Text for the Week: Called Christian

Scripture: Acts 11:19-30

¹⁹ Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰ But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. ²² News 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 rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion, ²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. ²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

²⁷ At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world, and this took place during the reign of Claudius. ²⁹ The disciples determined that, according to their ability, each would send relief to the brothers and sisters living in Judea; ³⁰ this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Questions

1. Acts connects the persecution of the church after Stephen’s death with the growth and expansion of the Church outside Jerusalem, how should we understand the relationship between persecution and the growth of the Church?
2. How should we react to the idea that the message of Jesus spread through the anonymous laity of the Church and it was only after the growth came that Barnabas and Saul reached Antioch?
3. Why is it so important for Acts to tell us that it is in Antioch that believers are first called Christians?

Background

Related Scriptures: Exodus 20:1-17; Proverbs 22:1; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1; 1 Timothy 1:3-11

Antioch was known for having a large Jewish quarter.

Hellenists were people that had a culturally Greek influence but were Jewish. These individuals had a Jewish heritage and religious practice but spoke Greek and lived outside Judea, like Timothy.

To be “called” a Christians is not simply that the followers of Jesus gave themselves a title. Rather this seems to indicate that the people of Antioch identified believers with Jesus under the name Christian because of their commitment to beliefs about him or his lifestyle.

Reflection

What words come to mind when you think of Jesus, how would you describe his life and character? Do you think about words like hypocritical? Judgmental? Self-righteous? What about arrogant, unforgiving, or disrespectful? I sincerely doubt you would think of any of these words when describing Jesus, yet for Americans who do not claim Christianity these are the top words they used to characterize Christians and the first three were stated over 50% of the time. How is it that Jesus is well-regarded by those outside the Church but Christians are so maligned? Many Christians simply do not care about this question because they think that it is always a good thing to be hated by the outside world and so take such comments as a badge of honor. However, We should recognize that if we are maligned for characteristics that would never be used of Jesus then we have failed to be the kind of people that he has called us to be.

In Acts 11 we are told of the first time believers had the name Christian, and it seems as though the title was one that came from outsiders and was adopted by believers rather than something they applied to themselves. And the word that is used in Acts translated “called” seems to have been used intentionally as a way to say that believers were called Christians not because of their beliefs but because of how they lived. Believers were called Christians, not because they took on the name and leveraged the outside community to take on the title, but because they were so committed to following Jesus that people outside the community thought the name appropriate. Or even, as some argue, if the name was originally a slur it still pointed to the fact that Believers were so focused on being like Jesus and “walking in the way” that people associated them with his name.

This story highlights the principle behind, “bearing the Lord’s name in vain”. We tend to think about this idea as using some name of God as a curse, but what Exodus is talking about is that if you are going to call yourself a member of God’s people live like God. We who call ourselves Christians are taking on Christ’s name and our lives bring either honor or shame to that name. This is what Paul means in 1 Corinthians 11:1 when he says “imitate me as I imitate Christ”. Every time we identify with the Church, or call ourselves Christian, or a Believer or any other title that refers to Jesus we are bearing his name and when we do not live like Jesus we take that name in vain—make it worthless. We take on the title Christian when people outside the Church see us so committed to living like Jesus that they say we are Christ-like. In some ways we do ourselves a disservice when we take on the title Christian, we should hope that our lives reflect Jesus to a point that others see him in us. This is why 1 Timothy 1:5 says false teaching is any teaching that does not lead us to a pure and loving heart. If we are not pure hearted and loving like Jesus we are not following his way and therefore are not truly Christian.

Unfortunately, this is what we are seeing so often in America today, Christians who are laying aside truly loving hearts, for one another and the community. Unbelievers see us constantly negative and never building others up. We are seen as unconcerned with those who are not our own. We are known as hypocrites supporting our favorites despite their sins while condemning others whom we do not like. Yes, I fully understand that to some extent there are people calling good evil and evil good, but we should also be self-aware enough to listen to the criticisms and worried enough about modeling Jesus to consider there might be truth in them. We should be focused on what others think of the name of Jesus because of our witness, and that concern for how we bear his name should drive us to deeper reflection on how we live in the world.

I know that some are going to read me calling on Christians to consider their reputation and think of Luke 6:26 “How terrible for you when all speak well of you”. But what those individuals are not considering is that Jesus said those words in connection to how we develop our character, they were a warning about people thinking highly of us when we do not prioritize the poor and needy, when we do not show compassion, when we are judgmental or hypocritical. In other words when our reputation is that we live like Jesus we should celebrate a good reputation, when we are viewed as not living like Jesus we should repent. We, as Christians, bear Jesus’ name and we need to focus on bearing it well.