Lessons from Antioch Church

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Lessons from Antioch Church

• Acts The Unfinished Story of the Church Series
  24
• Acts 1119-30
• August 26, 2012
• Pastor Paul K. Kim

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PROGRESSIVE EXPANSION OF THE GOSPEL IN THE EARLY
CHURCH

• The gospel was preached
• To native Jews Hebraic Jews (241).
• To Jews with Greek culture Hellenistic Jews
  (61-7).
• To half Jews Samaritans (84-24).
• To a Gentile with Jewish beliefs Ethiopian
  Eunuch (826-40).
• To Gentiles with Jewish beliefs
  God-fearers/Cornelius and his household
  (101-1118).
• To Gentiles with Greek culture Hellenists
  (1119-30)

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WHAT KEY LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM ANTIOCH
CHURCH?

• 1) On lifestyle as Christians (vs.19-21) They
  lived out a missional lifestyle, reaching out to
  and sharing with the Gentiles as well.
• 19 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. 20 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. 21 And the hand of the
  Lord was with them,
• and a great number who believed turned to the
  Lord. (vs.19-21)
• Christians in Antioch lived as Christ-sent
  peopletheir life was missional without a title
  or position.
• Their witness for Christ was unstoppable and
  inclusive for all peoplesGentiles and Jews.
• This is also Christs call for us to live out our
  life as Christ-sent people into the city in
  which we live.

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Living as Christ-sent People in the World

• When the persecuted believers arrived in Antioch,
  they did not at all feel intimidated by the
  magnificence of the buildings or the pride of the
  citizens. The Word of God was on their lips and
  the hand of God was on their witness, and a
  great number of sinners repented and believed.
  It was the thrilling work of Gods wonderful
  grace.
• - Warren Wiersbe

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WHAT KEY LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM ANTIOCH
CHURCH?

• 2) On church leadership (vs. 22-26a) Barnabas
  Sauls character as well as competence were
  instrumental for the church.
• 22 The report 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 was glad, and he exhorted them all to
  remain faithful to the Lord 
• with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good
  man, full of the Holy Spirit
• and of faith. And a great many people were added
  to the Lord. 25 So
• Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 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.
  (vs.22-26a)
• Barnabas three noted qualifications were (1)
  good character, (2) full of the Spirit, and (3)
  full of faith. Why?
• The humility and spiritual vitality are key to
  church leadership even more than giftedness and
  competence.
• This ought to be also our standard for the church
  in our days.

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WHAT KEY LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM ANTIOCH
CHURCH?

• 3) On identity as believers (v.26b) The
  unbelieving publics epithet for the believers
  shows their radical Christ-centeredness in word
  and deed.
• And in Antioch the disciples were first
  called Christians. (v.26b)
• The word, Christian Gk. Christianoi was given
  by outsider unbelievers as a derogatory nickname
  such as Jesus freaks but they embraced it with
  gladness. Why?
• Their faith and life was all about Christthe
  reality of being a Christs man/woman was a honor
  to them.
• We must redeem this name for us by living out
  radically centered lives before the world.
• In our days, there are two wrong practices that
  we should avoid (1) being a cultural Christian
  only by name and (2) being a savvy believer who
  is ashamed of the name.

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• 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us
  dies to himself.
•  8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we
  die, we die to the Lord.
• So then, whether we live or whether we die, we
  are the Lord's.
• 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again,
  that he might
• be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
• Romans 147-9
•   For to me to live is Christ, and to die is
  gain.
• Philippians 121
•  I have been crucified with Christ.
• It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives
  in me.
• And the life I now live in the flesh I live by
  faith in the Son of God,
• who loved me and gave himself for me.
• Galatians 220

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WHAT KEY LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM ANTIOCH
CHURCH?

• 4) On love in action (vs. 27-30) Their faith
  was real in showing their concern and care for
  the Jerusalem church in need.
• 27 Now in these days prophets came down from
  Jerusalem to Antioch.
•  28 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). 29 So the disciples
  determined, every one according
• to his ability, to send relief to the
  brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did
• so, sending it to the elders by the hand of
  Barnabas and Saul. (vs.27-30)
• Their faith was holistici.e., following Jesus in
  all and everydayrather than compartmentalized.
• Each one of them responded with cheerful
  generosity to give to their Jewish brothers
  sisters in Christ.
• So is our faith validated as alive or dead
  according to how we respond to brothers and
  sisters in need.

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THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

• What first steps do I need to take in order to
  change my lifestyle from a spiritual consumer to
  a missional disciple?
• How can I embrace my Christian identity by
  living out radically Christ-centered life in
  word and deed?
• What is one thing I can do to practice Christian
  love in action these days?

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