1 They Call Us Christians Do They? Acts 11:19-26 The Word of God will increase my faith, so then I will follow its precepts and get the Word out to all that will hear! Introduction: Do people ever call you names? A. I have been called a lot of names so good some bad some encouraging and many hurtful and that is just the ones I know about! 1. When some ones name is mentioned certain thoughts immediately come to are mind for good or for bad it is there label. - We like the label hard working - Kind - Generous But then there are others that if we come here each other s thoughts may be very hurtful. B. I say all this because the message this morning is about reputation it s about what people watching our lives would call us based on what we do and what we say. 1. I don t know about you but that was a sobering and humbling thought what would some say about me what would they label me based on my attitude and actions? And for many us our answer would be I can what anybody else I know my relationship with God through Christ solid so it does really matter what anybody else thinks! 2. Really that s what we are going to go with?
2 Church it does matter what other se in us we our Disciples of Christ our life represents that to a lost and dying world! The scripture says that we are a light to the world our lives point to Christ and it is true that your neighbor may never darken a church door but they see your life every day maybe everyone you go to church with call you something totally different than your neighbor! Transition: In our text this morning I want to jump to the punch line and work our back to through the scripture. 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they [a]met with the church and taught considerable [b]numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 They called the disciples were called Christians what do they call you in your neighborhood, at work, at school, would anyone outside of the people that you attend church with acuse you of being a Christian? 1. In our text this morning there were some believer s that were scattered around and some of them ended up in Antioch. - And if we take a close look we can see how they ended up with this resputation. # 1 They were talking about the Word of God! I. Christians talk about the Word of God verse 19-20 A. Some of them were only talking to the Jews and then there were still others that were talking to the Greeks or the Gentiles. 1. You know why they were talking and speaking of the Word? - Because they were in love with Jesus it was what was on their mind.
3 - Its what the thought about when they were by themselves and it was what was on there mind when they were around others. Didn t matter who was around, didn t matter that they just seen what happen to Stephen Just in case this is what happen to Stephen: 54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them! Having said this, he [a]fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60 2. These were folks that were connected to Stephen not they were on the move because of the persecution but they did not compromise the message, the Gospel message of Christ died and rose again defeating death and saved our pitiful souls! B. These folks were telling everyone they ran in into about the love of Christ! 1. Now let me get right down in your business don t answer out loud but when is the last time you utter the word Jesus outside the walls of the church? These folks were called Christians because they talked about Jesus. - 110 years ago I went to Basketball camp and all I did when I unpacked my stuff in my room my roommate saw my Bible and for the rest of
4 camp I was known as the the Rev or preacher I can t remember if I ever opened it up but I didn t use bad language, I didn t tell dirty jokes, and they could see that the Word of God was important to me so I gain a certain reputation. - I am not telling you to tell you that I have never been called or label other things because of my actions or words what I am saying is folks are watching and you are gain a reputation. Transition: Question is what is it? A. What do they call you a great mother, a great dad, a good kid, those are all great things but here is the question do people know that you are a believer in Jesus Christ because you talk about Him from time to time! - Do they call us Christians? B. Because of their stand for Christ lots of folks came to Christ and their numbers increase. I am asked all the time why doesn t the church grow well here is the thing maybe it s because we are not telling anybody about Jesus maybe we have the reputation of being church people instead of Christians! II. They Were Called Christians Because People Followed Christ verse 21-24 A. Here is a great idea if we want to be called Christian why don t we tell people about Christ. 1. The scriptures say that the hand of the Lord was with them! Did you here that the hand of the Lord was with them: Did you hear that the hand of was with them! 2. Church when God lays His hands on it something going to happen!
5 - The news started to travel fast about what was going on everybody was talking about because God people were telling people about Jesus and the hand of the Lord was on it. Church we need the hand of the Lord on us! But listen God is not going to bless and give increase and grow the church is the people that go there are not called Christians! 3. Oh there will always be false teaching that draws people based on their emotion and need to fit in with the crowd they feel like they need to fit in to but to really grow God s Church then church needs to be about the Word of God and have His hand upon it. - Sometimes there is a testing, sometime there is a time to take the army down to a size that God will raise up in His glory and He place His hand on it and it will explode for His glory! Transition: Now when the people around them responded they didn t just move on they didn t criticize because they didn t have a deeper knowledge of Christ it says that they stayed around for a year and taught the Word of God. A. Church the purpose of the church is to disciple to equip the saints to live their lives in such a way that they will be called Christian because they tell other about Christ with their lives! III. Christians Want to Learn God s Word verse 25-26 A. It is amazing to me that people will flock to a Christian Concert which is cool I go to I love to worship in song. - But you can t get a dozen people out to a Bible Study 1. There are those that won t attend a church because they don t have a full band and they can t really worship like they want to then in the same breath say that they love the Bible preaching but that s just not enough.
6 Really? 2. Do you what I bet people would say about you if you went to Bible Study regularly I bet they would call you a Christian who else would want to learn more about God s Word! To the world it seems like foolishness but to those that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ cannot get enough of it! 3. We have done away with regular Wednesday night Bible Study, we do it once a month and now have short series Bible Studies and despite the low turnout we will continue to have Bible Study because that is what churches are supposed to do. B. The Disciples that stayed for a year I feel confident they they met more than once a month. 1. I would say that they met every day at least they had a crazy desire to learn God s Word imagine that no wonder they called them Christians they wanted to know more about Jesus! - They were not worried about if the sound system worked perfect or if there was a full scale praise band, or if the people they worked with or went to school with were there, they were not concerned if the thermostat was set to there standards they had a heart to learn more about Jesus. Transition: Church these folks had built up quite a reputation! A. For the very first time they were called Christians because Christ was the most important thing in their lives! B. And you know what happen it caught on!
7 Closing: We started this message with A question: What do they call us but maybe the real question is why do they call us what they call us. A. Very quick review: 1. They called these folks Christians: - # 1 because they talked about Jesus they preached the gospel of Christ! - #2 because they followed Christ they hand of the Lord was on their life because they walk with Him and severed Him! - #3 They were called Christians because they both taught and had a desire to learn more about Jesus! They call us Christians but the real question before us is Why?