sermon by: jim hoag (audio here)

The church at Antioch was one of the most important churches in the book of Acts, the place where the disciples were “first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). That community gives a blueprint for builders today…those committed to bringing forth a more faithful expression of Jesus Christ and His church…“a ‘city’ whose builder and maker is God

1. The new community at Antioch:
Last week we were in Acts 10 and as a result of Peter’s obedience in going to Cornelius’s house and the salvation of Gentiles, it set off a ripple effect, some of which can be seen in Acts 11 with the emergence of a new community at Antioch. Acts 10:44,45 says of Peter at Cornelius’s house, “While he (Peter) was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles”. This was huge, and we’ll be talking more about that in the coming weeks.

At any rate, as persecution led to a scattering of believers into other parts of the region, Acts 11:20 says, “There were those who came to Antioch preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them” and something began to form (I love that stuff; you know, the idea of “the hand of the Lord was with them“). Thirty-four years ago when all the ex-addicts and I first got saved, we’d be reading the bible together, smoking Marlboros, pretending we knew what those kinds of things meant, shaking our heads in unison and turning to one another and saying things like “Dude that’s awesome” and then we’d speed read past it, we had no clue. But it has to do with the endorsement of God, His stamp of approval on this new work: God was WITH THEMand a fledgling community began to form.

2. Barnabas saw something, discerning community:
Then Acts 11:22 says, “The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas, one of the leaders, to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God on the new community he was ‘full of joy’”. Barnabas SAW something…and this is the kind of unique, prophetic discerning we all have; Barnabas SAW the grace of God, the presence and REALITY of God resting upon this new community, something was happening…there was God’s LIFE. WhenWE find the community GOD is setting us in…we will know it…you will note the difference between religion and reality, superficial relationships and God-given FELLOWSHIP, the Elks Club and Hischurch. See God is about forming local expressions where the members really fit together as a body…where He is Head. I Cor.12:18 says, “But as it is, GOD has placed and arranged the limbs in HIS BODY, each particular one of them, just as He CHOSE…with the BEST FIT”.

3. A community of commitment…by revelation:
At any rate this community at Antioch was experiencing the Old Testament blessing promised Israel, now poured out through the Holy Spirit on Gentiles, forming ONE NEW MAN. But as I kept reading, this next part in Acts 11:23 resonated, “…and Barnabas continuously urged and encouraged them all to remain 1.FAITHFUL and, 2.DEVOTED TO THE LORD with 3.RESOLUTE (unshakeable) PURPOSE OF HEART. And you think “wait a second! How can you ask for that kind of commitment from new believers?” New believers during a time of tremendous persecution? I mean what about the whining and complaining and regression stages? It would have been MUCH easier for these Jews and Gentiles to stick with their former religions so as to not incur persecution…or even death, but that’s NOT what they chose. Instead they were kind of like Moses who considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt…and they’d put away some childish things. And Barnabas knew if the people of God aren’tprogressing, they are regressing…seems like there’s no middle ground…kind of like Jesus saying in Revelation 3:15, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!”

AND I believe Barnabas knew the REALITY of what a TRUE understanding and revelation of Jesus Christ AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE SPIRIT could bring to a community in terms of commitment. It reminds you of Matthew 16 where Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” This incredible ONGOING, God-given REVELATION TO THE HEART of Jesus Christ is the FOUNDATION upon which His church is built and stands,against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. And so Barnabas IMMEDIATELY began urging and calling for a corresponding commitment. And as a result there was the emergence of a CULTUREOF COMMITMENT...based on this radical inner transformation and “gift” or revelation of Jesus; a commitment that was to set the precedent for all time. Something so REAL was happening in the early church, something so dramatic, that they abandoned their previous separate lives. They walked in a revelation of the resurrected, living, ascended Christ. They became willing to risk everything in order to be a part of that community, of experiencing the REALITY of God with one another. There are so many looking to give their lives to something or someone AUTHENTIC. I was. And over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that when you gather and build with others who desire the real thing, dude, THERE’S NOTHING LIKE IT.

So, how do we get this revelation? Paul says simply, “…whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY”. It happened to me and many of you and I believe He is about to bring a FRESH revelation of Himself to all those who will ask for such in the coming year. This is why, in part, the local church is called a “Lampstand” in Revelation 1:10, it illuminates the Christ of God, a city on a hill, a light to the world. And in His church, in that presence collectively, you come into the reality that He is alive and among us…speaking TO us.

4. Two community essentials:
Anyway, anybody that’s been around me the past month or so knows that I believe 2012 is about two essentials, a greater and ongoing revelation of Jesus Christ the Head AND a more faithful expression of His body the church…with a special emphasis on foundation:individually, domestically and corporately. And as far as the church is concerned, it also includes discerning Christ in a DIFFERENT FORM,not only a greater consciousness of Him directly, but also through Hisbody. The “Head” of the church brings us into a greater consciousness of His body, of community, and our need for it. See, it’s WAY bigger then we’ve made it out to be. The treasure is IN EARTHEN VESSELS, in men and women…it’s not just in what’s written down, it’s also about LIVING LETTERS. He wants us to RECOGNIZE THE TREASURE the GIFTINGin our own lives and others’ as well, and receive it, benefitting from one another in MUTUAL DEPENDENCE. This is the church, it’s the invisible becoming visible; it’s His BODY…He obtained it with His own blood; “WE are the temple of the living God”. In Acts 9 Paul, then Saul, was persecuting the church, Jesus said to Him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute ME?”

At any rate, this is what happened at Antioch, they came into a revelation by God’s Spirit of Jesus Christ and His church…not an ethereal Christ of men’s imagination, but Jesus… ALIVE, dwelling in the midst of them through a many membered body.

5. A community of Christ followers; disciples first called “Christians” at Antioch:
This was so profound that Acts 11:26 says that, “…at Antioch theDISCIPLES were first called CHRISTIANS“…meaning “anointed ones”— “Christ-ones”. It’s interesting, “disciple” and “Christian” seemed to be synonymous, a community of people equipped into Christ FOLLOWERS, called “Christians”. Those disciples at Antioch were evidently bringing forth an expression of Christ so real, empowered by His Spirit and so radically committed to Him (and one another) that it was representative (though flawed) of the Lord Himself. It reminds me of ICor.14:25 where it says an outsider walks in to a church and the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that “GOD IS REALLY AMONG YOU”.

6. Identity…individually and in community:
Their identity was based on their connection to Christ. Though many folks often have their identity wrapped up in their own opinions about themselves, including their own sinfulness or the opinions of others, Paul says that a believer’s essential identity is a result of the Spirit of Christ bearing witness with our spirits that WE ARE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD and to walk in THAT identity. And add to that the INCREDIBLE GIFTEDNESS, AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE THAT HE’S PLACED WITHIN US, FURTHER DETERMINING WHO WE ARE.And this is realized in community where identity is clarified, strengthened and finds its context and fuller expression. Paul says that God Himself is active in the very spiritual core of our being,…he says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”. Everything that God wants us to have for everything that He wants to do IN us and THROUGH us is GIVEN to us by the indwelling presence and function of the living Lord Jesus. I mean we are CHRISTIANS, the church…the hope of sanity and freedom and change and justice in this world!

7. Equipping gifts, laying foundation in community:
Acts 11:22 says Barnabas went looking for Paul, an apostle…to the Gentiles, a wise master builder…a foundation man. And when Barnabas found him he brought him to Antioch where they dug in and laid foundation for an entire year. That’s, (hopefully), about 2012. A quick look at the origins of the church at Antioch show that apostles, prophets and teachers, the equipping gifts, called it home. (Acts 13:1,14:14). It seems proximity to Ephesians 4:11 DNA enables an Ephesians 4:12-16 church…that is, those of integrity…maturity: those “who walk in a manner worthy of their calling“. Paul and these others were not lightweights, they were totally given to the church. Like the apostle Paul I believe that equipping gifts today are folks given exclusively to the church…they are those who would waste away without giving themselves entrely to Jesus Christ and His body. For them, to live is Christ…and they want to impart that to others. You find that kind of commitment in HIS church. SEE, ANTIOCH WASN’T SIMPLY A STARBUCKS COMMUNITY…TWO OR THREE BELIEVERS CHATTING OVER LATTE…this was the real deal and in that next year they DUG IN to teach and equip, laying foundation and bringing folks into stability and maturity.

8. His church, His body…His community:
I believe everything comes out of Christ. The mystery of it however is that His church, the body, is the MEANS of that outflow, the increase of God in the earth. So….in essence, everything comes out of His church. And yeah, while God is everywhere, Paul says the richest measure of His presence is in and manifests through the body of Christ. That’s where His endorsement is and why God wants to touch us withHIS heart for His Son and for His church. The vision of His church, one of those two essentials, has more weight on it than any other vision…because it is about His dwelling place collectively, His body of which He is Head. And as that happens I’m believing that it will lead to this REALITY: a community of commitment to Christ and one another, growing, maturing, on solid ground, having genuine fellowship of the Spirit…recognized by others as those “who’ve been with Jesus”, impacting this city.

In the coming year I want to see Christ and His body marked by a passion for Jesus and His mission…built on rock-solid foundation. Folks coming into what they were BORN to do. This is what will prevail against the gates of hell and impact Burlington. And as we are proclaiming this, I’m believing signs will follow in 2012.

Prayer:
 

Lord, thank you for your word. My feeling is that we are only slowly beginning to grasp the revolutionary implications of a great shift back to You, Jesus, and YOUR church…IN REALITY, NOT THEORY, by fresh revelation…returning to a deeper love and dependence than we have ever experienced.