflects on their work together—“I thank my God every time I think of you.” The Philippians were the only ones who supported him when he was in prison. There was a bond in Christ and of love between them.

I can relate to Paul’s view of the Philippians. I, too, thank God every time I think of you. I can apply that show’s title now. Thank God, you’re here! You are needed to make us complete; you are needed to help fulfill His mission. Thank God, you’re here.