Lydia Shared Her Home

Acts 16:13-15

Our story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word to describe a helper of Jesus.

The Bible tells us about a man named Paul. He liked to tell people about Jesus. Paul went to many different cities and even countries so he could help people learn about Jesus. Some of Paul’s friends went with him: A man named Silas, another man named Luke, and a young man named Timothy.


Tramp, tramp, tramp. One day, Paul and his friends went to a city named Philippi. Paul and his friends taught the people in Philippi about Jesus. They told everyone they met that God loved them and sent His Son, Jesus.


On God’s special day, they went for a walk down by a river. The river was right outside of the town. Paul and his friends were looking for a quiet place where they could pray because there wasn’t a synagogue at Philippi.


A synagogue in Paul’s time was like our church building today. It was where people met to sing, pray, and learn about God’s Word.


As Paul and his friends walked, they found some women praying by the river. These women knew about God, but they did not know about God’s Son, Jesus.


Paul told the women about Jesus. They listened to Paul. He told them that God loved them. He told them that God had sent His Son Jesus for them.

One of the women was name Lydia. She sold purple cloth. After Paul finished preaching Lydia believed in Jesus. She wanted to be part of God’s family.


Paul went to the river with Lydia. Her family came, too. Paul read God’s Word. Paul and his friends baptized Lydia and her family.


Lydia wanted to do nice things for Jesus’ friends. She knew that Paul needed a place to stay while he was in Philippi. So, Lydia asked Paul and his friends to stay at her house. Lydia gave her new friends food to eat and a place to sleep.


Paul had helped Lydia learn to love Jesus. Now, Lydia was helping Paul. Jesus’ friends are nice to each other!


Bible Paraphrase: Let us do good to all people. (Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. – Galatians 6:10 NIV)

Text Truth: Jesus' friends are nice to each other.

Family Devotional
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. — James 5:13-17

 Lydia’s simple act of hospitality was a reflection of the love she had for Jesus. Not only was she being nice to Paul and his friends she was freeing them up to spread the Gospel.

 Being nice to others is motivated by Jesus’ love. It is showing His love to those around you.
Ask Jesus for His help to let His love flow freely from you. Just as He used Lydia’s gift and talents to help Paul, He has given you gifts and talents to use to show love to others.


Activities You Can Do at Home


Let Us Do Good to All People

Sing these words to the tune "London Bridge."

Let us do good to all people,
To all people, to all people.
Let us do good to all people.
Galatians six verse ten.
(Hold hands like a book.)


House Guest

Plan with your child to invite a guest over. Talk about how your child will show hospitality by helping you prepare and bring out food set the table, plan activities, welcome your guest. Then extend the invitation!


Stories of Being Nice

Read stories about being nice to others. Talk about different ways to be nice to someone and what to do when people are not nice.


Make People and Be Kind

You’ll Need: chenille stems

Make people out of chenille stems. Use these people to act with your preschooler ways to be kind to others. Be sure to include ways that would be easy for your child to be kind and ways that may be more challenging.


Make Puppets and Tell the Story

You’ll Need: small paper bags, crayons or washable markers

Make Paul and Lydia puppets from small paper bags. Draw a face on the bottom of each bag and clothing on the sides of the bag. Use the puppets to review the story. Then exchange puppets so your child can play the other part.


Ways to Be Nice

You’ll Need: paper, safety scissors, crayons or washable markers

Make a paper chain of people. On each person write down ways those in your family can be nice to others. Ask God to help you be kind and nice to others.

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Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.
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