Churches of the New Testament: Antioch

I. Introduction
   A. Acts 11:26
      1. Fitting that Christians first so called in Antioch
      2. Jews and Gentiles together in one group
   B. Implications of Gentiles being brought into the fold vast, 
      realized quickly in Antioch
   C. Let us consider this church

II. Geography and History
   A. Antioch of Syria
      1. Modern Antakya, Turkey
      2. northern Levant, 15 miles east of Mediterranean Sea on 
         Orontes River
      3. 300 miles north of Jerusalem
   B. Major trading center
      1. River navigable to sea and the port at Seleucia
      2. River cuts valley through mountains, opens up routes to 
         Euphrates and the east
      3. Likewise, roads from western Turkey, Egypt, and Palestine 
         meet in Antioch
   C. Founded in 300 BCE
      1. Before then, a small village
      2. Seleucus I, Macedonian emperor, makes it his capital in
         300 BCE
      3. Quickly grows, thanks to native Syrians, Greek soldiers, 
         Jewish colonists
   D. Major center in Roman Empire
      1. With Alexandria in Egypt, major cities of the eastern 
         Mediterranean
      2. Home of all kinds of people from all over the eastern empire
   E. Greatly depraved?
      1. Lifestyles of Antioch often condemned
      2. Not much evidence to suggest, however, that it was any worse 
         than any other major city of the day
      3. Fertile soil for the Gospel

III. The Church in Antioch
   A. First presented in Acts 11:19
      1. Acts 7-8: Stephen stoned, persecution, preaching throughout 
         Samaria and Galilee (ca. 31-33)
      2. People make it to Antioch with Gospel
      3. Could have taken awhile
      4. Could have been relatively quick-- Nicolaus was from Antioch 
         (Acts 6:5)
      5. Church started, then, sometime between 32-35
   B. First to Jews, then expanded to Gentiles
      1. After Cornelius in Acts 10, Gospel taken to Greeks in Antioch
      2. Very successful (Acts 11:20-21)
      3. Barnabas sent to Antioch, stayed there, brought in Paul 
         (Acts 11:22-26)
      4. When famine predicted, Antioch prepares aid to send to 
         Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30)
   C. Events around 37-41
      1. Church exclusively Jewish for between 2 and 9 years
      2. Gentiles then added
   D. Antioch and the Gospel
      1. Mentioned again in Acts 13:1-4: has prophets and teachers, 
         Paul and Barnabas separated by Spirit to preach in other 
         lands (ca. 44-46)
      2. On their return, Judaizing controversy with men from 
         Jerusalem (48-50; Acts 15:1-2)
      3. Paul and Barnabas sent to Jerusalem; decision led to 
         rejoicing (Acts 15:2, 30-31)
      4. Paul, Barnabas split (Acts 15:36-40)
      5. Paul returns again to Antioch in 52 (Acts 18:18-23)
      6. Likely time of the contention between Paul and Peter 
         (Galatians 2:11-14; also perhaps possible around events of 
         Acts 15-16)
   E. Later Events
      1. Peter there, possibly as elder (Galatians 2:11)
      2. Ignatius, "bishop" of Antioch ca. 115, responsible for 
         promoting one bishop over a collective of elders

III. Church in Antioch: Model of Cooperation
   A. People from all over eastern Mediterranean world
      1. Cypriots, Cyrenians, Syrians
      2. regular people, but also Herod the tetrarch's foster brother 
         (Acts 13:1)!
   B. Most importantly, Jewish and Gentile
      1. Generally in harmony
      2. Not the case with other churches
      3. Exceptions prove the rule: disturbance came from others 
         without, not those within (Acts 15:1, Galatians 2:11-14)!
      4. Brethren willing to submit to God, not divide over ethnic 
         issues
   C. Encouragement to Paul and Barnabas
      1. Both made it their base of operations
      2. Both took the Gospel from it to Asia and Greece
      3. Knew that Jews and Gentiles could become one thanks to 
         Antioch
   
IV. Church in Antioch: Focused on the Gospel
   A. Gospel important in Antioch
      1. Teaching and exhortation constantly associated with the 
         church
      2. Acts 11, 13, 15-- each time, teaching and exhortation 
         established
      3. Willingly let Paul and Barnabas preach elsewhere
   B. Perhaps source of strength
      1. Perhaps Antioch did well where others did not because of 
         a Gospel focus
      2. No time to worry about other matters of less consequence!

V. Conclusion
   A. Antioch a dynamic church of believers focused on the Gospel 
      and association amongst one another
   B. Despite possible problems, stood firm as a beacon of 
      integration and evangelism
   C. Demonstration that focus on the Gospel can transcend all kinds 
      of problems
   D. Invitation/songbook