[English Sermon 영어 설교]
Sunday, December 22, 2024 - Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn
Becoming One Body in Christ (Romans 12:3-8)
2024. 12. 22. 주일예배 설교- 로마서 강해 28
본문: 로마서 12:3-8
제목: 그리스도 안에서 한 몸 이루기
설교자: 손진국 목사
Last week, we shared a message titled "Spiritual Worship and the Church" based on Romans 12:1-8. Today, we will share a message titled "Becoming One Body in Christ." Today's scripture passage is Romans 12:3-8. This passage is naturally connected to the previous verses, 1 and 2, which teach us that offering spiritual worship to God involves discerning His good, pleasing, and perfect will, and it introduces the concept of one body.
[Romans 12:4-5] 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.
What is the relationship between discerning God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will and becoming one body?
1. Becoming One Body Is God’s Will
The term "one body" first appears in the Bible in the following verse:
[Genesis 2:24] That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
After creating all things, God created man, Adam. However, seeing that it was not good for Adam to be alone, He took one of Adam's ribs to create a woman. What was Adam’s response upon seeing the woman?
[Genesis 2:23] The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
What does this mean? “You are me.” “You and I are one body.”
Marriage is the union of a man and a woman becoming one body. When God created humanity, He desired them to be one body. This was His method for fulfilling His will for humanity to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and rule over every living creature as His representatives. In other words, becoming one body is God’s will.
One body is a mystery of God. It means that, though physically two, they become one. This divine mystery, however, was shattered by the entrance of sin into humanity. What happened when sin entered? Being one body, they were not ashamed of their nakedness, but now they became ashamed. When God questioned them about their sin, the man responded:
[Genesis 3:12] The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Whose fault is it now? The man blamed the woman. Once, he had declared her as "bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh," but now it is, "It's all your fault." The unity of one body was broken; the divine mystery was lost.
The result was individualism. Everyone sought their own gain. The focus shifted to "me." If something felt burdensome, they refused to do it. If it did not align with their plans, experience, or personal philosophy, they would not join. They could not become one body. This is the picture of humanity that defied God’s will and fell into sin. Everyone goes their own way.
[Isaiah 53:6] We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
But God desired that the mystery of one body would be restored through humanity once again.
[Application] Am I someone who contributes to becoming one body, or someone who breaks it? Do I say “You are me,” or do I say, “It’s all your fault”?
To restore humanity as one body, God devised a plan to recover the mystery of one body and fulfilled it. This leads to our second point.
2. The Restoration of One Body Happens in Christ
To restore the mystery of one body, God sent Jesus Christ. Jesus’ love was entirely selfless. He came to earth not for His own sake but for others and died for them.
Why can this divine will for one body be restored only through Christ? There are two reasons.
First, it is because Jesus gave His life for others. This is the cross. The cross is about dying to oneself. The cross was not about fulfilling His own will but doing the will of the Father. It was "not my will, but Yours be done."
Beware of the selfish thoughts and intentions within you. God consistently desires us to die to ourselves. He even places authorities over us to shape us. How can we accomplish God’s work if we resist our authorities?
[Romans 13:1] Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Even today, many who claim to serve God seem entrenched in selfishness. They disregard God’s Word when it does not suit them. Without denying oneself and carrying one’s cross, one cannot follow Jesus. Take every opportunity to die to self.
[Luke 9:23] Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
At this point, one may question, “Aren’t there others who have died for others besides Jesus?” Indeed, many have died for their country in war. Some mothers have sacrificed their lives to save their children during disasters. Why, then, can only Jesus restore the unity of one body?
The second reason why the restoration of one body is only possible through Jesus is because He rose from the dead. The resurrection signifies new life. For one body to be formed, there must be life. Without life, even if two things are joined, they cannot become one living organism. One body requires life—specifically, the life of God. Resurrection is God giving life.
[Acts 13:30] But God raised him from the dead. This life does not come by human effort or will; it is God who grants life. This is the resurrection.
To form one body, the cross and the resurrection are essential. This is symbolized in baptism. [Romans 6:4-5] We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
In baptism, going underwater signifies dying with Christ on the cross, and coming out of the water represents resurrection with Christ, brought to life by God.
Therefore, the restoration of one body occurs through Christ’s cross and resurrection.
[Application] Have I died with Christ and been raised with Him? Do I believe that unity as one body is only possible in Christ?
3. Spiritual Gifts Are God's Method to Form One Body
In addition to marriage, there is another context where one body must be restored on earth—namely, the Church. The Church is the gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ and are united with Him in His death and resurrection through baptism. Therefore, they can become one body.
Who is called to discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will? What does verse 1 say at the very beginning? [Romans 12:1] Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
"Brothers and sisters"—in other words, God is addressing those who believe in Jesus, the saved children of God, the saints. Couldn’t just one person discern God's will on behalf of everyone? Why did He address "brothers and sisters"? This message is for all believers. It means that God’s will is not the same for everyone but varies for each individual.
[Romans 12:6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.
This shows that each person has a unique gift. When a man and a woman become one body, they are different from one another. It is precisely because they are different that they can unite. A bolt and a nut come together to form one body (illustration). Bolts by themselves or nuts by themselves cannot form one body.
The same principle applies to the Church. Each believer is different. It’s like a perfectly crafted puzzle (illustration). Each piece of a puzzle is unique. Some are designed to fit in corners, some along the edges, and others in the middle spaces. Even if two pieces are similarly shaped, they may have different colors or designs. Each piece fits into a specific position to complete the picture.
I recall an experience while on sabbatical in Korea when my nephew brought us a 1,000-piece puzzle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (illustration). It took us several days to complete it. Amazingly, not a single piece was identical; each one was distinct and fit into its designated spot.
Similarly, in the Church, God created no two people alike. Each individual is a masterpiece. [Ephesians 2:10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
What is the opposite of a masterpiece? A product. Products are mass-produced and identical, but each masterpiece is unique. Some people are gifted at speaking, while others are great listeners. Some excel at leading from the front, while others quietly serve from behind.
What distinguishes a masterpiece from a product? True masterpieces are incomparable, whereas products are often compared. When we compare ourselves with others, we risk devaluing God's masterpiece and treating it as a mere product.
God has given each person unique gifts to form one body. Each gift plays a special role within the body, just as the hands, feet, and heart perform distinct and vital functions. For instance, while there are two hands, they are not identical; their forms and strengths differ.
Each part exists for the whole body, not for itself. In the same way, a puzzle piece exists for the entire image it completes. What is the hand for? Not for the hand itself, but for the body. What about the feet? They are not for themselves but for the body. The heart does not serve itself but the body.
Romans 12:6-8 lists representative spiritual gifts: the gift of prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and showing mercy. Of course, there are many more spiritual gifts mentioned throughout Scripture. Even the same gift may manifest differently in different people.
[Romans 12:6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.
There is no one without a spiritual gift in the Church. God has given unique gifts to everyone. These gifts reflect His good, pleasing, and perfect will for each individual. Through these gifts, God desires to form one body.
How can we discover the spiritual gifts God has given us?
1. Good (선하다): Does it come naturally and comfortably to you? Do you feel at peace doing it and think, "I seem to do this well"?
2. Pleasing (기쁘다): Is it fruitful? Does the work you do bear visible results?
3. Perfect (온전하다): Is it not just something you enjoy but also something others appreciate and affirm?
How can you know this? You must try. Without trying, it is often hard to discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will for your life. If you feel moved in your heart, take a step and try.
Sometimes, what stands out to you reveals your gift. (Example) You notice typos or misaligned lines in the church bulletin—administration. You see a mess and feel compelled to clean—organization. You notice someone sitting alone and feel drawn to reach out—love.
God has intentionally given everyone different gifts. Don’t become angry or judgmental because others are different from you. These differences are what allow the puzzle to be completed and for us to form one body.
[Application] What spiritual gift has God given me to help form one body? Where does God want me to be in the Church, and am I in that position now?
I pray that all the members of Heavenly Hope Church will serve in the place God has called them, using the gifts He has given, so that we may become a complete and unified body in Christ.
하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.
Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.