”The Lord Opened Her Heart”

Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 3:5-8; Acts 16:13-15 (texts); Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 7

August 10, 2014 • Download this sermon (PDF)

As a matter of courtesy, please advise Rev. Nollie Malabuyo if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank you.

Congregation of Christ: Lord’s Day 7 of the Heidelberg Catechism teaches us clearly from Scripture that true faith is a gift of God given sovereignly by God to his elect people. One little incident in Paul’s second missionary journey illustrates the truth.

Our text in Acts 16 tells us of a Gentile businesswoman named Lydia who was from Thyatira, but who lived in the city of Philippi. Philippi was along a major trading route and was settled by many Roman soldiers.

Acts 16:6-10 also tells us how Paul providentially ended up preaching the gospel in Philippi. He wanted to go to the province of Asia (modern-day Turkey), but he was “forbidden by the Holy Spirit.” He then wanted to go to Bithynia, but again, “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” Not knowing where to go, Paul proceeded to go to the city of Troas, where God showed him a vision of a man pleading for him to go to Macedonia (modern-day Greece) to help them. He immediately hurried to go there, ending up in a place by a river in Philippi where a group of women who worshipped the true God of the Jews gathered.

As Lydia and the other women listened to Paul, Luke tels us that “the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” And we know the rest of the story.

So our theme this afternoon is from Acts 16:15, “The Lord Opened Her Heart,” under two headings: first, Who Opens the Heart?; second, What Happens When the Heart is Opened?

Who Opens the Heart?

Our text says exactly the opposite of what many pastors and teachers today believe. How does God save a person? They say that by his or her own “free will,” a person opens his or her heart to Christ. We often hear a pastor invite unbelievers to be saved by quoting Revelation 3:20, imagining Jesus as knocking on the door of one’s heart, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

What an upside-down, inside-out picture! Jesus is not a hopeless, helpless Savior pleading with an unbeliever to open his heart and accept him. In this verse, Jesus is knocking on the door of the lukewarm church of Laodicea, not on unbelievers’ hearts. He is the One Who opens an unbeliever’s heart to save him from sin and God’s wrath. Paul says in no uncertain terms that no unbeliever will open his heart to Christ on his own, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God… not even one” (Rom 3:10-12). Lydia would have never understood and accepted the Gospel of Christ on her own, because, as Paul again says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14). Therefore, if God waits for a totally depraved person to “open his own heart” to have faith, no one, not even one human being will be saved!

Therefore, the apostles always preached to unbelievers, “Repent and believe, and you will be saved!” But how does a person have faith and repentance? These are given to them by God the Holy Spirit, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18; see also Acts 5:31; 2 Tim 2:25).

This is why Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 7 begins with the bad news that not all are saved but “only those who by true faith are ingrafted into Him and receive all His benefits” (Q&A 20). But what is true faith? We can get a glimpse of true faith in Lydia the businesswoman in Philippi.

The Heidelberg Catechism mentions three components of faith. The first is “a sure knowledge” of the truths in the Bible. No knowledge of the Bible, God, Christ, sin, and the person and work of Christ means no faith. Faith has to have content, “How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” (Rom 10:14) But there are many people—pastors, scholars, professors, churchgoers, unbelievers—who have all the knowledge in the world about the Bible. But it is all in their head, not in the heart. James says that even demons know about God—and shudder! (Jas 2:19)

Lydia had this true knowledge, from her God-fearing Jewish friends, and most importantly, from Paul’s teachings. Yet there are many evangelicals today who despise knowledge, who loathe doctrine, and say, “I have no creed but Christ.” But this piety ends in their words. If you ask them more about the Bible, about God, about sin, about the Gospel of Christ, they are at a loss for words. They have very little knowledge even of basic Biblical words such as election, justification, sanctification, gospel, covenant, and even baptism.

Second, the Heidelberg Catechism says faith is not only this “sure knowledge,” but a “hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word.” It is possible for an unbeliever to have all kinds of Bible knowledge, but not really believe this knowledge. Take for example many people who were raised in Christian homes and in the church, who have knowledge of many Bible stories, and even doctrines. But they do not show evidence of faith because they do not believe in creation, or in the Exodus, or in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ.

After the Lord opened Lydia’s heart, she “paid attention” to the words of Paul. She believed the good news of salvation in the person and redemptive work of Christ. All her knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures about the Messiah was confirmed by the gospel of Christ.

Third and last, the Heidelberg Catechism says faith is not only “a sure knowledge” and “a hold for truth,” but also “a hearty trust.” True faith involves trust that God gives the gifts of “forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness, and salvation.” What is the payment for these gifts? Nothing! They are “freely given by God, merely of grace.” How is God able to give this freely? “Only for the sake of Christ’s merits.”

Unlike the rich, young ruler, Lydia never asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” She understood and trusted with her whole heart, mind and strength God’s promise of salvation in “Christ’s merits” alone. His sacrificial life, death and resurrection were perfect, acceptable and sufficient before God. Lydia was “faithful to the Lord.”

Asure knowledge. A hold for truth. A hearty trust. Without these three, there is no saving faith. Do you have knowledge, acceptance and trust in the truths of the Gospel of Christ? If so, you have true faith that gives you forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness, and salvation. These are freely given by our gracious and merciful God. No good works required to earn them.

But how does God give this true and saving faith? Where does it come from? Luke says, “The Lord opened her heart.” As Joel says, in the new covenant, God will pour out his Spirit on “all flesh.” This is confirmed by Ezekiel:

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezk 36:26-27).

The LORD will perform a heart and Spirit transplant on the elect, replacing hard hearts with soft hearts. They will be made willing on the day of their salvation. Their hostile and rebellious hearts will be replaced with hearts that know, receive and trust Christ. This is why John says that we must be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.

But although Lydia’s salvation was freely given by God only by the works of Christ, she showed evidence of her faith with what she does after the Lord opened her heart. The Spirit of God and Christ began to dwell in her, causing her to be obedient and faithful to Christ.

What Happens When the Heart is Opened?

What does Lydia do after the Lord opened her heart?

First, we read that she “paid attention” to all of Paul’s teachings that are necessary for Christians to believe. And what are these? The Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 22 summarizes these teachings, “All that is promised us in the Gospel, which the articles of our catholic, undoubted Christian faith teach us in summary.” This is the Apostles’ Creed and other creeds that we recite every Lord’s Day.

Second, she allowed herself and her whole household to be baptized. She believed and obeyed Paul’s command, given by Jesus himself, that all believers must be baptized by water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. She understood this not as a requirement for salvation, but as a sign and seal of her membership in the covenant people of God. Notice also that she said after she and her household were baptized, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord.” She did not say, “If you have judged us,” meaning, that when she, the head of her household, believed, her whole household was baptized as well. It does not say that her whole household believed.

Third, she began to show love for her brothers in Christ. She pleaded with Paul and his companions to stay in her house for a few days. With this gesture, she showed her hospitality. Luke does not say it, but it is most certain that she, a wealthy businesswoman, contributed to the needs of the missionaries. Paul actually taught this in Romans 12:13, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (see also 1 Pet 4:9).

Fourth and last—though not explicitly narrated—Lydia had great interest to learn more. Surely, fellowship with Paul and his companions was part of her invitation. But in the gathering of true Christians, there is always conversation about the Bible, God, Christ, and many other subjects of interest common to believers.

Dear Family of God: If there is one benefit to be learned from Lord’s Day 7 of the Heidelberg Catechism, it is this: true saving faith is a great assurance and comfort to you as Christians.

Do you have a sure knowledge of the doctrines taught in the Bible? Do you hold as true all this sure knowledge? And do you trust God and Christ with all your heart, soul and mind? If you have all these three things, you are assured of forgiveness of sins and eternal righteousness and life.

And if you are have assurance that you have true faith, do you show evidence of your faith? Do you pay attention to the preaching of God’s Word? Have you been baptized, you and your children? Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, ready to help in their time of need, to be hospitable to those who need fellowship and even a place to stay? Do you have interest in the things of God?

If you do not have this assurance, come to Christ. Pray that the Spirit would give you true faith and repentance, and dwell within you. Today is the day of salvation. If you do, Jesus promises that he will never reject those who come to him in faith and repentance. Amen.