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The Church Grows in Jerusalem
In this week's session, we examine the beginnings of the young church in Jerusalem and their vibrant life together. What made this first church so powerful and effective? Watch with us, and if you enjoy these sessions, kindly share them to a friend.
Class notes are available here as a PDF.
If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.
EXCERPT:
Verse 46 says that …they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart… That translation “gladness” is a little too religious for me. It’s a Greek word that really means joy. This isn’t so much a reference to joy at the Lord’s Supper, but rather just joy as they’re eating and going through life together. When they ate together, and as they went through their day, they had real joy.
⁃ This word translated as gladness is the same word Luke uses to talk about how John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb for joy when he heard the greeting of Mary, who was carrying the unborn Savior (see: Luke 1:44).
⁃ It’s the same word that Jude the Lord’s brother would use to say how the Lord is able to “…present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy...” (see Jude 24b). I think it’s a much stronger word than just being glad.
⁃ It’s a strong word, and when Christians are in love with Jesus and in love with one another, there will be a release of God’s joy among them, making life lighter and sweeter.
• They had simplicity or, as many translations would render it, sincerity of heart. What a beautiful combination. Where people are truly serving Jesus there will be both joy and sincerity. There will be a lack of hypocrisy. People will be genuine in their love for God and one another. We can imagine that in those beautiful early days, no one was taking advantage of one another. Certainly no one seems to have been envious of others or coveting one another’s possessions. They were too consumed with love for Christ to get trapped in those kinds of sins.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com
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By Nick UvaIn this week's session, we examine the beginnings of the young church in Jerusalem and their vibrant life together. What made this first church so powerful and effective? Watch with us, and if you enjoy these sessions, kindly share them to a friend.
Class notes are available here as a PDF.
If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.
EXCERPT:
Verse 46 says that …they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart… That translation “gladness” is a little too religious for me. It’s a Greek word that really means joy. This isn’t so much a reference to joy at the Lord’s Supper, but rather just joy as they’re eating and going through life together. When they ate together, and as they went through their day, they had real joy.
⁃ This word translated as gladness is the same word Luke uses to talk about how John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb for joy when he heard the greeting of Mary, who was carrying the unborn Savior (see: Luke 1:44).
⁃ It’s the same word that Jude the Lord’s brother would use to say how the Lord is able to “…present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy...” (see Jude 24b). I think it’s a much stronger word than just being glad.
⁃ It’s a strong word, and when Christians are in love with Jesus and in love with one another, there will be a release of God’s joy among them, making life lighter and sweeter.
• They had simplicity or, as many translations would render it, sincerity of heart. What a beautiful combination. Where people are truly serving Jesus there will be both joy and sincerity. There will be a lack of hypocrisy. People will be genuine in their love for God and one another. We can imagine that in those beautiful early days, no one was taking advantage of one another. Certainly no one seems to have been envious of others or coveting one another’s possessions. They were too consumed with love for Christ to get trapped in those kinds of sins.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com