The Church in Antioch

By John Bellingham on July 21, 2013

Tags: Acts, Antioch, beginnings, benevolence, Building, Church, Up

Acts 11:19-30

– The story of the great American Evangelist D.L. Moody began with the initiative of a humble Sunday School teacher named Edward Kimball who led Moody to Christ and took him under his wing as a teenage boy. God often uses ordinary believers like Kimball to do extraordinary things

– Today we will be encouraged and challenged by the example of ordinary Christians who planted an extraordinary Church

I. Beginnings of the Antioch Church (vv. 19-21)

1) The bold initiative of anonymous Christians

a. They boldly went where few others were willing to go – to the Gentiles

b. Their message was simple – Jesus Christ

2) The sovereign and strategic work of God

a. Antioch was a strategic, but challenging outpost for the gospel in the Gentile world

Third largest city in the Empire

Large population of Jews and God-fearers

Paganism and sexual immorality flourished in Antioch

b. Christians preached the gospel, but the Lord’s hand changed the hearts

c. Belief without repentance will not save

II. Building up of the Church (vv. 22-26)

1) The loving leadership of a seasoned Disciple

a. Barnabus lives up to his name in Antioch – “son of encouragement”

b. Barnabus selected and developed new leaders for ministry

God had been sovereignly preparing Paul for this pastorate for 13 years!

Barnabus was more concerned about the gospel than his own glory

The key activity of the two Pastors was the ministry of the Word (v. 26)

2) A Church with an outward focus

a. It was at Antioch that the term ‘Christian’ was first coined

b. Indicates that the believers were very active in sharing their faith

III. Benevolence of the Church (vv. 27-30)

1) Genuine Christianity is marked by good works

a. The Church learned about a practical need

b. The believers took responsibility for the need by giving generously

c. Generosity must begin in the family of God

2) The generosity of the Gentile Christians toward their Jewish brothers in Jerusalem helped to build bridges between former enemies