Sermon 19

The First Gentile Church

Acts 11:19-30

Acts 11:19-32 introduces us to beginnings of new church. To this point, Christianity has been centered in the Jerusalem church. From this point, another church will become very significant to the spread of Christianity. Let's read about it ...

A Gentile Church In Antioch, 11:19-21.

Two factors led to the establishment of the church at Antioch. Antioch (there were at least 16 cities with this name in the ancient world but this was the biggest) was a major ancient metropolitan area. It was the third largest city in the entire Roman empire (Rome; Alexandria; Antioch). It was known for being a cultural and commercial center since many Roman trade routes passed through it. It was the New York City of the Roman Empire.

The persecution of the Jerusalem church (Acts 8:4) was the first factor for the foundation of this church, pushing believers further and further away from Jerusalem. The persecution factor got the believers into Antioch but, initially, did not get them talking to Gentiles, v. 19.

The Cornelius factor opened the door of the gospel to the Gentiles. You will recall that word of what had happened to Peter at the house of Cornelius spread fast and resulted in the church acknowledging that God had included the Gentiles, some Hellenists Jews (Cyprus and Cyrene) began preaching the Lord Jesus (life, death, resurrection) to the Greeks also. The "hand of the Lord" meant God's power expressed in blessing (Nehemiah 2:8, 18). A "great number" of these Greeks "believed and turned to the Lord" (repentance and faith). That means that this was predominately a Gentile church. Here, then, is the first Gentile church.

A Growing Church In Antioch, 11:22-26.

When the news of what was going on in Antioch came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem they sent a representative to investigate. Some say that there is a hint here of the Jerusalem church officially "organizing and giving authority" to what was going on in Antioch. The text, however does not say that. While we believe that ideal way to start a church is one church sending out a missionary to start other churches (as in Acts 13:1ff) we must recognized that in times of persecution some churches may have been started with less than ideal circumstances. Thus, we can never demonstrate a "chain link succession" of churches for very long. (The Bible promises perpetuity of Christ's church but not chain-link successionism). (Illustrate).

The choice of this representative from Jerusalem to Antioch was crucial. Had the church sent a rigidly legalistic individual (they of the circumcism) this could have spelled disaster. Barnabas had the qualifications needed for this job. He was a loving, gentle, encouraging man with earlier connections to Cyprus (4:36) and with the capacity to reach out to outsiders (9:27). "He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and faith." Seeing firsthand evidence of God's grace been available to the Gentiles caused Barnabas to be glad. He exhorted this new believers that with a resolute heart they would remain true to the Lord (abiding; continuing).

The harvest was big and getting bigger! "Much people were added to the Lord." Barnabas realized that he needed help to get the job done in Antioch. This was a growing church.

He immediately thought of the best man for the job and so he "departed ... Tarsus, for to seek Saul." Barnabas, I suppose, knew that God had specifically commissioned Paul to go to the Gentiles (9:15). But several years had passed since Paul had fled Jerusalem for his hometown of Tarsus (9:30) (Ussher = 6 years). The word that Luke uses for "seek" indicates that finding Saul was no easy task for Barnabas. The Lexicon says that the word means "specifically searching for human beings with an implication of difficulty" (Moulton and Milligan). He found Saul and brought him to Antioch. The Bible says that for an entire year these two men worked in the church teaching many people. The example of Saul and Barnabas is an important one for the contemporary church to follow. Teaching the word of God is at the very heart of the church's ministry (Acts 6:4).

Luke adds a historical footnote here, that "the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." The word was used, no doubt, in derision, but soon became a badge of honor. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf, I Peter 4:16. In the early days of Roman persecution, a believer named Sanctus who was interrogated and martyred answered every question of his torturers' by simply saying, "I am a Christian."

A Generous Church In Antioch, 11:27-30.

The first Gentile church was not only sound in doctrine, it was also strong in love. It was a growing church and it was a giving church. This is demonstrated in these four final verses of chapter 11. We know, of course, that there were both apostles and prophets in the early church whose ministry was foundational (Ephesians 2:20). They were not of a permanent order and so, having fulfilled their foundational purpose, they gradually faded from the scene, to be replaced by elders (pastors) and evangelists.

Here, a prophet named Agabus prophesied great famine. His prophecy was realized in Israel in A.D. 45-46.

The response of the church at Antioch was immediate and generous. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Phillips Brooks was once asked advice for reviving a dying church. He replied simply, "I would take up a missionary offering."

The final stage in the Lord's command in Acts 1:8 has now begun. The church, originally composed of Jews only, through missionary endeavor has expanded from Jerusalem and Judea to Samaria and to the Gentiles.

The church at Antioch, begun in this chapter, was to play a leading role in Christianity in days to come (Acts 13:1ff) and for several centuries.

A Gentile church - A Growing church - A Giving church.