Class Lesson for May 17, 2026 at Heritage Park

 Series: Fully Alive - A Study of Ephesians

Sermon Recap

Ephesians 4:17–32 teaches us that real change doesn’t come from trying harder, but from trusting who we already are in Christ. We are no longer defined by our old self, but by the new life God has given us. As our minds are renewed, our lives begin to reflect that reality in the way we speak, act, and relate to others. The Christian life is not about fixing the old — it’s about living out the new. 

 

 

Ephesians 4:17-32

The New Life

[17] Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. [18] They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. [19] They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. [20] But that is not the way you learned Christ! — [21] assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, [22] to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, [23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. [25] Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. [26] Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and give no opportunity to the devil. [28] Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. [32] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ephesians 4: 17-32.

 

Closing Thoughts

Ephesians 4 shows that our witness is not just what we say, but how we love, speak, forgive, and serve one another. As a group, this means we help each other put off old patterns and put on the new life Christ has given us. We speak truth, extend grace, and build one another up, creating a community that reflects the transforming power of the gospel. When people see a group marked by honesty, generosity, and forgiveness, they see a picture of what it looks like to be made new in Christ.

 

END

Teacher Notes:

Over the years, there have been songs that connected with people because they put words to something many have felt but struggle to explain.

 

For me, this is one of those songs...

Click Play to Watch

There comes a point in life when many people realize that outward success does not guarantee inward peace. A person can build a career, raise a family, accumulate possessions, and still feel something missing deep inside.

Ephesians 4:17-19

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

What does it mean that the battle for the Christian life is often won or lost in the mind long before it appears in behavior?

 

Behavior is usually the fruit of something deeper. People live according to what they truly believe, value, and dwell on in their minds.

 

In Ephesians 4, Paul traces sinful living back to:

• futile thinking,
• darkened understanding,
• and hardened hearts.
• In other words, wrong living begins with wrong thinking.

 

If the mind is disconnected from God’s truth, eventually the life will follow. A person may try to change outward habits for a while, but lasting transformation cannot happen unless the heart and mind are renewed.

 

This is why Paul doesn't simply say: Stop doing bad things.

Instead, he says believers must “be renewed in the spirit of your minds.”

 

Paul understood that:

• bitterness begins with thoughts we rehearse,
• fear grows from what we believe,
• greed flows from what we value,
• anger grows from how we interpret situations,
• and hope comes from truth filling the mind.

 

The battle for the Christian life is often won or lost in the mind long before it appears in behavior.

 

This is also why the Gospel is so powerful. God does not merely command outward change — He gives believers a new identity, a renewed perspective, and truth that reshapes the entire person from the inside out.

 

Paul knew that if a person’s thinking never changes, their behavior may improve temporarily, but their heart will eventually return to old patterns. 

 

The problem with our old life is not simply what we do — it is what we are disconnected from.

Ephesians 4:20-24

But that is not the way you learned Christ! — assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul says, “But that is not how you learned Christ.”

 

Christianity is not simply learning rules — it is learning Christ Himself.

 

Paul tells believers to:

• put off the old self,
• be renewed in the spirit of their minds,
• and put on the new self.

 

Real transformation begins internally before it is ever seen externally.

The world focuses on:

• image,
• appearance,
• achievement,
• and self-improvement.

 

But God works much deeper.

He renews:

• the mind,
• the heart,
• the desires,
• and the identity.

Many believers still live under old labels:

• failure,
• shame,
• regret,
• insecurity,
• bitterness,
• or fear.

 

But Paul says believers have already been given a new self, created in the likeness of God.

 

We are not trying to earn a new identity.

We are learning to live from the one Christ has already given us.

Ephesians 4:25-32

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

  

Paul now gives us practical evidence of transformation.

A renewed heart changes relationships.

Instead of:

lying → we speak truth,

sinful anger → we pursue peace,

stealing → we become generous,

harmful speech → we encourage,

bitterness → we forgive.

 

 

These are not random moral commands. They are evidence that Christ is transforming our heart.

 

The longer we live, the easier it can become to carry:

• resentment,
• cynicism,
• anger,
• or emotional walls.

 

But Paul says believers are to walk in:

• kindness,
• compassion,
• and forgiveness.

 

One of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity is not merely Bible knowledge — it is Christlike character.

Conclusion

The world recognizes the feeling of “running on empty,” but only Christ offers true renewal.

Paul reminds us that Christianity is not about polishing up the old self, pretending, or trying harder.

It is about becoming new through Christ.

God does not simply refill an empty life. He gives a completely new one.

What a great day we all had with food, fellowship and Randy Lucas brought us a closing entertainment and testimony.

Click Play to Watch

Class Lesson for May 10, 2026

 Series: Fully Alive - A Study of Ephesians

Sermon Recap

Ephesians 4:1–16 calls us to live in a way that reflects the calling we have received in Christ. This means walking in humility, guarding unity, and using the gifts God has given us to build up the church. We are not saved to sit on the sidelines, but to grow into maturity and help others do the same. When each person plays their part, the body of Christ becomes stronger, more unified, and a clearer picture of Jesus to the world.

 

Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity in the Body of Christ

[1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [7] But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. [8] Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.’ [9] (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? [10] He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ephesians 4:1-16.

 

 

Closing Thoughts

Ephesians 4 shows us that when the body of Christ is healthy (marked by humility, love, and truth) it reflects Jesus in a powerful way. As a group, this means we commit to protecting unity, using our gifts to serve one another, and helping each other grow in Christ. We don’t compete or compare; we contribute. And as each person plays their part, the group becomes a place where people are equipped, encouraged, and sent out to live on mission, showing the world what it looks like to follow Jesus together.

END

Teacher Notes:

"I Don't"

"Petulant, Becky?"

"All that Growing Together"

Faith That Shows Up in Relationships

Ephesians 4:1–16

Why is the marriage relationship such an important example for all other relationships - especially the church?

The marriage relationship is such an important example because it is one of the clearest places where people learn what it truly means to live in lasting unity with another person.

 

In marriage, two different people — with different personalities, habits, expectations, and weaknesses — must learn to:

• love consistently
• forgive repeatedly
• communicate honestly
• sacrifice selfishness
• grow through difficulty
• remain committed over time

And those are the exact kinds of relational qualities Paul the Apostle emphasizes in Ephesians 4 when describing life in the church.

 

Marriage exposes something very quickly, and that is Unity is not maintained by feelings alone. It requires humility, patience, grace, endurance and truth spoken in love. Without those things, relationships will slowly fracture.

 

That’s why marriage becomes such a meaningful illustration for the church — because the church is also made up of imperfect people learning how to live together in love.

 

Paul describes the church as one body - joined together - growing together – and building itself up in love. That language is deeply relational. The church is not simply an organization that shares beliefs. It is a community of people learning to live under Christ together.

And marriage provides one of the clearest human pictures of:

• commitment over convenience
• unity without sameness
• growth through struggle
• love that matures with time

 

In Ephesians 4, Paul says believers must:

• bear with one another
• preserve unity
• speak truth in love
• grow into maturity together

Those same principles are essential in marriage.  

 

Later in Ephesians (chapter 5), Paul actually connects marriage directly to Christ and the church.

 

Marriage is such a powerful example because it teaches two people how to grow together in humility, patience, forgiveness, and love — and those are the same qualities Paul says are necessary for unity in the church.

Ephesians 4:1-3

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Which of these — humility, gentleness, patience, or bearing with others — do you think is most needed in church relationships today?

What does it look like in real life to “bear with one another in love” when someone is difficult?

Sometimes it means:

• listening when someone repeats themselves
• showing kindness when a person is short-tempered
• refusing to respond harshly in the heat of frustration

Not because the behavior is easy…but because love chooses restraint.

Sometimes it means: Seeing the Person Beyond the Problem

Difficult people often carry wounds, fears, loneliness, grief, and habits formed over years.

Bearing with someone means refusing to reduce them to their most frustrating trait.

It always should mean: Remembering How Patient God Has Been with Us

One of the deepest motivations for patience with others is remembering God’s patience toward us.

We all fail, struggle, require forgiveness repeatedly, and yet God continues loving us faithfully. That changes how we respond to difficult people.

 

Bearing with one another in love means choosing patience, grace, and commitment even when relationships become difficult.

Ephesians 4:4-10

There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it says, “When He ascended on high, He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 

This unity is not something we create — it already exists because of Christ. But it is something we are called to protect.

How can we actively “guard” unity in the church rather than unintentionally harm it?

 

We Choose Humility Over Pride

Most division begins when:

• people must have the last word
• preferences become demands
• being right matters more than relationships

Humility says, “I may not always see everything clearly.” It leaves room for grace and understanding.

 

We Refuse Gossip and Careless Speech

Few things damage unity faster than words.

Churches are often harmed more by whispered criticism, assumptions, sarcasm, and unresolved resentment than by major doctrinal disagreements.

That’s why Paul later says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths…”

Guarding unity means asking Does this conversation heal or divide?

Am I building someone up or tearing them down?

We Remember What We Share

Paul reminds believers we share one Lord - one faith - one body – and one Spirit. That means our spiritual connection is deeper than personalities, politics, preferences, and generations.

Unity grows when we focus more on what unites us in Christ than what separates us personally.

 

We Value People More Than Preferences

Sometimes unity is harmed when:

• traditions become more important than people
• opinions become more important than love
• Mature believers learn not every preference is worth division.

 

We Pray for One Another

It is difficult to stay bitter toward people we consistently pray for.

Prayer softens pride, frustration, resentment, and reminds us we are all dependent on God’s grace.

 

One reason George McLintock quickly defended his wife is because he understood something important - relationships are damaged when people stop protecting one another’s dignity.

That’s also true in the church.

Unity is guarded when believers:

• protect rather than attack
• restore rather than shame
• build up rather than tear down

We guard unity when we choose humility, careful words, forgiveness, and love over pride, criticism, and division.

Guarding Unity Requires Intention

• Choosing peace over being right
• Listening before reacting
• Extending patience when it’s undeserved

 

Unity doesn’t mean we always agree — but it does mean we choose love as the higher priority.  

Ephesians 4:11-16

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

What does it look like to “speak the truth in love” in real, everyday situations?

 

It means: Correcting Without Condemning

Instead of embarrassing or attacking someone, you speak honestly with gentleness and respect.

For example:

• A parent guiding an adult child without shaming them
• A friend expressing concern without sounding superior
• A church member addressing an issue privately rather than gossiping publicly

Truth says:

This needs to be addressed.

Love says:

I care about you while I address it.

 

It means: Refusing Gossip

Sometimes “speaking the truth in love” means refusing to join negative conversations about others.

Instead of:

• exaggerating faults
• tearing someone down
• speaking carelessly

You choose words that are honest but still protect dignity.

 

 

It means: Being Honest Instead of Avoiding

Love is not pretending problems do not exist. Sometimes speaking truth in love means having difficult conversations:

• apologizing sincerely
• confronting harmful behavior
• admitting hurt honestly
• setting healthy boundaries graciously

Real love does not avoid truth. It handles truth carefully.

 

It means: Choosing Tone as Well as Words

Two people can say the exact same truth:

• one heals
• the other wounds

Speaking truth in love means:

• timing matters
• tone matters
• attitude matters

Paul’s words about humility, gentleness, and patience - all shape how truth should be spoken.

 

Speaking the truth in love means caring more about helping someone grow than simply proving yourself right. 

In the movie clip, John Wayne speaks wisdom into the life of his daughter – because he loves her and wants her to mature.

He says, “Because all the gold in the United States Treasury, and all the harp music in heaven can’t equal what happens between a man and a woman and all that growing together.”

 

This is exactly the kind of influence Paul is talking about…

Helping one another grow and mature.

So, this week be thinking about…

Who in your life could be strengthened by what God has taught you?

The real measure of our faith isn’t just what we know…but how we live with the people God has placed around us: in our homes, in our families, and in our church.

 

A life that is truly ‘worthy of the calling’…is a life where faith shows up in relationships.