Discussion Guide: You Have a Part to Play – Common Humanity

PRAYER

As we gather, let’s focus on building relationships and exploring how God calls us to live and love one another in our unique contexts. Let’s begin with prayer.

Does anyone have prayer requests or testimonies of how God has been moving in your life that we can celebrate together?

YOU HAVE A PART TO PLAY TOPICS

Fame Culture :: Homelessness :: Creation Care :: Politics :: Modern Day Slavery :: Our Common Humanity

THIS WEEK

This week, we unpacked common humanity and the sin of partiality from James 2. James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church, challenges us to recognize and confront our biases that disrupt the unity and love God intends for humanity. We were reminded on Sunday:

“God loves everyone, even if—and when—they don’t love Him (and others).”

Consider the following based on Sunday’s message:

What’s the most hurtful thing someone has ever said or done to you? Why did it feel so offensive or painful?

OPENING THOUGHT

Have one person to read the following aloud:

“Human beings look separate because you see them walking about separately. But then we are so made that we can see only the present moment. If we could see the past, then of course it would look different. For there was a time when every man was part of his mother, and (earlier still) part of his father as well, and when they were part of his grandparents. If you could see humanity spread out in time, as God sees it, it would look like one single growing thing–rather like a very complicated tree. Every individual would appear connected with every other.” — C.S. Lewis

What do you think is our greatest commonality as humans?

What do you think is our greatest difference?

Why do we often default to biased perspectives or judgments about each other?

SCRIPTURE

Read aloud James 2:1,8-9,12-13. Reflect on how this passage illuminates our understanding of our common humanity and our role as difference-makers to speak and act in a merciful manner rather than one of judgment:

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. …8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. …12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. —James 2:1,8-9,12-13

James teaches that holding faith in Christ and showing partiality are incompatible. Why is this true for Christians, and how does it challenge your current approach to relationships?

Reflect on how your treatment of others mirrors the impartial love of Christ described by James. In what ways are you fulfilling or falling short of the royal law, “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

How can you embrace Christ’s love that transcends biases and embodies fairness and respect?

Living under the “law of liberty” means knowing that we will be judged with the same mercy we show. What does this awareness mean for your words and actions, and what changes can help ensure that mercy, rather than judgment, becomes your instinctive response?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Reflect on the Sunday message about embracing our role in loving Jesus and others as common humanity. James urges us to examine three perspectives:

Our Common Struggle: We all battle with favoritism, often judging others by appearance, status, or social norms. 

Our Common Value: Each person is made in God’s image and carries inherent worth. 

Our Common Call: We are called to extend God’s mercy and love without partiality.

Like many things in life, our favoritism—the sin of partiality—often goes unchecked and unnoticed, as illustrated in the sermon by the different versions of the song Jesus Loves The Little Children:

Version 1 (most commonly sang)

Jesus loves the little children.
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white.
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Version 2

Jesus loves the little children.
All the children of the world.
Stranger, friend, and neighbor too, 
He loves them as He loves you. 
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Version 3

Jesus loves the little children.
All the children of the world. 
Every color, every race, 
All are covered by His grace. 
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Though seemingly innocent, have you considered what each version of Jesus Loves The Little Children omits, such as excluding Brown people in the first version or family in the second?

Have you noticed how you favor certain people or groups over others? What drives these preferences?

How has being overlooked or judged affected your perception of yourself and others?

How can we, as a group, build a culture that reflects the royal law, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” of Jesus loving all the little children of the world?

In his sermon, Pastor Alvin shared how deeply the sin of partiality permeates our humanity, using an example from youth sports. He recounted a close youth flag football game where, in the final moments, an injured opposing player was dismissed by a spectator as “faking,” unaware the player had knocked the wind out of himself after falling on the ball.

This is the essence of partiality: making quick judgments like, “Aw, get up! He’s not hurt! He’s faking!” It reflects how we form opinions based on appearances, revealing our assumptions about someone’s worth as a person created in God’s image. Partiality not only diminishes the inherent value of others while elevating ourselves but can also place others on a pedestal, causing us to undervalue ourselves compared to how God sees us.

Are there groups or individuals you find difficult to value or respect? Why do you think this is the case?

How do we shift from seeing others through our biases to seeing them as image-bearers of God?

How does truly believing in the equal worth of every person transform the way you engage with those around you?

When we show partiality, we undermine our call to love and pursue justice, disregarding the inherent value of our shared humanity. Yet, we are called to love and seek justice, bringing mercy and hope to our community—just as we receive mercy from Jesus, who forgives our sins. Reflect on 2 Corinthians 5:14-18 and consider these questions:

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; —2 Corinthians 5:14-18

According to Paul, how does the Gospel enable us to see others through Christ’s eyes?

When you consider God’s mercy toward you, how does that impact your willingness to extend mercy to others?

Are there people you find yourself judging or criticizing “according to the flesh” rather than seeing with compassion? What would it take to see them through God’s eyes?

Who in your life needs a tangible expression of God’s mercy this week where you live, work, and play?

CLOSING THOUGHT

In today’s culture, one of the most impactful ways to help transform someone’s life through our common Savior is to acknowledge and celebrate what unites us: our common humanity.

Let’s be the church that rejects our common struggle in the sin of partiality in a world that often values status and appearance rather than recognizing and honoring the dignity of our common humanity as image-bearers of God.

Let’s embrace our common humanity’s call to extend love and justice to all, mirroring Christ’s heart for the lost and marginalized, and intentionally and consciously looking beyond our biases to offer grace, understanding, and mercy to those around us.

To love and serve one another as Jesus loves all the children of the world.

When we embody this, we play our part in God’s beautiful plan for our common humanity to bring hope and healing to our broken world.

What part can we play where we live, work, and play in loving, serving, and leading one another in mercy that triumphs over judgment?