We live in a world where people desire to “get along” - to be known and appreciated for who we are - to know others with that same quality of honesty and intimacy. But, looking honestly at our relationships - in our families - where we work - where we go to school - even, at times, in the church - we struggle to get along. That cry for getting along is the reason for this series of messages - looking at Romans chapters 12 to 16.

Paul is writing to a very diverse congregation. The church in Rome was made up of people from very different backgrounds - ethnically, religiously, economically - a church that by human standards shouldn’t have been able to exist. And yet, it existed. Paul is writing to encourage them - to instruct them - to help them to “get along” as brothers and sisters in Jesus.

Last week Paul tackled getting along in worship and God’s mercy in allowing us to worship Him. Today, coming to Romans 12:3 - Paul is coming to another difficult area in the church - getting along together in God’s ministry.

There’s a story about a Swedish immigrant - who knew very little English - a Swedish immigrant who had arrived in Fresno - and was having a difficult time finding a job. One of his friends suggested that he go to the zoo and ask for a job - maybe a maintenance or custodial job.

So he went and applied and the Fresno Zoo gave him a job. But, not as a maintenance worker. The Chaffee Zoo - having the economic problems that it has - it seems that the zoo couldn’t afford to have a real bear. So they employed this Swedish immigrant as a bear. They gave him a bear costume. His job was to roam around the bear exhibit and act like a bear. Which he did.

Now, the bear exhibit was right by the lion exhibit. Unfortunately as this poor man was lumbering around acting “bearish” he fell into the lion exhibit. The lion chased him into a corner. Being afraid that the lion would tear him to pieces he began screaming and shouting in Swedish. As the lion got closer to him the lion whispered in Swedish, “Keep quiet, you fool, or we’ll both lose our jobs.”

Too often - in ministry - in our relationships - our concern is about our selves. About what we’re personally involved with - without a whole lot of concern for others or what God may be wanting to do.

We all struggle with this. If we’re serving in any type of ministry - with the commitments and sacrifices we make - having a sense of accomplishment - having served well - hearing encouragement from others - knowing God’s pleasure and blessing. It’s understandable that we would struggle with attitudes of ownership and territory and pride that can be so disastrous - damaging - debilitating - divisive - when we allow them to enter the ministry - our homes - our relationships.

Paul - in contrast - is describing the wonderful freedom that we can enjoy in the church - to be who God has created us to be and yet within that diversity to be deeply connected with each other.

Romans 12 - starting at verse 3: For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Let’s pause there. Paul begins with grace. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Say that with me, “Grace is getting what we do not deserve.”

“It’s because of God’s grace shown to me that I’m saying this to you.” It’s important for us to understand what Paul means by this. If you would, please turn with me to Ephesians 2 - starting at verse 8.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve. We looked at this last Sunday. For our sin - for our spiritual and moral failure - while we deserve God’s condemnation and wrath justly poured out upon us - while we deserve the fires and torments of hell and eternal separation from God’s presence - God is merciful. That is that God does not give us what we deserve - punishment.

But by grace - God offers to everyone undeserved salvation - forgiveness - cleansing - in Jesus Christ. Grace is being given what we don’t deserve.

Ephesians 2:8,9 say what? For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves… It’s the gift of God. It’s not a result of things we do to earn salvation. There’s no one way anyone here can brag about achieving their own salvation. Anyone here able to save themselves for the fires and torments of hell? Salvation is an undeserved gift of God.

Now notice Ephesians 2 verse 10: For we are His - God’s - workmanship, created in Christ Jesus - how created? By God’s grace given through Jesus Christ - we are - created for good works - works that God has created us to do for Him.

God is not obligated to allow us to serve Him. By grace we’re given places of service in the church.

Last week a new reality show premiered on NBC - as if we need another one of these. The name of the show is “The Apprentice.” Did anyone see it?

The program takes 16 candidates from all walks of life - Ivy League MBA graduates to people with no college education - forces these 16 people to live together in a Manhattan loft apartment while enduring all kinds of tasks - job assignments. The host of the program is none other than Donald Trump. The winner of the competition - after 15 weeks - the true “apprentice” will be granted the “dream job of a lifetime” - a one year presidency with Trump’s company and a salary of $250,000.

That’s not what Paul is talking about. Somehow we earn a position in God’s ministry.

Saul, the great persecutor of the church. A man zealous in his faith dragging Christians from their homes to their martyrdom. Saul is on his way to Damascus. What happens? Jesus - God - graciously stops Saul - a man destined for the judgment and wrath of God - Jesus stops Saul dead in his tracks. On the road to Damascus Saul comes to believe and trust in Jesus as his Savior. Saul becomes Paul - by God’s grace - one of the greatest evangelists and theologians the church has ever had.

Hear this. Our being here is not because of us. Our being here is because of God. We wouldn’t know what to believe or in Whom or for what - if God - by His grace - hadn’t shown us. None of us would be enabled to serve God - be created for good works - if it wasn’t for God’s undeserved grace.

Going back to Romans 12 - Paul goes on in verse one. “By God’s grace shown to me I’m writing to you so that no one of you will think more highly of himself than he ought to think - so you won’t get all puffed up in pride and self-importance - but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

A few years back I was on the island of Kauai - laying on the beach - listening to the waves - soaking up some rays. As I laid there I slowly realized that I wasn’t alone. There were these hundreds of little crabs scurrying around me. As the water would come in they would dig little holes for themselves. When the water would go out they would pop out of their holes - clean themselves off - and go back to their scurrying around.

Small little crabs that in the whole scheme of the universe probably were not of great significance. But as they cleaned themselves off - with a kind of indignant brushing - the way they avoided interacting with each other - keeping to their own little area and defending their own little territory - scurrying around with their own self-important crabbiness - strangely I began to think about the church.

Sound judgment - clear thinking - comes as we humbly see ourselves as recipients of faith that God by His grace has awakened in us. When we begin to see ourselves as God sees us then battles are never fought - people are healed instead of wounded - people are turned towards the Gospel instead of away.

Verses 4 to 13 are Paul’s application of grace to our ministry together. First - in verses 4 to 8 - Paul shows us that God - in His grace - has given us diversity with purpose.

Verse 4: For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

In the immortal words of the great Gus Portokalos - remember the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding? - in the words of Gus Portokalos, “Here we have apple and orange. We all different. But, in the end, we all fruit.”

By grace we’re all members of Christ’s body.

“Many members in one body” We have unity in Jesus.

“The members do not have the same function” There’s God given diversity in the church. We multi-task together.

We’re “individually members one of another.” We need each other. We belong to each other. Interdependence.

Verse 6: Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us each of us is to exercise them - use them - accordingly - according to the gracious purposes for which God gave them.

Here are the gifts - the roles: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith, if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

There are seven gifts listed here. Seven out of about 20 that are listed in the New Testament. These here in Romans are a representative sample - some speaking - public - upfront - type of roles - some service - more behind the scenes - less noticeable. Paul’s point here is not to teach about spiritual gifts. He’s giving examples of diversity within shared ministry.

Here in Merced we have a 2 year college - Merced College. Something strange about 2 year colleges is that there are a number of people who go there for more than 2 years. When I was attended a JC there were people who had been taking classes for 20 years. People who are always studying about things in life. But, they never seem to go out and live life. Have you met people like this?

Christians can be like that. How many of you have heard a sermon about Spiritual Gifts or taken a class or done some kind of study on Spiritual Gifts? For many of us this isn’t new. Like a lot of subjects we study in Sunday School or in the Service of Worship or in Bible studies or youth group. We’ve heard this. So many Christians are spending their lives - lives graciously given by God according to His purposes - they’re spending their lives reading books - going to retreats and seminars and Sunday School - studying and learning about life in Christ - but not engaged in life with Christ.

Some Christians have the idea that when they get to a certain time in life that they’ve put in their time. Others need to do the work. That God says, “You don’t have to serve anymore.” Some are hesitant to serve. Maybe they don’t have what it takes.

One of the great joys of being a Christian is that we’re always a crucial part of the Church. When we come to faith in Jesus - know Him as our Savior - it’s God who gives us a place of ministry - whether we’re a new Christian or we’ve been around a while. Paul is saying discover who you are - what your unique contribution is. Then get on with it. If you’re at teacher - teach! If your gift is mercy - start acting mercifully. Do what you’ve been called to do.

A healthy church is effective in ministry only if all the members are serving as God has given them to serve. Diversity with purpose. Paul’s point is to get our focus off of ourselves and to get us moving forward serving God together. In other words he’s like a football coach at half-time: “Stop thinking about yourself. Go out there and play your position. Get in the game. The team is counting on you.”

The second part of Paul’s application of grace to our ministry together begins in verse 9. Paul showing us that God - in His grace - has given us diversity with passion.

Verse 9: Let love be without hypocrisy - hypocrisy meaning when our love - our serving - is focused on ourselves - loving for what we get rather than what we give - Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil - all that self-serving pride - cling to what is good.

Starbucks has a brochure that - if you’re interested in applying for a job with Starbucks - this brochure explains the wonderful experience you can have working as one of their employees. Listen to this: “Working at Starbucks, you can make a difference in someone’s day. By inspiring a smile and providing great service, you can create a welcoming place for people to enjoy a fun coffee experience.” (1)

Aside from the “fun coffee experience” part - this is a great description of Christian service. Using our diverse God given abilities to passionately serve with each other - in love to uplift and encourage and help each other. To the point where we can make a difference in the lives of others. To the point where it’s fun to serve and be here together.

Verse 10 - look and how Paul describes this loving service. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Do you feel the passion in these words? Hate - cling - be devoted - give preference - honor - be fervent - rejoice - persevere - be devoted - contributing - practicing. Words of passion and energy. Be that in your love for one another. How great to be a church that serves each other with that kind of passion. We can only live that way if our focus is not on ourselves.

In thinking through all this and how Paul’s teaching applies to us today I’ve been thinking that grace and diversity and serving in love - is so opposite to how the world thinks.

In the movie Amadeus - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is portrayed as a gifted - obscene - crude - jerk. He uses his brilliance to invent perverse games. He chases girls around rooms. He drinks to excess and parties. He continually humiliates other people’s compositions while praising the brilliance of his own. God has chosen to give greatness to the obscene brat Mozart. The very name Amadeus means “beloved of God.”

Day after day Mozart creates music of such incredible beauty that Antonio Salieri - the other principle composer in the story - Salieri when confronted with Mozart can’t come to grips with his envy. Salieri who had passionately pleaded with God to allow him to be God’s voice is just gifted enough to recognize Mozart’s brilliance. He’s gifted enough to realize that he will always be second to Mozart. He can never be what Mozart is. Salieri can’t decide if he wants to adore Mozart or kill him.

The world thinks in terms of competition and envy and success based on climbing over others. What would happen - in the church - in our homes and relationships - what would happen if - instead of following the selfish pattern of the world - what would happen if we focused on God’s grace towards us - His freedom from having to compete with each other - freedom from focusing on ourselves - and instead - driven by selfless love championed the diversity He gives to each one of us?

By grace we serve. May we choose to serve by grace.