Where They Were First Called Christians

After a short foray into the psalms for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, this morning we’ll return to our sermon series in Acts. The second half of Acts 11 presents the church spreading throughout the entire Levant, to the city of Antioch where “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Many of the hymns we sing this morning celebrate the building up of the church. We’ll ask all Christians to join together in worship (Come, Christians, Join To Sing). We’ll look forward to the day when all the brothers are united in a common pursuit of God’s glory (I Will Lift My Voice—Psalm 101), when “all the ransomed church of God [are] saved to sin no more” (There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood). Several of these hymns use “Zion” as a metaphor for the church (Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken; We Will Feast In The House Of Zion; From Babel To Zion), giving thanks for the security within her walls, the restoration found at her table, and the light which she proclaims to the world. The service closes with a classic hymn (The Church’s One Foundation) that reminds us of what we have in common with the church in the book of Acts: because our Lord promises to guide and sustain us “to the end,” we will prevail and flourish amid trials and persecutions, just like the disciples who were first called Christians. —Henry C. Haffner