Rev. Tatiana Cantarella

Psalm 98; 1 Peter 4:12–16; Hebrews 10:21–25

Acts 11:19–30

Christians – «the people of Christ»

In our story today Luke reminds us that in God’s plan the spreading of believers because of persecutions related to Stephan became the "sowing” of the Good News in all ends of the empire. The story of the Good News spreading has led us to various places by now. We visited Jerusalem, Samaria, Caesarea and even encountered Ethiopia through a eunuch. Now the Good News reached Phoenicia, Cyprus, Cyrene and now it brings us to Antioch.

Antioch (Syrian) was one of the ancient cities that stood at the cross roads of culture and trade. It was founded in 300 BC by Seleuch – a general in Alexander the Great’s army – and named after his father Antioch.  This name belonged to many rulers and there were many cities in Roman Empire named Antioch. But this one was special, huge, prospering, crowded and cosmopolitan city. Because of its beautiful buildings it was named "Antioch the Beautiful”. It was knows for its long paved boulevards, boarded with a double line of trees and fountains and decorated with colonnades.  Josephus said that Antioch is rightly considered the third best city in the roman world (after Rome and Alexandria).

However, Antioch was also a very immoral place, especially because of the near by temple of Apollo in Daphne. And it was this burning with passions pagan city that became the main center of Christianity outside of Palestine.  It was a half-a-million megalopolis, founded by Greeks and hosting all kinds of people including Persians, Indians and even Chinese.  Antioch also had a large Jewish Diaspora that accounted for a rather large number of the so-called "God fearing” Greeks.  Perhaps it was from them that the greatest number of newly converted Christians came out.

People of Antioch also had a reputation of rude wits and inventors of nicknames, so it’s not surprising that the word "Christian” was created there (Acts 11:26). Until now Luke called believers in Christ "disciples”, "saints”, "brothers” and so on.  They lived and breathed Christ and His name never left their lips wherever they went and whatever they did.  And so the witty Antiochians dubbed them "Christians” – "the people of Christ”. It was a nickname that at first was used jokingly, used by the opponents of the Church and of Christ as it often happens.  It was Jesus’ opponents that called him "Nazarene”, implying that nothing good could come out of Nazareth – but eventually it became a special title: Jesus the Nazarene is God coming humbly and serving even the lowest of His own creation.  In the same way "Methodists” were first called so by the opponents of John Wesley and his friends (saying how weird how methodically they organize their Bible study and prayer meetings). But now this nickname became an official title of one of the greatest denominations in a Christian world.

So it was in Antioch – followers of Christ were dubbed "Christians” and it was not until the 2^nd century that Christians would start using this title themselves. But for now it was foes and enemies of Christ that used it.  In any case – there was something in those "people of Christ” that Antiochans found it worthy of attention and of a nickname. Something in them gave out their belonging to Christ, the Messiah of God in whom God’s promises and plans have been fulfilled.  In Antioch we not only see the conversion of some Greeks to Christ but a birth of a new society in which Jews and gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised rejoiced in a fellowship with one another and a common table. And this new community drew people from this self-sufficient but also promiscuous city as a magnet: "The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord " (21).

What was so special in those ‘Christians’ that many turned from self-sufficient, beautiful but also godless life of megalopolis to Christ? It’s a very relevant question for our Church that also serves in a self-sufficient, beautiful but also godless megalopolis! This story contains key features of a living community life that makes a Church prosper and grow.

Have you noticed who brought the Good News to Antioch? What were their names? … That’s the point, we don’t know their names – among those persecuted for their faith in Christ were no famous personalities or apostles. It was a group of "ordinary Christians” like you and I. No Paul or Peter or other apostles, just ordinary believers whose circumstances cause them to move to a new place and they went and shared Christ wherever they went. It’s a very important lesson for us today: in the work of Christ the main role is not played by famous people with a high role in the church but as a rule by unnamed witnesses who are faithful to Christ wherever they are, who do their work without drawing attention to themselves.  Sometimes we evaluate the importance of some deed or event by whether it is "newsworthy”. But a "Christian” does not care if he or she will be acknowledged before people, their greatest joy is to hear the Lord say: "good job, good and faithful servant” (Lk. 19:21). True ‘Christian’ serves and witnesses not in order to be acknowledged for his successes but just because he cannot keep silent about the One Who brought him out of "darkness into life” and from "death to life”. That’s what the disciples of Christ did in Antioch and while some sneered at them calling them ‘Christians”, many others accepted their testimony and joined the church.

The second thing we notice in those "Christians” is how easily they rejoice.  The problem with "unknown people” who become the reason for great changes is whether they do things right, for we don’t know who they are and what they’ve established there. Having heard what was happening in Antioch, leaders of Jerusalem Church sent Barnabas there to check things out.  But when Barnabas arrived he saw God’s grace in action and was filled with joy.  No doubt Barnabas must have noticed some problems or some strangeness in Antioch community, may be some extreme religious enthusiasm that could shock some people.  But he didn’t focus on that. Instead he focused on the evidence of God’s grace at work in them and that caused great joy in him.  Too often people look at new developments or movements at church and begin comparing it to the way things used to be, the way things are comfortable for them. And these comparisons usually make them uncomfortable, even frightened or appalled, because they mean changes for them as well. And therefore often times they start looking for problems and imperfections of these new beginning, and you will always fine these! They focus on those and are critical of everything they see. And even if their criticism is justified, it’s not timely and can kill the spirit of change. Such people as a rule shun any new beginnings, criticize everything and hinder new things God is trying to do in His Church. Genuine "Christians” easily find a reason to rejoice in what God is doing and do not focus primarily on imperfections.

The third key moment was when Barnabas began immediately "he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion” (23b). Hebrews called all believers to that: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess… And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds … encouraging one another” (Heb. 10). Brothers and sisters are called to spur one another to be faithful to the Lord, encouraging with words and their own life not to leave the life of faith, not to give up in the face of difficulties, not forsake the Lord. Believers tend to "cool off” in their enthusiasm and devotion when the initial thrill of new life in Christ passes and one faces disappointments and difficulties.  We all face such times when we need other brothers and sisters to encourage us, when those who have gone through the storms of life and are no strangers to problems can strengthen us in our moments of weakness. All Christians are called to encourage one another in the community of faith to remain in the Lord whole heartedly (23b). That’s what Barnabas and Saul did in Antioch for a year through teaching. That’s what we do when we sit with others at the table and study the Word, sharing and guiding each other in the right direction. That’s what we do when we spend time together not just talking about the weather but about spiritual things, about what is happening within us, what tempts us to leave the Lord and when we say to one another: "The Lord will lead you in the right path, just hold on to Him”. Christians can become for one another a "shot in the arm”, a shot of faith and life, helping to go deeper in their relationship with God. That’s what was happening in the Antioch church and that drew people to Christ too.

Another key moment was expressed in a short word "for”.  Barnabas exhorted them to remain faithful to the Lord "for” he himself was a "good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (24). It was because of those qualities that he was so effective in exhorting others. But what does Luke mean when he calls Barnabas good. In one of his parables Jesus says "good servant!” but at another time when someone refers to him as "good” he replies: "no one is good but God Himself!” No one is good on their own, except God but the more God lives in us, the more of His character is in us. Barnabas is a "good person” because God lives in Him, and he lives in God’s Spirit, in His principles. A good person is the one who would not compromise God’s truth for his own ends. The one who serves in the church without any hidden agenda or personal ambitions. The one who having been placed in leadership makes selfless and principal decisions. The one who will not lie (however harmless it might be) for his own benefit. The one who will not go over the heads of others for his own advantage, does not manipulate others to get what he wants. The one who does not use people and then drops them when they are no longer useful. In other words, Barnabas is a good man because there is more God in him then his self, and that’s why people saw God in Him and were drawn to Him. Unfortunately often times God’s Word is spoken by people who have long distanced themselves from the Lord and people listen to them, but when their unfaithfulness is uncovered, people turn away from the Good News. It’s sad when people speak about Christ while they themselves have forsaken their integrity.

The church in Antioch grew because it was full of the Holy Spirit and faith in their ministry: faith in god and faith in others that is necessary for the ministry of encouragement.  In order to encourage someone we have to believe in them, which is not easy in the world where integrity and purity are so rare. When we get disappointed in people we tend not to trust anyone.  But our faith helps us to believe in people too.  After all we not so much believe in people as much in God’s promises that God’s grace can transform lives.  This vision of grace helps us to see through dark clouds and to attempt to be the source of grace for others. Genuine Christians do not give up on each other. They continue to pray and believe that God can transform even that person into a person they are called to be.  It is faith and God’s Word that helps Christians not to become cynical and to believe that Gods grace can change anyone, to trust and pray and do everything in one’s power so that God’s opportunities would be actualized in our lives and lives of other people.

So the key in helping others to remain faithful to Christ is our Christian character. You know, there is much that we can do in Church without God or the fullness of Spirit… We can lead meetings, prepare and deliver a sermon, organize and lead programs, be elected on a Board, head up a ministry. But we will not be able to help others to remain faithful to the Lord. In order to draw others closer to God we must be close to God. In order to strengthen others in prayer we must be strong in prayer. In order to help others walk in the Lord we ourselves must walk in the Lord.  And deep inside everyone seeks the "holy” and the "good”. And when people see holiness and goodness in our own heart, they too are urged to pursue this path.  That is why godliness and integrity have a way of pervading the fabric of movements led by godly leaders. That is what was happening in Antioch.

And one more very important key to Antioch’s effectiveness is their reaction to the prophecy given through the Spirit of God about an upcoming famine in the land. Notice, what these Christians were concerned with: not "how will we survive” but "how should we help those who will be in a worse position than us”? And they decided to send help to Jerusalem. Before it was Jerusalem Church that generously shared what it had with those in need. Now when it was in need, a young Antioch church did the same thing. I always wondered how Marx in his works used biblical principles to construct socialism. It was in the early church that a well known slogan came from: "from each according to his ability, to each according to needs”. The Church is effective when it takes on a call to share everything given by God. And it’s not only about money, although people have a hard time parting with them. Christians are the people who generously share prayer and ideas and spiritual gifts and time and themselves, as well as their money.

All these things made Antioch church a strong magnet for the people of Antioch: their ability to be easily gladdened, witness of all Christians, mutual encouragement, fullness of faith and Spirit, Christ-like character. All that turned a looked down on "Christians” into a movement full of goodness, Spirit and faith, movement that encouraged and drew to Christ all those who were rather self-sufficient and far from God.