The Christian concept of joy is unlike anything we may observe among those who are without Christ. What intrigues me most about Christian joy is its presence even in suffering. Philippians has been known as Paul’s epistle of joy even though Paul was in prison when he wrote the epistle. Joy in its many forms (e.g. rejoice) occurs about 16 times in this epistle (NIV Study Bible, intro. to Philipp.). At one point he says to his readers,“ Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, Rejoice!” (4:4) In another place Paul says to the Corinthians who had given him much cause for concern that, “(He is) greatly encouraged, in all (his) troubles (his) joy knows no bounds” (II Corinth. 7:4).
Another aspect of this Christian joy even in suffering is that it can be quite “contagious.” A good example of this is the incident in Philippi where Paul and Silas had been wrongfully imprisoned without due process because they allegedly had promoted “customs unlawful to Romans” (Acts 16 :21). Actually, some “entrepreneurs” were angry with Paul because he had exorcised an evil spirit from a fortune teller thus rendering her unable to go on with her “trade” much to her “handlers’” consternation since they were making money off of her. With the encouragement of an unruly crowd they succeeded in getting the Philippian magistrates to have Paul and his partner stripped, beaten and later severely flogged before they were thrown in prison with stocks on their feet. In such circumstances torture could even be administered. But these magnificent Christian soldiers spent half the night singing hymns and praying to God. At least they had a captive audience because we are told that the other prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16: 25). Then all heaven (not hell) broke loose because there was a violent earthquake that shook the whole place and this miraculously resulted in all the prisoners being freed from their bonds. What seemed like a frightful “halloween” extravaganza was in reality the prelude to an old fashioned revival meeting birthed in persecution and sustained in the founding of a church in Philippi.
When the prisoners had been loosed from their bonds and it appeared to the terrified jailor that doomsday had come at least for him (jailors were executed if prisoners escaped-see Acts 12: 18,19), he learns from Paul that everyone was still there. All this is too much for him, however, and he finds himself possibly screaming, “What must I do to be saved?.” Paul knew what to do. All this is summed up by Luke who wrote Acts, with that famous response to a terrified jailor’s plea for help, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” Acts 16:31). And Paul didn’t stop there, he included the jailor’s family. No doubt they all became the backbone of a thriving Philippian church which in many respects may have been Paul’s favorite (see Philipp. 4:1,10-16) And why not?
This church was birthed (along with the household of Lydia, see Acts 16:1-15) with much joy felt by a family and household that had been spared a great tragedy and had come to know Christ and all His benefits. I like the way Luke wraps it all up: “At that hour of the night the jailor took them (Paul and Silas) and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailor brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was FILLED WITH JOY (caps my own) because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole family” (Acts 16:33,34). Friend, are you feeling low and out of sorts? Let us both ask God for joy. May the joy of the Lord be our strength, (see Nehemiah 8:10). Amen
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