Sermon- We are called Christians.
Q- Do you feel a sense of pride, or good, to be called a Christian?
- As Christians, we generally like the fact that we’re called Christians.
- We say, I’m a Christian, I go to church!
- Notably we’re known for our kindness, welcoming, outreach, & our mission.
- These are all good traits.
- Now, Here’s the thing. In Scripture, to be called a Christian was a put down.
- You were being insulted, mocked, or ridiculed for following Christ.
- Let’s read the first time the ones who were “the people of the way” were called
Christians.
Acts 11:26
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
- The People who named the church, were the Greeks.
- it was common for the Greeks to give satirical nicknames to particular groups.
1. Those loyal to the Roman General Pompey were dubbed “Pompeians,”
2. Followers of General Sulla were called “Sullanians.”
3. Those for emperor Nero Augustus were called “Augustinians”, meaning “of the party of Augustus.”
- So When the followers of Christ came in. They were nicknamed Christ-ians, those of
the party of Christ.
- Here’s the notable thing though, even though it was an insult, it proved they were
different or changed.
Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
- The Geeks we’re taking note of what these Jews were doing.
- Clearly they knew what Christ meant. It means Messiah.
- So In no way would a devout Jew be willing to listen to a heretic who believes
Jesus, who was crucified, is the savior who will set up God’s Kingdom.
- When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, on the back of a donkey, he was met with
praise.
Matthew 21:9
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
- They thought He was coming in to exact judgement!
- Then He was crucified, & they scattered.
- To any Jewish person with the title Christian it was a label of you’ve rejected your
heritage, upbringing, & family beliefs.
- If you have a label like that you can see the doors being shut, the blinds closed,
& the ears closed so that most Jew will not listen.
- Out of direction of God, & anguish, Paul & Barnabas declared in Antioch that
they would give the message to the gentles, because the Jews there would not
listen.
Acts 13:46
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
- Listen Jesus delivering the message of beatitudes includes the basis of the name
each one of the listeners will be wearing, Christians.
Matthew 5:11-12
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
- The Word revile means, insults.
Q- When People insult you, for what?
- For My Names sake!
- When we’re looking so much like a follower of Christ that it warrants people to
insult you by saying, oh look, here comes one of those Christians, then we’re
doing something right.
- Jesus says, your faith will not return void.
- Jesus said, Great is your reward in Heaven.
- For all the people who insult/mock, persecute, gossip, & spread lies against you. -
- There will be no reward for them, only judgement.
Q- Wouldn’t it make us feel good that they get their just desserts?
- No, let me turn back to Paul’s & Barnabas’ announcement again in Acts 13:46.
Acts 13:46
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
- They mocked, & treated us so sorely, because they’ve deemed themselves unworthy.
- I don’t think there’s very many people who would immediately say I’m unworthy of
everlasting life.
- That’s of course Before they’re saved!
- internally, deep inside them, they’re closing the door to redemption, because it’s
something they don’t deserve.
- Yes, you can call it something they don’t want, but it’s the same thing.
- They’re rejecting Christ because He’s not for them
- There’s no rejoicing when someone refuses to listen, & there’s no
rejoicing when someone dies without listening.
- The moment I hear of someone dying, I wonder if they were saved.
- In a moment like that, it’s too late, but if I was willing to suffer the
affliction before them to Be the Christian before them.
-What a confirmation we would receive when the insults, the gossip, the
lies, & the persecutions stop.
- Rejoice! Rejoice, because Jesus is your Savior. Rejoice, because Jesus is everyone’s
Savior, if they will believe.
Galatians 3:26-28
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
- The key words, by faith.
Q- If you knew a nickname for you meant a lifetime of suffering, would you accept it if
it meant all your sins are gone too?
- That should be an easy answer.
- You could put it, a small loss for a big gain.
- That same choice was placed before the Jews, accept Jesus as the messiah & the
sacrifice for the remission of your sin.
- The small loss was their traditions, rituals, & their popularity.
- The same is true for us today.
- It’s a small loss to have anything done to us while we’re living, because we have
placed our faith in Jesus who’s saved us.
- In my closing scriptures, I want us to all turn to 1 Peter 4:16-18.
- In these verses Peter compares the suffering that is caused by sinful actions & the
suffering caused by being a Christian , a follower of Christ.
Q- It all boils down to, do you show yourself as a Christian?
Q- If it became against the law to be a Christian, would you still be one?
1 Peter 4:16-17
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
- In order for any person to come to Christ for salvation, they need to realize they need
Him first.
- There’s Judgement at the house of God.
- In order for Christians to make a great impact, in a fallen world, we first need to be
transformed before we can do that.
- That’s judgement at the house of God
- To be a Christian is what we desire to be.
Q- Now that we know what it means to be a Christian, Do we still want to be one?
> Is your hut burning? (http://www.websites-host.com/insp/istories.html)
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and in which to store his few possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.
The weary man asked his rescuers: "How did you know I was here?"
They replied: "We saw your smoke signal."
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, the next time your little hut is burning to the ground -- it just may be the smoke signal that summons the grace of God.
- I think the writer beautifully ended the story, the smoke signal summons the grace of
God.
- It’s easy to see that grace the man received, but there’s more to the smoke.
- When People see the smoke they’re drawn to the grace of God.
- Here’s my closing thought now,
Q- Why do Christians suffer?
- So That, God will receive all the glory, & give all the grace.
Q- Are you still willing to be a follower of Christ?
