In our world today just about every person you meet has some sort of religious affiliation. On any given day you might hear any one of dozens of names given to various religious groups. What name should we, the followers of Christ wear? Check the Bible. What do you find?

“Then Barnabas departed to Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:25-26).

“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Almost you persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, ight become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains” (Acts 26:27-29).

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16).

Three times in the New Testament we find that the followers of Jesus Christ, His disciples were called “Christians.” You would think that we could understand such simple terminology. Yet even in the Lord’s church I often hear some of my brethren refer to themselves as “church of Christ” as if we are just another group of people who have denominated themselves along with the rest of the “religious” world.

I do understand that the word “Christian” has been manipulated by the world to mean many things. Much of the time the word is used to mean a “good” person in terms of behavior. Sometimes the word “Christian” is even used as a negative label; “Oh, you are one of those “Christians.” Don’t be troubled. If you believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, if you have turned away from sin in repentance, if you have confessed the name of Jesus before others, if you have been baptized (immersed) with the understanding that in baptism your sins are washed away, then you are truly and wholly a Christian. Nothing more! Nothing less! We must add nothing to it nor take anything away from it. Nothing needs to be explained. “Christian” says everything that needs to be said. I am a Christian, a member of the church that belongs to Christ, His church, the church of Christ.

This Sunday morning (October 23, 2011) at Enola we will continue in our series entitled “Counting Our Blessing One by One.” We count our blessing one by one when we LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME. Too many people try to live three days every day, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Yesterday is past. Tomorrow is yet to be. Today is called the present. What precious gift from God today actually is! We must not neglect it, refuse it, or waste it.

This Sunday night we will take a look at the next lesson from one of four fishermen. We will study about Andrew and how he was quietly effective in his ministry for Jesus Christ. He was looking for the Messiah. Are we? He was evangelistic in his every-day life. Are we? He was always helpful in a quietly effective way. Are we? He was faithfully dedicated. Are we?