It was in the town of Antioch that Christians, or the party of Christ, as we were called, first became a force to be reckoned with. But the world did not know, and could never have been prepared, for what would take place. The gospel, the good news of a God who created, engineered, gave, died, resurrected and restored, all because of love, arguably became the strongest earth-shattering reality in all of human history. This gospel, when freed from both ancient, worldly living and legalistic practices, did what otherwise would have been impossible: united the Jews and gentiles under one banner and one mission and empowered an encouraging mentor with his ex-terrorist friend to set ablaze the world with the truth of Christ. If this true gospel of Jesus could do that then, what could it do today if, and when, it is unshack- led from our power hungry, legalistic and licentious tendencies?
