Lydia: A New Believer!

"Dinner with Lydia and Paul" ~ a Purple Cooking Workshop

Summary:

Students will prepare and eat a "purple" meal, and do so "silently" as they explore the story of Lydia and Paul and her hospitality. Mixing and eating purple-colored food will be a lesson and meal they won't forget!

Scripture:

Acts 16:13-15

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 from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper 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 home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Lesson Plan

Open:

Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing and learning today. Do not tell them that all the food will be purple or that the meal will be largely silent!

Introduce the story:
After Jesus was raised from the dead and went to heaven, his followers continued to gather together to tell his stories and to worship God. One of Jesus’ followers was a man named Paul. Paul had originally hated Christians – in fact he put them in jail and even killed some, but he was changed when he had a vision of Jesus. Then he became the greatest of all the apostles. Paul and his friends traveled on many journeys to share the good news of Jesus with others. More and more people became Christians because of Paul’s visits.

On his second missionary journey Paul planned to visit churches that he started during his first missionary journey, but God had other plans. The Bible says that the “Holy Spirit prevented them from entering” some regions of Asia Minor. Paul had a vision. “He saw a man standing and begging him. ‘Come over to Macedonia…Help us!’” (Acts 16:9-10) So Paul and his companions ended up going to Philippi instead, and there they met a woman named Lydia who asked to hear the stories of Jesus.

After we begin eating our meal, we're going to hear how Paul and Lydia met and what happened when they did!

Prepare the Purple Meal

Prepare several purple foods by adding blue/red food coloring to them, mixing them, and then putting them into serving bowls with serving spoons. Your meal is "family style."

1. Purple grape juice
2. Purple Mac and Cheese ~ Make "White Cheddar" Mac and Cheese from Kraft (or similar)
3. Purple Pears (canned pears)
4. Purple Pudding for Dessert

While some mix the purple foods, have others set a purple table with some purple streamers, plates, and spoons.

Let's Eat!

1. Announce that no one may serve themself!  Everyone has to pay attention to your needs and make sure you get food served and anything else you need.

2. Only the teacher may speak!  This is a quiet meal, sometimes called a "monastic" meal. (There will be a discussion time when you can speak.)

3. When it is time for dessert, have students feed each other with the rule that they are not allowed to feed themselves.

Teachings and Questions to be Shared During Part of the Meal

1. Read the Scripture passage and ask, "What do you think made Lydia want to hear stories about Jesus?" Why do YOU want to hear stories about Jesus? -- what can they teach us?
   
   
2. Purple in Lydia's world was a very expensive color because it was made from sea shells. Have you every seen a sea shell with purple in it? (Show one if you one, or show a picture). That meant only RICH PEOPLE could afford purple, and they would wear it to show their wealth!   
   
   What does God want us to be purple-rich in?  (It's not money or fame. How about love? patience? kindness?)
   
   
3. Christians in the early day of the Church had to depend on each other for housing, food, protection, and teaching. Can you give me examples of what each of those things might include?
   
4. Being welcoming and taking care of fellow believers is called "hospitality," -- being hospitable, a good host and helper. But as Jesus taught, hospitality was not just for Christians, it was how Christians were to treat EVERYONE. Who are some people in our world that you think it would be hard to be "hospitable" to?   (Think enemies, or a homeless person, a Muslim or non-believer, a kid who doesn't like you but comes to your church etc.)
   
   
5. Show me what hospitality LOOKS and SOUNDS LIKE!  Show me a hospitable/welcoming, "I am your friend" FACE, BODY POSITION, TONE OF VOICE.

Finish with the purple Dessert that you must feed each other

• Be hospitable to the person you are feeding. Don't be goofy. Show them you care.

Close with a prayer asking God to help us be PURPLE:
purposeful about sharing and caring and passionate about following Jesus, and always praying.  Invite students to come up with other words that start with "p" for the prayer

A lesson by Neil MacQueen with help from Jaymie Derden