The First Jesus Freaks

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
–Acts 11:26

God’s plan is for every Christian to grow strong through the teaching of His Word. How do we know if we’re growing strong? By how closely we resemble Jesus Christ. God gave us His Word to make us more like His Son. In Ephesians 4:12–13, Paul wrote that God gave us pastors and teachers “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

The mission of the church is to make disciples. The method for fulfilling that mission is teaching people the Word of God. The measure of success is how closely we resemble Jesus Christ in our attitudes, actions, and affections.

By this standard, the church at Antioch in Acts 11 was a raging success. Look at another way they colored outside the lines of tradition: “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (v. 26). As a result of hearing and applying God’s Word, the believers in Antioch were the first to be called Christians. Notice they did not call themselves Christians; the term was used by the pagan residents of Antioch. The word Christian comes from two words: Christos, referring to the Messiah, Jesus; and ianos, referring to members of a sect or political party. The believers in Antioch weren’t known for their political affiliation; they were known for following Jesus Christ–literally, they were “Christ people.” The label was meant to be pejorative, but there’s no greater compliment than to be called a follower of Christ.

Years ago, we used to ask, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” For the believers in Antioch, there was so much evidence that even the pagans were calling them “Christ people.”

What about you? Are you known by your job title, political party, or church denomination, or are you known as a “Christ person”? As this world grows increasingly dark, it is imperative that our attitudes, actions, and affections reflect the One we claim to follow.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Coloring Outside the Lines,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2022.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.