The Church that the Risen Lord Builds, Part 3 – Acts 2:46

As the year draws to an end, we tend to become more reflective of our lives- how we have lived, how we have spiritually grown. Everyone bears fruit; it evinces who we are, and to whom we belong. (Matt 7:17). There is a particular fruit that clearly set the early church apart from the world. Day by day, as they devoted themselves to Scripture, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper and prayer, loving one another and worshipping the Lord with one mind, they took their meals together with gladness. The church under the risen Lord had joy. Joy is a mark of every true believer. It comes from the Holy Spirit, independent from circumstances or emotions. Joy is an imperative- even amid suffering and trials, God commands us to rejoice. (1Thess 5:14-16)

To understand the early church’s joy, we must look to the context of v.46. The church was breaking bread from house to house– their daily gathering centered around a meal. They partook in the Lord’s Supper, remembering God’s forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection. With God’s promises engraved in their hearts, they were taking their meals together, eating together every day in their homes. This simple act of sharing meals together was precious to believers, because the church became the only place of comfort for those who have repented, and denied themselves and the world to follow Christ. Taking meals together resulted in joy, which moved them to continually gather together. This joy is not a quiet and hidden joy; it is a dynamic, explosive, and powerful joy that is impossible to hide. It is like the joy that overflows when deep longings and hopes are fulfilled, or the divine joy that is described when God fulfills His plan for salvation. (Lk 1:13-14; Heb 1:9) Unlike the world, divine joy does not depend on health, wealth, or relationships. It depends solely and wholly on Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. We have this treasure- the gospel- and our joy is fixed upon it. It carries us through the threat of death and the darkest depths of suffering. Believing in the risen Lord brings joy that will endure forever, because we have been rescued and delivered by God.

We are rescued from the world. The world lies in the power of Satan, dead in sin that will earn the wrath of God. But God forgave us through His Son, pulled us out from the world, and set us apart for Jesus Christ. (1Jn 2:15; 5:19)

We are rescued from the power and threat of death. Our resurrection is complete and promised in Christ. He will raise us up just as He was raised from the dead. (Jn 11:42-45)

We are rescued from the future. Christians have a clear understanding of the future. There is no worry about tomorrow. In Christ we have peace, because He has overcome the world. Jesus’ future is our future. (Jn 16:33)

We are delivered into the family of God. We are God’s children. Our Father is the eternal God. There truly is nothing else we need.

We are delivered into possessing life. We should not see people by gender or race, but by whether they are alive in Christ, or dead apart from Christ. We have life because of our risen Lord Jesus Christ. We have the source of life within us, and are commissioned to share it with the world. (Matt 28:18-20)

God has given us an inheritance through salvation in Christ. We have everything, but why have we not experienced much joy? It is because we have not practiced much faith. Faith is depending and trusting God. When you practice faith, though you do not see Jesus physically, you believe in Him, which results in inexpressible joy. (1Pet 1:8) This faith is expressed through prayer. We must pray and desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, because joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Lastly, we need fellowship that is based on genuine love. Just as the early church continually gathered together in the joy of the Lord, the same Holy Spirit who dwells in us will give us joy as we seek to live as the true church under the risen Lord.