Think of all the things we give power to define us. Our last name. The accidents of our birth. The community to which we choose to belong. What we do for a living. 

The Christian story says that, in Christ, and through the gospel, God is calling you to a new identity. It comes with a new name. A new birth. A new community. And a new vocation. 

This is who you are called to be. This is who you really are.

The sermon today is titled "Calling." It is the fourth installment in our "Identity" Series. The Scripture reading is from Galatians 3:28 & 1 Thessalonians 2:12. Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on March 5, 2023. All lessons fit under one of 5 broad categories: Begin, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under Discover: A New Identity.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Footnotes (Sources and References Used In Today's Podcast):

• For this series, I formed my outline (and begin each lesson) by consulting James Bryan Smith's The Good & Beautiful You. For this lesson, see especially chapter 9: "You Have A Sacred Story" & chapter 10: "You are called."
• 55% of us get our identity from what we do.
• Kate Morgan, "Why We Define Ourselves By Our Jobs," BBC (13 April, 2021).
• Hillary Mayell, "India's 'Untouchables' Face Violence, Discrimination," National Geographic (June 2, 2003).

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