Friday, Feb. 13

Friday

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. 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. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 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, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.  - Acts 11:19-24

It seems that at first, Christians scattered over the Roman Empire preached only to Jews. But they eventually began to preach Jesus Christ to Gentiles as well.  These unnamed disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene are genuine heroes. They began the first mentioned “mission to the Gentiles” (here called Hellenists) in Antioch.  In Antioch, we have the first example of Christians deliberately targeting Gentiles for evangelism, and this effort had great results.

Antioch was founded about 300 BC by Seleucus I, one of the inheritors of Alexander the Great’s empire. He had a thing about founding cities and naming them after his father, Antioch, and he did this about fifteen times. This city of Antioch was called “Syrian Antioch” or “Antioch on the Orontes.” Back then it was a city of more than half a million; today it is a Turkish city with a population of about 3,500.  Antioch was considered by many the third greatest city in the Empire, behind Rome and Alexandria. The city of Antioch was known for its sophistication and culture, but also for its immorality.  

It was in this city that the followers of Jesus were first referred to as “Christians” (Acts 11:26).  The term literally means “Christ Ones, or “Jesus People”.  In Antioch, they probably first used the term Christians to mock the followers of Jesus. But as the people of Antioch called the followers of Jesus the “Jesus People,” the believers appreciated the title so much that it stuck.  

Eusebius, the famous early church historian, described a believer named Sanctus from Lyons in France, who was tortured for Jesus.  As they tortured him cruelly, they hoped to get him to say something against his faith. They asked his name, and he would only reply, “I am a Christian.” “What nation do you belong to?”  He would answer, “I am a Christian.”  “What city do you live in?”  “I am a Christian.”  His questioners began to get angry: “Are you a slave or a free man?”  “I am a Christian” was the only reply.  No matter what they asked about him, he would only answer, “I am a Christian.”  This made his torturers all the more determined to break him, but they could not, and he died with the words “I am a Christian” on his lips.

As Christians we must be willing to take the title “Jesus People,” and must also be worthy of the name. Instead of claiming any other title - American, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Republican, Democrat, whatever - we should be just plain Christians - the “Christ Ones”!

Jeff Frazier