Radical Acceptance

I wonder, would you call yourself tolerant? Tolerance is a value we praise in 21st Century Britain – we consider ourselves to be a tolerant nation – one that accepts people of different backgrounds, lifestyles, viewpoints and nationalities. Brits often consider themselves to be more tolerant than other nations, viewing this as evidence of our modern 'civilised' society. After the 7/7 bombings Ken Livingston tried to unite London by calling it; the greatest and most tolerant city in the world because everybody lives side by side in harmony.

Tolerance however, is not something which is associated with the church – its often portrayed as being the very opposite, an intolerant institution which works against the more accepting society at large. So what about you – are you tolerant of others, do you accept them?

I guess most of us would want to answer that question – 'yes'. Tolerance seems like a good thing and as reasonable people we would like to think of ourselves as tolerant. Even those of you thinking 'It depends what you mean by tolerant' would probably resist being called intolerant. So what does the Bible have to say about tolerance? Many might think it is the last place to go to learn about tolerance but I want to show you how in Romans 15 Paul calls us to more than tolerance; to radical acceptance and self-denying love. He shows us that we can accept one another truly when we understand, believe and live from the basis of us being accepted by Christ. When we do this it is wonderful, beautiful and beyond what we are naturally capable of and so it highlights God's majesty as we are united in praising Him.

I want us to look first at this goal of a united people praising God and then to look at how the Gospel makes this both possible and practical; I've got three points to help us hang our thoughts;

1 One heart and mouth

2 Christ – more than an example

3 Beyond tolerance

One heart and mouth

First; 'One heart and mouth'. Paul lays out the goal, the end-point of his appeal to us right in the middle of our passage in v5 and 6, take a look;

5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul's aim is that God would be glorified. It's important to remind ourselves of this as we talk about acceptance. There are many reasons to desire tolerance and acceptance; we can desire them simply because it makes life easier and more peaceful, or because we enjoy the benefits of a cosmopolitan culture. These are not bad things, it was these things that did to an extent unite places like NY and London after terrorist attacks. However, these things are not the ultimate for Paul, or for Christians. To put it bluntly our goal is not the re-creation of a Benetton ad. Paul does not call for acceptance of each other for it's own sake but rather v6; so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The goal of this passage is that we would accept one another deeply, out of genuine love so that God's majesty, his brilliance would be highlighted and worshiped in a kaleidoscope of praise. In fact this is not just the goal of this passage but the climax of the whole narrative of the Bible; God calling a people to himself from the nations to praise and enjoy Him. Paul shows us this in v9-12 as he races through the Old Testament from Deuteronomy to Isaiah argueing that it has always been God's plan to unite the nations in praise, look at v11 and 12;

"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and sing praises to him, all you peoples."[e] 12And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him."[f]

One day this will happen on an amazing cosmic scale Revelation 7 paints the picture for us;

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

This is the end of history; people from every nation, tribe, people and language standing in the presence of Almighty God praising Him. We must remember that unity and acceptance is not achieved for it's own benefit but so that God is worshipped – worship is the purpose. There's two reasons why this is particularly important for us to remember;

1 God is worthy of praise from every people, nation, culture, sub-culture. He deserves all praise and glory it is a matter of justice that He recieves it.

2 Unity and acceptance is not possible when anything else is the goal. Diversity and peace may be admirable goals but it is only worshipping in response to God's mercy that can stimulate and drive us toward genuine and unconditional acceptance.

So this is the goal every nation and people united in their diversity to praise their king and creator. But how is this possible? How can humans so often divided learn to accept one another? That's what I want to look at in my next point; Christ – more than an example.

Christ – more than an example

Let's remind ourselves of the situation Paul is dealing with. The Romans are in danger of becoming divided over what calls disputable matters ie over matters which are non-essential to the truths of the Gospel. The are divided over matters of eating and drinking. In fact the problem runs deeper as we can see in this passage there is division between Jewish and non-Jewish 'Gentile' believers.

I wonder how you would deal with this conflict? Perhaps you would ask them just to get along, to keep the peace for the sake of everyone. Maybe you'd lock them in a room and say; If David Cameron and Nick Clegg can get on so can you! Well Paul deals with the matter differently – he deals with this lack of acceptance as a matter of priority. It's not just a matter of changing behaviour but of re-modelling the way they think, Paul gives a meaty theological response to this pastoral problem, look again at v1-4;

1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[a] 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

If you can remember back to a month a go you'll remember that we started this series in ch12 which is a hinge point in the book. Paul starts the chapter reminding the reader of the Gospel of Grace he has told us about in the first 11 chapters saying;

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual [or reasonable] act of worship.

In other words live your life in view of, in response to God's mercy shown in Jesus. Paul is doing the same thing here he doesn't say learn to accept each other by trying harder, by going on a course or completing a program instead he says accept each other in response to God's mercy, in response to the Gospel. Acceptance is a sign of understanding and believing the Gospel. So Paul goes first not to a counselling program (that's not to say they are bad things) but to Christ v3;

3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."

Christ is the ultimate example of acceptance and Paul takes us straight to him. Christ did not please himself but... but he came to earth, but he lived perfectly, but he accepted the punishment we deserved. This is Jesus the Son of God, Jesus who had every right to please himself because he is full of justice, love and holiness. He who rightfully deserves all praise choose not to please himself. If Jesus is our Lord what right do we have to act differently. If the king of the universe did not please himself – how can we? Dan showed us last week how the Gospel makes our judgmentalism look absurd when we look at Jesus our lack of acceptance should also fall apart.

Christ doesn't accept us on the basis of us being good but different but on the basis of his love for us. He chose to love us in spite of our sin, in spite of our rejection of him. His love does not hold back it is not conditional. But Jesus is more than just an example of a good, toleratant, accepting man. He isn't Ghandi, he's our Saviour! Paul reminds us of this in v7;

7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,

If you are trusting in Jesus this morning then you have been accepted by Christ – there is no maybe. There's no maybe because God's love for you is not dependant on anything in you. He has chosen to set His love on you in spite of yourself. He loved you before you loved Him, you have been accepted on account of Jesus, nothing is more sure because he has died for you and risen again. Paul is saying when we grasp this, when we understand that we have been accepted completely on the basis of grace then it follows that we will accept others in the same way; unconditionally and joyfully. When we understand how broken and yet how we loved we are then we are free to accept others. Christ did not tolerate us, still less our sin. He loved us to the point of death, He stepped down into our world not to passively get on with us but to die for us, so that we could have full, unimpeded life with Him.

The way to true acceptance is through understanding that we have already been accepted, totally by Christ. We find that hard to believe, we often live in a way that shows that we haven't grasped that yet. We attempt to hide things from God or perform for Him. Paul is saying it is only when we know that we have been accepted that we are able to practise real acceptance. Let me illustrate it like this; Perhaps you've ahd the same experience as me walking down Northumberland street in Newcastle you are assaulted from all sides by various people conducting surveys, collecting for charity or thrusting flyers into your hands. You have two options you can adopt the Northumberland street stare and walk quickly and moodly past them with your hands in your pockets or you can stop do a survey, take a flyer with a smile on your face. You might take the second option for several reasons; you're having a good day, it's sunny, the friend your meeting just text to say they'll be late. The best motivation though is to have stood there for several cold hours giving out flyers yourself instantly you empathise with their flight and take a whole stack with a smile on your face because you know what it's like.

If you know you have been accepted by God; truly and unconditionally then the natural consequence is that you will accept others; 'Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,'

Our ability to accept others is the direct result of how much we believe that we ourselves have been accepted.

So what does this look like on the ground? That's what I want us to spend our final point looking at; 'Beyond tolerance'.

Beyond Tolerance

Earlier I asked if you would consider yourself a tolerant person? But the question Paul asks is not are you tolerant but do you accept one another in the same way Christ accepts you? Tolerance isn't enough, tolerance asks that we allow other points of view, that we choose not fight. Acceptance goes beyond that it demands that we respond to the love and mercy God has shown us by practising love and mercy. How can we do that? Paul gives us some practical help in v2-4;

2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[a] 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Paul points us to Christ; as we have already seen He is the perfect example of acceptance, but He is not just an example He is our Saviour. If we accept His offer of forgiveness we can experience total acceptance. No matter who we are, what are past is, what we have done or haven't done Jesus is willing to accept you, not just to tolerate you but to die for you and your sin.

If you haven't yet accepted Jesus offer of forgiveness then why not do it now? Why not be accepted totally not on the basis of who you are but on what He has done for you – what's holding you back?

If you are trusting in Christ then know that you have been accepted, all of you. Know that you have been accepted not because you came to church again this morning or because you are a loving husband, an honest worker, an obedient child because you're not, not all the time. But your acceptance is not dependent on these things it is dependent on Christ's death and resurection, when God choose to demonstrate His incomparable love for you by giving up His Son sfor you.

Paul takes us to Christ but look how he does that in v3, he says;

3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."

Paul quotes Psalm 69 as an example of Jesus self-sacrifice. He could have gone to inumerable passgaes in the Gospels but instead he takes us to a seemingly more obscure passage of the Old Testament, why? The answer is in v4;

4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Paul is making a point about the nature of the Bible, he tells us that all of it is written to teach us – every bit of the Bible is relevant to us and what is the result of this? That; through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. In other words the expected effect of the scriptures on us is that it encourages us and by that creates hope. I wonder if that rings true for us? Do we expect the Bible to have such an effect on us that it would produce hope in us?

Paul is unashamedly theological and biblical in his response to the problems in Rome. He doesn't give the readers of this letter an answer just from his experience as a multiple church-planter. He takes them to the scriptures again and again in v4 to Ps 69, in v9-12 to 2 Samuel, Ps 18 and 117, Deuteronomy 32, Isaiah 11 and 52. Paul wants to show us that the Bibles narrative is a one charcterised by acceptance, one that leads us to God pursuing reconciliation with all parts of humanity Jew and Gentile. It has always been God's plan to redeem a people from every tribe and nation to praise him. Paul wants the Romans to know this and to allow this glorious picture of redemption to consume their differences on disputable matters.

So what about us? Will we allow the scriptures to take hold of us and produce hope in us? Will we let them lead us to Christ who can accept us totally because He has died for our sin? Will we believe that He has done that and accept others in the same way? Will we pursue that call from Paul to move beyond tolerance, to love one another deeply so that; with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.? Will we hope in that with confidence because we know history is rushing toward a throneroom filled with people from every nation, tribe, people and language... crying out in loud voices;"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb."

Let's pray;

5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.