WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?
1) Someone once said, “Tell me who or what a Christian is.”
2) A quick thinker replied, “A Christian is someone who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip.”
3) Someone else said, “A Christian is a man who will lend his neighbor 100 dollars but cannot trust the Lord with ten.”
4) In the dictionary Mr. Webster says that a Christians profess belief in Jesus as the Christ.
5) Webster also says that Christians profess belief in a religion based upon the teachings of Christ.
6) The dictionary even defines a Christian as a “decent, respectable person.”
7)
THESE VARYING DEFINITIONS FOR THE WORD CHRISTIAN BRING
TO
a)
In
b) A man by the name of William B. Small had made an offer.
c) He said that anyone who practiced the fundamental principles of Christianity could receive $70,000
d)
This story was carried in Time Magazine on October 22nd
and
e) When Mr. Small died his offer was brought before a court.
f)
Judge S.B. Charleson presided in
g) The testimony in the case lasted for four months.
h) All kinds of groups came forward and said, “We are Christians; we want the money.”
i) The judge concluded that the name Christian could be applied to about anything/anyone.
j) Because the judge could not determine who or what a Christian is the money was donated to charity.
k) We live in a society where the name Christian has been so twisted it is hard to recognize.
l) Few people really know what this word means.
m) This morning we are going to let the Bible tell us what the word Christian means.
n) Words can be defined and the word Christian is defined in God’s word.
o) In defining this word I must make one point very clear.
p) The word Christian is found only three times in the New Testament.
q)
The word is located in Acts
r) From these three references I want to emphasize Acts 11:26, our scripture reading.
s) Luke wrote, READ Acts 11:26.
t) Who is a Christian? The Bible says that a Christian is a disciple of Christ.
u) Who is a disciple? Do you see the word “church” in the text?
v)
In Acts
w) A Christian is a disciple. Those who are disciples are in (members of) the church.
x) Biblically speaking a Christian is a disciple who is also a church member, Acts 11:26.
i) How does this compare with Mr. Webster’s definitions?
ii) Webster says that the word Christian may describe a well moraled, decent person.
iii) This is not how God defines the word.
iv) A Christian is a disciple who is in the church.
v) Disciples in the church are going to be people who are decent and moral.
vi) However, not all decent and moral people are disciples and church members.
vii) At times some suggest that they are a Christian who is outside of the church.
viii)
Have we not heard “I am a Christian but I don’t attend
services; I am not part of the
church.”
ix) This is like saying, “I want to be a Christian but I refuse to be a disciple.”
x) It doesn’t work that way.
xi) If
any of the descriptions in Acts
8)
IF BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS THAT WE ARE A
DISCIPLE AND A CHURCH MEMBER WHAT ELSE DOES THE BIBLE TELL US ABOUT THE WORD
CHRISTIAN?
a) Let’s skip down three verses to Acts 11:29.
b)
A Christian is a disciple (Acts
c) They use their abilities to help “their brethren” (fellow church members).
d)
Acts
e) Christians are people who have “brethren.”
f) What does the word “brethren” mean?
g) It means “a fellow-believer, united to another by the bond of affection” (Thayer, p. 11).
h) In simpler English, Christians are a group of people who make up a large single family.
i) We often hear someone say, “the people at church.”
j) I cannot find that expression or a similar one in any Bible.
k)
I do find (Acts
l) Instead of referring to “the people at church” first century Christians said, “the/my/our brethren.”
m) Christians are people who are in a spiritual family and they have a bond of affection for each other.
n) This bond of affection causes them to do things for each other.
i) It is now time for the second point from Acts 11:29.
ii) Christians are people who sent and still send financial aid to other Christians.
iii) Christians are people who help the members of their spiritual family.
iv) Christians also help those outside the church but that is another lesson.
9) IN STUDYING ABOUT THE WORD CHRISTIAN (OR DISCIPLE) THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER PASSAGES WHICH SHOW WHO OR WHAT CHRISTIANS ARE.
a) The next reference (if you want to read along with me) is Acts 14:22.
b) Some t.v. preachers suggest that Christians are rich, healthy, and free of problems.
c) I call this type of teaching the health and wealth gospel.
d) Here is what Paul said to some disciples (Christians) – Acts 14:22.
e)
Christians have problems. They face “many tribulations” before entering
into the
f) They have financial setbacks and hardships just like everyone else.
g) Many live lives that are far from easy.
h) Thus, when someone says, “Who or what is a Christian?”, we must say:
i) Biblically speaking, a Christian is very unlike the people described by many t.v. evangelists.
j) Paul denied that Christians will have an easy time in life.
k) He affirmed that Christians will suffer severe hardships.
l) In making this promise Paul pointed out a second truth about Christians.
m) Christians
are seeking to enter into the “
n) In some places the word “kingdom” refers to the church.
o)
In Acts
p) We learned from Acts 11:26 that disciples/Christians are in the church.
q) The church members (Christians) in Acts 14:22 were striving for the kingdom.
r) In this context the word kingdom describes heaven.
s) These Christians were living their lives so that they could go to heaven.
t) If someone is a Christian they have heaven as their goal.
u) Each day they continue to seek this place as their spiritual home.
v) No matter what the difficulties, those who are Christians are determined to make it to this place.
10) KNOWING THAT THE WORD DISCIPLE AND CHRISTIAN DESCRIBE THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS IS VERY HELPFUL. THIS INFORMATION ALLOWS TO US DIG OUT ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE MEANING OF THE WORD CHRISTIAN.
a) Another passage that we may appeal to is found in Acts 16:1-5.
b) Here we read about Paul (he was a Christian). We also read about Timothy (a “disciple”).
c) Acts 16:1-4.
d) These two Christians engaged in some work. What was the result of their labor?
e) Verse 5.
f) Who or what is a Christian?
g) A Christian is someone who “strengthens” fellow Christians.
h) This is understandable.
i) If the church is a family (and that was established earlier), family members strengthen each other.
j) According to Acts 16 This is what Christians do for each other.
k) Christians are also involved in trying to convert other people to Christianity.
l) Through the hands of Christians the “churches increased in number daily (verse 5).
m) Christians are people who make an active effort to reach those who are not part of the family.
11) A LITTLE LATER IN THIS BOOK (ACTS 20) WE FIND THAT PAUL MET WITH SOME FELLOW CHRISTIANS.
a) We will pay attention to two of the things described in Acts 20.
b) The first matter is in Acts 20:7.
c) Christians came together on the first day of the week to worship.
d) Sometimes people want to know what day is the first day of the week.
e) The answer is not Monday.
f) There are seven days in the week. The Jews rested on the 7th day.
g) If there are 7 days in a week, and the Jews rested on the 7th day, and their rest day was Saturday,
h) What day was Sunday?
i) Those who were Christians met on the first day of the week (Sunday) to worship God.
j) Those who are Christians 2,000 years later continue to worship on this day.
k) In addition to worshipping, those who are Christians do something else.
l) Acts 20:29-31.
m) Paul warned the “disciples” (fellow Christians).
n) Just as family members warn each other about dangers so Christians do the same.
o) Christians are people who are concerned about religious error.
p) Christians are people who want worship and serve God in the way that He has described.
q) When we hear people who say, “Join the church of your choice.”
r) “How you worship or serve God is irrelevant”, that is not a Christian message.
CONCLUSION:
Someone once said that 4 things are necessary to constitute a Christian:
1. Faith makes a Christian (this faith is obedient).
2. Life proves a Christian.
3. Trials confirm a Christian.
4. Death crowns a Christian.
Have we become a Christian?
Is our daily life testifying to the fact that we are a Christian?
Are we allowing trials to confirm that we are a Christian?
Will we be crowned when we die?
If we have a general overview of what a Christian is but we need help with Christianity assistance is available.