Doesn’t the description of the Jerusalem church sound wonderful? People eating together, sharing with each other, hanging out together, showing love and respect to each other—people outside the church love it too and want to be part of the group. Where does that kind of community come from? It comes from repentance—the whole process of repentance. The Jerusalem church had a vivid awareness of their sinfulness, and a joyful appreciation of the forgiveness they had because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Sin and grace, law and gospel—this is where their joy came from. And then they put it into practice. They met together. They spent time together. They ate together. They loved each other. And while they did all that they continued to praise God and pray and speak God’s wonderful rescue story to each other. It was a cycle of joy and encouragement and rejuvenation. A cycle that God is also working in us as we build our community.