Acts 11:19-26
Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back go Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)
I know the title this morning sounds bold and menacing, but as you discover what it really means to be Christian, you too will understand while all Christians are believers, not all all believers are Christians (Christlike).
While chronicling the events of the Church of God first established in Jerusalem, Luke takes note of one of the most important discoveries of the New Testament. The Gospel that was once thought to be the exclusive property of the Jews is for everyone. Salvation is not just for Jews, but Gentiles also. Did you catch that? The first church excluded you and me from contention for sanctification. In their view we weren’t supposed to be saved. But God said something different. He rearranged and erased hundreds of years of theological historic teaching, belief and tradition and made a way for you and me. Sometimes I believe we take this very special grace way too lightly.
We must review the history of the Church to really get a deeper understanding of our great calling. All the original believers in Jerusalem were Jews. As the Church grew, it purposely and intentionally included Jews only. And there was no magnanimous gesture by the Apostles, or deep spiritual insight by the prophets that revealed the truth of the Gospel to the Believing Jews. It was the death of Stephen and the persecution of the Church that caused a change of heart. Study the Word and you will find whenever God wants to bring wholesale change and upheaval to the earth, he brings unprecedented disruption and discomfort to the status quo. Before any mayor move of the Spirit, God will shake things up. He did it in days of old; and He’s still doing it today.
This account in Acts is so profound. Please note that the entire account was about the actions and movement of believers. Everyone mentioned was a believer, but only a select group were privileged to be called, “Christians”. Sadly, today we consider anyone and everyone that claims to be a believer a Christian. But please note Luke’s account. Some believers after leaving Jerusalem continued preaching the Gospel but didn’t comport to the pattern God was looking for. They did what they’d always done. They preached what they always preached to the folk they always preached it to. They had Word, but no Rhema. They had dynamic information, but no eternal revelation.
But there was this other group. The group that went to the country Antioch of Syria. And they broke tradition, protocol and decorum and began sharing the Good News outside their predetermined borders. And as they do so, the people that encountered them recognized they closely resembled the man named Jesus. They were duplicate copies of what they imagined the Christ to be. These believers were indeed Christians: not because of their talk, jargon, or ideology, but because of their loving actions and gospel of inclusion. The gospel of John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
You may be a believer, but are you presenting yourself as a Christian?
God Bless
