Theme: Jesus Christ gracious calls sinners to be part of his people; praise him for his mercy, serve him in your place

Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. – Isaiah 49:1

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5

At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. -2 Corinthians 11:32-33

Church is derived from the Old Testament where the people of Israel were the assembly of the LORD (e.g. Deuteronomy 23:2, 8; 1 Chronicles 28:8) or the assembly of Israel (e.g. Leviticus 16:17; Deuteronomy 31:30; 1 Kings 8:14, 22). When Paul says that he ‘persecuted the church of God’ (Galatians 1:13), he thereby demonstrates his understanding that Christians (not Jews) are the true people of God.