BY LEO RANZOLIN

t was midnight! Two great warriors of the gospel were in prison! Their clothes had been ripped off. They had been severely beaten and their bodies were aching with pain! A jailer came in and threw them into an inner prison, probably without light and breathable air! Their feet were fastened in the stocks. They were surrounded by other prisoners, some sleeping and others yelling and screaming!

What was their response to suffering, pain, and discomfort? They started praying and singing (Acts 16:25). What a scene of indescribable joy! The results? An earthquake shook the prison, the doors were opened, and the jailer, thinking all prisoners had escaped, decided to kill himself. Paul cried, "'Don't harm yourself! We are all here!'" "The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" (Acts 16:28, 29).*

The apostles' joy transformed the life of the poor jailer and brought light into his family. Tenderly he began to wash their stripes while his wife prepared a good meal for them. A midnight Bible study followed, and a whole family was united with Christ in the fellowship of His joy.

In the cold, dark cell of a prison, light shone into the life of a jailer!

Praise ascended to heaven, and grace descended to a poor sinner!

Joy and happiness flowed into the home of a gloomy family!

First, let us take a look at the Philippian church to gain a better understanding of how their members were brought together in the fellowship of joy. In vision Paul was called to go to Macedonia (Acts 16:9). Here was an opportunity to bring the message of the gospel to Europe! The first convert was a woman by the name of Lydia, a seller of purple. She was a merchant of considerable means from Thyatira who was now united in the fellowship of joy. The second member of the church was a young slave girl "who had a spirit by which she predicted the future," enriching her owners (Acts 16:16). Commentators explain that this "spirit" was a "Python spirit," a "demonic spirit." She annoyed the apostles every time they passed by, and Paul finally commanded the spirit to come out of her. The irate owners instigated the crowd to attack Paul and Silas, and they ended up in jail. The jailer's family were the next to come to Christ.

Here we have a picture of the first members, and in reality the nucleus, of the Philippi church. It illustrates the scope of the gospel and how this message unites all classes and genders. Lydia was a rich woman, a prosperous seller of purple and of a high class. The young woman was a slave and a member of one of the poorest classes, and the jailer could be classified as middle class.

What was the result of this ministry? In Acts 16:34 we read that the jailer "was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God." Joy is associated with salvation in the Bible.

Questions for Sharing 1. What ingredients, would you say, went into Paul's abundant joy? 2. Do you find it realistic to be joyful always? How do you relate to this reading? 3. What's the source of the Christian's joy?

Second, let us look at the Philippian church 10 years later. Paul was in prison again. He was at the end of his ministry, but he could not forget the Philippian church. They had demonstrated the love of God and portrayed the model of the caring church. When they heard that Paul was confined in the Mamertine prison in Rome, they sent a young man, Epaphroditus, to cheer him up. Paul was overwhelmed by the display of affection from the Philippian believers. The same spirit of joy and praise that he displayed in the Philippian jail permeated his life. He remembered Lydia, the rich businessperson, who'd been so hospitable. He remembered the slave girl, now transformed by the spirit of joy in Christ. He remembered the keeper of the prison and his family and their tender, loving care toward him. He remembered how glad he was to have accepted the call to go to Macedonia.

Why was Paul so happy? Why all the rejoicing inside a gloomy prison? Epaphroditus had brought love and joy. Paul was filled with joy. They had not forgotten him. Through Epaphroditus he sent a letter to the Philippians--a letter full of joy. As a matter of fact, the words "joy" and "gladness" appear about 18 times in the Epistle to the Philippians. Paul's letter was also filled with counsel and warnings to help the church be united in the fellowship of Christ's love and joy and peace. What a powerful message Epaphroditus took back to the Philippians! A message of love and compassion, of joy and hope.

Third, we may ask, "How can we live in joy and happiness in a world filled with hatred? How can we be united in the fellowship of joy among so much sadness?" Paul repeatedly told the Philippians to rejoice in Christ: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4). He was in prison, and his message was still the same as in the first imprisonment. "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (Phil. 4:11).

We may be imprisoned by distress, depression, and disappointment; flogged by criticism; bound by circumstances; worried about current events. Remember what Paul said: "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!" (Phil. 3:1).

The great preacher and speaker of the Voice of Prophecy, the late H.M.S. Richards, Sr., said: "Every true Christian has a right to be happy, and ought to be happy. Faith in God should bring joy. The psalmist says, 'My soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation' (Psalm 35:9). Why shouldn't we be glad? Jesus says we should be happy. Our sins have been forgiven. Jesus is alive and, through His Holy Spirit, is with us now." Then Richards concludes, "Christ's presence has been with us. Let us put our confidence in Him and look for joy" (Walking Through the Bible With H.M.S. Richards, p. 361).

I like the experience of the oyster. It could be annoyed by the intruder grain of sand that was placed inside its shell. However, instead of complaining or trying to throw away the invader, the oyster builds, little by little, a layer of a milky substance, transforming that painful experience into a beautiful pearl. The Lord expects us to use the trials and tribulations of life for growth and maturity in our Christian journey.

By manifesting Christian joy and happiness, we are encouraging others to share in the benefits of the gospel and to be united in the fellowship of joy in Christ around the world. Ellen G. White says: "Christians who gather up gloom and sadness to their souls, and murmur and complain, are giving to others a false representation of God and the Christian life" (Steps to Christ, p. 116). And she summarizes why we should rejoice: "Rejoice that you are one with God, one with Christ, and with the whole family of heaven" (The Desire of Ages, p. 493). Yes, we are united in the fellowship of His joy.

Our joy should spring up from Christ, and as a result of our fellowship and relationship with Him. Peter says: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Finally, remember always to: be united in the joy of His love, receiving and returning love, which is the source of the greatest joy; be united in the joy of His service, making it a delight to do His will; be united in the joy of His blessing; be united in the joy of gratitude. Rejoice, always, as you survey the many blessings we receive from Him. And even though things might not be going according to our wishes, God has a plan for our lives. In majestic words Habakkuk gives us the right perspective: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab. 3:17, 18).

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*All Bible verses in this article are taken from the New International Version.