What’s In a Name?

Intro: Theme/Topic (What’s the problem, the question, etc.)

Alexander the Great once learned that that there was a soldier in his army that was named after him. Flattering right? — Not in this case! The problem was that this soldier was a notorious coward!

So, Alexander, who conquered the world when he was just 23 years old, called this soldier to come see him.

“Is your name Alexander,” he asked.

Trembling, the coward said, “Yes sir, my name is Alexander and I was named after you.”

Alexander the Great, then said to the coward, “Then either be brave or change your name!”

Thankfully this is not how Jesus talks to us — BUT He does exhort us to live up to who we are as Christians.

The Apostle Paul said to the Ephesian Church…

Ephesians 4:1 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

In our text today, where going to see a very famous event in the history of the Church. This is the very first time we see the followers of Christ given the name “Christians.”

What warranted this this new name? And the challenge for us today is in what ways do we live up to this name today — or not?

Let’s go to the Scriptures now and learn more…

Scripture

Let’s get to the Word of God now. Please turn with me to Acts 11:19-30. If you need to use a pew Bible, you’ll find today’s text on page 1093. Once you’re there, please stand with me if you are able and follow along with me as I read...

Acts 11:19–30 ESV

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

This God’s Word!

Prayer

Good Father, we marvel at your Word knowing full well that it is God Breathed. Because of this we know that it is useful for teaching us, convicting us, correcting, and training us. Holy Spirit, work in us by Your Word to make us more like Christ today. We ask this in Christ’s name — AMEN!

Intro: Formal (give context to passage, setting the scene, big idea)

Let me tell you a little bit about Antioch to setup where we’re going.

At this time, Antioch was the 3rd largest city in the Roman empire behind Rome and Alexandria.

It was 300 miles north of Jerusalem on the Orontes River and just 20 miles east of the Mediterranean.

It was a melting pot for at least 5 different cultures: Greek, Roman, Semitic, Arab, and Persian.

Antioch was famous for its chariot races and was known for valuing the pursuit of pleasure — Think Las Vegas!

It was famous for its worship of Daphne and had a temple outside of the city — where every night men would reenact Apollo’s famous pursuit of Daphne by engaging with cult prostitutes.

It was in this dark pagan city where followers of Christ shined the brightest! And they stood out so much that the pagans had to give them a new name — a new classification — because they just didn’t fit with anything known to them at the time!

We see at the end of verse 26 in our text that these disciples were first given the name “Christians!” This name was likely used in a derogatory way by those who thought they were strange.

This name literally meant: “Little Christs” because the only way to understand them was by identifying them with Christ.

Here’s a challenge for us: When people observe your life, are they able to make any sense of it apart from Christ?

Lets look at the example of the church in Antioch and be challenged to look more like Christ today?

We’re going to look at 3 ways the believers in Antioch looked like Christ.

Humble Birth

Encouraging Growth

Sacrificial Blessing

Humble Birth

In verse 19 we learn that believers were scattered far to the north and ended up in Antioch. And here they only shared the Gospel with other Jews in the city. This was natural because they had a cultural and ethnic connection with other Jews. This was also Paul’s strategy on his missionary journeys to start in the local synagogues.

BUT in v. 20 we see these maverick disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene (in N. Africa) starting to share the Gospel with Hellenists - these are Greek-speaking/Non-Jews…they’re pagans!

Notice what a massive a precedent this is! So, far the Gospel has gone to…

Samaritans who were sort of dysfunctional cousins of the Jews but they believed in the Scriptures.

Then we saw the Gospel go to the Ethiopian Eunuch who was a foreigner who converted to Judaism.

Last week we saw in chapter 10 the Gospel go to Cornelius and his household. But even he was a god-fearing man who believed the Jewish Scriptures.

But now for the very first time we see the Gospel going to absolute, complete pagans!

You might wonder, what kind of heavy hitting evangelists or apostles did the church send for this groundbreaking mission! — They didn’t!!!!

Do you know who God used to first bring the Gospel to those far outside of Judaism? — Neither do I!!!!

These mavericks are completely unknown to us today! We don’t know their names — we only know generally where they were from.

These humble no-name disciples were not in this to make a name for themselves. They weren’t Apostles or big name church leaders.

But look at the results in v. 21 — A great number of them believed and turned to the Lord! — WOW!

What can attribute this to? — Verse 21 tells us it’s because the hand of the Lord was with them!

It wasn’t their training or experience — ONLY that the hand of the Lord was with them!

Let me ask you something. Do you now who James Madison Ham is? He’s not a big name that most people would recognize.

He was a devout Christian man who lived in Kentucky in the 1800’s.

He led his son Mordecai Ham to the Lord who went on to be come a traveling evangelist.

His son Mordecai ended up leading a man to the Lord you might have heard of… Billy Graham!

My point is that God delights to do big things using humble people who don’t get their names in lights who you may never hear about!

You may be someone who doesn’t think much of yourself…

I’m just a stay-at-home mom

I just mow lawns for a living

I’m just a widow who’s past my prime

I’m just an unpopular 7th grader

What difference can I make for the Kingdom of God? Shouldn’t I leave that to the professionals? — people with a seminary degree?

Appreciate the beauty of this Gospel Math…

Inadequate, no-name disciples + The hand of the Lord = Massive Gospel Revival!!!

For you to make a big impact for the kingdom of God, you don’t need a degree or a title. You only need to be humble and faithful and rely on the hand of God to be your strength!

This is how this group of disciples in Antioch was used by God to bring a Gospel explosion in one of the darkest corners of the Roman Empire!

And this is still true today! May we be humble and faithful, as we rely on Jesus to be our strength!

We see more humility in v. 25-26 when Barnabas goes and recruits Paul to help him instruct these new believers.

Now Barnabas is the veteran and Paul is still the “new guy” but Paul is arguably more talented and gifted in this area — But Barnabas was not threatened by this. So, he humbly brings in Paul believing this is what’s best for this new church. It won’t get his name in lights but it will help this new church grow!

This humility reflects the character of Christ! Listen to how Paul described the attitude of Christ in Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

It’s this attitude of Christ that we are to imitate.

Jesus didn’t come into this world with a parade down main street! He was born to a poor, unwed virgin, in a manger and laid in the animal’s feeding troff!

He didn’t flex His divine muscles and build a large following! He spent 3 years in public ministry primarily investing in 12 disciples. And after His death Acts 1:15 tells us that there were only about 120 followers gathered together before Pentecost!

Barnabas reflected the character of Christ by not demanding to be the center of attention. Instead he brings in someone more gifted that him

So, HUMILITY is the first way we see these disciples reflecting the character of Christ. — May this be true of us today!

The next way these disciples looked like Christ is seen in their encouraging growth…

Encouraging Growth

Look with me at v. 23. Luke tells us that Barnabas recognized the grace of God in these believers — and exhorted them to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose!

I want to slow down here a bit and unpack this word “exhorted” because there’s some awesome stuff here.

Different english translations will use different words here like encouraged, urged, implored. When this happens it’s a clue that the Greek word has such a broad range of meanings that it’s difficult for translators to land on just one english word.

The Greek word that for exhorted is the word Parakaleo and there’s two parts to it.

Para = Means to come alongside, to be near or next to, to be sympathetic. This is a tender word.

Kaleo = Means to call out. This is a strong word.

The challenge here is that “EXHORTED” is too strong a word but “ENCOURAGED” is a little too soft.

Parakaleo is a mixture of both. It’s a strong but tender word.

So, Barnabas’ ministry to these new believers was one of truth and love. And this really turbocharged their growth and spurred on their evangelistic ministry! The end of verse 24 tells us that a great many people were added to the Lord!

This means that for us to really grow as Christians we need people in our lives that will speak the truth with love to us.

I think we all know people who are TRUTH people. They tell you like it is. They can be blunt! But this makes them easy to dismiss because the just come on too strong.

But other people — who are LOVE people. They love and support you. they affirm and comfort you. The problem with this type of person is that you will never really change by being around them.

So, we need people of both truth and love so that we don’t dismiss them or use them to justify staying the same.

Now look with me at something interesting the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 3:13

Hebrews 3:13 ESV

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

The word EXHORT in this verse is our word Parakaleo again. Here we can see that this is gift is not exclusive to Barnabas — This is something we are all commanded to do for each other. DAILY even!

This tells us that we need a steady diet of people to show us both truth and love on a daily basis. When we have this it will keep us from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

The challenge is that this balance of truth and love does not come naturally. If we’re honest, we all tend to fall of this beam to one side or the other.

So, how can we be this kind of person? Well, why was Barnabas so good at this?

Verse 24 tells us how. — Because he was full of the Spirit!

Did you know that there is a noun form of Parakaleo in the New Testament? It’s the word PARAKLETE and it’s only used in 2 places?

The first is in John 14:16 where Jesus tells His disciples…

John 14:16 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

Jesus call the Holy Spirit a HELPER this is the word PARAKLETE. But notice that Jesus calls Him ANOTHER Paraklete — Do you know who the first one is?

Look with me at 1 John 2:1 we see the only other use of the noun Paraklete. The Apostle John writes…

1 John 2:1 ESV

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Here the word advocate is the word Paraklete. Jesus is our first Paraklete. Now let me explain how Jesus & the Holy Spirit work together for our good and our growth.

In the divine courtroom of God, we are guilty as sin… But, Jesus stands with us as our advocate before the Father. And this is what He does…

He stands with us and speaks truth for us to the Father. And this is what He says… These people with me have sinned! And your law says the wages of sin is death. So, here’s my blood as full payment for their sin.

Now because it would be unjust for you to take two payments for the same debt, the law requires that you set free those who are united to me by faith.

So, now when the Father sees us, he sees us as beautiful and without sin! And we are accepted and NOT condemned!

This is how Jesus works for us as our first Paraklete: He stands with us and speaks the truth FOR US to God.

Now here’s how the Holy Spirit works as our Paraklete. He is with you and speaks to you and for you.

He speaks to you about Jesus. But He’s not just talking…He’s beseeching you, appealing to you, arguing with you.

He’s saying don’t give in to that temptation — look at Jesus! Look at what He’s done for you. Look at what it cost Him to love you!

He’s saying:

Why are you so worried about what other people think about you?

Why are you so upset about the loss of some worldly approval, power, comfort, or control?

You have the unwavering approval of Jesus!

Ground your identity in Him and you will be able to face ANYTHING this world throws at you!

The Holy Spirt says to us…

Get rid of your fears

Your self-doubts

Get rid of your sadness

LOOK what Christ has done for you!

When you listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit telling you these things you will grow in faithfulness to the Lord with steadfast purpose!

There was an old Welsh preacher from the 18th century who told a story about a time when he was a teenage boy. He was with the rest of his family standing around the deathbed of he aunt (a wonderful Christian woman) who was dying.

Everyone thought she was unconscious — So be careful what you say around someone you think is unconscious!

Because everyone there kept saying things like poor poor woman!

She’s lost 2 husbands…

She’s been living in poverty…

She has all these chronic health issues…

Poor, poor woman!

With that the woman opened her eyes and sat up and said, “Who calls me poor? I am rich, and I will stand before him bold as a lion!” — And then she laid back down and died!

Understand what was happening here. She could look at her own death without fear because she was listening to the Holy Spirit (her Paraklete) talk to her about her about all that Jesus (her first Paraklete) had done for her!

This is why she could tell her family…

Yes, I lost 2 husbands, but I have a husband in Jesus who will never die!

I may have been poor in this life but because of Jesus I have a treasure I can never lose.

This disease will take my body but the only disease that can really kill me is sin, and Jesus has already dealt with this on the cross years ago!

So, stop feeling sorry for me! It is well with my soul!

Now back to Barnabas, the only way he could be a person of truth and love for others, is because he was full of the Holy Spirit! — He had the 2nd Parakelet pointing him to Jesus the first Paraklete!

This is why we’re told at the end of Acts 4 that the Apostles called him Barnabas…because that name literally means is “Son of Encouragment (or paraklesis)”

So, being full of the Spirit today (just like Barnabas) is how we look more like Jesus — who is the very embodiment of truth and love!

Let’s look now at one more way the believers in Antioch looked like Christ…

Sacrificial Blessing

Look at vv. 27-30 — Here the church in Antioch learns from a prophet from Jerusalem about a great famine coming over all the world.

How do they respond to this church 300 miles to their south who they’ve never met and have very little in common with? They’re even from a different culture and speak a different language!

Notice what they don’t do… They don’t start stock pilling food to prepare themselves for this coming famine? There’s no run on milk, bread, and eggs at their local market?

NO! Instead, they determined to send relief — as much as they could to help!

This is because the church in Judah are not really strangers (even though they’ve never met. Verse 29 says they were sending this relief to their brothers in Judah — This is family! These Greek-speaking Non-Jews are part of the same family of God along with the Jewish Christians in Judah!

Notice too that this famine hasn’t even happened yet! So, a pious response could have been… “Let’s pray for the churches down there in Judah, that God would provide for them.”

God could have provided for their means in some miraculous way…like when He provided manna in the wilderness for the Israelites in the book of Exodus!

But this is not how God provided here — He provides here by the sacrificial generosity of His people!

These believers lived out the truth of James 2:14-15

James 2:15–16 ESV

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

How about you? Have you encountered a brother or sister in Christ who was in need and been tempted to pray for them and send them on their way?

Or, Have you considered that you may be the means by which God wants to provide for them?

This is just one more way the church in Antioch looked like Jesus and why they earned their name “Christians!”

This is because Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of sacrificing for the good of others.

Jesus tells the Jews in John 6 that God gives a better bread than the manna in the Old Testament. In v. 47 Jesus says…

John 6:47–51 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

You see all humanity suffers from a great spiritual famine and you will suffer eternal death unless you receive the Bread of Life.

Jesus is the true bread who sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for and forgive all our sins and give us eternal life.

You must receive Him to have eternal life — You do this by faith. You need only to believe — trust Jesus to be your Savior and He will forgive you and give you eternal life!

This is the greatest sacrifice which met the greatest need this world will ever know!

The Christians in Antioch knew this and it transformed their lives from self-centered seekers of pleasure to sacrificial givers to bless others.

In this way they looked like Christ! Their lives only made sense because of Him, so their pagan neighbors in Antioch couldn’t think of anything better to call them but Christians!

Conclusion/Response (Gospel & Repent/Believe)

How about you? When your neighbors, or coworkers… Your classmates and friends…When they look at your life, do they see Christ? Does your life only make sense to them because of Christ?

These believers in Antioch looked so much like Christ. They were radically…

Humble and faithful

They spoke the truth in love

And they gave sacrificially for the benefit of others!

It only made sense to call them Christians. How about you?

Prayer

Closing Song: Lord You Give The Great Commission

Benediction

[Orange Connect Card]

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“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17