Dear Faith Family,
And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians.
(Acts 11:26)
It's difficult to imagine a "pre-Christian" world, a time and place where the term and title did not carry some sort of significant meaning. Of course, there are still some places where the term is as novel today as it was in Antioch some two thousand years ago; that's why many in our faith family over the years have given themselves to going to the ends of the earth and especially taking the "Christian" message to new tongues and tribes. Still, for most of us, the word Christian is a common identifier, a label that paints a particular image of the person named.
Let's think about this not-so-novel term for a moment. What does it mean to be called "Christian" today? I guess it depends on who is doing the "calling," though most use the term to describe someone belonging to a certain ideology--whether moral, religious, or even political. "Christians are...." people who act a certain way, believe a certain thing, and align themselves with certain purposes. Admittedly, the specifics of "certain" are found along a spectrum these days, even if the stereotypical portrayals are rather narrow. Still, depending on the context, the reference to such a person could carry either an air of respect or disdain. Ironically, this modern moniker's association with even a relatively narrow spectrum of ideas and ideals has moved us quite away from its simple origin.
As Chaz detailed for us on Sunday, our collective delineation originated because of men, women, and families who did not fit within any common continuum of ideas and ideologies. Certainly, the faith family of Antioch was made up of people from diverse but identifiable groups ethnically, geographically, religiously, politically, and the like (Acts 11:19-24). Yet there was something distinct about this kaleidoscope of persons that resisted the typical associations and stereotypes. There was One very particular peculiarity that unified their disuniformity: they spoke of Jesus, a lot!
Scholar and minister David Peterson comments on the first occurrence of our now common title, arguing that "The name suggests 'belonging to Christ' or the people who 'habitually named the name of Christ..." They literally could not shut up about Jesus! The first "Christians" were always talking about Jesus, who he was, what he'd done, and what he was doing. In praise, proclamation, and pedestrian chit-chat, their awe, affection, and allegiance to Christ Jesus was discernably evident.
Certainly, the words and way of Jesus would shape this community's ideas and ideals of life together in their city, as they have for millennia since. Yet, what first set them apart, what first drew the attention of their fellow citizens, was the name habitually upon their lips, the name of the One who'd captured their hearts:
....for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
(Luke 6:45)
I wonder, if we stripped the millennia of baggage (both good and ill) from the word "Christian," would its first descriptor still apply to your life, to my life, to our life together? Would our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family recognize that what sets our life apart (and draws us together) is who we talk about a lot, because he has our hearts?
The origin story of our collective calling compels us to consider this question, not in a spirit of condemnation but in hopes of the Spirit of conviction, as Chaz mentioned. If we let the Spirit examine and lead us, this question will allow us to live with conviction—the conviction that, indeed, it is a heart captured by Jesus, overflowing with awe, affection, and allegiance to Christ Jesus, that truly makes us "Christian." And maybe, just maybe, such simple conviction is what we need to stay true to our name in our time and place.
Love you, faith family! God bless.