The Church That Looked Like Jesus

What if you weren’t allowed to call yourself a Christian—until someone else did?

That’s kinda what happens in Acts 11.

When the gospel finally reached the great city of Antioch, it wasn’t the apostles who brought it. It wasn’t Peter or Paul or anyone with a platform. It was regular, unnamed believers who fled persecution and simply couldn’t stay silent. These men and women carried the message of Jesus with them wherever they went.

And when they got to Antioch—a massive, cosmopolitan city full of pagans—they didn’t just find a synagogue and lay low. They preached Jesus boldly to everyone who would listen. No miracles. No stage. Just the message of the gospel and a city full of people who needed to hear it.

And pretty soon, people began to take notice. These passionate believers bearing witness in the midst of the third-largest city in the Roman Empire earned themselves a nickname:

“And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”
(Acts 11:26)

They didn’t give themselves the name. It was given to them. Why?

Because their lives belonged to Jesus. And everyone could tell.

These new believers were so transformed—so bold, generous, joyful, and full of faith—that the watching world had to come up with a name for them. The pagans called them Christians to mock these new believers. But what they really did is forge a new identity.

As Martin Luther taught, to be a Christian is to become a “little Christ” to the world. These young and faithful saints in Antioch looked the part. They looked like Jesus because:

• They loved like Jesus.
• They gave like Jesus.
• They forgave like Jesus.

They lived like people who actually believed the gospel was true.

Reading Acts chapter 11 makes me ask this question:

What if the only way someone could know you were a Christian was by watching your life?

Would they be able to tell?

Not by your social media posts. Not by your t-shirts or bumper stickers. But by your actual life. Your words. Your patience. Your peace. Your generosity. Your love.

The people in Antioch didn’t become “Christians” by title—they became Christians by testimony. The kind of testimony that made even pagans stop and think about Jesus.

May that be said of us too.