FBCOpelika

In this chapter we are introduced to one of the most important cities in Christian history. Antioch will become home to one of the strongest Gentile churches and will be the base from which the first missionaries are sent out to the Roman world.

Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Its main street was paved with marble and was four miles long. It was also considered the second most wicked city in the Empire, second only to Corinth. Like Corinth, its main pagan god was a female, Daphne, who was worshipped through the use of Temple prostitutes.

The contrast between the lives of the new Christians and the residents of Antioch gave rise to a brand-new name for followers of Christ: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (11:26).

“Christian” was actually a derisive name. It means “little Christs.” But what was intended as an insult is actually quite a compliment. I would be honored if someone said I reminded him of Jesus!

There is a new move today to avoid the word “Christian.” Pastors like Bill Hybels have created a new term to describe Christians: “Christ followers.” They do this for two reasons.

A thirty-five-foot scroll was about as long as a book could be. All of the Bible's longest books -- Acts, Luke, Isaiah, etc. -- are about the same length.

Luke began writing Acts knowing he had limited space to record the work of God in the first century. Yet he told the story of the Gentiles' conversion in great detail -- twice! This indicates the story is very important.

Peter retold this story because Jewish critics didn't like him going into the home of a Gentile. They probably also didn't like Gentiles being accepted without becoming Jews and keeping the Law. (This controversy will be revisited in Acts 15.)

This chapter records one of the greatest moments in history: when the doorway to salvation is swung wide open for all non-Jews to enter! This is the moment when God makes it clear we are saved by faith alone -- not by keeping the law and becoming a Jew, not even by baptism! (The Gentiles in this story were obviously saved before they went into the water to be baptized.) After this chapter, throngs of people from all over the world will accept Christ, and within three hundred years the Roman Empire will become a Christian Empire.

We have read how, after the vision of the unclean food on the sheet, Peter journeyed to Cornelius' house and preached the Gospel. Before Peter had finished his sermon, God had saved these Gentiles and made them His children.

I recently watched the movie 42, the true story of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. What a story of courage! When Robinson stepped onto the diamonds in stadiums across the nation he was subjected to horrible treatment by both players and fans. Enos Slaughter once tore open Robinson's calf muscle on purpose by sliding into it with his steel spikes. Player after player hurled racial epithets at him. It took quite a man to endure all of this without striking back.

Acts 10 is the Jackie Robinson moment of the New Testament. One of the biggest barriers in world history was about to come down -- the barrier that separated all Gentiles from the people of God. When Peter walked into Cornelius' house to preach the Gospel, he was doing something just as controversial as Jackie Robinson walking onto the diamonds of major league baseball. He made it clear that he was breaking Jewish law: "'You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean'" (Acts 10: 28).

When we get to Chapter Ten, we will have reached one of the great turning points in church history. The door will be opened for Gentiles to become Christians without having to become Jews. John 3:16 will become a reality: God really loves the whole world, not just the Jews.

But until that moment, God worked on His messenger of the Gospel to the Jews, Peter. In order to enter a Gentile's house, something a Jew would never do, and preach the Gospel, Peter had to be stretched. These two stories of healing are a part of that stretching process.

When Green Acres Baptist in Warner Robins contacted me for an interview, I had no desire to accept -- I knew the church's reputation. Although it was a bigger and more famous church, I felt its fame was based on shallow evangelism. Green Acres held the Georgia Baptist record for most baptisms in one year: over 500! Yet members later told me they could not name one person baptized that year who was still in the church five years later. The church led people into a sinner's prayer, dunked them, and dropped them. But the day I was contacted, I had just outlined the next Sunday's sermon: "How to make disciples that last." I felt God tell me, "The sermon I just gave you was not for Loganville Baptist but for Green Acres." To my surprise, the pulpit committee felt the need to deepen their discipleship and disciple new Christians.

Most churches fall short in the care of new Christians. The Great Commission does not end with baptizing new Christians. We are also to teach them to obey all things Jesus taught.

Let's look and see what happened to Paul as a new Christian. This will provide insights into how we can help the new Christians God gives us in our church.

This is probably the most dramatic conversion story in the Bible! The greatest enemy of the Christians becomes the greatest missionary of the Gospel! Saul the persecutor becomes Paul the apostle!

Saul had already been responsible for Stephen's death and had been arresting both men and women Christians in Jerusalem. (This was especially cruel because he deprived children of their mothers.) Now he wanted to go outside Israel and arrest Jews who had deserted their faith and become Christians in Damascus. Damascus was 130 miles from Jerusalem, a six- or seven-day trip at that time. Just as he was about to enter Damascus, Jesus met him in a great light. Isn't it just like God to wait until the last minute?

Before I begin, I want to chase two rabbits regarding baptism.

First, the Ethiopian official in this passage was baptized immediately upon believing in Christ. Many Christians today insist a new Christian must go through some kind of instruction prior to baptism. However, in Acts, baptism always followed salvation as soon as possible. We should encourage people to obey God and be baptized as soon as they can after salvation.

The second rabbit is this. I believe the Bible teaches total immersion as the correct mode of baptism. Paul pictures immersion in Romans 6, and I believe this story points to immersion. Surely the official had a water jug in his chariot while travelling through the desert. If sprinkling would have been enough, he and Phillip could have done that anywhere. But we are told they went into a pond and came out of it. That is immersion!

Now, on with the sermon!