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You can wear a title but that doesn’t necessarily make you what it says

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How closely do

you follow Jesus?

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Do you consider yourself a Christian or a Disciple?

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Did you know?

Jesus NEVER

used the term

“Christian”

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Did you know?

“Christian” is used only 3 times in New Testament

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Acts 11:26

And the disciples were

called Christians first in Antioch

Political Allegiance: The term Christianoi used a Latin-style suffix (-ianos) typically reserved for political partisans, such as the Herodiani (supporters of Herod) or Caesariani (supporters of Caesar). To observers, it meant "the party of Christ" or those whose primary loyalty was to a different "king".

A "Little Christ" or "Christ-one": The literal translation is often interpreted as "little anointed ones" or "Christ-ones". It was a commentary on their behavior—they were so focused on imitating Jesus’ character and teachings that they appeared to be miniature versions of Him.

An Outsider's Slur: Antioch was famous for its witty, satirical nicknames. Most scholars believe the term was originally a derogatory insult or a mocking jab. While Jews called them "Nazarenes" and they called themselves "the Way" or "saints," the Gentiles in Antioch needed a new category for this diverse group of Jews and Greeks who worshiped together.

Distinct Identity: Before Antioch, followers were often seen as a minor sect within Judaism. Because the Antioch church was so multiethnic, the name signaled the moment they were recognized as a separate religious movement altogether.

While it began as a way to "otherize" the group, the disciples eventually embraced the title as a badge of honor, identifying with the suffering of Christ.

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Acts 11:26

And the disciples were

called Christians first in Antioch

POLITICAL – the party of Christ, loyalists to Jesus

ANTIOCH “NICKNAME”

”little anointed ones” or “Christ-ones”

DEROGATORY INSULT – replaced other terms like “Nazarenes, Saints of the Way”

Political Allegiance: The term Christianoi used a Latin-style suffix (-ianos) typically reserved for political partisans, such as the Herodiani (supporters of Herod) or Caesariani (supporters of Caesar). To observers, it meant "the party of Christ" or those whose primary loyalty was to a different "king".

A "Little Christ" or "Christ-one": The literal translation is often interpreted as "little anointed ones" or "Christ-ones". It was a commentary on their behavior—they were so focused on imitating Jesus’ character and teachings that they appeared to be miniature versions of Him.

An Outsider's Slur: Antioch was famous for its witty, satirical nicknames. Most scholars believe the term was originally a derogatory insult or a mocking jab. While Jews called them "Nazarenes" and they called themselves "the Way" or "saints," the Gentiles in Antioch needed a new category for this diverse group of Jews and Greeks who worshiped together.

Distinct Identity: Before Antioch, followers were often seen as a minor sect within Judaism. Because the Antioch church was so multiethnic, the name signaled the moment they were recognized as a separate religious movement altogether.

While it began as a way to "otherize" the group, the disciples eventually embraced the title as a badge of honor, identifying with the suffering of Christ.

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Acts 11:26

And the disciples were

called Christians first in Antioch

Acts 26:28

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time

would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

Political Allegiance: The term Christianoi used a Latin-style suffix (-ianos) typically reserved for political partisans, such as the Herodiani (supporters of Herod) or Caesariani (supporters of Caesar). To observers, it meant "the party of Christ" or those whose primary loyalty was to a different "king".

A "Little Christ" or "Christ-one": The literal translation is often interpreted as "little anointed ones" or "Christ-ones". It was a commentary on their behavior—they were so focused on imitating Jesus’ character and teachings that they appeared to be miniature versions of Him.

An Outsider's Slur: Antioch was famous for its witty, satirical nicknames. Most scholars believe the term was originally a derogatory insult or a mocking jab. While Jews called them "Nazarenes" and they called themselves "the Way" or "saints," the Gentiles in Antioch needed a new category for this diverse group of Jews and Greeks who worshiped together.

Distinct Identity: Before Antioch, followers were often seen as a minor sect within Judaism. Because the Antioch church was so multiethnic, the name signaled the moment they were recognized as a separate religious movement altogether.

While it began as a way to "otherize" the group, the disciples eventually embraced the title as a badge of honor, identifying with the suffering of Christ.

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Acts 11:26

And the disciples were

called Christians first in Antioch

Acts 26:28

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time

would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

BADGE OF HONOR

Disciples eventually embraced the name, accepting its responsibility, and the honor of suffering alongside Christ, Whom they imitated.

Political Allegiance: The term Christianoi used a Latin-style suffix (-ianos) typically reserved for political partisans, such as the Herodiani (supporters of Herod) or Caesariani (supporters of Caesar). To observers, it meant "the party of Christ" or those whose primary loyalty was to a different "king".

A "Little Christ" or "Christ-one": The literal translation is often interpreted as "little anointed ones" or "Christ-ones". It was a commentary on their behavior—they were so focused on imitating Jesus’ character and teachings that they appeared to be miniature versions of Him.

An Outsider's Slur: Antioch was famous for its witty, satirical nicknames. Most scholars believe the term was originally a derogatory insult or a mocking jab. While Jews called them "Nazarenes" and they called themselves "the Way" or "saints," the Gentiles in Antioch needed a new category for this diverse group of Jews and Greeks who worshiped together.

Distinct Identity: Before Antioch, followers were often seen as a minor sect within Judaism. Because the Antioch church was so multiethnic, the name signaled the moment they were recognized as a separate religious movement altogether.

While it began as a way to "otherize" the group, the disciples eventually embraced the title as a badge of honor, identifying with the suffering of Christ.

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Acts 11:26

And the disciples were

called Christians first in Antioch

Acts 26:28

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time

would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

1 Peter 4:16

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Political Allegiance: The term Christianoi used a Latin-style suffix (-ianos) typically reserved for political partisans, such as the Herodiani (supporters of Herod) or Caesariani (supporters of Caesar). To observers, it meant "the party of Christ" or those whose primary loyalty was to a different "king".

A "Little Christ" or "Christ-one": The literal translation is often interpreted as "little anointed ones" or "Christ-ones". It was a commentary on their behavior—they were so focused on imitating Jesus’ character and teachings that they appeared to be miniature versions of Him.

An Outsider's Slur: Antioch was famous for its witty, satirical nicknames. Most scholars believe the term was originally a derogatory insult or a mocking jab. While Jews called them "Nazarenes" and they called themselves "the Way" or "saints," the Gentiles in Antioch needed a new category for this diverse group of Jews and Greeks who worshiped together.

Distinct Identity: Before Antioch, followers were often seen as a minor sect within Judaism. Because the Antioch church was so multiethnic, the name signaled the moment they were recognized as a separate religious movement altogether.

While it began as a way to "otherize" the group, the disciples eventually embraced the title as a badge of honor, identifying with the suffering of Christ.

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First-Century “Christians” embraced the name out of respect for Christ, but their Discipleship is what earned them that moniker

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Did you know?

“Disciple” is used 269 times in New Testament

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“DISCIPLES”

IMITATION OF THE TEACHER’S WAY OF LIFE

SERVANT-MASTER BOND

total submission, service to Teacher

ACTIVE APPRENTICESHIP

24/7 immersion, life-long

TRANSFORMATIONAL

goal was to “wear the Rabbi’s dust”

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American

Research Shows:

63% Christian

(believer, love teachings)

4% Apprentice

(transformed disciple)

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Jesus is not looking for converts to Christianity but rather Apprentices in the Kingdom of God.

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Have we lessened the meaning of “following” Christ?

You are a sinner going to hell

God loves you anyway

Jesus died for you

If you are baptized you can

go to Heaven when you die

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We must be careful not to be satisfied with faith as an entry-level buy-in, that less Heaven is still Heaven

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Is it possible that we have created a culture that believes a person can be a Christian, but not an Apprentice of the Way?

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And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way

-Isaiah 35:8

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“Engineering has done much to tunnel mountains, and bridge abysses; but the greatest triumph of engineering is that which made a way from sin to holiness, from death to life, from condemnation to perfection. Who could make a road over the mountains of our iniquities but Almighty God? None but the Lord of love would have wished it; none but the God of wisdom could have devised it; none but the God of power could have carried it out.”

-Charles Spurgeon

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“I am THE WAY, the truth, and the life.”

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“the way”

hodos

used literally, a path or a roadway

figuratively, a progress, mode or means

Jesus is using it here as a metaphor for apprenticeship to Him.

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His Way, voiced with His Truth,

Would lead us to the Life He offers

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“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and THE WAY is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

-Matthew 7:13-14

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When Jesus said, to “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me,” he wasn’t saying to “believe and have peace!”

He was leading us off the familiar road to a WAY more difficult.

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Apprenticeship to Jesus

Less about getting you into heaven,

More about getting heaven into you!

Less about Him becoming like us,

More about us becoming more like Him!

Less about transaction, More about transformation!

Less about what we’ve done,

More about what He will do in us and through us!

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REMEMBER THE WISE MAN

Whoever listens to My

teaching and follows it

will be like a wise man who builds his house on solid rock.

-Matthew 7:24

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True Discipleship,

Being His apprentice, means that we must confront a reality regarding our

devotion to His way.

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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

-Matthew 7:21-23

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With Jesus, our words mean less than

the evidence of

our life’s practices.

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Are we right

when we say,

“You don’t have to do anything, Jesus has done it all for you!”?

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Research Shows:

63% Christian 4% Apprentice

(believer, love teachings) (transformed disciple)

“CONSUMER”

CHRISTIANITY

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REMEMBER THE FOOLISH MAN

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. . . and it fell with a great crash!

-Matthew 7:26-27

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Sin is

“missing the mark”

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Sin is

“missing the mark”

What’s “the mark?”

Moral Perfection?

Not breaking commands?

Tons of good works?

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Sin is

“missing the mark”

What if “the mark”

is becoming like Him?

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WHOEVER wants to be My disciple must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.

-Mark 8:34