The Ultimate Goal

 “In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose. It says in the Bible that the whole universe was made for Christ and that everything is to be gathered together in Him.” —C. S. Lewis

 “That is exactly what we’re supposed to do! We’re supposed to identify with Jesus, act like Jesus, be like Jesus. That is what Christianity is supposed to be about: the imitation of Christ.” – Scott Peck

In football, the 22 players on the football field have one obsessive goal: to make sure the football crosses the goal-line of the opposition team. In fact, every player even while he is off the field is constantly training himself physically, mentally, and strategically to fulfill that ultimate goal.

We as Christ-followers live with this almost fanatical goal in life: to become like Christ in who we are and what we do. This goal is not just intensely pursued on a Sunday morning during the church service, or within the precincts of a church campus. We live our private and public lives throughout the week, passionately pursuing this goal to tangibly reflect Christ. Our thoughts, conversations, and actions seek to make Jesus real to people around us who have never seen Jesus.

Like Paul, lets make this bold declaration:

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me… I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:10,12,14