The First Christians


Donald Trump ridiculed his political opponents with nicknames all during his successful bid for the presidency. He continues the practice today by calling the leader of North Korea, for example, “Rocket Man” for his many nuclear missile tests.

 

Likewise, the early followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” at Antioch, a Roman city known for its sarcastic name-calling. They referred to “those Christ-folks” with great contempt (Acts 11). 

 

Antioch reminds us that Christians will never be loved by the world, nor should we expect to be. It also reminds us of the words of Jesus to His disciples on the night before He was crucified, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

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Romans 8:28 MSG

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