Before they were Christians (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many  people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”-Acts 11:25-26.

If Acts 11:26 teaches us anything it is that you cannot be known as a Christian until first you have become a disciple. A friend of mine, commenting on this passage made this observation:

“Before they were Christians, they were disciples. Before there was a label, there was content. Before there was identification, there was substance.”-Pastor Mark Russell

It is worth noting that the disciples did not call themselves Christians, but rather they were labeled as Christians by those, who, upon observing their lives derived that they were more than believers in name only; but rather were a people who subscribed to the teaching and lifestyle of Jesus Christ. They were not observed as being religious, like the Pharisees or Sadducees. Instead they were recognized as becoming more like Jesus Christ; and because of this were labeled as Christian.

Unfortunately the word Christian has lost much of it’s significance. Being a Christian, today, has become a label we use to differentiate ourselves from atheist and other religions. We have generalized the word Christian so much that many people believe they are “saved” or “right with God” based solely on the fact that they identify as being Christian; although they have never repented of their sins and have made no real confession of faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus never intended for us to become Christians. In fact, when Jesus commissioned the apostles in Matthew 28 he told them:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”-Matthew 28:19-20.

  

Go and make disciples Jesus told them! The world will never recognize you as a Christian, if Jesus does not first recognize you as one of his disciples.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church