Acts: Act Like A Christian

Devotional

Day 1: When Grace Becomes Visible in a City

The believers in Antioch didn’t earn their name through programs or politics. Outsiders labeled them “Christians” because God’s grace left fingerprints everywhere: transformed lives, bold preaching, and a community so saturated with Christ’s presence that their identity became undeniable. This wasn’t about adopting a label but embodying a reality. The city’s third-century bustle became a stage for God’s work as ordinary people lived out Scripture with such consistency that their neighbors had to invent a new word for it. True Christianity isn’t hidden—it compels observation. [13:04]

“Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”
(Acts 11:19-26, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your daily rhythms—work, neighborhood, or family—do others see tangible evidence of God’s grace in you? What would need to change for your life to compel others to associate you unambiguously with Christ?

Day 2: The Unashamed Name in a Hostile World

Peter didn’t soften the term “Christian” when believers faced burning stakes or social exile. He reframed suffering for the name as a privilege, not a PR crisis. To first-century outsiders, “Christian” meant aligning with a politically inconvenient King, yet Peter urged believers to wear the label like a badge of honor. The name’s power lies not in cultural approval but in its link to the One who endured the cross. [27:25]

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”
(1 Peter 4:12-16, ESV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to identify as a Christian to avoid awkwardness or conflict? What would it look like to lean into the name’s true weight—honor, not shame—this week?

Day 3: Boldness Before Thrones and Algorithms

Paul stood chained before a king and declared, “I pray you become what I am—a Christian.” He didn’t lobby for religious tolerance or rebrand the message. Political power didn’t intimidate him; he saw every authority as someone Christ died to save. Modern believers face different “thrones”—social media algorithms, corporate ideologies, cultural narratives—yet the call remains: proclaim Christ unedited, even when systems demand silence. [24:23]

“And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.’ But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’”
(Acts 26:24-29, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you self-censor your faith to avoid pushback? How might Paul’s focus on Christ’s supremacy over every power shape your conversations today?

Day 4: Teaching That Multiplies Witnesses

Antioch’s revival didn’t stop at conversions. Barnabas recruited Saul for a year of deep discipleship, turning converts into grounded believers. The term “Christian” stuck because their faith wasn’t shallow—it withstood scrutiny. Biblical teaching anchored them to Christ’s lordship, not cultural trends, ensuring their witness outlasted fleeting emotional experiences. [12:48]

“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”
(Acts 11:25-26, ESV)

Reflection: Are you prioritizing quick decisions over sustained growth in your faith or others’? What step could you take this month to deepen your understanding of Christ’s lordship in Scripture?

Day 5: Proclaiming His Death Until He Comes

Communion wasn’t a private ritual in Antioch—it was a public declaration. Every broken loaf shouted, “Christ died for this city,” and every cup whispered, “He’s coming back.” The meal bound them to a story bigger than politics or persecution: a crucified King who’d return to make all things new. Their faithfulness with the table shaped their faithfulness with the name. [32:35]

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
(1 Corinthians 11:23-26, ESV)

Reflection: How does regularly remembering Christ’s sacrifice guard you from compromising your witness? What would it look like to live today as someone who “proclaims [His death] until He comes”?

Sermon Summary

Acts 11 opens with scattered believers running from persecution, but God does not let scattering become silence. Stephen’s death pushed disciples out of Jerusalem, and those disciples carried the good news as far as Antioch, about 300 miles away, to the third largest city in the Roman Empire. The first wave spoke only to Jews, because the way of Jesus still looked to them like the true way for Jewish people to reach God through the Messiah.

Some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, however, comma, crossed that line and spoke to Greeks also. God’s hand was with them, and Luke says a great number believed and turned to the Lord. That phrase matters because Luke has already named thousands coming to faith, so “a great number” means Antioch was not seeing a small Bible study pop up. Antioch was seeing a blowup of grace in a major city.

Barnabas arrived from Jerusalem and saw “the evidence of the grace of God.” The grace was not invisible. Something about these people, their lives, their fellowship, their witness, and their joy made Barnabas say, “Oh, wow. This is amazing.” Barnabas encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts, and even more people came to faith. Then Barnabas went and found Saul, the strongest Old Testament scholar he knew, and for a whole year Barnabas and Saul taught great numbers of people.

Luke then says the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. The name did not drop out of nowhere. The name came after God’s hand was seen, grace was visible, people were turning to Jesus, and solid biblical instruction was shaping a city. “Christian” meant people looked at them and said, those folks are being like Christ.

The name Christian has always carried political weight because Jesus claims to be King of kings and Lord of lords. Culture may compromise the label, and hypocrisy may make people want to dodge it, but Acts does not treat the name as something to be ashamed of. Paul stood before King Agrippa and said he wanted everyone listening to become what he was, except for the chains. Peter told suffering believers not to be ashamed if they suffer as Christians, but to praise God that they bear that name.

Communion then presses the same truth into the body. Christ’s broken body and shed blood create a people who bear his name, proclaim his death, and wait for his return.

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Key Takeaways

1. God turns scattering into witness God did not waste the persecution that followed Stephen’s death. The scattered disciples did not simply flee danger, they carried the good news into places that had not yet heard it. Pain did not cancel mission, and displacement did not mean God had lost control. [04:57]
2. Grace leaves visible evidence Barnabas did not merely hear reports about Antioch, he saw evidence of God’s grace. Real grace becomes visible in changed lives, shared witness, and people remaining true to the Lord with all their hearts. A private claim to faith that never takes public shape does not match what Luke shows in Antioch. [09:16]
3. Christian means being like Christ The name Christian was first given when people saw disciples living in a way that looked like Jesus. The label was not meant to be a cultural badge, a political team jersey, or a substitute for obedience. The name only makes sense when there is evidence that Christ is being honored in how people live. [21:55]
4. Christ outranks every political loyalty Jesus claiming kingship over every person, ruler, and nation is not less than political, it is more ultimate than politics. Paul standing before Agrippa shows that Christian witness does not bow to cultural comfort or governmental pressure. The name of Christ calls for bold allegiance even when that allegiance makes people uncomfortable. [23:29]
5. Suffering can confirm the name Peter says suffering as a Christian is not shameful when it comes from bearing Christ’s name faithfully. Trouble for sin, crime, or foolishness is not the same thing as suffering for Jesus. When opposition comes because Christ is actually being proclaimed and lived, that suffering becomes a strange evidence that the name is real.

## [27:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Why Use the Name Christian?
[01:36] - Why Some Avoid the Label
[04:57] - Scattered Believers Reach Antioch
[07:49] - Greeks Hear the Good News
[09:16] - Barnabas Sees Grace at Work
[11:33] - Barnabas Brings Saul to Antioch
[12:48] - Christians First Named at Antioch
[16:55] - Was Christian a Negative Term?
[20:40] - God’s Hand and Visible Grace
[23:29] - Paul Boldly Claims the Name
[25:17] - Peter on Suffering as Christians
[30:40] - Communion and Bearing Christ’s Name

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 11:19-26
“Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.” [04:57] [07:49] [09:16] [12:48]

1 Peter 4:16
“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” [25:17] [27:25]

Acts 26:28-29
“And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’ And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’” [23:29]

Observation questions

In Acts 11, who first received the message, and who else later heard the good news in Antioch? [07:49]
What does Luke say Barnabas saw when he arrived in Antioch, and how did he respond to it? [09:16]
What two things happened in Antioch before Luke says the disciples were first called Christians? [12:48]
In the passages from Acts 26 and 1 Peter 4, what attitudes do Paul and Peter show toward the name Christian? [25:17]

Interpretation questions

Acts 11 says the believers were scattered by persecution, yet the gospel spread farther because of it. What does that suggest about the way God can use painful disruption in the life of the church? [04:57]
Barnabas saw “the grace of God” in a visible way. What kinds of things likely made grace noticeable in Antioch, and why does that matter for how faith is understood? [20:40]
The disciples were called Christians in a city where many people were turning to the Lord and receiving solid teaching. What does that suggest about the connection between bearing Christ’s name and actually living like Christ? [21:55]
Paul was willing to speak openly about Christ before a king, and Peter said believers should not be ashamed to suffer as Christians. What do these passages show about how the name Christian relates to public loyalty and courage? [23:29]

Application questions

God turned scattered believers into witnesses. Where has life felt disruptive, unwanted, or out of place lately, and how might that very setting be an opening to speak about Jesus? [04:57]
Grace leaves visible evidence. If someone spent a week watching daily life at home, at work, online, and around friends, what evidence of God’s grace would be easy to see, and what would be harder to find? [09:16]
The name Christian makes sense when people are actually being like Christ. In what part of life is there the strongest need for that to become more visible right now: speech, patience, purity, compassion, forgiveness, or boldness? [22:13]
Barnabas encouraged believers to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. What helps a person stay steady-hearted with Jesus, and what tends to pull the heart away? [09:36]
Antioch was not only growing; it was also being taught well for a whole year. What would it look like to take growth in biblical understanding more seriously in this season, not just growth in activity or emotion? [11:48]
Christ outranks every political and cultural loyalty. Where is the pressure strongest to soften allegiance to Jesus in order to keep peace, fit in, or avoid being misunderstood? [29:42]
Peter says suffering as a Christian is not a cause for shame. When pushback comes, how can a person tell the difference between suffering for Christ and simply dealing with the consequences of poor behavior, harshness, or foolishness? [28:14]

Sermon Clips

51s

#BoldForChrist

“``If people are coming for you because you're living like Christ, praise God that you bear that name. If people are calling you out online because you are living like Christ, praise God that you bear that name. It doesn't matter what politically they say or what culturally they say about the name of Jesus or being a Christian, we're supposed to stand up and say, yeah, I proclaim the name of Christ. And I do it proudly, and I do it boldly, regardless of what the culture thinks, regardless of what the government thinks, regardless about and I get this a lot because there are people like, you're not supposed to talk about certain things from the pulpit. You're not supposed to talk about politics. You're not supposed to talk about this. And I'm just reading literally what the bible says.”

47s

#ChristAbovePolitics

“We are supposed to still hey, I don't care what you guys think. We're supposed to boldly proclaim the name of Christ. So when people it comes to being called a Christian, there should be visible evidence of living for Christ, and it should be regardless of political or cultural opinions. Doesn't matter what the culture thinks. Doesn't matter what your coworkers think. Doesn't matter what your family or friends think. Doesn't matter what people who think, oh, you're supposed to be in this political party, that's supposed to be up here. Had someone tell me the other day that, oh, you're probably one of those people who puts Christ above this or that, and I'm like, abso freaking lutely, yeah, I do. That that's what I'm called to do. That's the way I'm called to live my life.”

35s

#AntiochWitness

“He's like, look at this God honoring thing that happened. Look at this God honoring thing that happened. Look at this God honoring thing that happened. And because of it, the disciples were called Christians first at Antoniac. God's hand was on the city. There was some visible evidence of God's grace in the third largest city in the Roman Empire. There was exponential growth and solid biblical teaching, and then Luke looks at all that and says, and the disciples, because of these things, were first called Christians at Antioch.”

35s

#PraiseInPersecution

“And he says, if if you suffer, and it's specifically at the hands of the government, it should not be as a murderer or a thief or any other kind of criminal or as a memoir. If the government's gonna arrest me, it shouldn't be for stealing. It shouldn't be for killing someone. If they're gonna arrest me and they're doing it for people who proclaim the name of Christ, that's what it should be for any sense. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

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