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[ Music ] [ Music ] [MUSIC] I've got you over, over and over again.

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And it's mine, mine, mine. I've got you over, over and over again. And it's mine, mine, mine. ♪ I got you, I got you ♪

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♪ Holy, holy ♪ ♪ I am mine, mine, mine ♪ ♪ I got you, I got you ♪ ♪ Holy, holy ♪

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♪ I am mine, mine, mine ♪ ♪ I got you, I got you ♪ ♪ Over it's glory ♪ ♪ And it's mine, mine, mine ♪

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♪ I've got a new job ♪ ♪ Over it's glory ♪ ♪ And it's mine, mine, mine ♪ ♪ I've got a new job ♪

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♪ Over it's glory ♪ ♪ That is my, my, my ♪ ♪ I got you, child ♪ ♪ For ignoring ♪

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♪ That is my, my, my ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat jazz music)

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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

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♪ I love you, oh ♪ ♪ Love's a big glory ♪ ♪ And it's time, time, time ♪ ♪ For the new morn ♪

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♪ For the glory ♪ ♪ And it's time, time, time ♪ ♪ For the new morn ♪ ♪ For the glory ♪

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♪ And it's time, time, time ♪ ♪ For the new morn ♪ ♪ For the glory ♪ ♪ And it's time, time, time ♪

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♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ [MUSIC]

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And it was at Antioch that the disciples first received the name of Christians. The subject of the message, "On Being Called Christian," "On Being Called Christian," It was at Antioch that the disciples first received the name of Christian. What's in a name?

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Names are labels. They are designed to identify or signify differences. labels for different people, different labels for different religions, to identify a different way of life, the Muslims, the Buddhists, Confucius, Hindu, whatever.

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A different name, a different label, a different way of life. in a name. There's a certain character on TV we see from time to time saying, "My name is this, but you can call me this, or you can call me this, or you can call me that." On and on it goes. A name tells who we are. There are laws against using false names.

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At Antioch, the church reaches a turning point in the name by which the members are known. Prior to this time, church members were called believers, disciples, brethren. It is at Antioch, a place where Jews and Gentiles mingle freely, that they are called Christians. Now first of all, I would like for us to notice that this is a name given, a remark made in

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Riddikew. The name Christian was the label given to members of the Christian community in order to humiliate them, to make fun of them, if you please. It was a badge of shame and dishonor.

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It was sort of a nickname given in derision. We have nicknames that we may assign, Slim, Shorty, Bubba, whatever the case may be. Sometimes the nickname sticks like that of Satchel Paige or Lady Bird. The people of Antioch were famous for their facility in finding jesting nicknames.

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The name Christian was half mocking, half jesting, wholly contemptuous nickname. A remark made in ridicule. "Oh, they're those people who are Christians, sort of with a jeer, made in jest." It's interesting to notice how the Christian responded to that.

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You know, really how do we respond when someone calls us a name that's made in order to ridicule us. If we were to be honest, most of us attempted to answer with sarcasm or some catty remark, a remark made in ridicule. But interestingly enough, the early Christians took this remark made in ridicule and used it in such a way that it becomes a compliment. To take a remark

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that somebody uses to embarrass or to humiliate you and to use it in such a way that it is used to compliment you. That's indeed a noble response. Secondly, what really does it mean to be called Christian? Well, names have meanings. When the disciples were called Christian, it literally meant that they were people who belonged to

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the party of Christ. They were identified with Christ, with Jesus Christ. Another interpretation of the word used is that it means good. They were not considered the Messiah. The name Christ means the anointed or the Messiah. They went about doing good just as Jesus went about doing good when he walked upon this earth. They were followers of Jesus

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Christ. They were learners of him. They were doers of his word. They performed his work in the world. And because they acted like Jesus Christ, the disciples were referred to as a little Christ. Oh there goes a Christian, there goes one who is a little Christ, there goes one who acts like Christ, who talks like

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Christ, who walks like Christ. They were replicas of the real thing, they were imitators of Christ, they were called Christians. So the name Christian is given the disciples by enemies of the faith. It is given in derision, in disrespect it is considered a badge of shame, a badge of shame. You know if if we

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were arrested for being called Christian would there be enough evidence to convict us. Think about that. If each one of us were arrested at the close of this service for being called Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us? That's a very serious question. We were arrested because we acted like Christ, because

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there were so many things in our lives that those who were considered outsiders observed as being Christian, as being proof of the fact that we follow the one who humbled himself and became obedient to the will of the Father and suffered ignoble death upon the cross. If we were accused of having the mind of Christ,

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Would there be enough evidence to convict us? The Lord says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land those who are called by my name you know it really means a

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lot to wear the name Christian. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. If we were arrested for demonstrating Christian conduct, if we were really arrested because we loved our enemies and there was so much evidence that people who mistreated us that we were so kind to them and others

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observed it and said "There's a Christian." We were found going the second mile rejoicing, rejoicing when we are persecuted for righteousness sake. Would there be enough evidence to convict us if we were arrested for that? Now Jerusalem was the place where the church first gathered after the Lord's

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ascension. The church is known by the fact that it gathers church, church is the church when it gathers together. We're the church now because we are the gathered community, we've gathered together and this is one of the characteristics of the church is the gathering of the people of God, the

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Yahweh, the congregation of God, the gathering of his people. And at Jerusalem they gathered. This is the first place they gathered. This is the religious center. It's known as the religious center of Judaism. The first Jewish Christians, the Jewish Church is centered in Jerusalem. Here began at Jerusalem

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that was the command of our Lord. But then the church is persecuted. We've traced that, how persecution broke out in Jerusalem and it started with Stephen. It broke out and the church began to spread beyond Jerusalem and here we find another center Antioch. It's gone a great distance now from Jerusalem to Antioch. And yeah,

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Jerusalem is the center for the Jewish Church and Antioch is the center for the Gentile Church. They've gotten away from the home base, so to speak. And the thing that really is interesting to notice is how they acted when they got far from home. That's interesting because some people when they get away from home, they what we call let their hair down. You know, well I'm way away from home now I can just do whatever I want. I can

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kick up my heels. That's where a lot of people are. They've been going to church when they were at home, but they go away to college and they, well I don't have time for that. I'll go in every now and then. "Oh, they've been living out in the country and they come to the city?" And they say, "Well, I was active out there in the little church out there in the country, but now I'm in the big city."

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And we change. Many times that happens. But here, the farther they go, as the persecution spreads, the church scatters and so you see that's really what makes the church the church you start having hard times that doesn't keep the church from being the church that makes the church the church it's really how we can bear up when we are

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having difficulties and when troubles come our way and how we can handle those troubles that's the sign that God is in our lives and so it's persecution that makes the church to chill. You don't run to where we're in trouble now. So when the church has troubles we find them scattered and they go everywhere,

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everywhere they go. What are all those problems they have? They're going, telling others about Christ, and acting and living the life of Christ, so that when they come to Antioch, they are living in such a a Christian man, they're acting so much like Christ that they are called Christians in Antioch. Christians. Well, people who look upon us today and say "Who are these people?" We wear the name Christian and it is for us to resemble Jesus Christ to think like

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him to talk like him to act as he acted to show the world that we are his followers that's our task for being Christian really means following Christ As Sheldon puts it, it means to walk in his steps. This is true of the church.

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So what we really need to ask ourselves time and time again, every church needs to sort of examine itself and to say, "Am I Christian?" We use the name the Church of Christ. We say that Ebenezer is the Church of Christ.

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We say that each one of us here is a servant of Christ, a follower of Christ. those of us who have professed hope in Christ and been baptized and wear the name Christian, ask ourselves the question, "Am I really a follower of Christ?" For he calls upon us to walk in the straight and narrow way, to leave our past, to drop

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our nets, to forsake all and follow him. was true of the first disciples that responded to the call by the seashore of Galilee and that's true of disciples who respond to the call at the seashore of our lives today. But Jesus still calls. Jesus calls us, "O the tumult of our

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life's wild restless sea. Day by day. His still voice calls us saying Christian follow me. Follow me. Follow me in teaching others the right way. Follow me and proclaiming the good news of God. Follow me in healing, in casting out demons. Follow me in loving, loving others, enemies, as well as friends. For as I have

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loved you, so love one another. For by this sign all will know that you are my disciples and they looked at those early disciples and said see how they love one another and they were first called Christians at Antioch. And as we really read this 11th chapter of Acts we see how this church moved from Jerusalem to

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Antioch. Let's consider some of the basic characteristics of this church at Antioch. First of all it was evangelistic. There were those who heard the word which they declared and believed. They were reaching out to others. The Antioch Church was evangelistic. So we're worthy. If we are really worthy to wear the name

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of Jesus Christ, if we are to measure up, if we're to be faithful to that name, it means that we must be evangelistic. We must be evangelistic. Not some mutual admiration society where we gather Sunday after Sunday and listen to a message and shake hands with one another and say we had a good time here

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and I hope you have a good week and we'll meet next Sunday. That's not the church. The church is evangelistic. The church is reaching out. The church is seeking to show concern for others and to be the conscience of the community and to lift the fallen and to clothe the naked and to minister to those who are

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in prison to bind up the brokenhearted to reach out. Not just those within our hallowed walls. The church is the church when she prepares herself for her mission in the world and that is to be truly evangelistic for the church must be evangelistic or die as the church. Then the church at Antioch was sound in

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doctrine, sound in doctrine. As we notice in that 26th verse of this same chapter it is said that they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people it was sound in doctrine. There are too many people who join the church who make a decision for Jesus Christ and they don't permit themselves

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to come to the teaching part of the church. They don't permit themselves really to understand the doctrines of the church. They really don't give themselves an opportunity to grow. They deny themselves that, but the Church of Antioch was sound in doctrine. The Church in Antioch was bold in character. That's

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why they were first called Christians at Antioch, because they were bold and there was such boldness of character that they said, "These people are acting like Christ." That boldness and that courage that they manifest and they're acting like Jesus Christ. The church in Antioch was bold in character. Then lastly the church in

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Antioch had a caring attitude, a caring attitude, so that as we read at the end of this chapter that they were taking up an offering they were sending help for the relief of the poor Christians in Jerusalem they were caring they weren't just pleased by saying look we're in Antioch we're not struck with a famine

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we're doing fine we are covered the field and God has blessed us that's so much the attitude of so many people I'm getting along all right and I'm not too concerned about others. But the church of Antioch had a caring attitude.

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Caring attitude. And so the Christians were first called by that name at Antioch. The name Christian, which was given them as a badge of humiliation, they used it as a badge of honor.

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A badge of honor. They took that name that was given to them as a sign of shame and they made it a badge of honor. And they demonstrated by their conduct that this emblem of suffering and shame was used

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by them as a badge of honor and glory to their master. That's what it means to be Christian. You're going to have a whole lot of things said about you to dishonor you when you seek to live the life of Christ. You're gonna have a whole lot to discourage you if

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you seek to live the life of Christ and it will come from all quarters but take it and use it to glorify the name of Jesus Christ. And we bring honor to that name when we honor Jesus anywhere and everywhere, whether it be in Jerusalem or are in Antioch, we bring glory to that name when we accept the cross. That's

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what it really means, it means to accept the cross. If we're gonna follow Christ, He said if any man would come after me, let him first of all deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And to follow Him means not only to go to get seminary but it means to go to Calvary, to the cross, the cross, the cross, the cross,

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that emblem of suffering and shame, the cross, the cross, to accept the cross and to glorify that name through the cross. That's what it means to build on that foundation. Sometimes we can build the wrong way. Oh you know that story over Genesis where it says that they wanted to build a tower that would reach from

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earth to heaven and they but they if you read it close may it says that they want to say we want to make us a name and their efforts were frustrated it's all It's only when we use the name of Christ and use it as a badge of honor and glory that we can glorify his name. Glorify his name. That's what it really means.

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Our fathers, somehow in the dark period of suffering in the midst of all of the crises of life, I'm like, they said, Lord, I want to be a Christian. I'm not just showing up here, but I want to have it in my heart.

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God, God, look at us. (soft piano music) (music) (soft piano music)

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(soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music)

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(piano music) (piano music) ♪ Lord, I long to be a Christian ♪ [MUSIC]

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♪ I love to be a Christian in my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I love to be a Christian in my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more loving ♪

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♪ In my heart, in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more loving ♪ in my heart in my heart

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in my heart in my heart in my heart Lord I want to be

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for loving in my heart Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart. Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart. [MUSIC]

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more holy ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I don't want to be like Judas ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I don't want to be like Judas ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ Lord, I don't want to be like Judas in my heart. Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.

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♪ Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life ♪ ♪ In my life ♪ ♪ In my life ♪ ♪ In my life ♪

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♪ In my life ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be a Christian ♪ ♪ Christa in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord I want to be a Christa ♪

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♪ In my heart, in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord I want to be a Christa ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ In my heart, in my heart, in my heart, in my heart

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Oh Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart [MUSIC] ♪ More loving in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord I want to be a priest in my heart ♪

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♪ I want to be more loving in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more holy ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I don't want to be like Judas ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be like Jesus ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be a Christian ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I don't want to be like Judas in my heart ♪

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♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ Lord, I want to be like Jesus ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ Say Amen.

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We'd like for the trustees to meet down front for just a few moments while in the benediction and brother Brother Hall. [ Silence ]