Humility, Unity, and Diversity

Mine went to a psychiatrist saying he thought you had a inferiority complex, so the psychiatrist did some tests and asked the man to come back in a couple weeks and give them the results of the tests when the mind with turns. The psychiatrist said I got some good news. And I've got some bad news. The good news is that you do not have an inferiority complex.

The bad news is you are inferior. What up with a blow to the patient self-esteem, self-image, self accepted and self-worth.

Self trust self-love are central in our culture today. I think you would agree during your own dream. Any dream will do fulfill your own potential. You got the key to unlock all of your dreams.

If she does believe enough. Let your inner child and all will be well. Look in the mirror in the morning and say you are the most wonderful person in the world. I tried that but it's really shocking. Looking at myself and when the morning except yourself were told that idea is given in our society over and over again. The world revolves around self revolves around you. We wonder what people think of as we wonder how they will respond to us how they will like us, how many friends we have this up and that we have this phenomena.

Don't wait that people claim to have hundreds of thousands of friends and social media. Strange way to define a friend was in the and we feel good.

If we have so many lights or we feel bad if we have less lights than someone else. What do people think of you. The reality is people not thinking of you are told are too busy wondering what you think of them as we follow Jesus Christ was a very hard lesson. A lesson that, in the sense that we are to learn every day of her life. If we are going to live according to the will of God that God not you is to be the center of your world. Is that true if there is a God and I believe it is different as God made you in his image.

Wouldn't you agree that what's important is that you are God centered in your living in your thoughts and your ambition in your life, rather than putting your tiny little self at the center of the world and expecting all of the world to revolve around you little children on that we call that immaturity. We call that selfishness and that is really God's holy word we begin to understand that our worth as followers of Jesus is determined by God and what he has done and what he is doing wonder is that this great God is eternal God that we been worshiping made each of us in his own image.

That's why we believe in the sanctity of life of all life from the unborn to the older person with Alzheimer's who wonders what's going on in their life that God loves us that God made us in his image and that's why we respect each person is widely believed that each person in this world has inherent dignity because there made by God in his image and that this God and his amazing grace loves us. He loved us so much that he sent his son into this world as we were seeking to rescue us to come in to save us because such is our selfishness and their said that we couldn't possibly save ourselves, we can extricate ourselves from our own sin and selfishness. And so Christ comes to redeem us and as we received Christ as our Savior into our hearts. God is a wonderful thing. As he adopts us into his family were rejoicing with the family this morning to search his family, reminding us of the wonderful love to adopt a person into her family but think of is that God has adopted us into his eternal family, that as we follow Jesus Christ. We learned that each one of us matters to God that God has uniquely gifted us. He gives us talents he gives us abilities all by his grace. Furthermore, this great God promises that he will give you all of this trend. All of the help that you need to do his will. So Paul can write and fill before I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

You are doing God's will, God will give you all of the strength and we have this testimony from the Sturgis family. God gave them all the help the people. The resources all that they needed to do his will is not wonderful promise noninterference wanted to wonder that when you trust God when you take God seriously God will give you all of the help that you need to do his will so pursue a humble and loving relationship with God. Sin is terribly destructive in our lives as needed and it makes us terribly self absorbed makes us drive to seek the approval of other people and when they approve of us were happy when they disapprove were plunged into despair, but for the follower of Jesus, our primary concern is not what others think of us, but what God thinks of us. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom were told whether relief as we begin to follow Jesus when as we grow in his grace we are increasingly freed from our self absorption and other self-pity and our insecurities which drive us to seek the approval of others to feel good about ourselves rather than being God centered in our life. When a passage today to convicting passage I find it convicting.

God wants us to think about ourselves in a Christlike way. This morning we come to the Romans 12 verses three through six. If you're visiting were going consecutively through the book of Romans as sometimes we appear to be going very, very slowly, but there we are going to be at the pulpit for the next three weeks to calm about three great preachers of oppressor and Navy, then the two weeks from now I have a friend he is Scottish. Be kind to them. Alex McClellan is his name. He's an apologist with Josh McDowell ministries a good friend of mine, and he's going to speak and then on the third send them away whenever one members a seminary professor at Dr. Timothy Brian that many of you know is going to speak so we have a pastor. We have an apologist and we have a professor look pretty good isn't it.

So do come over the last couple of weeks we have been thinking on the opening two verses of Romans chapter 12, where the apostle Paul gives us a penetrating challenge of total commitment, having regard. He says to the mercies of God, all that God is done for you in saving your soul.

One by saying he saved my soul. Think of the wonder of that well because of that size.

Paul, because of the mercies of God, and the grace of God. God now is calling for a response and the response is not a casual one is not based on something we just pick up.

It's a challenge of total commitment to present yourself as a living sacrifice to God. That's all in, isn't it nice to is our desk again.

Have you accepted the challenge of you.

You have you accepted the challenge of total commitment. Last week we saw that part of dental total commitment. This is is to say no to the world. Nonconformity don't be conformed to the world, stop living your life like everyone else nonconformity to the world and then says Paul, that is the wonder of spiritual transformation. As you renewed in your mind. Yes your mind matters how you think is absolutely vital in the Christian life, a life of total commitment then means many things. It simply means nonconformity to the world and it means a spiritual transformation. As my mind is renewed through the word of God. Only then, says Paul. Romans 12 verse two you'll be able to discern what the will of God is what is good and acceptable and perfect were not very discerning as a society airway numbering to the critical thinking we do seem to accept was given to us the follower of Jesus is to me learn is to learn how to think in a spiritual way to think with a very mind of Christ know what follows as we begin to look at it today is fascinating and Jimmy's unexpected if I was giving a challenge of total commitment and that I'm going to sail right now.

What are the implications of that I wouldn't have started this way with the more I thought about it I thought of the wisdom of God. Because Paul is very very precise and he knows human nature and he knows the power of the gospel and perhaps were in for a shock, but I think you'll agree the end of the message that Paul says). We should as he begins to work out the implications of living a life of total commitment to Jesus Christ because this spiritual transformation impacts our relationships. Yes, it fundamentally begins with my relationship with God but is not just me and Jesus think I mentioned some time ago I met a lady used to come here and I hadn't seen her for a while and I met her and I said I'm senior church reason latencies in the little surprised with the news she wasn't there as if I don't have eyes for them here. I just pick up picture in my mind right now and that I go over during the week and I think where was Bob, this is to make sure you come back next week and she said well I'm just sitting at the feet of Jesus is just me and Jesus. I thought that is more spiritual than the Bible. And that sounds so sentimental is certainly not biblical yes is important. Your relationship with Jesus but Paul is saying your relationship with Jesus must impact your relationship with others in the body of Christ here at Calvary in your home in society with your enemies. Paul is going to Thomas with the governing authorities is going to say in chapter 13. Yes, this commitment to my Lord Jesus Christ embraces the totality of my life funded and if it does not transform by relationships. There's something fundamentally wrong with my walk with God and key to this and this is the tough key to this is humility. This is very practical is very convicting but let's then know and read the word of God. We find it Romans chapter 12 verses three to the first part of verse six hears the word of God. We read it with me for by the grace given to me. I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned for as in one body we have many members and the members do not have all the same function, so we know many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them in mind, please be seated.

True similar they is having an accurate estimation of yourself. This is very difficult, particularly in the social media age with his always been difficult and notice the order Don divorce the verses we read from verses one and two. Paul is very logical. Verse three begins with four he's drawing an implication from what he has said that worship of God. When you get this is so important worship of God is prior to service to others. Your relationship with God is fundamental to your relationship with others. If your relationship with God is wrong.

Your relationship with others is going to be wrong. First, there is this total commitment to God, I present myself as a living sacrifice to him.

This is foundational sometimes in churches. We have many marketers remember the two sisters Mary Martha Willow churches have their markers we would like to recall them.

We have a Martha ministry.

They they were working yesterday for a family is.

There was a funeral here and that marketers are very nice people to very hard-working, but there's more to the Christian life than being a Martha if you are so busy serving the Lord that you're not worshiping the Lord there's a problem. Sometimes marketers don't even come to worship there so busy serving that music I dry the music at critical to become like Martha thinking of is only me and if I didn't do there's no one else there's no maybe if you step down from that position. Maybe someone else would do it. Never ever neglect your worship with a Martha's Martha seem to have a problem with worship.

The other group in churches and other group in churches that problems with worship there who I call the lobbyists were always in the lobby of the church, usually to be people for a while and sometimes their leaders are ex-leaders are one to be leaders and their discussing things and their LinkedIn in the first I've been in the room. The lobby I come in the lobby of the neglect worship. You need to be here in the Sunday morning why because that is vital to your spiritual life that you understand who God is wonderful to start. Paul is going to tell us that when David is not rooted in your relationship with God. There's going to be a problem. So what we are before God is more important than what you do for God. Our worship of God is prior logically, spiritually, our worship of God is prior to our service for God. Obviously, we need to do both your commitment to God, however, must impact your commitment to others under this what Paul says here in verse three. For by the grace given to me his grace is his apostleship is listed in chapter 15 is writing with apostolic authority for the grace given to me. I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment of this the recurrences of thinking interesting spiritual transformation impacts how we think and it frees us from the self absorption.

I find it very interesting, very striking that the first thing the first area that Paul turns there after dealing with the basic challenge of total commitment and of the spiritual transformation. The first area. He turns there as her mind. Don't think too highly of yourself. I'm saying it right to you are the person next to get the heart, brother, sister, don't think more highly than you ought to think. But think with sober judgment you view yourself do you view other people as critical, isn't it. He says in the verse three, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned every believer has the same faith, flowing from God's are binding. Grace apart from faith in Christ there is no salvation FF Bruce says this denotes the spiritual power given to each Christian for the discharge of his special responsibility the standard of this evaluation is the same for every believer were all saved by grace through faith in the truth. Only one way of salvation was a special way of salvation for you.

Your way of salvation wasn't better than mine know that only one way of salvation, and that is through faith in Jesus. Christ therefore don't use your gift. Don't use your abilities in an arrogant self serving self promoting way. Don't use your abilities to draw attention to yourself or to show how good you are.

Don't be intoxicated by yourself will not we will know what happens to people who drink too much.

They become intoxicated. Sometimes people are intoxicated by themselves. You feel you're drunk too much of yourself as a man says there intoxicated with the exuberance of their own verbosity there thinking too much of themselves. There drinking at the Farmington of self so they become self intoxicated, says Paul, no knowing you to be self intoxicated.

I want you verse three to think with sober judgment don't come across people who think they're good at everything, you just come across someone who always wants to give the impression that they're the smartest person in the room you come across someone in your life group who gives the impression that there is a more spiritual person in the room if you think you're always the smartest person in the room are the most spiritual person in the room. I would suggest you're the only person in the room. Do you really believe that because sometimes you may give the impression to others and in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king, so we are rubbing shoulders with think with sober judgment. Humility involves a realistic assessment of our strengths and our limitations. It's a wise man is a wise woman who knows their strands but also knows their limitations and their weaknesses. Stop pretending you have got all of the strands.

All of the gifts you don't don't think too highly of yourself.

Paul say don't think too highly of yourself but don't think too little of yourself. True humility is being the person you are before God, not beating up on yourself. That's false modesty at that least inactivity lease the whining people like visitor real pain and then I can think oh I'm not good at anything. It wouldn't matter if I didn't come to church or not. I really can't do much to Felix that you're absolutely right. Go away when we can say that because we've got to be kind and you realize when the person says that they don't believe that for one little minute. If you agreed with him and said yeah you are really of little consequence, they would dissolve into tears. That's false modesty don't like don't do that. Remember this is a child of the King was handing here made in the very image of God that God has given you strengths and abilities. You know that if you look at a group of little children is very obvious, even from the same family. They have their own little personality they do little strengths in the middle weaknesses. It's obvious that's how God has made us know the standard for a true assessment is the faith which God has given you in Christ God that saved you God loves you the spirit of God indwells your God has gifted you and will give you all the help you need to do his will. Question is are you willing to do his will. Don't compare yourself with others that will lead to arrogance or it will leads to great despair, compare yourself with others, God one to do it exactly like someone else is well able to make you like someone else your difference. God has gifted you gives all of the power you need. If you use his gifts and his powers that he has given you was the point here was a fundamental point of making this those who accept the challenge of total commitment are going to be humble, the more and more you're committed to Jesus Christ the humbler and humbler. You will be humility flows from your relationship with God and the spiritual transformation that is taking place member last week. We thought of the metamorphosis from the caterpillar to the bother butterfly the more you are spiritually transformed, the more and more, you will become like Jesus and you learn what it is to think with sober judgment. To be honest before God in the valuation of yourself when commentator Denny writes to himself, every man in the sense is the most important person in the world and it always needs more grace to see what other people are and to keep a sense of moral proportion will set an answer this question too quickly. Maybe discuss it with a good friend.

If you're married, discuss it with your spouse, your pride person you an answer to quickly your pride person. I mentioned the next Sunday morning after the worship service our members. You will be electing new elders and deacons usage on what to relook for in a leader in the church.

Well balls outside the qualifications in first Timothy three and Titus one.

Make sure you're familiar with the spiritual qualifications but also asked this question, is this candidate a humble person. Look for humble people. That is more important than gift a person who is very gifted and who is arrogant in fact is very, very dangerous.

We fund that in business we find that in industry, we find that in politics a person can be very gifted but if the arrogance we can destroy things in a moment.

Look for humble people. Abraham Lincoln said most men can withstand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Paul would agree with Abraham Lincoln because when Paul gives the qualifications for the elder. He says not really choose an elder Don's elect a novice, not a recent convert last. He says he become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil, by ministry over the years I've seen this in operation with some elders. I've seen it with some young pastors puffed up with conceit component. I have a pastor I know what an elder I got my name badge elders also here to listen to me Paul says no that individual is going to fall into the condemnation of the devil. When the Lord Jesus at the end of Matthew 11 tells us to come to him with our burdens and he will give us rest generally says at the end of Matthew chapter 11. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, what does Jesus want to learn from him. He gives one of the very, very few self descriptions of himself, he says, for I gentle and lowly in heart, does Jesus want us to learn of him that he is gentle, part of the fruit of the spirit and lowly in heart, no man was more humble than our Savior. No man was mightier. No man was a greater leader. No man was more powerful than our Lord but never did a man walk on this earth, who was humbler than our Lord Jesus Christ. And Jesus says if you learn of me, you will find rest for your soul is a wonderful thing when you accept who you are before God would begin to follow Jesus to learn from the master gentleness and loneliness. You will happen will experience more and more peace. What causes anxiety within us for causes unrest and jealousy and bitterness and frustration when we don't get the wrong way.

When would overcome with proud pride when I think that my ideas must always be accepted by everyone else know true humility is having an accurate estimation of yourself, not Paul here very helpfully gives us an eight to maintaining that humility and it is this appreciates the unity and the diverse a day of the body of Christ, the more I understand the unity of Calvary church and the more I understand the diverse city of Calvary church, the more I'm likely to be humble. That is an appreciation of the unity of the church and an appreciation of the diversity of the church prevents an overestimation or an underestimation of my part verse four. Romans 12 verse four for as in one body human body with many members of the members do not all have the same function, so we he's using the understand this is using the knowledge of the human body is lightning that to the church so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another human body is a unit I just have one body. It is our unit it functions in one. Just as the body of Christ.

The government is only one Calvary church here if I understand the importance of unity important of valuing the opinions of others and of serving others and I keep my focus on the unity of the church and the glory of God, the more humble I will be.

Each member of us. We are part of the whole without a member there would be a lack of unity posits here in verse five we are one body we belong to the same body of Christ and therefore we belong to one another.

We welcome some new members last Sunday they become what they become part of the body of Christ. Just one body is not two-part is or three that are just one part of the same church were all members of the same body with brothers and sisters in the same family. Therefore, with love each other with respect each other.

Though this Paul says here in verse five he says we and then he talks about individually. Each member is to be valued wasn't a Paul in first Corinthians 12 verse 12 he says, just as the body is one and has many members, the human body and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. Understand that we are members of one another. Understanding that understanding the unity understanding the interdependence that I need you and you need me keeps us humble.

The more we value others. The humbler we will be the last we value others.

The more prideful we will be could imagine the impact of Calvary church. The church if each one of us was using our gift in accordance with Scripture and in the part of the spirit and focus on our own ego, but will focus on serving one another, unity and inter-dependence so Don played on your part. It may be invisible. It's true. No one may encourage you it's true. Sometimes people take different. Granted it's true you never stand on this platform and receiving a standing about ovation and I would say if you want a standing ovation as a mark of pride is late. I think of so many of your who are serving the Lord quietly.

I taught the membership class here yesterday went up to my office just after 8 o'clock and here's a team and they're putting the looking up together give her wonder how that appears in the hand that get handers and it think that just magically comes down from heaven know there's a group who come early in the Saturday morning and put that together. Generally, they are can you tell me the names no you don't know who they are there serving you so that when you come through these doors. Someone kindly hands you looking up was another good thing to Natalie on Saturday who are cooking a meal breakfast to take for the street ministry and people take it you do know these are general these people can other names you ever have them appear and say let's applaud them. We don't do that, whether they doing their humbly serving the Lord, you will use our gift people are edified, and God is glorified when Peter and first Peter four talks about the spiritual gift that he says is the goal and Paul as well. In first Corinthians that the goal is to edify others to up build others and to give glory to God not to put the spotlight on yourself are the body is not only united the body is diverse. My human body is diverse as one unit. I have hands I have feet that have 10 toes. I also have a liver in the spleen and the heart in an appendix in all kinds of nasty things inside me which I've never seen they're not very handsome members but are absolutely vital to the healthy functioning of my body have never seen them. I don't want to see the but they are providing an essential part without them I would die. All you see my head using my hands.

But there's other members.

All are vital in the human body unfair.

It doesn't take much in your human body for the little toe or a little sore rib or something else to be out of whack to provide you in great pain and discomfort and to take away from the quality of life is not right will know that now. Just policy, just as the human body has many members very diverse of those one unit is only one body, but there's diversity in the unity, so it is with the body of Christ really commanded us diversity. We have many many different nationalities. For example, were trying to come to them is that this Abu Roger plan is and how many nationalities that we have a putting together. Leslie does get bigger and bigger. People from all over the world come here is that wonderful is that wonderful wonderful that everyone is like you or even worse, likely think of the diversity that we have.

God brings us together and we need that. I appreciate my eyes but if my whole body were an eye, you would be monstrosity. Now my eye is absolutely essential. And so we very much appreciate brother and sister. We very much appreciate that gift that you have. Please use it to edify us and to glorify God.

But remember this, that's not the only gift I don't think because you have that gift and someone else doesn't have your gift that somehow your superior to that absolutely no God sovereignly chooses gift he gives some people this gift, but he also gives us limitations diverse city unity. Praise God for our diverse congregations.

I'm speaking now some of you may not know this, that is being translated simultaneously into Spanish into Russian and into Chinese can imagine trying to translate someone being intoxicated by the exuberance of that on verbosity in the present. The Chinese they are taking my word simultaneously so that people who don't speak English very well can understand the message is not incredible, not using the people come who are different from you, perhaps from another country, another pond United States someone whose background is different from you� Things differently. You think we should value them absolutely God brings them here.

Don't think that you can do everything don't have an over estimation of your ability don't have an underestimation of your ability. We all have strengths we all have limitations. Recognize your strands recognize your limitations and that will keep you humble don't give the impression that you have all of the gifts, brother, sister, we need one another in the wonderful thing is this that you come to Calvary church and you say no this is a wonderful church in the grace of God, but perhaps we could be doing substance such yes we could be doing substance such a you are you willing to help you willing to be part of the solution or just want to be a critic to total commitment to God leads to serving others with humility, God brings us hundreds of children hundred guest hundreds of children from newborn's rights in fifth grade that would middle school that with high scope but just think of the little children right up through fifth grade hundreds of derisive many volunteers we need you willing to step up in self some of our teachers have difficulty coming to the worship service because sometimes a shortage of workers which could you help think of the wonderful opportunity we have on their champ sports fields. Again, hundreds and hundreds of of of children and teens and adults for some of them.

The only contact they have with the church is to champ sports. Could you be a coach and assistant coach. Could you could you help there you go to the attention given to think you could develop that that you could lead a Bible study leader life group to think you could disciple or mentor a young brother and younger sister someone in their membership class text me this morning and saying I'm looking for someone to mentor my sons wonderful you willing to mentor young man young woman. What about your home is your home open to invites an international into your home. The vast majority of international students who come to the US are never in an Americans home could you open your home to winnow to a single mother provide a male show them hospitality the love of Christ to this total commitment to God is not something in the abstract, it leads to serving others.

It transforms our relationship. Is this hard for us. And yes, it's hard. I confess his heart is why we daily come to the Lord and say I need your help. I need your blessing. Forgive me for my pride.

Forgive me for my arrogance help me to understand who I am to think with sober judgment to think in a biblical way.

Dorothy Sarah writes the devilish strategy of pride is that it attacks us, not on our weak spots, but on the strong is preeminently the saying of the noble mind God has given you incredible gifts, brother, sister, your incredibly talented. God has blessed you phenomenon, but with that strands with that gift. That is the temptation that you get puffed up with pride and you look down on the other. So Paul is saying no think with sober judgment be be humble and this should militate as maintains and deepen the more I understand the body is one the more I understand the diversity one day a group of men came to interview a man in the Bible.

His name was John the Baptist, and they said someone did. What do you say about yourself. Are you the Christ is no are you Elijah the prophet know and in frustration. They say to him what do you say about yourself and the bouncer. Do you do when people say who you tell me about yourself. A lesser man than John would've whipped out his resume tucked into his camel hair suits and said you think I am, you should know who I am your regular Bibles because in Malachi chapter 3 is I think is the first message.

It if you did Mr. Fodor see you will see that there is prophesied a messenger of God is going to prepare the way of the Messiah. That's you, I am who are you, John doesn't respond like that. In fact, the more they ask of John the less he says about himself. He says no I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness and Jesus says of those born of woman that is not risen a greater than John the Baptist. What does he do exalt himself know he must increase and I must decrease. Don't look at me, look at the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. CS Lewis says that pride is ruthless, sleepless, unsmiling concentration on the self you're thinking too much of the self plays Lewis's constant. Think of Christ look to Jesus, the Savior, and have never come to look to him today is the Lamb of God will take away your Satan will give you eternal life, you will transform your soul and when Jesus said no if you want to follow me in the first thing he said the nice self, take up your cross and follow me. The Bible says that God is opposed to the product's thinking that during the week and that means when I'm proud. Sometimes I am God is opposed the right got one God opposed to God as opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.

I want God's grace I want God's grace on Calvary church.

I don't want us to be a proud church were the best church entire know I want us to be humble church to receive the grace of God that we understand the magnificence of who God is and we understand his amazing grace. If you exalt yourselves you will be humbled, if you humble yourself God that the right time will exult. Be humble, be like Christ learned of him and receive the grace of God we bone father helpless as the battle for all of us really goes to be very strong. They can take control of us. Not one of us is can say with exempt in their own minds were apt to think of others, help us not to do that but to think with sober judgment.

There some here father who never come to the Savior. They may think they can save themselves. Anything is unnecessary. Humble them that they will come with repentant humble hearts to the Savior and say what must I do to be saved and helpless father. Those of us who follow Christ to live humble lives, which will edify and help her brothers and sisters, and those who don't know Christ and bring glory to your great name we ask it in the name of Jesus, our Savior