There’s a story about a father who was at home working inside the house while the kids were playing outside. After a while the volume outside began to increase. The kids began to level some pretty choice words at each other. Finally the father realized that he was going to have to step in. So he opened the window and yelled at the kids to stop what they were doing - followed by a lecture about how people are suppose to treat each other. Finally the father asked, “What game were you playing anyway?” “Oh,” said the kids. “We were playing church.”

There’s a familiar and very true comparison of Christians - comparing them to porcupines on a cold winter night. Thhey need to huddle together in order to warm each other, but, as they draw together, their prickly spines dig into each other and they have to pull apart. All night long it’s a process of huddling together and pulling apart.

We realize this. We admit that we struggle. In our looking at Romans 12 to 16 - Paul is honest about our struggles. He’s been using the very real struggles of the Romans Church - divisions along ethnic and economic lines - conflicts over worship and food - using these as an illustration to help us understand his teaching - to help us to “get along” together in the Body of Christ.

Over the last two Sundays we’ve been looking at a section of Paul’s teaching that began in chapter 14 - verse 1 - a section of teaching in which Paul has been talking about avoiding conflict and healing division. In 14:1-12 Paul said, “Even when you know you’re right, lighten up. Stop condemning each other for what you believe.” In 14:14-23 Paul said, “Stop tearing each other down. Try to build up one another in your relationship with Jesus Christ.” What we’re coming to - here in chapter 15:1-13 - is the conclusion - the bear up part of that section.

That’s a good way to remember Paul’s teaching: Lighten Up, Build Up, and Bear Up.

Coming to chapter 15 I’d like to read verses 1 to 6 and then come back and make some observations.

Verse 1: Now those who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse 1 Paul says that “those who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength.”

I heard about a pastor who was voted the most humble pastor in America. And the congregation gave him a medal that said, “To the most humble pastor in America.” Then they took it away from him on Sunday because he wore it.

When Paul writes of the one who is stronger who is Paul writing to? Which one of us is the strong one? - the one with greater faith? Who is the weaker brother or sister? To bear the weaknesses of those without strength requires humility. The stronger need humility if they’re to bear with those who are weaker. The weaker need humility to accept that they need to be borne. In either case - humility is the bottom line - letting go of our ourselves.

Each of us faces the temptation - the tendency - to please ourselves - to do things for our own gratification. So many come to church for what they can get rather than what they can give. Christians “church shop” - looking for a church that meets their needs - rather than prayerfully seeking God’s placement in a congregation where He wills for them to serve. Church is evaluated based on the quality of the music or the preaching. “Did it meet my needs?” “How friendly were the people to me? Did the pastor share 5 easy steps to having a wonderful Christian life?” If the church doesn’t meet their needs they move on. It’s amazing how many Christians are continually moving on.

Looking around this congregation - this is Spirituality 101. There are people here who seemingly can never get their lives together. Marriages that are coming apart at the seams. Some suffer with addictions - depression - phobias - anger - bitterness. Some have come with terrible backgrounds. Kids are struggling with parents. Parents are struggling with kids. Some here are just plain hard to live with. I know because I’m one of them.

Praise God He’s stuck all the nuts in one container! Turn to the person next to you and tell them, “You’re a nut.” Now tell them, “God loves nuts.”

God has put us here for each other. We need to get beyond just pleasing ourselves. If we’re going to bear with each we can’t be caring for others because we get recognition for it. We can’t be coming her because of what we get - where the whole focus is on us. Bearing with the weaknesses of each other exacts endurance - takes perseverance - requires commitment. We’re here to lighten up - to build up - to bear up with each other. For what God wants to do in us and through us in each other’s lives.

In verses 3 and 4 Paul gives us two examples of what he’s writing about.

In verse 3 he holds up Jesus Christ who chose to set aside His prerogatives and rights as God - to humble Himself - to bear our weaknesses - our reproaches - our sins - on the cross. (Philippians 2:1-8) That’s putting it mildly. Have you seen The Passion of the Christ? That’s Paul’s example of how committed we need to be to each other.

In verse 4 Paul uses the entire Old Testament as an example. The Old Testament is a series of real accounts about real people struggling to live with each other. Those who - in doing what was right before God - even in bearing others up - endured the ridicule of others. People like Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rachel, Esther, David. Account after account of how God worked in and through those who were surrendered to Him. Accounts, Paul says, which should encourage us to do the same.

The writer of Hebrews writes this - Hebrews 12:1,2: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us - all these Old Testament saints that testify of God’s work in them and through them - let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us - our own self-seeking pleasure - and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame - our reproaches - and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Verses 5 and 6 are a prayer: “May God do this in your lives.”

In verse 6, when Paul writes about being in one accord he’s not talking about the car we drive. He’s talking about what only God can do - bring unity in the midst of diversity. To make us one. When we bear each other up - persevere in love - set aside our selves - God brings us together - with one mind - one voice - in Christ - with one purpose. That is to glorify God.

Hear this: God glorifies Himself - testifies of who He is - when we’re united in Jesus Christ. Try this with me, “God glorifies Himself… When we’re united in Christ.”

We can put on the greatest show - awesome worship - incredible ministries - inspiring facilities - and fall short of our purpose as a congregation. We can be the greatest singer - with the best sound tracks or a full orchestra - and fall short of our purpose as a child of God. We cannot grow past - leap over - run through - our siblings in Jesus and bring glory to God.

Glorifying God is something that we must do together as we - in humility - bear each other up - because we are His Body. And, when we’re in one accord people - outside these walls - people will notice His work in us.

That should challenge us. To echo Paul’s prayer. “God, may you cause us to be of one accord in Jesus. Keep us from serving ourselves. If it pleases You to do so, bring glory to yourself through us.”

The next part of Paul’s “Bear Up” teaching begins in verse 7. Let’s read these verses and then I’d like to come back and make some observations.

Therefore (pause) - because we are to glorify God by bearing each others weaknesses - therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name.” Again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him.” Again Isaiah says, “There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”

Verse 7 is the key verse here. It’s worth underlining and memorizing. Paul writes, “Accept one another.”

There was a man who had twenty ducks which he put his son in charge of. Each morning the son would lead the ducks out into the pond to play. Each night the son would lead the ducks home again.

“The secret to herding ducks,” said the boy’s father, “is to make sure they are all in a row. If you can’t keep your ducks in a row, you will never be a great duck herder.”

Now, those of you who have herded ducks will know that keeping five ducks in a line is easy. Ten is difficult. Twenty is impossible. You’re constantly running from one end of the row to the other putting your ducks in place.

Needless to say, the son never could keep his ducks in line. For the rest of his days, he felt the disapproval of his father and all the other duck herders. He died alone and dejected.

Let me ask you a question, “Are you accepted because of what you do, or because of who you are?” Do you ever feel like you have to pass some kind of achievement test before you’re accepted?

Any relatives who won’t speak to you? Parents who won’t listen to your feelings? A spouse who’s expecting you to be someone you’re not? Friends - co-workers - who gossip about your shortcomings? Are you wearing the right kind of clothes? Driving the right kind of car? Living in the right kind of house? Are your ducks in a row?

Acceptance is when we feel free to be ourselves without any thought of being judged or criticized. We feel safe - secure. Acceptance is not based on achievement.

That’s what Paul says here in verse 7. God accepts us. And, we could never earn that. So, in the same way, accept each other. If we accept each other as Jesus accepted us then we - like Jesus - will bring glory to God.

Verses 8 to 12 are an example of God’s acceptance of us.

In verse 8 Paul speaks to the Jews - God’s chosen people. He writes that Jesus became “a servant to the circumcision” - Jesus was born a Jew - began His ministry with the Jews - offered salvation and the Kingdom of God first to the Jew - all according to what God said He was going to do.

Not because the Jews were anything special. But, because God chose them. Chose to make promises to their forefathers - Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - and so on. Chose to accept their worship and sacrifices. God chose to fulfill His promises according to His purposes and to His glory.

In verses 9 to 12 - quoting from the Old Testament - Paul speaks to the Gentiles - all of us. God has brought salvation to the Gentiles - accepted us - raises us up to praise Him - not because we’re anything special - but because He chooses to do so.

It seems that the Christians in Rome were having a problem accepting each other - understatement. A major division seems to have come because of ethnicity. Possibly the Jews were stuck on the fact that they were God’s chosen people and somehow stronger or superior in their faith. The Gentiles might have been flaunting their freedom from Jewish religious law. Reveling in their “gentileness.”

The quotations here from the Old Testament are important not only because of what they say but because of where they’re from. Verse 9 comes from 2 Samuel 22:50 and Psalm 18:49. Verse 10 comes from Deuteronomy 32:43. Verse 11 comes from Psalm 117:1. Verse 12 from Isaiah 11:10.

Paul is quoting from major divisions of the Hebrew Bible - The Law - The Prophets - The Writings. At the core of the Hebrew Bible - are promises made to the Jews about the salvation of the Gentiles. Paul is using the Hebrew Bible to tell the Jews to get off of their ego trip and bring the Gentiles down to size. Both Jew and Gentile have the same Messiah - Christ Jesus - by God’s grace.

It doesn’t matter - Jew - Gentile - Swede - Norwegian - Mexican - Armenian - black - white - oriental - Baptist - Pentecostal - Presbyterian - E Free - or whatever line we choose to divide ourselves across. It’s God’s grace alone that enables any of us to be here. Paul writes, “Get off it. Accept each other.”

Verse 13 is a prayer and a promise: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the midst of struggle and conflict and division its hard to imagine hope. But Paul prays, “May God do this in your life.” By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit may He give you hope. May He fill you with His joy and peace.

This not an empty prayer full of “happy thoughts” and “wishful thinking.” Everything Paul has shared as examples for us - everything we know about Jesus - everything we read about the Old Testament saints - everything we see in God’s promises and His fulfillment of those promises - His acceptance of us - is there to encourage us to believe that He can and will accomplish these things.

If we will lighten up - seek to build up - and in humility bear up each other - accepting each other - then we allow the Holy Spirit to release His power in our lives to do what we never could do on our own.

I am very grateful to God for where this congregation has come to and grateful to be a part of what He is doing here. I realize that where we’ve come to - that there have been some bumps along the way. But, praise God for where we are. May we together thank God for the freedoms He gives to us. May we prayerfully continue to bear up with one another and to encourage each other. May He use us to bring healing in each others lives. May - as others around us - watch and listen to what goes on here - may they see His testimony in His church for His honor and His glory.

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