Called By God
Last week’s message, Unashamed, challenged us to live boldly for the gospel—to stop shrinking back, stop hiding our faith, and stop letting fear or culture dictate our obedience. Bold living always raises an important follow-up question: Bold for what?
That’s where Galatians 1:11–24 meets us this week. In this passage, Paul pulls back the curtain on his own story. He reminds the Galatian churches—and us—that the gospel he preached did not come from human approval, human instruction, or human ambition. It came directly from God. Paul’s boldness didn’t flow from personality or passion alone; it flowed from his calling.
Paul had an impressive résumé, religious credibility, and cultural authority. Yet none of that qualified him for gospel ministry. In fact, his background initially disqualified him. He persecuted the church. He opposed Christ. But God intervened and everything changed—not because Paul tried harder, but because God called him.
As we continue through Galatians, my prayer is that we don’t just live louder, but live clearer—clear about the gospel, clear about our calling, and clear about who we ultimately serve. Bold lives flow naturally from called hearts.
Remember: the same God who called Paul by grace is still calling His people today.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Patrick