What Does It Mean To Be Called a Christian?
Acts 11:19-26
If I were to ask you the question “What Does It Mean To Be Called a Christian?”, there would be many varied answers... even in this place, even among Christians.
Today, I want to answer that question for then, in Paul’s day, and now, in our modern world.
Background:
Our story takes place in the city of Antioch. Antioch is the capital of Syria, far north of Israel. It was a Gentile town, with very few Jews. We know that because there were 200,000 people in the city but there was NO SYNAGOGUE.
No synagogue meant there were not even 10 Jewish men there (required to form a synagogue.)
However, with the martyrdom of Stephen, many Christians fled north and many settled in Antioch. We don’t know how many, but they were not afraid to share their faith. As our scripture opens, there is a REVIVAL going on. The Christians who had fled had gotten revived, and were sharing. And the revival had spread to the lost who were getting saved in LARGE numbers.
Verse 21 says”a great number of the people (lost) believed and turned to the Lord.”
(((REMEMBER: Those two words..... together)))
The church at Jerusalem (First Baptist Church of the world) sent Barnabas to check it out and see if it was genuine revival---- blessed by Holy Spirit.
It was!!!! Barnabas knew he needed help.... went to find Paul.
ONE FULL YEAR.... they worked that area, doing follow-up, preaching, teaching.
Then verse 26 “THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST AT ANTIOCH.”
What did it mean
To those who called them Christians?
To those who were called Christians?
1. IT WAS NO COMPLIMENT!!!!!!!
It was the “C” word, equivalent to calling a black person by the “N” word.
You and I wear the name with pride, but it was not a source of pride then.
It was a “put-down”... like “TV Evangelist” today
A term of derision... Like “born again” today
An insult!!!! Like “fundamentalist” today
It came from the Greek word Christos = Lord Christ
and the Latin suffix ian = slave in the household of
Christian meant slave in the household slave of Lord Christ.
That may excite you as much as it does me
I want that on my tombstone... A slave for Jesus Christ!!
But it was an insult then... by those people.
I love what Tacitus (1st Century Greek historian) wrote; “The vulgar call them christians.”
The great cry of that society was FREEDOM
They reveled in their freedom
They hated anyone who sought to take their rights and freedoms
They detested anything that would smack of restraint
It was the hay-day, and beginning of the end for the Roman Empire that was destroyed because of its insatiable hunger to be free from all restraints.
It fell into complete debauchery, and fell apart.
The great sin of our day is INTOLERANCE
The great sin of their day was RESTRAINT– DENYING FREEDOM
The great insult of our day is Intolerant, bigot!!!
The great curse word of their day was “slave” or slavery.
Perhaps Paul was the first to see it as a compliment when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:14, “Blessed are you if you are insulted because of the name of Christ...”
“Blessed are you if they insult you by calling you by His name.”
What made the name so beautiful is that they were “called” christians.
The term “called” does not mean to beckon or to use a name to call them by.
It is the Greek work “krimitidzo” = to call one by their main business.
Like Mr. Baker, or carpenter, or plumber.
It means they were known by their main business.. Which is... being a salve of Jesus Christ.
They supported themselves as “butchers, bakers and candlestick makers.” But their main business was being a slave of Jesus Christ.
I LOVE IT!!!!
By their lifestyle they were known as slave to Jesus.
ARE WE??????
What does it mean today to be called a Christian?
IT DOES NOT MEAN....
1. One who lives by a set of rules and regulations.
That is not a Christian..... it is a legalist!!!
We are not slaves to rules or laws.... “nomosians”
Paul in Galatians 4:3-7 spoke of how we used to be slaves to the law (Mosaic Law) but how Jesus came and set us free from law and legalism and made us SONS.
“Sons” speaks of RELATIONSHIP.
Not slaves to a thing... law
voluntary submission (relationship) to a person– Jesus Christ
2. NOT PERFECT AND SINLESS PEOPLE.
When you get saved, Christ comes to live inside us as the Holy Spirit.
BUT THE OLD NATURE IS STILL THERE!!!!
Does not give up without a fight.
Both natures are in there..... BATTLING FOR CONTROL
YOU WILL SIN!!!!!
There are Christians who do not and can not sin... DEAD ONES!!!!
They do not have the old nature.
They are free from the fleshly desires and temptations.
WE ARE NOT DEAD AND NOT FREE!!!!
WE WILL AND DO SIN.
1 John 1:8 - 2:2 is so helpful...
We are sinners, we will sin
that does not excuse it
just a fact
When we do sin
there is forgiveness
Jesus is our arbitrator
Heaven is filled with rotten Christians
Hell is filled with generous, caring, loving lost persons.
ONE WARNING!!! If you claim you are not a sinner... YOU ARE A LIAR!
3. NOT A MEMBER OF A CHURCH.
Not even a member of a Christian church
Joining a church does not make you a Christian any more than joining a Moose Lodge makes you a Moose.......Lion, ..... eagle scout!
IT JUST MAKES YOU A MEMBER!!!!!!
There will be “members” in Hell..... you won’t be able to tell them from the lost there either.
A small town had three churches: Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist. All three had a serious problem with squirrels in the church. Each church in its own fashion had a meeting to deal with the problem. The Presbyterians decided that it was predestined that squirrels be in the church and that they would just have to live with them.The Methodists decided they should deal with the squirrels lovingly in the style of Charles Wesley. They humanely trapped them and released them in a park at the edge of town. Within 3 days, they were all back in the church.
The Baptists had the best solution. They voted the squirrels in as members.
Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
1. A Believer in Jesus Christ.
Jn 3:16
3:18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only son.
8:24 "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you did not believe that I am the one I claim to be...”
Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christi and you will be saved...”
Salvation is offered by GRACE and received by FAITH!!
Not believe in “existence of”... but believe in “sufficiency” of.
“Get in the wheelbarrow”
To believe in medicine only good if you receive it.
To believe in TV only good if you receive it-----turn it on
To believe in existence is useless.
“James 2:19 “You believe there is one God, so what, even the devil believes there is one god... and shudders.”
But read the end of the book and you will find out... HE IS GOING TO HELL!!!!
Believe WHAT?
1. YOU are a sinner
2. YOU are separated from holy God by your sin.
3. In that state, you will go to hell.
4. God does not want you to go to hell.
5. God made a “way out” for you.
6. Jesus died in your place.
7. God offers the gift of forgiveness.... THROUGH GRACE
8. You must receive it by faith and repentance.
CONFESS Your sins
Your sorrow
Your need
Your faith that He paid your price
ASK HIM TO wash away your sins
Come into your life
Take control of your life
Give you eternal life
Give you strength
DO IT NOW!!!!!!!
