Members of One Another (
Have you ever found yourself trying to do something on your own that clearly required someone else’s help? Maybe it was moving a heavy piece of furniture, trying to fix a car, or solving a problem too big for one person. At some point, we’ve all realized we can’t do everything by ourselves. Life isn’t meant to work that way. And neither is our faith.
Today, we’re beginning our series entitled "One Another." There are multiple passages throughout the New Testament that point to our relationships with each other. Our plan is to study one text per month in an effort to grow closer. Today, we will start with the idea of being "Members of one another." This is the essence of how God designed the church to function. As we walk through this text, we’ll discover how being members of one another is both a calling and a gift. We'll see this by understanding an illustration, an explanation, and instructions. Let’s dive in.
1. An Illustration: A Body With Many Members
If you’ve ever been part of a team, you know what it feels like to depend on others. Every member has a role, and the success of the whole depends on everyone doing their part. This is the picture Paul paints in Romans 12:4-5 when he says, "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
Paul’s analogy of the body is both simple and profound. He reminds us that the church is not a collection of isolated individuals, but a single, unified organism. Just as your physical body relies on every part working together, the body of Christ depends on the interconnectedness of its members.
But what does that really mean? It means we’re not just individuals who happen to attend the same church. We belong to each other. Your joy, your struggles, your gifts, your burdens—they’re not just yours. They’re ours. Being members of one another means that your life is connected to mine, and mine to yours, in Christ. We are interdependent, and God designed it this way so that no one has to walk alone.
To illustrate, think of the early church in Acts 2:42-47. They shared everything—resources, meals, and even their homes. Why? Because they understood what it meant to belong to one another. They lived out the reality that being part of Christ’s body means mutual care and shared responsibility.
We can see how that is what the first church did, but is that what we do? Nowadays, many of us feel a very loose connection to one or two members, at best. We have more opportunity today to connect with one another on a deeper level, but we tend to keep everyone at arm's length. I thought this might be a part of living in West Palm Beach where there is significant cultural differences. However, the more time that goes by the more I'm convinced that this is becoming true everywhere. The rise of television and social media has trained us to keep isolated. Many of us suffer from loneliness and shallow relationships. If we want to be the body of Christ and be members of one another, we are going to have to work for it.
2. An Explanation: Four Reasons Why We Are Called to Be Members of One Another
That begs the question: Why is this so important? Why should we live this way? Can't I just have a personal relationship with Christ? We aren't living this way and it would be a lot of work to start living this way. So, what's the big deal? Why completely upend our current lifestyles and spend less time on our own hobbies.
Unity in Christ: First, we need to be connected with each other because that's what our head commands us to do. Ephesians 4:15-16 reminds us that Jesus is the head of the body. Through Him, we are united and empowered to grow together in love. Without this unity in Christ, our efforts become disjointed and self-centered. We cannot complete the commands of the head. His role as the head gives direction and purpose to our connections with one another, ensuring that the body functions as a whole, not as separate parts. Refusing to be interdependent is rebelling against Christ!
Reflecting God’s Love to the World: Second, we know that this command has a purpose. John 13:34-35 highlights Jesus’ command to love one another having an impact on the world. This isn’t just about internal relationships but about showing the world what God’s love looks like. When we live independently, the world sees us as cold and disconnected like in every other part of the world. When we live interdependently, the world sees a tangible expression of the gospel. Our unity and care for one another testify to the transformational power of Christ’s love.
Sanctification Through Connection: Third, being members of one another is essential for personal growth in love, service, and perseverance. We cannot grow spiritually in isolation; it happens as we bear with one another, sharpen one another, and encourage one another in the faith. This process of sanctification teaches us humility, patience, and grace as we navigate life together as a family in Christ.
Grace: All of these are good answers to the question of why we want to be interdependent. The last answer to this question is really Paul's answer. I would like for us to consider how Paul builds his case in Romans 12:1-2. Here, Paul lays the foundation for being members of one another with a call to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice," "by the mercies of God." This is where it all starts. Paul roots our call to be members of one another in God’s mercy. Because God has poured out His grace on us, forgiving our sins and reconciling us to Himself, our response is to give ourselves back to Him. But here’s the key: offering ourselves as living sacrifices doesn’t just mean personal piety. It means giving ourselves to others in the body of Christ.
Why do we want to become interdependent? Because God’s mercy doesn’t leave us as individuals. It binds us together. Think of it this way: God didn’t save us just so we could have a personal relationship with Him; He saved us so we could be part of His family, united by His love and His Spirit. We cannot be Christians in isolation. Doing so will be a failure to fulfill our purpose to be salt and light. Doing so would neglect the call and the urging to sacrificially serve others, especially those of the household of faith.
3. Instruction: How Do We Live as Members of One Another?
This brings us to the practical question: how do we live this out? Romans 12 gives us a clear roadmap. Let’s start with love. In verses 9-10, Paul says, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."
Living as members of one another begins with genuine, sacrificial love. This isn’t the shallow, feel-good kind of love our culture often promotes. It’s a love that puts others first, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. It’s the kind of love Jesus demonstrated when He washed His disciples’ feet and laid down His life on the cross.
Next, Paul talks about using our gifts to serve one another. In verses 6-8, he lists various gifts—prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and showing mercy. Every believer has been given gifts by God, not for their own benefit, but to build up the body of Christ. What’s your gift? How are you using it to serve others?
Paul also highlights humility in verse 3: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment." Humility is essential for living as members of one another because it allows us to value others above ourselves and avoid the pride that divides.
Finally, Paul calls us to rejoice and mourn together in verse 15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." This is what real community looks like—sharing life so deeply that we celebrate each other’s victories and carry each other’s burdens.
Conclusion
When I was going to school or working in the secular world, I hardly ever felt connected with anyone. I didn't want to be and I thought that I didn't really need to be. I remember especially in school that the engineers were a difficult group to socialize with. But when I got past the initial shyness and started opening up to people, our conversations became more meaningful. We also started to help one another grow and develop. I wouldn't have made it through my senior year of college without the friends I met there.
So, what does this mean for us today? Imagine a community where everyone shares their lives with one another, where every member is valued and supported, and where the love of Christ is not just talked about but lived out daily. Imagine people who let others into their lives, become vulnerable, and talk about difficult things that people don't often share with one another. That’s the picture Paul gives us in Romans 12 of being members of one another. And it starts with each of us choosing to be a living sacrifice—not just for God but for one another. Everyone has a role to play and we need everyone willing to do their share.
The truth is, we can’t thrive in isolation. God designed us to need each other, to grow together, and to reflect His love as one body. This week, take a bold step to live this out. Serve someone selflessly. Encourage someone intentionally. Love someone sacrificially. Through these acts, you embody the unity and grace of Christ, and the world will see Him in us.
Let’s be the body of Christ, members of one another, for His glory.