"Christians" May 12, 2019 Sermon
Overview
The First Church of the Gentiles: Taught, Named, and Living Out the Name
The church at Antioch holds a unique place in Scripture—we might rightly call it the first church of the Gentiles. Following Peter's witness in Acts 10 that the gospel is for Jew and Gentile alike, the believers in Jerusalem rejoiced that "God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life" Acts 11:18. As "a great number became believers and turned to the Lord" Acts 11:21, Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul, and together this remarkable pastoral team shepherded the new congregation. Three things mark this church and shape ours.
They were taught. "For an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people" Acts 11:26. The fruit was more teachers—by Acts 13:1, the church at Antioch had "prophets and teachers" of its own. The apostles had already set this priority in Acts 6, devoting themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. This is why Sunday school never ends, why small groups, men's and women's studies, youth and children's instruction matter so deeply, and why a church should be chosen not for its programs, friendliness, or demographics, but for what she teaches. The teaching is what God uses to form us, transform us, and pass faith to the next generation. Believers do not gather to be entertained or to have their opinions validated, but to be taught—because that is how, by God's grace, mature disciples are born.
They were called Christians. "In Antioch the disciples were first called Christians" Acts 11:26. The name—from the Greek Christianoi, "the party of Christ"—was originally a slur from pagan onlookers. The early church wore it as a badge of honor; martyrs declared under torture, "I am a Christian." None of us deserves the name. We are sinners deserving hell, but Christ has borne our sins on the cross, His tomb is empty, and in the waters of baptism God claims us as His own and says, "You are mine." As Paul writes, "whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" Romans 14:8. To be a Christian is simply to belong to Christ.
They lived out their name. When the prophet Agabus foretold a famine Acts 11:27–28—a famine confirmed by secular historians during the reign of Claudius—the Gentile believers at Antioch sent relief to the believers in Judea, "everyone according to his ability" Acts 11:29–30. They loved in Jesus' name, and they loved the very Jewish brothers and sisters from whom many had once felt estrangement. Their giving was proportional and sacrificial, the natural overflow of those who had been served by Christ's cross and resurrection.
The pattern still belongs to Christ's church today. Confirmands who stand before the congregation are not graduating from being taught; their white robes are not academic achievements but signs of the righteousness of Christ given freely in baptism. They do not decide for Jesus—Jesus has already decided for them, calling each by name. Having been taught, they stand as Christians, ready to keep being taught and to live out, in ever greater ways, the name they bear: belonging to Christ, called to love and serve in His name.
Transcript
names of churches interest me. I've always maintained that this church 1s
she has a great name. Living Word, why it refers to the word, the Lord Jesus 8s
Christ, it refers to Scripture, it draws on the Hebrew verses there in terms of 15s
the Word being living and active. It is an incredible and wonderful name for 21s
church. Some churches will designate themselves numerically, sometimes you'll hear 28s
first Lutheran church, your second Baptist church, et cetera. I came across 35s
recently a church and the name of the church was the 10th Presbyterian 40s
church. You have to do some serious accounting in a community there to make 45s
sure you've got your numbers right for that, right? Today I want to use the 51s
numerical approach to naming a church and I'd like to name a church that we 57s
see in Holy Scripture. It doesn't reveal this name to us in the Word of God but I 63s
think this name would be appropriate specifically. The first church of the Gentiles, 70s
the first church of the Gentiles and what we're going to see today is what 80s
occurred in the first church of the Gentiles, what they were called in the first 90s
church of the Gentiles and what they did in the first church of the Gentiles. I 98s
put this into a context for us. You'll recall that an Acts 10th chapter. You have 108s
it's an incredibly important chapter. That's why we spent so much time in it. In 116s
the 10th chapter of the Book of Acts you have the message that the gospel of the 121s
Lord Jesus Christ is not only for the Jew but it's for the non-Jew, it's for the 126s
Gentile. In the 11th chapter Peter goes and he goes back to the church in Jerusalem 131s
and tells them what God has been doing among the Gentiles and the response. 140s
Take a look at chapter 11 verse 18. When they heard this they were silenced and they 148s
raised God saying, then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that 156s
leads to life. You then have more witnessing to the Gentiles. Notice in 163s
verse 21, please chapter 11. The scripture says, the hand of the Lord was with 173s
them and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. Barnavists then 181s
comes from the church in Jerusalem. He comes to encourage these new 190s
believers. He calls and exhorts them to remain faithful and to be devoted. And 196s
what you have here in Antioch is the birth of a church. And the name I'd like to 202s
give it this morning, the first church of the Gentiles, the first church of the 208s
Gentiles. So let's pick up our story. Let's go to verse 25 now chapter 11. Then 217s
Barnavists went to Tarsis to look for soul and when he had found him he brought 226s
him to Antioch. You remember soul? Soul had dedicated his life to the eradication 232s
of Christianity. Soul said if I run across a Christian they're going to be thrown 241s
into prison. We're going to kill these Christians. We're going to eradicate 247s
this movement. God met him on the road to Damascus transformed his heart, 250s
turned him into a believer. And the last we heard about soul was back in the 255s
ninth chapter and Saul was going guess where? Tarsis, Tarsis. So Barnavists, Barnavists 262s
knows exactly who he wants to help him here in Antioch. And so he goes to Tarsis 270s
to look for soul. Galatians tells us that during that period from the ninth 275s
chapter of Acts to the 11th chapter of Acts that Paul had gone into Syria and 282s
Syria we know from scripture that churches were born certainly Paul would have 288s
founded them. And now Barnavists is going to team up with Paul team up and they're 294s
going to minister to this new church the first church of the Gentiles. 304s
Let's reflect on this a second. That is quite a team isn't it? That is quite a 311s
pastoral team for the church church for the first church of the Gentiles in Antioch 319s
to have Barnavists and Paul. That's a strong team. Strong team. What do they do 324s
there at the first church? Look please halfway through verse 25. So it was that 333s
for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people. 343s
They taught. Remember back in the sixth chapter of Acts when you had the food 356s
distribution to the widows and the Apostles says we need to bring together a 363s
team that can do this. They said and we ourselves will devote ourselves to prayer 367s
and to serving the Word. They understood that their calling was to teach. Notice 374s
what happens. Look at chapter 13 verse 1. Scripture says now in the church at Antioch 382s
there were prophets and teachers. So as the pastoral team then of Barnavists and 389s
Paul minister and Antioch as they're teaching who's born the more teachers right? 400s
They're instructed and now they themselves will teach. What occurred at the first 412s
church of the Gentiles they taught and they taught and they taught. That's why there's 420s
one in school for age three through adult. That's why Sunday school never ends until the 429s
Lord takes you home. That's why there's small groups that gather together and study. 435s
That's why there's a men's group and a women's group and they study. That's why when 443s
the youth get together they study. That's why when the kids go in for music on Wednesday 448s
nights they study what it is that they're singing. What the words are. That's why they're taught 455s
the great hymns of the church. They're taught. How come this hymn has remained for centuries 462s
here? They're taught how great hymns preach. That's why Pastor Malamek and I are working on 468s
the formation of an academy here at living word. We're going to roll it out in the fall. 476s
This is an academy. It's a three year program. Some 13 classes that we're going to combine together 482s
and we're going to teach. It's going to be theology. It's going to be doctorate. It's going to be 491s
biblical studies. It's going to be Christian caregiving. It's going to be witnessing. There is no 495s
other church in the Metroplex that is doing this. And our prayer is that every single person will 500s
roll in this academy. We'll go through this three year program. Receive the certificate 507s
that other churches in the area will become a part of it. This is like a mini seminary 514s
that we are putting together for the expressed purpose of equipping the saints for the work of 520s
ministry. What's going to be at the heart of it? We're going to teach and we're going to teach 527s
and we're going to teach and we're going to make teachers that then go out and an even greater 533s
ways defend the faith. Why when someone in our faith community, when they move out of our 541s
service area, oftentimes they'll say, Pastor, can you recommend the church to me? Sometimes I can. 551s
Other times I can't. But in the times that I can't, what I do is I share with them. 557s
Please do this. When you go to choose a church, choose the church, 564s
based upon what she teaches, what she teaches. It doesn't matter whether it's large, 571s
it doesn't matter whether it's small, it doesn't matter whether it's medium or in the whole 581s
for range of how churches come. Choose the church, I'll say, based upon what she teaches. 585s
Don't choose it based upon program. As you can have the greatest program in the life of a 594s
church, since the Lord Jesus walked this earth, but if the teaching is bad, what doesn't matter? 601s
Don't choose it based upon friend lines. His friends come and go. People come and move away. 607s
Don't choose it because your next door neighbor has a friend of your child and they go to this 617s
church. Don't choose it that way. Don't choose it based upon the demographics. Don't choose it for any 624s
other reason than what the church teaches. Because you see, it's the teaching that forms us. 631s
It's the teaching that God uses to transform us into who He wants to be. It's the teaching 646s
that remains for your children. It's the teaching that they then will pass on to the next generation. 655s
When the church and Andy Ock, the first church of the Gentiles, when they gathered, 668s
they didn't gather to be entertained. They didn't gather to have their ears tickled 678s
with cute stories from the preacher. They didn't gather to have their opinions validated 686s
by the preacher. They gathered to be taught because the teaching was paramount. 696s
What they do in the first church of the Gentiles, what occurred? They just taught 713s
and they just kept on teaching because that's by God's grace how mature disciples 726s
are born. What were they called in the first church of the Gentiles? 739s
Look at me, please. At the last part of verse 26, and it was an Antioch that the disciples were 751s
first called Christians. The first place in Scripture where Christians are ever referred to as 761s
Christians. A lot of things are called witnesses, brothers and sisters, followers of the way, 770s
there's many different designations. This is the first use of Christians. And you know what? 779s
The birth of this designation was not a compliment. It was a form of derision. It was born 784s
out of the derision of the pagans. Christy, honey, the Greek word there means the party of Christ. 792s
You belong to Christ. So they said, ah, you belong to the party of Christ. Aren't you? You are a 803s
like we do. You belong to the party of Christ. And so Christians was a term of derision. 814s
Derision. The early Christians, they wore that with a badge of honor, badge of honor. 824s
In fact, the historian in CBS says of an early martyr, he turned to his torturers 832s
and said to his torturers, I am a Christian. I am a Christian. They belong to Christ, 838s
belong to him. They didn't deserve that. None of us deserve it. 857s
We're sinners. Every last one of us, we sit against him and thought word indeed, 866s
what we've done and what we've left undone. What we deserve is hell itself. 871s
But the Lord Jesus Christ has borne our sins on the cross. His tomb is empty. The sacrifice has 879s
accepted. God comes and claims us as his own in the waters of baptism. 885s
Give us the gifts of life, eternal and faith in the Holy Spirit and eternal life. He makes us 894s
a member of the family. He says to us, your mind, your mind. That's why Paul says in Romans the 900s
14th chapter. He says, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord. It's the Christian. 909s
They belong to Christ. They belong to him. 923s
What occurred? They taught. What were they called? Christians. What do they do? What do they do? 932s
Look when they please, at verse 27. At that time, Prophet came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 948s
One of them named Agabus stood up, predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine 957s
over all the world and this took place during the reign of Claudius. Just a little side here. 964s
Claudius rained from 41 to 54. There are several historians, secular historians, from the day 973s
who recorded severe famines that affected Israel in 44 and 45. Exactly as what was predicted. 980s
Exactly. So what they do? Verse 29. The disciples determined that according to their ability, 991s
each would send relief to the believers, living in Judea, this they did, sending it to the elders 998s
by Barnabus and Saul. So what they do? They loved in Jesus name and who they loved. 1005s
They loved the Jews. Very people who for so long just hated them. They hated them. They didn't matter. 1017s
They just loved them. They gave proportionately those who had more gave more. Those who had less. 1028s
They gave less. But both was proportional sacrifice. They loved. They had been claimed by the Lord Jesus 1040s
Christ. They were followers of Him. They belonged to Him. Jesus Christ had given His all 1051s
dying for them and rising for them. And so as the act of service to the one who had served them 1058s
through the cross and the resurrection, they lived out their faith and they just loved. They loved them. 1066s
They said, here's help. Here's help. They taught. They were called Christians and they lived out. 1077s
They're named. They lived out their name. Today, seven eighth graders are about ready to go through the right 1096s
of confirmation. This is the time of year when you see a lot of gowns, academic gowns. 1110s
Their gown is different. This isn't a gown of achievement. It's a gown of giftedness. It's white. 1121s
Because God has claimed them as his own in the waters of baptism and has given to them 1132s
of the righteous garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a gown of academic achievement. 1137s
This is a gown of rejoicing. It's a gift. When they rise, they're not going to make their 1144s
decision for Jesus today. Because Jesus has already made his decision about them in the waters of 1155s
baptism. When Jesus said, calling them each by name, you're mine. You are mine. No ifs or butts about it. 1163s
And he took his word one through the cross and the empty tomb and just washed them 1180s
in the process. These conformants have been taught. Two years, Wednesday night, 1186s
we've studied the small cataclysm of Martin Luther. You see, for years in Sunday school, 1200s
they learn the Bible stories and the doctrine and then they get the confirmation and they learn 1207s
the doctrine and go right back to the Bible stories. You see, it comes out in both ways. 1210s
For two years, studied, they were taught. And they're gown today does not mean it's graduation day. 1218s
It's not graduation day from being taught. It's a declaration that indeed the teaching of all 1228s
it. And so when they rise, we're going to see people that have been taught and that continue to be taught. 1248s
When they rise, we're going to see Christians. Christians. And they wear that name proudly 1263s
because they have been made one who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ and that is solely God's 1273s
gracious act on their life. As he transformed them into believers, when they stand, these ones who have 1281s
been taught, they stand as Christians. And when they stand that is a declaration to the congregation 1291s
that indeed having completed this period of study in their life, they are ready to take on a greater 1298s
responsibility in the life of Christ's church. They are saying in a specific way to each one of us 1306s
today that they're ready in even greater ways to live out who they are. Christians 1314s
call to love and serve in the name of Christ. When they stand, it is a reminder to us 1327s
that the first church of the Gentiles, they were taught named and they lived out their name. 1345s
And in living word Lutheran church in grapevine, Texas taught named and living out their name. 1364s
And the same thing that happened in the first church of the Gentiles, by God's grace, 1384s
happens right here, right here, Amen. 1394s