Have You Experienced Joy from A Christian Community?
by Christopher Hendrix
In C.S. Lewis’s first book in his Space Trilogy, he tells the story of Ransom. He’s kidnapped by evil men and taken to Mars, where he meets another species known as the hrossa (singular). His first encounter produces fear and uncertainty as this new species looks like an otter or seal with thick black hair. However, he finds a way to communicate with this creature and establishes a connection. The hrossa quickly trusts Ransom (they are a gentle and innocent species) and takes him to his village. Ransom lives for several weeks, learning from them what to eat, speak, and hunt. Though in some ways, the intelligence of Ransom surpasses the hross (plural), he marvels at their love for life and one another. They’re full of joy and contentment with their lot in life. They do not wrong each other, attempt to take advantage of one another, or deceive. As an outsider looking in, Ransom realizes their community enjoys knowing one another. As Ransom ponders this interesting phenomenon, he observes they sacrifice one another’s wants and desires for the greater whole. In giving of themselves, they flourish and thrive as people and individuals. They experience joy from their community.
The hross acts as a picture of Christians, or at least what Christians ought to look like to the outside world. Paul models this well in 2 Corinthians 7:2–4. Paul has not sought to wrong any of the members of the church at Corinth. He has not manipulated the people to gain from them. He did not flatter them to gain from them. Paul did not speculate and created false scenarios in his mind about them. He did not look at the Corinthians with paranoia and condemned them. He did not gossip or slander them. He did not give lip service to them while his heart despised them. Instead, Paul loved them, sacrificed for them, spent time and energy, and even endured pain. He truly loved them. He truly experienced joy.
After all the Corinthians put Paul through, how did he have joy? The Corinthians cost Paul hardship, a ministry opportunity, and sleepless nights. He was in conflict and turmoil over their sins and situation. Many even betrayed Paul by running to the false teachers who snuck into Corinth. Where is the joy in all of this? To understand this answer, we must define this joy. This isn’t the joy that our world says equals dancing, laughter, telling jokes, and expressing a happy-clappy attitude. This is an overflowing joy that is serious. Yes, it’s possible to be seriously joyful.
Paul still struggled with the Corinthians. That’s very evident in the following verses when he expresses a type of regret for causing grief. What is this profound joy, then? It’s a joy that stems from the triumph of Christ over sin and death. 2 Corinthians 2:14–17 paints this triumph Paul dwelt in. He had a profound and sober joy that derived from knowing Christ. And this joy overflowed into how he felt about the Corinthians. In other words, his joy was unconditional because the love of Christ is unconditional. Circumstances and people did not inhibit his happiness. So, he can genuinely say the Christian church brings him joy, not necessarily because they are so good to Paul (they weren’t!), but because the church belongs to Christ, and Christ is his joy.
So, have you experienced joy in a Christian community? If the answer is no, don’t blame shift and blame the people in the church for this. It starts with your own heart. If Paul maintained joy despite what he went through with the Corinthians, then we can and should also. If you lack joy from God’s people, then perhaps you have not repented of your own sin. Maybe you haven’t genuinely sacrificed for the people around you. Possibly, you have expectations of being served instead of serving. Perhaps you’ve made people your source of joy instead of Christ.
And if you find your joy coming and going, wavering like the waves on the sea amid a storm, look to Christ to find a stable joy. This joy won’t look like a superficial, frivolous, and shallow joy. It’s a deep joy that produces a bearing with one another in the rough times, an enjoyment in the good times, and a deep fondness for one another in all times. Then, when outsiders look in, whether they are from your town, country, or another planet, they will be mesmerized by the love the church of Christ has for one another. And this is a proclamation of the power of the Gospel.