Mystery of Conversion (Barrett Coffman) 10-1-23

Acts 16:11-15

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Naeapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of the district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her house. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. (NIV 84)

---

---

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CONVERSION

Humility: Don Meyer was the head men's basketball coach at Lipscomb University for 25 years. When he retired in 2009, he was the winningest coach in college basketball history with a record of 923-324. One of his life principles was: "Always Take Notes." 

Hungry: Louie Gigglio is a Christian pastor and founder of the Passion Movement. He wrote this about worship, "Worship is simply about value. Worship is our response to whatever we value the most in our lives."

Hospitality: John Stott, in his commentary on Acts, wrote this about the conversion of Lydia, "For once her heart was opened, her home was opened too." 

---

THE CONCEPTS OF CONVERSION

• Paul gladly shares because conversion is intentional.
• God graciously opens because conversion is spiritual.
• Lydia genuinely responds because conversion is personal.  

---

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Take a few moments and share your conversion story with someone. Do you have a favorite conversion story? Share that story with someone. 
2. There is an important principle established in Scripture (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). The principle is this, "God gives grace to the humble, but He opposes the proud." How have you seen this principle in your life or in the narrative of Scripture?
3. The word translated "speak" in verse 13 is not a word used for teaching or preaching, it is a more casual word that means to have a personal conversation. Who shared in this way with you about Jesus? Who is someone in your life that you could share with about Jesus?
4. The mystery of conversion is how all three of the concepts of conversion come together as one in a beautiful way. Does knowing all three of these concepts help you to better understand conversion? How?
5. When conversion happens in a person's life, fruit is produced. In the conversion of Lydia, the fruit of hospitality is immediately produced. What kind of fruit have you seen produced in your life or in another person's life due to conversion?