Embracing Your Calling: From Paul’s Transformation to Action
Summary
The life of the Apostle Paul offers a powerful example of transformation and purpose. Once a fierce persecutor of the church, Paul was radically apprehended by Christ and became a passionate builder of the church. His story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and that God can repurpose even the most misguided zeal for His kingdom. Paul’s declaration, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,” encapsulates a life surrendered to Christ, where all other allegiances—family, culture, tradition, and career—become secondary to the call of God.
This call is not about physical imprisonment, but about being spiritually apprehended by Christ. It means allowing God’s purpose to take precedence over every other identity or achievement. Paul’s challenge is to not let our family background, cultural norms, religious traditions, or career ambitions imprison us or define us more than our calling in Christ. Instead, we are invited to “walk worthy of the calling,” which is simply to take our availability and ability and offer them back to God for His purposes.
There is a crucial distinction between career and calling. A career may make the world a better place, but a calling makes the kingdom of God a better place. As followers of Christ, we are called to use our gifts—whether in hospitality, teaching, business, the arts, or any other field—not just for personal advancement or societal good, but for eternal significance in God’s kingdom. This is what it means to “swing the bat”—to get off the bench, step into the game, and honor the unique calling God has placed on each of our lives.
The invitation is clear: Don’t settle for a life defined by secondary things. Be apprehended by Christ, and let your calling have the highest authority in your life. Whether you are just beginning to follow Jesus or have walked with Him for years, the challenge is to make yourself available, connect your abilities to God’s kingdom, and do something of eternal significance. The call is not just to believe, but to act—to swing the bat and honor the calling God has given you.
Key Takeaways
- God’s grace can apprehend anyone, regardless of their past. Paul’s transformation from persecutor to apostle demonstrates that no one is too far gone for God’s redeeming love. When God captures a heart, He can redirect even the most misguided passions for His glory and the good of others. [05:35]
- Our primary identity must be as “prisoners of the Lord,” not as products of our family, culture, tradition, or career. These secondary identities, while significant, must yield to the authority of Christ’s call on our lives. True freedom comes when we allow God’s purpose to take precedence over every other allegiance. [10:07]
- The difference between career and calling is profound: a career impacts the world, but a calling impacts the kingdom. As believers, we are not just here to make the world a better place, but to make the kingdom of God a better place. This shift in perspective transforms how we use our gifts and talents, infusing them with eternal significance. [19:11]
- Walking worthy of the calling means offering both our availability and ability to God. It’s not about waiting for a perfect opportunity or feeling especially gifted; it’s about saying “yes” to God with what we have, trusting Him to use it for His purposes. This is the essence of spiritual honor—letting our calling have delegated authority over every other area of life. [18:00]
- The invitation to “swing the bat” is a call to action, not passivity. Many sit on the bench, distracted by secondary things or feelings of inadequacy, but God calls each of us to step into the game. Honoring our calling means refusing to let fear, fatigue, or comparison keep us from doing something of eternal significance. [23:47]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:39] - The Life and Impact of Apostle Paul
[01:22] - Imagining Paul in the 21st Century
[02:09] - Introducing “Swing the Bat”
[03:03] - Activating the Word in Community
[05:02] - Paul’s Transformation and God’s Grace
[07:25] - The Seven Words That Changed Everything
[08:05] - Paul’s Encounter on the Road to Damascus
[10:07] - Identity: Prisoner of the Lord Above All
[12:07] - Breaking Free from Cultural and Religious Chains
[15:32] - Counting All as Loss for Christ
[16:38] - Walking Worthy of the Calling
[18:00] - Defining Calling: Availability and Ability
[19:11] - Career vs. Calling: Earthly vs. Eternal
[23:09] - Get Off the Bench: Swing the Bat
[24:42] - Honoring Your Calling
[27:55] - Two Questions: Following and Serving
[32:36] - Are You Available for Eternal Significance?
[33:41] - Serving the Kingdom in the Marketplace
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: “Swing the Bat: Living Out Your Calling”
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### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 4:1
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
- Philippians 3:4-11
(Paul’s testimony about counting all things loss for Christ and knowing Him above all else.)
- Romans 12:1-2
(“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice… be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”)
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### Observation Questions
1. In Ephesians 4:1, what does Paul call himself, and what does he urge believers to do?
2. According to Philippians 3:4-11, what things did Paul consider “loss” for the sake of Christ?
3. In Romans 12:1-2, what does Paul say is our “reasonable service” to God?
4. The sermon described Paul’s transformation from persecutor to apostle. What event marked the turning point in Paul’s life? ([08:05])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for Paul to call himself a “prisoner of the Lord”? How is this different from being imprisoned by family, culture, tradition, or career? ([10:07])
2. Why does Paul emphasize that his primary identity is in Christ, rather than in his background or achievements? ([15:32])
3. The sermon draws a distinction between “career” and “calling.” How does this distinction change the way a believer might view their work or talents? ([19:11])
4. According to Romans 12:1-2, what does it look like to offer our availability and ability to God? How does this relate to “walking worthy of the calling”? ([18:00])
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon says, “No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.” Is there an area of your past or present where you feel “too far gone” for God to use you? How does Paul’s story challenge that belief? ([05:35])
2. Are there ways your family background, culture, religious tradition, or career have defined you more than your identity in Christ? What would it look like to let your calling in Christ have the highest authority? ([10:07])
3. The difference between career and calling is that a career makes the world a better place, but a calling makes the kingdom a better place. In your current job or daily life, how could you shift your focus from just “doing good” to making an eternal impact? ([19:11])
4. The sermon talks about “swinging the bat”—getting off the bench and stepping into your calling. What is one area where you feel you’ve been “sitting on the bench”? What’s holding you back from taking action? ([23:47])
5. Paul offered both his availability and ability to God. What is one specific gift, talent, or resource you have that you could offer to God’s purposes this week? ([18:00])
6. The message challenges us not to let fear, fatigue, or comparison keep us from doing something of eternal significance. Which of these (fear, fatigue, comparison) is most likely to keep you from stepping into your calling? What’s one step you can take to overcome it? ([23:47])
7. The invitation is to “walk worthy of the calling.” What is one practical way you can honor your calling in your family, workplace, or community this month? ([24:42])
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Devotional
Day 1: Captured by Grace: God Never Gives Up on You
No matter how far someone has wandered or how fiercely they have opposed God, His grace is always able to reach, transform, and redeem. Paul’s story reminds us that even when we are at our worst, God’s love pursues us, offering forgiveness and a new beginning. The Lord did not give up on Paul, the “chief of sinners,” and He will not give up on you. His grace is a gift, not something we can earn, and it is available to all who will receive it. [05:55]
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel unworthy of God’s grace? Ask God today to help you receive His gift of grace and trust that He has not given up on you.
Day 2: Living as a Prisoner of the Lord
True transformation comes when we surrender our lives fully to Christ, allowing Him to capture our hearts and direct our paths. Paul’s declaration, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,” shows that his identity, priorities, and purpose were no longer defined by his past, his culture, or his achievements, but by his relationship with Jesus. To be a prisoner of the Lord is to let Christ’s will take precedence over every other influence in our lives. [08:05]
Ephesians 4:1 (ESV)
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
Reflection: What is one area of your life—family, culture, tradition, or career—that you need to surrender so that Christ can take first place?
Day 3: Letting Go of Secondary Things
We are often tempted to let our family background, cultural norms, religious traditions, or career ambitions define us, but Christ calls us to let these become secondary to our calling in Him. Paul’s life demonstrates that what once seemed most important—heritage, tradition, status—must be laid down so that knowing Christ and fulfilling His purpose becomes our highest priority. The things that once imprisoned us lose their hold when we honor our calling above all else. [13:19]
Philippians 3:7-9 (ESV)
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Reflection: What is one “secondary thing” in your life that has become too important? How can you intentionally place your calling in Christ above it today?
Day 4: Walk Worthy of Your Calling
Every believer has a unique calling that involves offering their availability and ability to God for His kingdom. Walking worthy of your calling means recognizing that your gifts, talents, and opportunities are not just for personal advancement or making the world a better place, but for making an eternal impact in God’s kingdom. Whether in the marketplace, the arts, education, or any field, your calling is to connect what you have to what God is doing. [19:11]
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your gifts or abilities this week to serve God’s kingdom rather than just your own interests?
Day 5: Swing the Bat: Honor Your Calling
God has given you a unique opportunity to do something of eternal significance—don’t settle for sitting on the bench. To “swing the bat” is to step out in faith, honor the delegated authority of your calling, and actively participate in what God is doing. Your calling is your honor; let it take precedence over every other allegiance or ambition. Don’t let fear, comparison, or distraction keep you from getting in the game and making a difference for the kingdom. [24:24]
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Reflection: What is one step you can take today to “swing the bat” and actively honor your calling in the kingdom of God?
Quotes
I know that my life was headed in the wrong direction and I just dropped by to tell you today that the Lord didn't give up on me and he certainly won't give up on you. as I shared with the Ephesian Christians. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. There was a gift that was extended to me in my life when I didn't deserve it. When I was the chief of all sinners, the Lord came along and he captured me and apprehended me. [00:05:43]
And I made a decision right there and then to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord, which is my reasonable spiritual service, not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect in the will of God. Again, I was captured by him. I was apprehended by him. I went from persecuting the church to preaching the gospel. [00:06:31]
I went from a persecutor of the church to a builder of the church to someone who persecuted preachers as the thorn in their flesh to someone who was a preacher myself with a thorn in my own flesh. And today I may become a thorn in your flesh when I challenge you concerning the seven words that transformed my life. These seven words I shared with the Ephesian Christians and today you can find it numbered in your Bible according to Ephesians chapter 4 and verse one. [00:07:11]
Those seven words declare, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord. I understand those words because I was on the road to Damascus. I was headed the wrong way. And suddenly there was this glorious light that began to shine. And I was overwhelmed. I was riding high on the horse of pride. And suddenly the Lord knocked me off of my high horse into the dirt of my own imperfection. [00:07:53]
And he said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And I responded, "Who art thou, Lord?" as if I didn't know. But I already knew who he was and is. And I believe that there are those who are here today who have experienced the Lord's knock on your door and you know who he is even though you may try to ignore or become oblivious to his invitation. He asked the question of you that is the same question that I ask. [00:08:44]
Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am the one, the Lord whom you are persecuting. And immediately I was confronted with a decision whether or not I would follow his voice. And so my life forever changed. And now I'm able to declare, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord. And there were things in my life that had captured me and imprisoned me that had to fall underneath this idea that I'm a prisoner of the Lord. [00:09:30]
Many of you know my family tree and my cultural upbringing. I was of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. I had cultural credentials that were well beyond so many others. And yet I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord became more important than my family tree and my cultural upbringing. Some of you know my religious tradition. I was blameless. I was a Pharisee. I crossed every tea and dotted every eye. [00:10:11]
If you would if you would relate it to Catholicism today, I would say that I said more Hail Marys and recited more responses in scripture than you can imagine. And yet what became important to me was I therefore the prisoner of the Lord. As far as career and job, I was climbing the wrong ladder that was leaning against the wrong building. My career choice was not the choice that the Lord had for me. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord became the priority in my life. [00:10:57]
I went on to share with the Ephesian Christians. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you. I beg you. I I I beg you to experience the same thing that I experience because I believe that some of you have also been imprisoned by issues and matters that should be secondary in your life rather than predominant. Some of you also have been captured by your family tree and your cultural upbringing. [00:11:47]
May I say that sometimes the Lord will require you to fall out of your family tree and sometimes he will challenge your cultural upbringing because the norms in culture must always be viewed through the grid and lens of what Christ says is acceptable and not what your culture may say is acceptable. Our culture said it was acceptable to stone a woman who committed adultery, but it was not acceptable to the Lord. [00:12:23]
Our culture said it was not acceptable for a blind man to be healed on the Sabbath day. And yet to the Lord it was acceptable. Sometimes cultural norms will not be what is acceptable to the Lord. hatred and unforgiveness and racism and injustice and murdering innocence and on and on and on may be acceptable in your culture, but that does not mean is it is acceptable to the Lord. [00:12:56]
Some of you also may be imprisoned or chained by your commitment to religious tradition. You're so connected and so bound up by your religion that you've missed the idea of the whole kingdom. Of course, in my day, we didn't have denominations as you have today. We were just all Christ followers. I suppose it's all right to be Baptist or Methodist or Presbyterian or Catholic or Pentecostal as long as those traditions do not become more prevalent than the kingdom of our God in the earth today. [00:13:42]
And I would say some of you may be imprisoned by your career because your career choice is your end all in everything. And I reminded of what Apostle Matthew said when he shared, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be added to you." You may think, Paul, you're certainly diminishing these areas, are you not? our family tree, our cultural upbringing, our religious traditions, our choice of career and job. [00:14:25]
But what I'm declaring to you today is the seven words that changed my life. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, though others might have more confidence in the flesh, I more circumcised the eighth day, as I told the Philippians, and not just the Ephesians, circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, as touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. [00:15:21]
But what things were gained to me, those things became a loss, that I might win Christ and be found in him, not following him by my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith which is in Christ Jesus, that I may know him. That I may know him. That I may know him. and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death. [00:15:56]
I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, beg you and beseech you not to be imprisoned by those things that are secondary, by those things that are a priority. I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling. walk worthy of the calling. See, I'm not talking about necessarily being imprisoned with physical chains. Although I I was imprisoned in physical chains, writing the book of Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians and Phileiman when I was in chains and in prison. [00:16:34]
But I'm really talking to you about spiritual apprehension and captivity where we understand that Christ has captured us and apprehended us spiritually. Walk worthy of the calling. And I know the elephant in the room is, well, what does that mean to walk worthy of the calling? What what is my calling? Well, let's define it this way. If I can just be as simple as possible. I believe that calling is the idea of taking your availability and your ability and giving it back to God. [00:17:26]
That's the calling that God has given to you to take your availability and your ability and to just give it back to God. to take your time, to take your talent and treasure and just give it back to God because there's a difference between a career and a calling. Now, I know for pre-Christians or non-Christians, career and calling is is basically the same thing. As a pre-Christian or non-Christian, you will give your life to make the world a better place. That's your career and your calling. [00:18:14]
But can I share with you that when you become a believer, a Christian, that your career and your calling become two distinct things. that now you're not just here to make the world a better place in a career, but you are here to make the kingdom a better place in calling. A career makes the world a better place, but a calling makes the kingdom a better place. A career does something of earthly significance, but a calling does something of eternal significance. [00:18:59]
So in other words, before you were a Christian, if if you were gifted and talented in hospitality and random acts of kindness, you would gift that to make the world a better place. But when you become a Christian now, you take it to the next level and you realize that hospitality and acts of kindness are not just to make the world a better place, but to make the kingdom of God a better place. Before you were a Christian, if you were good in marketing or branding, you were just doing something to impact culture with marketing and branding. [00:19:38]
But now as a Christian, you're not just impacting the world. Your calling says, "I want you to be available and I want you to take your ability for marketing and for branding and I want you to connect it to the kingdom of God and make the kingdom a better place." If you're teachers and communicators in the public school dis uh district ISD, as someone who might be a pre-Christian or a or a non-believer, your goal would be to teach children how to read and write or teach them about science or just to help them make the world a better place. [00:20:23]
But now as a Christ follower, you're not just here to make the world a better place, but you're to help those children to connect to the kingdom of God. So you can make the kingdom a better place. Walk worthy of the calling. If your gift is in retail to provide a delivery system to culture, how can you take your gift of retail and provide a delivery system to impact the kingdom of God? If your gift is in arts, if your gift is in music or acting or in uh creative expression, how can you take your gift in arts and not just make the world a better place, but connect those gifts to the kingdom of God and make the kingdom of God a better place? [00:21:09]
Because I can tell you that some are sitting on the bench and not swinging the bat. Ah, there it is. Now, we didn't have baseball in the first century, but baseball exists in your day. And when we understand that there are those who sit on the bench and never get in the game, we understand they're missing the whole point of I therefore the prisoner of the Lord. Don't settle for staying on the bench. Swing the bat. Don't get distracted by secondary things. Swing the bat. [00:22:09]
Don't watch others play in the game and think that you are not as gifted or not as talented or that you're inferior to what others can give in the kingdom. Swing the bat. Get in the game. Be available to connect your ability to the kingdom of God. I like to Say it this way. Honor your calling. You know the word honor is about delegated authority. If a judge walks into the room, we would say your honor because we are reverencing or revering the delegated authority that just walked in the room that will make the final decision concerning the case that is before them. [00:22:41]
Understand that your calling has delegated authority and that your calling is your honor. So when you consider your family tree, say your honor and allow the delegated authority of your calling to become more important than your family tree. Whatever your cultural upbringing is, say your honor and allow the delegated authority of your calling to take pre precedence over your cultural upbringing, your religious tradition, your career choice. Say your honor because your calling will walk into the room. [00:24:50]
And at that moment, your calling must have the delegated authority over every part of religious tradition and every part of your career or job. I wished I had the time to go into verse two, but Pastor Wayman won't let me. I'm sorry I went out of character there. That's a no no in theater. Pastor Wayman will be sharing verse two next Sunday. But my challenge to you today is I therefore the prisoner of the Lord be captured. Be apprehended by your calling. I beg you and beseech you, don't sit on the bench. Walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called. [00:25:28]
God has gifted you with a unique opportunity to swing the bat, to do something of eternal significance in this life. Don't settle for anything less. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord. [00:25:54]
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