@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Sustained by Joy

Life in the Spirit

What would you say was the antithesis of sadness and sorrow? I guess ‘happiness' and ‘joy’ would perhaps be the response of many. In His full identification with the sin of the world, Jesus was certainly a man of sorrows, and yet He endured the suffering of the Cross for the joy that was set before Him. His disciples were no doubt grief stricken at the physical loss of their Rabbi and friend, but their sadness was dramatically turned to joy at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit brought such a transformation of the personality that those who received Him underwent a powerful change in their emotional make-up. Then, as now, those who choose to daily walk and talk with Jesus, and who open their hearts to the Holy Spirit, discover a joy that even the trials and tribulations of life cannot destroy. Joy was a defining characteristic of the early church, manifesting in their worship, fellowship, and daily lives. Despite facing persecution and trials, the believers rejoiced in their faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:46-47 describes how they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. Their joy was rooted in their salvation, their daily communion with Jesus, and their unshakeable hope of eternal life.