No Greater Joy Series

Joy is the heritage of the believing child of God. If we are not joyful, either we have not seized our heritage, or we have not understood the intent of the Master, or we are mere pretenders to grace. Happiness will ebb and flow, but joy will remain. Moreover, the joy of the believers will be spread about, and as others witness the freedom that is given in Christ the Lord, the joy that fills our lives will touch the hearts of others, for the joy of Christ is infectious!

When the disciples were scattered by the persecutions unleashed by Saul of Tarsus, one of the servants of the Jerusalem congregation travelled to Samaria where He proclaimed Christ. We read of the impact of Philip’s preaching in that city. “The crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed.” Now focus on the summary of his ministry in the next verse: “So there was much joy in that city” [ACTS 8:4-8].

When Jewish worshippers in Pisidian Antioch rejected the preaching of Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary tour, the missionaries “Spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’

“And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” [ACTS 13:45-52].

The salvation of others, whether through our own witness of because of the witness of others, is a source of joy to the people of God. After their first missionary venture into Gentile regions, the Apostles found it necessary to confront a growing error among the Jewish believers. Here is the account as it is recorded in Acts. “Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.” In itself, the information to this point is of scant moment to our study today. However, it is the next verse that provides insight into the attitude of believers. “So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers” [ACTS 15:1-3].