The Antioch church (1)
“So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world And this took place in the reign of Claudius. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.” (Acts 11:19-30)
William Barclay, a well-known Bible teacher and commentator, said the meaning of service like this: ‘When the world evaluates, the standard is how many people are you dominating, and how many people are going to come when you use your finger to give a sign to come? Also the worldly standard is intellectual standard, academic excellence or a number of executive meetings. Many also judge the greatness of a person based on his/her bank balance and how much of his/her assets and material possessions. But Jesus' evaluation has nothing to do with them. The Lord's evaluation standard is only one. And that one is how many people are you serving. There is greatness in it. If you really want to be like Jesus, there is nothing more than surrendering yourself to serve someone. This is a Christian challenge and an inevitable responsibility when the world is watching the church with suspicion. And this is a way to actively defend faith’ (Internet). What kind of church should our church be when the world is watching our church with suspicion? What are the challenges and the inevitable responsibility that our church has? It is to imitate Jesus. In particular, it is living a life of serving others like Jesus. Therefore, our church must be a “serving church.” I hope and pray that we serve our churches, serve our families and serve our neighbors. Let’s serve humbly, joyfully and voluntarily.
I would like to think and learn about what kind church was Antioch church based on Acts 11:19-30, under the heading “The Antioch church” and apply what we learn to our church so that our church can be like Antioch Church.
First, The Antioch church was a well-known church.
Look at Acts 11:22 – “The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.” Here, what was the “The news about them” that the Jerusalem church saints heard? It was the news about a large number who believed in the Lord and turned to the Lord (v. 21) when some of the scattered people, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch due to the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen and preached the Lord Jesus to the Greeks also (vv. 19-20). This news reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem (v. 22). So the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas off to Antioch (v. 22).
The words of Acts 11:19-21 are the words of God that initiated the Hispanic Ministry at our church after studying that passage during the leader bible study. Those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen went to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch and spoke the word to no one except to Jews alone (v. 19). But there were some of them who went to Antioch and preached the Lord Jesus even to the Greeks (v. 20). When I was meditating on this, I began to wonder why God was still not moving our church from the Hispanic region. And the thought that came into my mind was that maybe the Lord's will is for us to reach out and preach the gospel to the dying Hispanic souls in this area. So our church leaders began to pray to God for a Hispanic pastor who can serve our church and our church neighbors. Then, about ten months later, God sent Pastor Victor Gomez to us and he began to serve our Hispanic Ministry (HM). I asked myself these questions: 'What is the rumor of our church? Or what rumor do we want to be spread? '
One day, I once learned about our church in the Korean newspaper Religion section. Our church didn’t publish an article, but a reporter who wanted to cover our church wrote about our church and published it. Perhaps it was because our church has three ministries in one church: Korean Ministry (KM), English Ministry (EM) and Hispanic Ministry (HM). I personally hope that the news about our church can be spread like this: ‘Wow, that church is united by God’s love,’ ‘It’s amazing how three ministries of different cultures and languages are united together in love,’ ‘That church is truly a church that keeps the unity of the Spirit in diversity,’ etc.. In this age when churches are divided due to problems in the churches and as a result the churches aren’t a good example to the world, I hope and pray that our church may be able to show the world the unity of the church within the three ministries. One thing that is unfortunate for us to see is that our church isn’t like Antioch church in which “a large number who believed turned to the Lord” (v. 21). But I am thankful that about three of our church neighborhood families come to our Hispanic Ministry worship and prayer meeting. Another thing that I am thankful is that God has been working wonderfully in Tijuana, Mexico, where our Hispanic Ministry Pastors Gomez and his wife, Mrs. Elma Gomez and others who go down to Tijuana, Mexico every month. It shows the work of God and His gospel there, that so many Mexican souls have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. When I hear these news through Pastor Gomez, I cannot help but to think about the Lord's will as to what God is doing through our church in Tijuana, Mexico (Now also in Ensenada, Mexico too). When I hear the Lord's hand is with Pastor Gomez and his mission team, and a large number who has believed are turning to the Lord (v. 21), I wonder why the power of God is manifested more in Tijuana, Mexico than in our church. In the midst of this, I talked to Pastor Gomez about if it’s the Lord, we should think about establishing a district church there.
As the Jerusalem Church sent Barnabas off to Antioch after hearing the news about the God’s work of salvation in Antioch church, I thought about likewise our church is sending Pastor Gomez and his mission team to Tijuana, Mexico every month. I hope and pray that through our church members’ prayers and service in love, we can hear more about the God’s saving work in Tijuana, Mexico. I also pray and hope to hear the same thing from other countries where our church is supporting with prayers and small amount of financial support. And I hope and pray that as our church serve humbly, joyfully and voluntarily our neighbors through community outreach, the power of the gospel may be manifested so that the good news about our church may spread to our neighborhood.
Second, Antioch church was Christian church.
Look at Acts 11:26 – “and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” When the Jerusalem church heard the news about God's work of salvation in Antioch, they recognized the Gentile mission and sent Barnabas, who was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, to Antioch (v. 24). And when Barnabas arrived at Antioch, he witnessed the grace of God (v. 23). In other words, Barnabas was delighted to see God's gracious work of saving the Gentiles. He actually witnessed with his own eyes that the larger number believed and turned to the Lord (v. 21). So he rejoiced and encouraged them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord (v. 23). The word of this encouragement was to keep remaining with the Lord with a purpose in mind’ (Park). The result of sending Barnabas to Antioch was that considerable numbers were brought to the Lord (v. 24). Eventually, after the large number believed and turned to the Lord through some of the Jews who had come to Antioch and preached the Lord Jesus, the Antioch church grew even more through Barnabas. Therefore, since Barnabas couldn’t work alone in the ministry of the Antioch church due to the larger number of believers, he went to Tarsus to find Saul (Paul) and brought him to Antioch (vv. 25-26). And for a entire year Barnabas and Paul systematically taught and trained the considerable numbers (v. 26, Yoo). As a result, the disciples of the Antioch church reached a qualitatively amazing maturity, so that for the first time they earned the nickname “Christians” from non-Christians. It means ‘followers of Christ.’ How well were they trained and followed Jesus Christ that they were called “Christians” who were followers of Christ in the eyes of the surrounding non-Christians?
Are we following Jesus Christ as His disciples? Or are we not half Christians? Someone said, ‘The condition to be unhappy is to be a half Christian.’ It means that when we live with dual life in the church and in the world, we will be unhappy. What does a ‘Christian businessman’ mean? If you think that everyone who goes to church and does business is a Christian businessman, that's a misunderstanding. If you do business and do not apply biblical principles of the business, but do your business only in worldly ways, then you aren’t a Christian businessman but a Christian who goes to church and do business. A true meaning of ‘Christian businessman’ is a person who does business by applying the teachings of Jesus Christ within the principles of business. The same is true for Christian workers. ‘A Christian worker’ refers to a person who does work with the word of Christ. However, even though there are many Christians who attend church and do their works in worldly ways, but only few people do business or work like Christians who apply the biblical principles to their business or work. In order for us to be influential in changing the world, we must apply the principles of the Bible to the principles of our lives. We must abandon our double life of faith and be born again as true Christians who change the world by revealing Christ in us (Internet).
Third and last, the Antioch church was a church doing the relief.
Look at Acts 11:29 – “And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.” As the Antioch church grew up, through the ministry of Barnabas and Saul, they lived a life of following Jesus Christ so that may people earned the nickname “Christians” at the Antioch church. At that time, among some prophets who came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, Prophet Agabus prophesied through the Holy Spirit. He said that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world (vv. 27-28). And that prophecy was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius (v. 28). During the reign of Claudius, there was a series of crop failures and food shortages in Rome, Greece, Egypt, and Judea (Yoo). Because of this great famine, the people who lived in Judea suffered so much that they eventually suffered a great blow to the church in Judea and the church needed help. At that time, the Gentile church of Antioch determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea (v. 29) and sent it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders of the Jerusalem church (v. 30).
Here we can find the principle used by the Antioch church in helping the Jerusalem Church. And the principle is none other than "each according to his ability" (v. 29). This means that each of them supported their own savings according to their own economic capabilities (Yoo). This relief from the Antioch church makes me to think of the relief of Gentile Cornelius (Acts 10). Luke, the writer of the book of Acts who recorded the life of one person Cornelius in giving many alms in Acts 10, said in Acts 11 that not one Gentile person but the Gentile church of Antioch sent the contribution for the relief of the brethren in the Jerusalem church. How amazing is God's work? Interestingly, because the Antioch Church (which had a spiritual debt to Jerusalem church), which grew under the Jerusalem church support, helped the Jerusalem church economically, the relationship and fellowship between two churches was more strengthened. How beautiful work of the Lord it is to see that there was a fellowship between the individual Jews Peter and Gentile Cornelius in Acts 10 and there was fellowship between the Gentile Antioch church and the Jewish Jerusalem church in Acts 11? In the Lord, the church is one. Both the Jewish and Gentile churches are one in the Lord.
The church that generously gives relief will be prosperous. Look at Proverbs 11:25 – “The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.” Then how should we give relief? Here are some suggestions (Internet):
(1) Give relief regularly so that you may life a life of giving relief.
If you often send relief donations, even a small amount, to those who need them, then you may be able to live a life of giving relief. Although your relief may be small for you, but it can be a great help to anyone who needs it.
(2) Look for the object of relief in prayer.
If you send relief vaguely, then you may not feel rewarding. Therefore, if you are determined to do relief, you need to pray for the Lord to reveal the object of relief.
(3) Practice relief secretly with volunteer heart.
Relief should not be forced, but should be done voluntarily. Also relief should be done in secret, not in pride. In doing so, God is honored and will reward you in secret.
(4) Praise God for the fruit of relief.
Do not rejoice alone when your relief offering bear some fruits, but praise God who guided you to the relief. In doing so, God will bless you for more so that you can do more relief.
The Antioch church was a well-known church. The Antioch church was the well-known church for the larger number of people who believed in Jesus Christ and turned to the Lord. Also, the Antioch church was Christian church. The Antioch church believers earned the nicknamed “Christians”. The Antioch church was a church that did relief. I hope and pray that the Lord will establish our church like the Antioch church.