​Ballston Spa United Methodist Church
  • Home
  • The Latest
    • Recent posts
    • June 18 Scripture
    • May 28 message
    • May 21 message
    • May 14 message
    • April 23 message
    • April 16 message
    • April 9 (Easter) message
    • March 26 message
    • March 19 message
    • March 12 message
    • March 5 message
    • February 26 message >
      • February 26 handout
    • February 19 message
    • February 12 message
    • February 5 message
    • January 29 message
    • January 22 message
    • January 15 message
    • January 8 message
    • January 1 message
    • December 18 message
    • December 11 message
    • November 27 message
    • November 20 message
    • October 30 message
    • October 23 message
    • October 16 message
    • October 2 message
    • September 25 message
    • September 11 message
    • September 4 message
    • August 28 message
    • August 14 message
    • August 7 message
    • July 31 message
    • July 24 message
    • July 17 message
    • July 10 message
    • July 3 message
    • June 5 message
    • May 22 message
    • May 15 message
    • May 8 message
    • May 1 message
    • April 24 message
    • April 17 message
    • April 3 message
    • March 27 message
    • March 20 message
    • March 13 message
    • March 6 message
    • February 27 message
    • February 20 message
    • February 13 message
    • February 6 message
    • January 30 message
    • January 23 message
    • January 16 message
    • January 2 message
    • December 19 message
    • December 5 message
    • November 28 message
    • November 14 message
    • November 7 message
    • October 31 message
    • October 17 message
    • October 10 message
    • October 3 message
    • September 26 message
    • September 19 message
    • September 12 message
    • January 17 message
    • September 5 message
    • August 29 message
    • August 22 message
    • August 8 message
    • August 1 message
    • July 25 message
    • July 18 message
    • July 11 message
    • July 11 Scripture
    • June 27 message
    • June 13 message
    • June 6 message
    • May 9 message
    • May 2 message
    • April 25 message
    • April 18 message
    • April 11 message
    • April 4 message
    • March 21 message
    • March 14 message
    • March 7 message
    • February 28 message
    • February 21 message
    • February 14 message
    • January 31 message
    • January 24 message
    • January 10 message
    • January 3 message
    • December 13 message
    • December 6 message
    • November 29 message
    • November 15 message
    • November 1 message
    • October 11 message
    • Sept 13 message
    • Sept 6 message
    • Aug 30 message
    • Aug 23 message
    • Aug 16 message
    • July 26 message
    • July 12 Message
    • July 5 message
    • June 28 message
    • May 24 message
  • Videos
    • This week's service
    • Worship videos 2023
    • Worship videos 2022
    • Worship videos 2021
  • About Us
    • Church Staff
    • Church Directions
    • How to reach us
    • History
  • Ministry Matters
    • Announcements >
      • Ministry Matters June 11
      • Ministry Matters June 4
      • Ministry Matters May 28
      • Ministry Matters May 21
      • Ministry Matters May 14
      • Ministry Matters May 7
      • Ministry Matters April 23
      • Ministry Matters April 16
      • Ministry Matters April 9
      • Ministry Matters April 2
      • Ministry Matters March 26
      • Ministry Matters March 19
      • Ministry Matters March 12
      • Ministry Matters March 5
      • Ministry Matters February 26
      • Ministry Matters February 19
      • Ministry Matters February 12
      • Ministry Matters February 5
      • Ministry Matters January 29
      • Ministry Matters January 22
      • Ministry Matters January 15
      • Ministry Matters January 8
      • Ministry Matters January 1
      • Ministry Matters December 18
      • Ministry Matters December 11
      • Ministry Matters November 27
      • Ministry Matters November 20
      • Ministry Matters November 6
      • Ministry Matters October 23
      • Ministry Matters October 9
      • Ministry Matters October 2
      • Ministry Matters September 25
      • Ministry Matters September 11
      • Ministry Matters September 4
      • Ministry Matters August 28
      • Ministry Matters August 21
      • Ministry Matters August 14
      • Ministry Matters July 31
      • Ministry Matters July 24
      • Ministry Matters July 17
      • Ministry Matters July 3
      • Ministry Matters June 26
      • Ministry Matters June 19
      • Ministry Matters June 12
      • Ministry Matters June 5
      • Ministry Matters May 29
      • Ministry Matters May 22
      • Ministry Matters May 15
      • Ministry Matters May 8
      • Ministry Matters May 1
      • Ministry Matters April 24
      • Ministry Matters April 17
      • Ministry Matters April 10
      • Ministry Matters April 3
      • Ministry Matters March 27
      • Ministry Matters March 20
      • Ministry Matters March 13
      • Ministry Matters March 6
      • Ministry Matters February 27
      • Ministry Matters February 20
      • Ministry Matters February 13
      • Ministry Matters February 6
      • Ministry Matters January 30
      • Ministry Matters January 23
      • Ministry Matters January 16
      • Ministry Matters January 9
      • Ministry Matters January 2
      • Ministry Matters December 12
      • Ministry Matters December 5
      • Ministry Matters November 28
      • Ministry Matters November 21
      • Ministry Matters November 14
      • Ministry Matters November 7
      • Ministry Matters October 31
      • Ministry Matters October 17
      • Ministry Matters October 10
      • Ministry Matters October 3
      • Ministry Matters September 26 >
        • Understanding the UMC Budget
      • Ministry Matters September 19
      • Ministry Matters September 12
      • Ministry Matters September 5
      • Ministry Matters August 29
      • Ministry Matters August 22
      • Ministry Matters August 1
      • Ministry Matters July 25
      • Ministry Matters July 18
      • Ministry Matters July 11
      • Ministry Matters June 27
      • Ministry Matters June 13
      • Ministry Matters June 6
      • Ministry Matters May 30
      • Ministry Matters May 23
      • Ministry Matters May 9
      • Ministry Matters May 2
      • Ministry Matters April 25
      • Ministry Matters April 18
      • Ministry Matters April 11
      • Ministry Matters April 4
      • Ministry Matters March 28
      • Ministry Matters March 21
      • Ministry Matters March 14
      • Ministry Matters March 7
      • Ministry Matters February 28
      • Ministry Matters February 21
      • Ministry Matters February 14
      • Ministry Matters February 7
      • Ministry Matters January 31
      • Ministry Matters January 24
      • Ministry Matters January 17
      • Ministry Matters January 10
      • Ministry Matters January 3
      • Ministry Matters December 20
      • Ministry Matters December 13
      • Ministry Matters December 6
      • Ministry Matters November 29
      • Ministry Matters November 22
      • Ministry Matters November 15
      • Ministry Matters November 8
      • Ministry Matters November 1
      • Ministry Matters October 25
      • Ministry Matters October 18
      • Ministry Matters October 11
      • Ministry Matters October 4
      • Ministry Matters September 27
      • Ministry Matters September 20
      • Ministry Matters September 13
      • Ministry Matters August 16
      • Ministry Matters July 12
      • Ministry Matters July 5
      • Ministry Matters June 29
      • Ministry Matters May 31
      • Ministry Matters May 24
      • Ministry Matters May 16
      • Ministry Matters May 7
      • Ministry Matters April 30
      • Ministry Matters 4/23/20
  • How We Serve
    • Food Pantry
    • Clothing Thrift Shop
    • Prayer Shawl Ministry
    • UM Economic & Lakota Ministries
    • Fair Trade Coffee
    • Regional Food Bank Trip
    • 2020 Falling Leaves 5K Run
    • 2019 Falling Leaves 5K Run
    • Bright Red Book Shelf
    • Summer Lunch Program
  • Giving
    • Online giving
    • Sign up for automatic giving
    • Through On-line Purchasing
  • Resources
    • Safe Sanctuary Policy
    • Links
    • Forms
    • Photos & Videos

New Days, New (Old) Ways
Acts 11:19-30

Picture
        No one likes to get tragic news.  The early church in Jerusalem got the terrible news that their fellow Christian, Stephen, had been killed because he believed in Jesus.  His death shocked his church family.  It wasn’t long, though, before more violence and persecution of Christians began.  Thousands of believers left the holy city, scattering across the region.
      While many of us may have been uprooted at some point in our life, and moved to a new place, those who quickly packed and left Jerusalem probably did so under the cover of darkness.  They took what they could carry and fled.    
      Today’s Scripture lesson follows one of the displaced groups: they traveled 300 miles north of Jerusalem to Antioch of Syria. It would have been an exhausting journey, especially for those who were vulnerable, like infants, pregnant women, the elderly, and the sick.  Pause for just a moment and imagine the mass of displaced refugees.  They would never see their homes again. Or harvest what was planted in their gardens.  All was left behind.       
      Antioch was their destination.  It was the third largest city in the region - an estimated half-million people lived there.  It was a thriving commercial hub connecting Rome to the West with Asia in the East.  There was a wide road running north to south lined with marble columns, and another road went west to east with a two-mile long paved marble road; it too was lined with marble columns.  The city was affectionately called the Queen of the East.  It was divided into four quarters, each with walls that marked out their distinct area. Historians say there were at least 18 different ethnic groups living there at the time.   Given the huge population, the continuous flow of goods and people, and the diverse make-up of the city, tensions ran high, and it’s reported that riots were common.      
      This was what the newly-arriving Christians encountered.  They had to find lodging, work, and food.  It seems they were resilient; they adapted and settled into their new life.  They also continued to meet in one another’s homes for prayer, shared meals, and fellowship.  There was worship on the Sabbath, then rest and time spent with family. 
      The community of Jewish Christians was thriving, yet they had no pastor among them, no missionary or apostle.  Each person just did what God had gifted them to do and the church became rooted.                        
     A very normal thing these early Christians did was share their faith.   There were people still living who’d spent time with Jesus and their eyewitness accounts were exciting.  They’d probably been blessed to hear those eyewitnesses preach and teach in Jerusalem.  Now they were in a city where it could be their turn to pass on the news.  There was an abundance of teachings and parables they could talk about.  The accounts of Jesus healing people were fascinating as well.  How closely people paid attention when it came to Jesus’ last Holy Week.  Every part of that memorable week was described for people who never heard the news before.    
Jesus’ death they could imagine, and his burial, but how could someone who was dead come to life?  Yet all of the first-hand witnesses agreed he was resurrected -- he was the Son of God, the one we can ask to be our Savior.
       The Christians in Antioch understood what it means to be part of “the priesthood of believers”.  A priest’s main role is to connect people to God; the believers helped connect people to God as they shared all that they knew about Jesus!  It’s good for us to remember that there will be seekers in every time and place, people searching for truth, meaning, and answers.  When we share our faith, we too can connect people with Jesus.  When the believers in Antioch did this, we’re told that God’s hand was upon them and he blessed them.   
      Another essential practice was for everyone to keep growing in their faith.  This happened in small groups or larger ones; it was a communal experience.  New Christians, who had confessed their sins, asked forgiveness, and received the assurance of salvation - by faith and through grace - were eager to learn more.  What they learned then is similar to what we’d call a Discipleship 101class.  
      All the believers were devoted to learning, wanting to mature in their faith, so their thoughts and actions were holy and aligned with the will and ways of God.  Barnabas was a leader who came to Antioch to encourage them; he also shared the Gospel and a great number believed.  He left and found Saul, then together they taught large numbers of people.  By that point it’s likely that there were Christians in all four quarters of the city, and some of those believers also came from each of  the 18 different ethnic groups.  We know some were Jewish in background, others were Gentiles, and yet others Greeks.  The leadership in Antioch - those that came for a season, then went on mission trips - was also diverse.  The book of Acts reveals that the early church had a cross-cultural team of leaders.     
       There’s one last important event involving the Christians in Antioch. Several prophets from Jerusalem had visited.  One named Agabus, filled with the Holy Spirit, predicted that a terrible famine would soon devastate the entire Roman world.  Immediately word spread, and a financial gift was collected.  We’re told that every disciple contributed as much as they could to help their fellow Christians back in Judea.  They didn’t give a token amount, a pittance.   The church in Antioch was compassionate and generous.     
      Word gets around - it’s inevitable, no matter where we live.  News passed, through formal channels and quite effectively through non-official networks, about the “Jesus people” in Antioch.  They had rapidly grown, but they used no name for themselves.  A word was coined for them, a simple descriptive one: they were called Christians.   It was a perfect fit because “Christ” was a word that was often on their lips.
       A few millennia have passed since the believers in Antioch were first called Christians.  Modern day “church experts” might say that, “New days call for new ways.”  I’d counter and say we need “New Old Ways”.  We have to hold fast to the core as Jesus people, but allow for fresh expressions.  The main ingredients of being church together are the same, but we can innovate in faithful ways.  The characteristics of a committed Christian should be recognizable in any century, but the impact that could be made is far wider than ever before.    
    Everything I’ve shared about the Christians in Antioch offers us a template:
  • Their church grew and grew because everyone was excited about telling others about Jesus
  • They had an everyday, authentic faith
  • They enjoyed learning more as Christians
  • They were in worship every week
  • They gave whatever they could when there was a need
Perhaps most important of all, people couldn’t help but see and hear how often the name of Jesus Christ was on their lips.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Like us on Facebook:

Visit our Facebook Page:

© 2023 Ballston Spa United Methodist Church. 101 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
E-Mail: