Created To Become Like Christ Series

CREATED TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST

Purpose #3 DISCIPLESHIP — 40 Days of Purpose

Philippians 2:5

Adapted from Outline by Rick Warren—Saddleback Church

INTRODUCTION:

In Shakespeare’s A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, the poor, foolish mortal characters come to the point of being unable to distinguish dreams from reality. Sleep, consciousness and magic flow freely into each other until none of those in the enchanted Grecian forest know for sure what was a dream and what was not.

We have all awakened from a dream that seemed so real our hearts were racing. Sometimes a dream is so happy and pleasant we wish we could go back to sleep to continue living in our dreamland. At other times we are like a child climbing in bed with his/her parents because our dreams cause such fear that we are desperate for comfort and peace.

The Bible tells us that God will sometimes give us dreams. Why? Well one reason is because God is a dreamer. God dreamed about you; before you were born, God imagined what your life could be like. God says, “I know the plans that I have for you . . . they are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 GW).

Until we discover God’s plan—His divine purpose for our lives—we will never see God’s dreams for our lives come true. Fortunately for us, God has not kept His dream for us a secret—God has let us in on His divine daring dream.

We have now crossed the half way point of our 40 days of purpose; today is day number 22 in our spiritual journey together. Through the last three weeks we have been learning the answer to the question, “What on earth am I here for?”

What is the first and greatest purpose for our lives? WORSHIP; you were planned for God’s pleasure. God wants us to learn to love Him back through everything we say and do. God does not want religious duty; He wants a loving relationship with us. God’s dream, His purpose for our lives is that we learn to know Him more each day and love Him for who He is. That’s what a relationship is all about.

Last week we looked at our second purpose for life which is FELLOWSHIP. You were formed for God’s family. God does not want us to live our lives isolated from others. God wants us to learn to love other believers in the church which is His family. It is only through loving relationships that we can become all God has planned for us to be; we need each other.

This morning we are going to discover the third purpose God put you on the planet. Look with me at Philippians 2:5 which is also our memory verse for this week.

• Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

What does it mean to say, “your attitude should be the same as Jesus?” Well, what is your attitude? It’s simply the way you think. Therefore, the Bible is telling us that the way you and I think—and in turn the way we act should be just like Jesus.

God’s plan for your life has always been, to make you like Jesus Christ. This is God’s third purpose for your life.

• Romans 8:29 (MsgB)

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son.

• (NLT) For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.

God wants us to learn to live our lives just like Jesus. God created man in His image, and His desire and plan has always been to make human being just like Himself.

Now, don’t get me wrong; I want to be perfectly clear. This does not mean you are going to be a god. You and I will never be a god. One of Satan’s first lies when he tempted Adam and Eve—a lie people still believe today is that you can become just like god.

God doesn’t want you to become a god; He wants you to become godly. He wants you to develop His character, the way He thinks, the way He acts, the way He feels—GOD WANTS YOU TO BECOME LIKE HIM. God wants you to have His values, His moral character. God wants to make you like Himself; we are to think and act like Jesus. And that’s God’s third plan for putting you on this planet, to make you like Jesus.

Let me summarize the first three purposes for you like this.

o Purpose #1—we are to worship God, that is we are to love our Heavenly Father, to love Jesus Christ, and to love the Holy Spirit.