What Is a Christian?

01 / Acts 11:19–26

What Is a Christian According to the Bible?

Acts 11 describes believers who had scattered because of persecution. Some traveled to Antioch and began sharing the good news about Jesus with Greeks as well as Jews. God was at work, and many people believed and turned to the Lord.

When Barnabas arrived, he saw what God’s grace had done and encouraged the believers to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He brought Saul to Antioch, and for a whole year they met with the church and taught the people. It was there that the disciples were first called Christians.

Notice who received that name: disciples. They were people who looked to Jesus as their primary teacher and followed His teaching as closely as they could. Pastor Michael emphasized that we cannot separate being a Christian from being a disciple of Jesus. Being a Christian means following Him.

02 / 2 Corinthians 5:17–21

Jesus Gives Us a New Identity

Before we talk about what a Christian does, we need to understand who a Christian is. Maybe you’ve thought you need to break a habit, overcome a struggle, or get your life together before you can follow Jesus. Pastor Michael reminded us that we can begin by believing in Him. As we follow, He changes us.

“A Christian is defined by who more than do.”

In 2 Corinthians 5:17–21, Paul describes the person who is in Christ as a new creation. God brings us back into relationship with Himself through Jesus and gives us the ministry of reconciliation. We become Christ’s ambassadors, representing Him in the world around us.

The order matters. God gives us our identity, and that identity shapes our activity. We begin to live differently because we belong to Him. The way we treat people, make decisions, and respond to what is happening around us begins to reflect the One we follow.

“Following Jesus isn’t how we earn salvation. Following Jesus is what we do when we are saved!”

03 / Luke 9:23

Following Jesus Is a Daily Response

Jesus describes discipleship in Luke 9:23: deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him. Pastor Michael drew our attention to that word daily. Following Jesus reaches into the ordinary decisions we make throughout the week.

Pastor Michael explained taking up our cross as making the purposes of Jesus our goal instead of putting our own purposes first. This requires surrender. He described it as surrendering into the life God has for us.

Pastor Michael compared identifying with a sports team to actually being one of its players. Wearing the jersey doesn’t put us on the team, and a fan doesn’t receive a Super Bowl ring when the team wins. He used that illustration to challenge us to actually follow Jesus, rather than only claim the name.

A decision to trust Jesus begins a life of following Him. We keep responding to His teaching, surrendering what He asks us to surrender, and growing in our relationship with Him.

04 / John 8:31–32

Hold to the Teachings of Jesus

In John 8:31–32, Jesus connects being His disciple with holding to His teaching. As we continue in His Word, we come to know the truth and the freedom it brings. Pastor Michael emphasized that this goes beyond hearing or agreeing with Jesus’ words: we allow His teaching to shape our lives.

That means we need to know what Jesus actually teaches. We can say we believe in Him and still be unfamiliar with His words. Reading and studying Scripture helps us recognize when our choices agree with His teaching and when something needs to change.

Pastor Michael shared why he reads through the Bible each year: God’s truth stays the same, but he keeps changing. A familiar passage can reveal something in his life that needs to be reshaped. His first priority is studying the Bible to grow in his relationship with Jesus.

When the day gets full, time in God’s Word can be the first thing we set aside. But before we are an employee, a leader, or a pastor, we are followers of Jesus. We need to know what He says. Make room to read, understand, and respond to His Word.

05 / John 13:34–35; John 15:8; Romans 12:9–13

Love One Another and Bear Fruit

Jesus tells His disciples in John 13:34–35 to love one another as He has loved them. This love makes His disciples recognizable. Pastor Michael pointed us to the community of faith: the way Christians treat one another should reflect the selfless, sacrificial love of Jesus.

That gives us something to examine in our own conversations and responses. Are we showing the love Jesus describes, or are we using His name while saying whatever we want? Knowing His teaching helps us recognize when our opinions and reactions have taken us away from the way He calls us to live.

In John 15:8, Jesus says that bearing fruit brings glory to God and shows that we are His disciples. Like a branch connected to a vine, we receive life from Him. As we stay connected to Jesus, His work becomes visible in our character: love, joy, peace, and self-control.

Romans 12:9–13 makes that practical. Love sincerely. Honor others. Serve the Lord with enthusiasm. Keep praying, remain patient in trouble, and be ready to help people in need. Practice hospitality. These are ways our identity in Jesus becomes visible in everyday life.

At first, that can sound like a long list of things we’re supposed to do. But when we know who we are, we begin to understand why we do them. We pray, gather with other believers, give, and serve because we follow Jesus. Those practices grow out of our relationship with Him.

06 / Romans 12:2

Let God Change Your Life

Romans 12:2 calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds instead of conforming to the pattern of the world. Pastor Michael urged us to let Scripture and the community of believers form our lives. As we let the Holy Spirit change us on the inside, that change becomes visible in the way we live.

We can go through the motions of church, prayer, and serving without allowing God to change us. So the invitation goes deeper than adding activities to our schedule. Will we let Him change our desires, our relationships, our priorities, and the way we respond to suffering? Will we let His Word shape the life we want?

The goal, Pastor Michael explained, is not cultural dominance or getting our people into power. It is to live as a community that follows Jesus, looks different from the world around it, and draws others toward Him. As that happens, the gospel spreads and more people come into the kingdom of God.

None of us follows Jesus perfectly. Pastor Michael specifically reminded us that this message was not meant to leave us feeling condemned or defeated. Salvation and our new identity are gifts from God. We can receive His grace and ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow.

Whether you are beginning to follow Jesus, returning to Him, or continuing to grow, the response is personal. Are you following Jesus? Is your picture of life being shaped by Scripture or by the culture around you? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you follow Him with your whole life.

Jesus, please forgive us for our sins. We receive the life You have for us. Holy Spirit, thank You that You are with us, giving us the desire and the ability to do what pleases You. Help us want You and Your plan more than anything else. In Jesus’ name, amen.