Living as One Body: Faith, Justice, and Community

Devotional

Day 1: We Are One Body in Christ

The church is not just a gathering of individuals or a club, but a living, interconnected body where every person is vital and every difference is a gift. When one part of the body suffers, the whole body feels it, and when one rejoices, all rejoice together. This deep sense of belonging and mutual care is what makes us family in Christ, calling us to live out our faith not just in words, but in how we support, love, and stand with one another in every circumstance. [25:33]

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Reflection: Who in your church community is suffering or feeling left out right now, and how can you reach out to them this week to show that they are a vital part of the body?

Day 2: All Are One in Christ Jesus

In Christ, all the divisions that the world tries to create—whether by race, gender, status, or background—are broken down, and we are made one family. This unity is not just a theological idea but a call to radical inclusion, where every person, regardless of their story or identity, is welcomed and valued as a beloved child of God. Living this truth means actively working against the forces that divide and instead embodying a community where everyone truly belongs. [33:53]

Galatians 3:26-28 (ESV)
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Is there someone you tend to see as “other” or outside your circle? What is one step you can take today to affirm their belonging in Christ’s family?

Day 3: Love God and Love Others

The greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This love is not passive or theoretical—it is active, practical, and visible in how we treat others, especially those who are different from us or have been told they don’t belong. Our faith is meant to be lived out in acts of compassion, justice, and mercy, reflecting God’s love in every relationship and every part of our lives. [28:29]

Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV)
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Reflection: Who is the “neighbor” God is calling you to love in a tangible way this week, and what specific action can you take to show them Christ’s love?

Day 4: Faith Is Lived Out in Community

Faith is not a private matter between just you and God; it is meant to be lived out in the context of community, where we grow, serve, and witness together. The church is called to be a distinctive community marked by the preaching of the gospel, acts of mercy, striving for justice, and the pursuit of peace. Our beliefs are made real in how we live together, support one another, and work for the good of all, both inside and outside the church walls. [24:41]

Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Reflection: What is one way you can more fully participate in the life of your church community this week—whether through service, fellowship, or sharing your gifts?

Day 5: Live What You Believe

Our time together as a church is meant to recharge and equip us to go out and live our faith in the world, not just to keep it to ourselves. Living what we believe means letting our actions, words, and choices reflect the love, justice, and mercy of Christ in every part of our lives. When we truly live out our beliefs, those around us will see and experience the good news of the gospel through us, and the world will be changed, one act of love at a time. [44:47]

James 2:14-17 (ESV)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Reflection: What is one belief you hold about God or your faith that you want to put into action this week, and how will you do it?

Sermon Summary

Today’s gathering centered on what it truly means to be the church—a body, not just a collection of individuals who happen to meet in the same place. The call is to live out faith not as a private matter, but as a public, communal, and transformative force. Drawing from the newly updated United Methodist Social Principles, the focus was on how these values guide us to love God and neighbor in every aspect of life, not just within the walls of the church. The church is not a club, a volunteer group, or a fan base for Jesus; it is a living, breathing body where every member is vital, and every person belongs.

The Social Principles serve as a moral compass, helping discern how to respond to the pressing issues of our time—justice, inclusion, care for creation, economic fairness, and the dignity of every person. These are not abstract ideals but practical guides for daily living, shaping how we act, vote, serve, and relate to one another. The call is to recognize that faith is not just about “me and Jesus,” but about how we treat others, especially those who have been told they do not belong. The world works hard to divide, but in Christ, all are one—regardless of background, identity, or circumstance.

Living as the body of Christ means that the pain and injustice experienced by others matter to us. It means seeing issues like poverty, gender equity, and racial justice as spiritual concerns, not merely political ones. The invitation is to move beyond words to action, to cross boundaries, and to embody the radical love and justice of Jesus. The church is a “charging station,” a place to be recharged so that we can go out and live what we believe, bringing hope, justice, and love to the world. The table is open to all, reflecting God’s desire for unity and belonging. As we go forth, the challenge is to live what we believe, knowing we are children of God, and to carry that truth into every corner of our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The church is a living body, not a club or organization. Each person is a vital part, and when one suffers, all are affected. This interconnectedness is the foundation for how we live out our faith together, making every member’s presence and pain significant to the whole. [26:46]
2. Faith is inherently social and public, not just a private relationship with God. The call is to let faith shape every area of life—how we treat others, how we respond to injustice, and how we care for creation. True discipleship is measured by how we embody love and justice in the world, not just by personal piety. [24:17]
3. The Social Principles are not weapons to judge others, but guides for living out the greatest commandments: to love God and neighbor. They challenge us to ask, “What does it look like to be the body of Christ in the world today?” and to let our values shape our actions in real, tangible ways. [28:29]
4. The world constantly seeks to divide us, but in Christ, all are one. This unity transcends all human categories—race, gender, nationality, politics—and calls us to radical inclusion, especially for those who have been told they do not belong. Living this out requires more than words; it demands courageous, boundary-crossing love. [35:46]
5. The church is a “charging station” where we are recharged to live out our faith in the world. Worship and community are not ends in themselves, but preparation for justice, mercy, and love beyond the church walls. Living what we believe means our actions outside the church reflect the grace and belonging we experience within. [43:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Announcements and Upcoming Study
[09:30] - Worship: How Great Is Our God
[12:56] - Prayers for the Community and the World
[16:03] - Offering and Generosity
[21:25] - Introduction to the Social Principles
[22:10] - What Makes Church Different
[24:17] - Faith as Social and Public
[25:33] - The Body of Christ: Unity and Diversity
[27:33] - Social Principles as Family Values
[28:29] - Living Out Love and Justice
[29:20] - Real-World Issues and Faith
[33:53] - Unity in Christ Over Division
[38:30] - Creation Care and Discipleship
[41:15] - Radical Inclusion and Belonging
[43:14] - The Church as a Charging Station
[45:50] - Communion and Thanksgiving
[51:59] - The Open Table: All Are Welcome
[56:18] - Closing Announcements and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV) — > For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ... If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Galatians 3:26-28 (ESV) — > For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV) — > “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 12, what happens when one part of the body suffers or is honored? How does this relate to the way the church is described in the sermon? [[26:46]]
In Galatians 3, what are the categories that Paul says no longer divide us in Christ? How did the sermon expand on these categories for today’s world? [[34:26]]
The sermon described the church as more than a club, volunteer group, or fan base. What specific language did the pastor use to describe what makes the church different? [[22:10]]
What are some of the real-world issues mentioned in the sermon that the Social Principles call us to address as part of our faith? [[29:20]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul use the metaphor of the body to describe the church? What does this suggest about how we should respond to the suffering or needs of others in our community? [[26:46]]
The sermon says, “Faith is inherently social and public, not just a private relationship with God.” What does it mean for faith to be “public” and how might that challenge the way people usually think about their faith? [[24:17]]
The Social Principles are described as a “moral compass” and “family values” for the church. How might these principles help us discern how to act in situations of injustice or division? [[28:29]]
The pastor said, “The world is working really, really hard... trying to divide us.” What are some ways the church can resist this division and embody unity in Christ? [[35:46]]

Application Questions

The sermon emphasized that when one person in the church suffers, everyone is affected. Can you think of a time when you noticed someone in your church community struggling? How did you or others respond, and what might you do differently now? [[26:46]]
The Social Principles call us to care about issues like poverty, gender equity, racial justice, and creation care. Which of these issues feels most urgent or personal to you right now, and what is one concrete step you could take this month to engage with it? [[29:20]]
The pastor said, “Faith is not just about ‘me and Jesus,’ but about how we treat others, especially those who have been told they do not belong.” Who in your life or community might feel like they don’t belong, and how could you reach out to them this week? [[36:13]]
The church was described as a “charging station” to recharge us for living out our faith in the world. What are some ways you can “unplug” from church and intentionally live out your faith in your workplace, neighborhood, or family this week? [[43:59]]
The sermon challenged us to “live what we believe.” Is there an area of your life where your actions don’t yet match your beliefs? What is one small change you could make to bring them into alignment? [[44:47]]
The pastor talked about radical inclusion and making sure everyone knows they belong. What barriers—spoken or unspoken—might exist in our church that keep people from feeling included? How can you help break down one of those barriers? [[41:31]]
The Social Principles are not meant to be “weapons to judge others.” Have you ever seen Christian values used to exclude or judge? How can you personally make sure your faith is a source of welcome and not exclusion? [[28:29]]

Sermon Clips

And when one part of the body suffers, the whole body feels it. And that's how it should be. I think that's how it is in our church community. When one body is hurting, we all feel it. We all know it. And that's what community is about. That's what connection is about. That's what makes us God's family. That's what makes us family with each other. [00:26:42] (28 seconds) #ConnectedInSuffering

They're not weapons. They're not ways that we take our Bible and we go out and we beat other people with it. I'm here to say that I don't know how in the world you think that you change people by beating them up. I think we change people by loving them. [00:27:56] (24 seconds) #FaithInEveryMoment

You see, in Galatians 3, we hear that we are all children of God through faith. In Christ Jesus, there is no longer Jew nor Greek. There is no longer slave nor free. There is no longer male nor female. For all of you are one in Christ. What if we changed up those words? You are no longer Republican or Democrat. You're one in Christ. You're no longer Northerner or Southerner. You're one in Christ. You're no longer American or not American. You're one in Christ. That's the heart of it, y'all. We are all one in Christ. All of us. [00:34:00] (64 seconds) #ResistingDivisionTogether

We say we desire more justice. We say we desire more compassion, more connection, more belonging. And it's easy to say we desire more. It's easy to say we want to welcome everyone in. It's easy to say words. But you know what? It's harder to actually live them out. It's hard to look at the person who's annoying you, who's annoying you the most, and say, you are a child of God. And I love you because you are a child of God. It's hard, y'all. It's really hard. And yet, it's what we're called to do. [00:37:03] (56 seconds) #FaithInActionEveryday

Because living as the body of Christ means that the pain of others, even if it's not our own, matter to us. It means that we are recognizing the injustice in the world. We are recognizing gender inequity. We are recognizing poverty. And we are recognizing that these are spiritual issues. Not political issues. [00:37:59] (27 seconds) #CrossingBoundariesWithLove

It means understanding that creation is a part of discipleship. It's not a side project. Taking care of what God created isn't just something on the side. Front and center. Our call isn't to escape the world. It's to love the world fiercely. It's to bring heaven to earth. It's to make heaven happen. In here and now. [00:38:26] (31 seconds) #ChurchIsWhereWeBelong

Because when we live in the truth. When we embody the truth that God is calling us to. That we all belong to the kingdom of God. The church just isn't a place that we come on Sunday. It's just a place that we come on Sunday. It's just not a group of people. It's not a place we attend. It is a body where we all belong. Where every part is vital. Where you matter. Where your neighbor matters. Where the person you disagree with matters. Where the refugee, the addict, the single parent, the trans teen. Where they all matter. [00:40:22] (84 seconds) #SundayChargingStation

I would submit to you that that is the good news of the gospel, y'all. Is that we all matter. Every one of us matter. And you know who else matters? All them people out there. They matter just as much. Because we are all called to this community of love. We are all called to love one another deeply. [00:41:47] (35 seconds) #LiveWhatYouBelieve

Every day, I take my cell phone and put it on a charger. And it needs to sit there for an hour, hour and a half, sometimes two. To get that battery recharged. Not so that I can sit there with it on the charger and use it. But so I can sit there with it on the charger and use it. But so I can unplug that thing and I can take it wherever I go. And I submit to you that that's what we do here on Sunday mornings. We come here. We plug ourselves up. And we get fed. We get recharged. For what we go do when we leave. This is our charging station. [00:43:18] (50 seconds)

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