GIVE

Sermon Guide

Making Sense of Church
Week 10 | The New Humanity

Teaching Text

Ephesians 2:14-18

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Sermon Recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our series Making Sense of Church with a teaching from Ephesians 2:14–18, focusing on Paul’s vision of the Church as the “the new humanity.” In a society marked by polarization, contempt, and hostility, Pastor Jon reminded us that Jesus Himself is our peace—the One who tears down dividing walls and creates a radically new kind of community. In Adam, the “old humanity” is marked by blame, fear, hiding, violence, and retaliation, but in Christ, we are brought into a kainos humanity—new in kind, not just in time. Through the cross, Jesus forms a people defined not by tribal identity but by grace, love, and unity.

Pastor Jon described what this new humanity offers: new equality, new unity across difference, new moral formation, new allegiance, new humanity, new love, and a new vision of what it means to be human. We are liberated from the exhausting task of constantly managing or reinventing ourselves. We don’t have to be “in us." Instead, we are "in Christ." 

How then do we live as this new humanity? We must allow the Gospel story, Scripture, and the teachings of Jesus to shape our imagination, not the narratives of fear or outrage around us. Pastor Jon warned that it is possible to know who Jesus is yet misunderstand how His Kingdom works, so we must be careful to not settle for revelation of Jesus without revelation of the Kingdom. We also are called to let baptism, being buried and raised again with Christ, mark our identity as a symbol of our allegiance shifting from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, and enable us to defiantly follow Jesus in the world around us. It is from this place, that we can enter into a community driven by the communion, forgiveness, and hospitality made available in Christ.  

Jesus has unlimited resources to form His Church. The most important thing we must do is take it seriously—know we are part of this new humanity, not by arrogance but by grace. We don't need to re-invent ourselves, but surrender ourselves. The Early Church, which was known by its distinct love and care for others, made such a compelling example of this new humanity that Aristides once wrote, “Truly, this is a new people, and there is something divine in them,” and we are meant to live into that same calling today.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  • What’s an unlikely friendship you’ve had, and how did it start?

  • Ask someone to read Ephesians 2:14-18 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-5. Then, ask the following questions:

    1. What words, images, or phrases stood out to you in this passage?

    2. What does this passage reveal about Jesus’ character and priorities? What does Jesus say about maturity?

    3. How does He approach division and hostility differently than the world does?

LEAN IN | THE NINE DISTINCTIVES

Disciple the Deficits

    • Why do you think confession (to God and others) is so difficult for many of us? What lies or fears keep people hiding their sins? Conversely, what have you experienced when you brought a sin into the light – how did it feel afterward?

    • Mulholland’s quote talks about confrontation at our points of unlikeness to Christ. Take a quiet moment and ask the Holy Spirit: “Lord, what is one area of my life that is least Christ-like right now?” (It could be an attitude, a habit, a relationship, etc.) If you’re comfortable, share that with the group. What might “confrontation” by the Spirit look like for that area (e.g., conviction through Scripture, a believer challenging you)?

    • How can we cultivate a culture of grace in our group so that confession is seen as normal and met with loving support rather than judgment or gossip? What ground rules do we need (e.g., absolute confidentiality)?

    • James 5:16 associates confession with healing. In what ways can unconfessed sin make us “sick” (spiritually, emotionally, even physically), and how does confession bring healing? Have you ever experienced healing or freedom through confessing to a fellow believer and praying together?

    1. Pastor Jon described how our culture rewards hostility and uses contempt as a tool for exclusion and control. Where do you see this playing out in your own life? What headlines, algorithms, or cultural narratives have subtly shaped the way you view people who are different from you?

    2. Living as the New Humanity is shaped by 1) Story (Gospel, Scripture, Jesus’ teaching), 2) Identity (baptism, allegiance, defiance), and 3) Community (communion, forgiveness, hospitality). Which of these three anchors feels most challenging or necessary for you right now, and why?

    3. In Christ, we have freedom from the exhaustion of self-exploration. What would it look like for you to stop being your own brand manager and instead root your identity in being “in Christ”?

  • Pray together for the Church to be a prophetic alternative in our city – a place where the toxic hostility of our culture is absorbed and transformed by the love of Christ. Ask God to reveal where you need His grace to move from contempt to compassion. Pray for the courage to sit at the table with those who are different from you, and for the Church to truly embody the New Humanity Jesus came to restore.

  • As a group, review a set of accountability questions (like the ones provided at the end of this booklet). Which questions do you find most challenging or relevant personally? How can we incorporate these questions into our times together in a way that doesn’t feel like a legalistic drill, but rather a genuine tool for growth and honesty?