In Acts 11:19-30, we meet the church in Antioch the place where “the disciples were first called ‘Christians’” (verse 26).
Christian means someone in whom Christ is seen.
What is the mark of a Christian?
One mark of a true Christian is generosity.
We see the generosity of the disciples in Antioch in their response to the coming famine in Judea.
In verses 29-30 they set for us all an example of how to respond to fellow believers in need.
“The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”
How did they determine what they would send? It’s possible that it was from the church in Antioch that Saul learned the discernment process he describes in
1 Corinthians 16:1-4
and
2 Corinthians 8-9
.
Today, it is not a famine but an unprecedented economic calamity that is impacting many people in our community.
In what ways does the example of the Christians in Antioch inspire or challenge you
?
