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“Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.” — Karl Barth.

“Joy is the serious business of heaven.” C.S. Lewis.

“Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose….only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away.” C.S. Lewis.

“You should be like one big happy family….” (1 Peter 3:8b. TLB)

God has raised up the church to deliver happiness to the cities and towns of the world.

Heaven is a happy place as the earth was meant to be.

If the gospel is joy to the world then the church’s role is to deliver that joy. That presupposes that the church itself is full of the joy of the Lord. The early church certainly knew that joy, even in the midst of the oppression, poverty and injustice of the day. Their circumstances did not shape their attitudes, God did.

“They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.” (Acts 2:46-47 Msg)

The NASB says that this first church had “favour with all the people.” The contagious joy spilled out to the wider community. The gospel was indeed good news!

The good news was that finally Israel had its true King who was implementing His reign of joy and justice, beauty and shalom. And He was doing it through His new creation, the church.

This new creation was neither Jew nor gentile but a brand “new man” in Christ, the second Adam, with the restored mandate to usher in the reign of Christ on earth as in heaven. (Rom. 5:17; Rev. 5:10; Eph. 2:15)

The cross had launched a heavenly revolution on the earth. Pentecost marked the coronation of the crucified, resurrected, ascended King.

As one of my old mentors once said, the Holy Spirit falling on the disciples in the upper room was the “overflow of the coronation oil!”

What is more, this reign would continue until every enemy was under the feet of King Jesus. (Acts 2:35) Peter’s Pentecost sermon was the coronation manifesto calling the newly created church into its heavenly purpose on earth.

The wider community witnessed a unity and joy that was unknown in their day. Here were Jews and Gentiles eating together. This was unheard of! But that was only the beginning. The rich were eating and maybe even washing the feet of their slaves; a scandal!

Then to top it off, women, who were always considered and treated as second rate, were sitting at the same table with equality and honour. A shock and challenge to an ugly religious patriarchal society!

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:26-28 NLT)

In a day where privacy was not an issue as it is today, the wider community were amazed when they saw happy people from all walks of life eating together and praising God with such abandonment of joy. Not only that, but these people really cared for the oppressed and poor who were all around them. They were willingly cashing assets to meet needs. (Acts 2:45: 4:33-35) They were “good samaritans” rushing to meet needs and not “passing by on the other side.” (Lk 10:30-31)

There are many historical accounts of this joyful and caring early church. “Under the Influence” by Alvin Schmidt is one book that relates how Christianity transformed civilisation.

Another book worth the read is “Subversive Meals” by R. Alan Streett. This book outlines the radical and revolutionary nature of these home churches. Streett discusses why these meals earned the hatred and persecution from both the religious and political authorities of the day.

But the ordinary people loved what they saw and many came to faith as a result. The early church was not only declaring good news of happiness, they were living it.

This is exactly what the prophet said would happen when Israel’s real King (the Messiah) was revealed.

“How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” “ (Is. 52:7 NASB).

And again. “So the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Is. 51:11. NASB).

THE CHURCH TODAY

The church today has an image problem. It is seen as largely irrelevant by the general community. Not only that but the way the church, or aspects of it have acted, has earned disdain and even hatred from many.

Yet all I have said in this book about God’s intentions for cities rests on one delivery agency, the church of Jesus Christ. This is God’s plan A with no plan B.

God is not daunted in the least by the brokenness of His delivery agent. We live in a day where God is disrupting church as we know it to call out His people into the church He is building in the cities of the world. (Matt. 16:18)

This will be a happy church delivering good news of great joy to the brokenness and pain in our cities and towns.

A gospel that redeems, restores and rebuilds lives, families and communities on earth as in heaven.

All this is a cause of great happiness.

While I am unable to claim to have seen the above in its fullness, I have glimpsed this gospel happiness in many places, over my fifty years of ministry.

One of the things I have noticed over the years is the contagious joy that Christian’s who have embraced God’s wider gospel purposes exhibit.

I have seen it in many nations, but also in my own nation in various settings where the gospel is being lived and delivered into the wider community.

Even in Nehemiah’s day, he commanded the people to take portions to those who had nothing, as the joy of the Lord would be their strength. (Neh. 8:10) When I speak with those who are taking gospel “portions to those who have nothing”, I have often been struck by their joyful energy. God is raising up a tireless army who are penetrating the darkness of our cities in every area, from the boardroom to the broken.

I am in awe of the many who work with the homeless, foster kids, abused women, prostitutes, drug addicts, young people in schools and skate parks and everywhere in between. Then there are those who seek to bring good news to the business and political world and every sphere of society. The church Jesus is building is a place of love, joy, justice, beauty and shalom. The call is to respond in the same way as the early church did by humility and repentance embracing the Jesus of the cross and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

This church is a worshipping community exploring His word, sharing their stories, supporting one another through thick and thin while reaching out to the needy, knowing full well that, but for the grace of God, they too would be destitute and void of hope.

This in no way minimises hardship, suffering and pain that is so prevalent in this world. Christians have a hope and a relationship with Jesus who gives grace and help in times of need. (Heb. 4:16) The church’s witness is seen by the way suffering is processed individually and the way Christian’s support one another through challenging times. At least this is how it should be and often has been through history.

The church that is light in the darkness of their city is such a community. A city of joy. Is this your vision?

By Ian Shelton Coordinator of Movement Australia