Sermons
April 21st, 2024 by Pastor Solley042124AM What’s Your Name
Sub. The name Christian
Theme: Are we living up to the name?
Text: Acts 11:26
“What’s Your Name” Acts 11:26
Introduction
The title of the message this morning, “What’s Your Name” leads into the question of the message, are you living up to your name? In Acts 11 we find born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ called Christians for the first time. – Acts 11:26 – That name was not given to them by others of like precious faith, it was not given to them by the church, it was given to those believers by unbelievers and it was not a term of endearment. Those believers were not being praised, they were being identified.
I. There was a time when there was much thought about the meaning of a name before it was attached to an individual: Before a name was given to a child much thought went into the meaning of that name. Not so much today as names are picked because of the sound or the uniqueness of a name. The way our culture as developed there is little thought to the meaning of a name. I am not preaching this morning against naming a child because of the sound, or uniqueness, or the popularity of a name. That is the way our culture as developed but not the way is used to be.
A. I looked up the meaning of several names and I want to share some of them with you: Does the meaning match the person?
1. The name George means farmer: A family that farms should name a boy George. But I am not a farmer nor a gardener.
2. The name Dena means delicate: A little girl with delicate features should be named Dena.
3. The name Rebecca means to tie or bind: Our daughter, bound to Jesus, bound to husband and children.
4. The name Chester, my father, means strength and fortress: My father was a strong man, a defender of family.
5. The name Martha, my mother, means lady, one given to hospitality: My mother was given to hospitality.
6. William, my middle name, means protector: I am to be a protector of the flock of God.
B. In the Bible there are over three thousands individual names recorded: All of them mean something.
1. God named the first man Adam: Adam means man, son of the earth. God created man from the dust of the earth.
2. God named the first woman eve: Eve means living and Eve is the mother of all living.
3. As names were given in the Bible there was much thought to the meaning of a name:
II. We then have the name Christian: Acts 11:26 A name given to the church by the world and a name the church has adopted. The name means “Little Christ” and as the world gave that name to those believers they were living up to the name. Of those ones it was said that they turned the world upside down. Just as Jesus turned the Jewish world upside down by doing away with the worship under the Law and replacing it with salvation under grace those ones were turning the world upside down.
A. They were so much like Jesus that the lost people of Antioch began to call them a “Little Christ”: That is what the name means.
1. Those who had repented of sin and received Jesus Christ as personal savior were had lives that were changed: They were living for Jesus Christ, sharing the gospel message and turning the Jewish and gentile world upside down.
2. That change so noticeable that they were given a name: First called Christians at Antioch and they lived up to the name.
B. Are we living up to the name Christian today? It is a name we have been given, a name we who know Jesus Christ as personal savior have adopted. I don’t mind being called a Christian. But am I living up to the name? What is your name today?
PROP: Christian, we have a name. TS. But do we live up to that name?
Body
I. There are many individuals named in the Bible, long lists of names: Reading through 1 Chronicles chapters one through twelve are mostly lists of names. Over five hundred verses of mostly names of individuals. Even more at the end of that book. For many named in the Bible we find them living up to the name that was assigned to them. For many others they did not live up to their name.
A. Those who lived up to their names stand as examples that we should follow: Great men and women of faith.
1. The name Abraham means “Father of a multitude”: By faith Abraham believed God and was made the father of a multitude.
2. The name Elijah means “God of Jehovah”: Elijah had a personal relationship with Jehovah and served God faithfully.
3. The name Isaac means “Laughter”: Isaac brought much joy and laughter into the life of Abraham.
4. The name Joshua means “Jehovah saved”: Joshua was used by Jehovah to bring Israel into the Promised land, land of the saved.
5. The name David means “Young and beloved”: David, the youngest son was beloved by God and loved God.
6. The name John from a Hebrew word means “Jehovah favored”: Both John the Baptist and the Apostle John favored Jehovah.
7. So many we find in the Bible living up to the names they were given: They are examples for us to follow.
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B. Others we find not living up to their names and we are not to follow: They are not good examples to follow.
1. In Ruth chapter one we find a man named Elimelech and his names means “God is King”: If Elimelech had made Jehovah God the king of his life he would have stayed by faith in Bethlehem through the famine and not gone to Moab. Not everyone left Bethlehem or there would have been no place for his widow and daughter in-law to return. It cost many lives not to make God his king.
2. The name Jacob means “Heel grabber and supplanter”: Jacob grabbed hold of and took things that were not his. By any account Jacob brought many troubles into his life because he lived up to his name but not in a good way.
3. The name Lot comes from a Hebrew word which means in part to “Be attached”: What if Lot would have stayed attached to Abraham? Lot did not live up to his name and he paid a very high price.
4. We find many in the Bible who did not live up to the names they were given or lived up to them in a bad way: They also stand as examples but not examples that we are to follow.
C. Names have meanings, all of them: In the Bible all of those names have meanings, some live up to them and some do not. Some serve as examples we are to follow and some do not.
II. We also have a name that we have been given, Christian: Acts 11:26 This was not a term of endearment, not a name given because they were loved, not a name given because they were looked up to. The name Christian was given to identify those believers.
A. How did that name come about, why was it given? The focal point of all of human history is recorded for us in John 19. – Jn 19:30 All of the Old Testament pointed to the coming of the Lamb of God, to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect and sinless life, proved that He is the God of all creation by the miracles He preformed and offered Himself to Israel as the Messiah, as the Lamb of God.
1. They rejected their Messiah and sent Jesus to the cross: Praise God they did for when Jesus Christ died He died for all, shed His blood for all, and rose from the grave so all could put faith and trust in Him for forgiveness of sin and salvation. Jesus turned the world upside down, changed everything when He gave Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Praise God.
2. Those ones who believed on Him, received Jesus Christ as personal savior, had lives that were changed: Those who were Jews would no longer follow the Jewish religion, they would follow Jesus Christ. Those who were gentiles who always had a man made religion gave that up and followed Jesus Christ.
a. Jewish believers turned away from those old and now dead sacrifices of the Old Testament. They had a living sacrifice in Christ.
b. The gentiles turned away from idols. They now had a living God to worship and serve, they had Jesus to follow.
3. The changes in the lives of both Jewish and gentile believers was noticeable: Satanic persecution and opposition began at once.
B. To identify born again believers the lost gave them a name, Christian: Acts 11:26 And they became just as hated as Jesus was. Satan attacked those believers just as Satan had attacked Jesus. Those believers were persecuted and mocked just as Jesus was. Many of them died for their faith.
1. A name was given to them, Christian: If they lived up to that name, if identified as a Christian, it would cost them something.
2. Those ones at Antioch were living up to the name Christian:
C. We as born again believers in Jesus Christ have been given a name: We have adopted that name, but are we living up to that name?
III. What about those believers brought about the name Christian? Several things about those early Christians brought about that name, things that we should be following after today. Are we living up to the name Christian?
A. They stood firm on the sound doctrines of the Word of God: Doctrine means sound teaching, fundamental truths. Where did they get that doctrine? – Acts 2:42 – And where did the apostles get that doctrine? – John 7:15-16 – They were sound in doctrine and would not be moved away from the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were sound in doctrine.
1. From the very beginning of this church age false doctrines were set before believers: 2 Peter 2:1 False prophets among the people.
a. Some who were Jews tried to mix Law and grace. Saved by grace but kept by the Law was and is a false doctrine.
b. Some who were gentiles tried to mix pagan practices with grace. Be saved but bow to the idol is a false doctrine.
2. But those ones stood strong and firm in sound doctrine: They would not be moved. 2 John 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: ; Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. ; Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
3. Anything, any teaching, any doctrine that does not line up with the Word of God is a false doctrine and needs to be turned away from: Many new things in this new age but they are all from an old enemy. This KJB is still the only source of true doctrine.
a. Joseph Smith is not the father of Mormonism, Satan is and any who hold to that false doctrine will spend eternity in hell. All Revelation from God ended in Rev 22 and Joseph Smith was a liar.
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b. Charles Taze Russell is not the father of Jehovah Witness, Satan is and all who follow that false doctrine will spend eternity in hell, the very same hell they deny exists.
c. John Calvin is not the father of Calvinism, Satan is and his doctrine is filled with lies. My Bible says that Jesus loves the world and gives eternal life to all who believe, not eternal damnation to some He has chosen to hate.
d. Jacob Arminius is not the father of Arminanism, Satan is. My Bible says Jesus gives eternal life, not temporary life.
e. That the communion wafer and wine turn into the body and blood of Jesus and give salvation is a lie of Satan.
f. Baptisminal regeneration is a lie of Satan.
4. When it does not align with the Word of God it is a lie of Satan, it is false doctrine and needs to be turned away from:
5. They stood firm on the sound doctrines of the Word of God:
B. They withstood persecution and stayed in the fight: Jesus warned of the coming persecution. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. As those words were given in the upper room just before the cross I am sure none who heard them knew what was coming.
1. All of the apostles except John died very violent and painful deaths: And John suffered more than the others.
2. When we meet Saul who would be Paul he is at the stoning of Stephen: He then arrested Christians and sent them to be stoned.
3. Christians later suffered horrible deaths: If you have never read Foxs Book of Martyrs it brings tears to your eyes.
4. But those Christians endured: 2 Tim 2:3 That is what a Christian does.
5. They counted the cost and picked up the cross: Luke 14:27-28 That is what a Christian does.
6. A Christian finishes: 2 Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: And when you finish well you finish with joy.
7. They withstood persecution and stayed in the fight:
C. They lived separated lives that made them different: 2 Cor 6:17-18 They turned from the unclean, turned away from sin. What was before normal in their lives became unacceptable in their lives.
1. The Bible tells us in 1 Thess 1:9 that they turned from idols: They turned away from the old ways and the old life.
2. They obeyed the command to give no place to the devil: Satan would have no hold on them, no place in their life.
3. They obeyed the command to abstain from all appearance of evil: If it even appeared to be wrong they did not want it.
4. Those who wanted to keep hold on sin were chastened of the Lord: God wanted a pure church made up of chaste people.
5. They were not perfect but they knew what they came out of and what they wanted to be: They wanted old things to pass away and all things to become new and they did. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
6. They lived separated lives that made them different:
D. They made the sacrifice that Christ demanded of them and Christ deserved: Rom 12:1-2 How many times we have heard this verse but have we really ever taken these words to heart? They did. – Rom 12:1-2
1. Do you know what happened to the sacrifices of the Old Testament? They died on the altar. Only the scape goat survived a sacrifice and then it was banished to the wilderness. Sacrifices died on the altar.
2. Jesus Christ did not want them to die for Him, Jesus wanted them to live for Him: Rom 12:1 Jesus wanted a living sacrifice, one that would seek out and walk in His will. – Rom 12:1-2 – Jesus wanted a living sacrifice. Which is harder?
a. Harder to die for Jesus? Have your life end in an instant and many did.
b. Or harder to live for Jesus Christ day by day? Which is harder?
3. To them it was only reasonable that they be living sacrifices and they were: After all Jesus had done for them they found it only reasonable that they become a living sacrifice for Him. No wonder the Bible tells us they turned the world upside down.
4. They made the sacrifice that Christ demanded of them and Christ deserves:
E. What they did was live up to the name Christian: That was their name.
IV. What is your name today? Are you living up to your name: They were called Christians at Antioch and we call ourselves Christians today. I would think that all of us in this room this morning would say we are not ashamed to be a Christian. But I wonder how we are living up to the name? Are we living up to the name as they did?
A. We are to be sound in doctrine: The same Word given to those Christians is the Word we need to be following after today
1. We are not to be turned by new things today: Eph 4:14-15 We are to continue in the apostle’s doctrine because it was and continues to be the doctrine of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of Almighty God.
2. We don’t need new Bibles and we don’t need new doctrine: Everything we need is in this precious book, this KJB.
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3. But we see so many turning away today from the old paths, the old ways, turning away from God’s way: Men who were once sound in doctrine I have watched turn away from sound doctrine. Churches who once stood on the firm foundation of the Word of God have turned to other doctrines and other methods.
4. Satan puts so many things before us today that glitter, that look good, that sound good, that please the flesh and many are turning to those things and leaving sound doctrine: Doctrine never changes.
a. The emerging church does not follow sound doctrine.
b. Bible perversions do not follow sound doctrine.
c. The music of the devil does not promote sound doctrine.
5. A Christian living up to the name is not going to change, is not going to move away from sound doctrine: Are we living up to the name Christian? Are we living up to our name?
B. We are to withstand persecution and stay in the fight, we are to endure as a good soldier: 2 Tim 2:3 We do face an enemy that wants to destroy us. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: What Jesus said in the upper room is for us today. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
1. But how many fall on the battlefield? How many are distressed, discouraged, and fall away when tribulation comes? Too many.
2. How thankful we are today that Jesus kept going when He was persecuted: Jesus never gave up, Jesus kept going.
3. But I have heard many after trials of their faith say they don’t want anything to do with God anymore: God still wants something to do with them.
a. I know it hurts when friends turn against us. Everyone turned against Jesus.
b. I know it hurts when we lose loved ones to death. Jesus lost loved ones.
c. I know it hurts when lies are told about us. They lied about Jesus.
d. I know it hurts when our bodies begin to fail. The body of Jesus was destroyed through great pain and suffering.
4. A Christian living up to the name is going to withstand persecution, will endure as a good soldier:
C. We are to live separated and different lives: 1 Cor 15:34 The Bible says sin not. 2 Cor 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ; Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. ; 1 Thess 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. All those verses are for us today. God has not changed.
1. If it was sin then it is still sin today: Because people change attitudes does not make sin right.
2. If it was wrong then it is still wrong today: Because people change names does not make it right.
a. To kill a baby in the womb is not choice, it is murder.
b. The homosexual and transgender are not gay. God has not changed His mind on abominations.
3. We need to preach against and separate from sin: Jesus did not change, the Word of God did not change with modern society.
a. Alcohol still needs to be preached against.
b. Fornication still needs to be preached against.
c. Men are still to look like men.
d. Women are still to look like women.
4. A Christian living up to the name is going to live a separated life, old things pass away and all things become new:
D. We are to make the sacrifice Jesus Christ demands and deserves: Rom 12:1-2 Not a dead sacrifice, a living one.
1. Jesus Christ is the living sacrifice for us: Heb 7:25 When Jesus died on that cross it was not the end of His sacrifice for us. Notice what the Bible says. – Heb 7:25 – One does not have to be a Greek student to get this, it is very clear in our KJB, but the words are in the present active tense in the Greek language. Jesus is our living sacrifice, Jesus Christ lives for the child of God each and every day.
2. Isn’t Jesus then worthy of us being a living sacrifice for Him? If you don’t think so keep that to yourself.
3. Jesus has done so much for me it is only reasonable I become a living sacrifice for Him: Rom 12:1 Only reasonable.
4. Jesus has done so much for me it is only reasonable I turn away from this world: Rom 12:2 Only reasonable.
5. Jesus has done so much for me it is only reasonable I seek out His will and follow Him: Rom 12:2 Only reasonable.
6. A Christian living up to the name is going to make him or herself a living sacrifice: It is only reasonable.
E. What made people call them at Antioch Christians should make people call us Christians today:
V. We have been given a name: Acts 11:26 Are we living up to the name?
ILL. About eight years ago I was a basketball game in Clearfield, sitting in the stands by myself. A man a few rows down kept turning around and looking at me. He was about twenty years older than I am and he would turn, look, and turn away. Finally he came up and sat down and he said “Your George Solley aren’t you?” I said I was and he said “You’re the preacher.” That is how he identified me. We talked about a lot of things but I was pleased with the way he identified me, “You’re the preacher.” Names mean something.
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Conclusion
Can we say we are living up to the name Christian today?
I. Sound in Doctrine? A Christian living up to the name is.
II. Enduring persecution and trials as a good soldier? A Christian living up to the name is.
III. Living a separated life: A Christian living up to the name is.
IV. Are we making a living sacrifice? A Christian living up to the name is.
Are we living up to the name? What’s your name this morning?