June 11, 2020
Would You Be Considered a "Christian" by the Watching World?
Acts 11:19-30
Beth Kaye
Central Truth
We should be proud to be called Christians—for Jesus created us by His hand, redeemed us by His blood, and saved us by His resurrection.
Key Verse | Acts 11:26
[A]nd when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Acts 11:19-30
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists 1 11:20 Or Greeks (that is, Greek-speaking non-Jews) also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers 2 11:29 Or brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Dive Deeper | Acts 11:19-30
The end of Acts 11 recaps how persecution broke out in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas following the martyrdom of Stephen. This caused believers in the early church to scatter and escape oppression, imprisonment, and even death. Many of these believers fled to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.
Initially, the disciples had only shared the gospel with other Jews; however, it was in Antioch that the gospel spread, and some Greeks believed. Subsequently, a great awakening happened in this pagan city, and the church in Jerusalem sent a trusted leader named Barnabas to validate this transformation. Led by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas found Paul in the nearby city of Tarsus and brought him to Antioch where they stayed for a whole year. They taught about Christ and His resurrection, and "a great many people were added to the Lord" (Acts 11:24).
Toward the end of our passage, it mentions that the disciples were first called "Christians" in Antioch (Acts 11:26). However, this label was not originally a positive reference. Nonbelievers in Antioch apparently coined the term and meant it to be derogatory. These "Christians" looked different to the watching world. They sought to abstain from the patterns of the pagan culture in Antioch. They showed respect for women and children, and they sought to love the Lord and others. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and was very culturally and religiously diverse. These "Christians" broke down the cultural and religious walls of that time through the power of the gospel, and many came to believe in Jesus.
This is both convicting and a challenge as we seek to look like Christians whose lives have been transformed by the power of the gospel. The way we live and love others can be an incredible witness to a lost and broken world. We should be proud to be called Christians—for He created us by His hand, redeemed us by His blood, and saved us by His resurrection.
Discussion Questions
1. As you reflect on your life, do you look different from the world around you?
2. Would your neighbors, coworkers, or family members say you are different in the way you love others? Do you point your differences back to Jesus?
3. What aspects of your life reflect Christ's work in and through you?