Since starting our 40 Days of Purpose we have established that we were planned for God’s pleasure. Our 1^st purpose is WORSHIP. Jesus said,

We have also established that we were formed for God’s family. Our 2nd purpose is FELLOWSHIP. Paul said,

This morning we are going to focus on our third purpose.

I have put something in the junior sermon box this morning to use for this morning’s message. Before I show you what it is I am going to give you a hint to see if you can guess what’s in the box. The object in the box has endless possibilities.

The object’s possibilities differ according to the abilities of the person who has the object.

Using your abilities and imagination you could make many different things.

I have in the box modeling clay.  In my hand this modeling clay can be made into a magnificent snake.  I can make snakes of different lengths, different widths and even different colors.  However if I were to give this modeling clay to someone who has artistic abilities, someone who sculptures I'm sure this block of clay could be transformed into endless possibilities.

The same is true with your life and mine.  Our lives are definitely a reflection of whose hands we have placed our lives into.  They are a reflection of where we spend our most time, energy and money.

Just the other day I was reading from my daily devotional a story about a youth basketball game.  The game was one of those early Saturday morning games, where the players looked like they hadn’t even woken up.  The parent’s were sitting in the stands holding onto Styrofoam cups filled with coffee.

At one point in the game, as a youth stepped to the foul line to take a foul shot there was complete silence in the gym. One of the parents observed, “Wow, it’s so quiet it’s like we’re in church.” To which another parent replied, “This is our church.”

The devotional reads, “At that point in life, it sounded as if that dad was worshipping and leading his family to worship at the shrine of his kid’s sports.  We often make a decision to serve Christ at a particular time and in a particular moment.  We seldom switch to other gods with a decision as conscious as that.  But it is possible for sports, money, relationships, work, sex, or anything else to so occupy our thoughts and activities that they serve as our god.

This morning is as good a time as any to examine your life.  God did not create us to become masters of our own destiny.  He created us so we could become like his Son.

MY 3^rd PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST.

God wants to see the evidence of Christ in our thoughts, our actions, our attitudes, and our feelings.  As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15 

God wants us to grow up as much as every parent wants his or her child to grow up.  As cute as my 22 month old grandson Matthew is I certainly wouldn’t want him to remain as a 22 month old.

I know every parent at some time or another watches their child sleeping and thinks if they could only remain this age.  I am sure they weren’t thinking that earlier in the day when their child was dumping an entire container of fish food into the fish tank or when he put a Hershey bar into the tape player.

Thank God, He created us to grow up.  God created us to grow, to mature emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.  The process of spiritual maturity is called “discipleship.”  Discipleship is the process of becoming like Christ.  How long will this process take? The answer is simple, everyday for the rest of your life.

Discipleship requires doing the obvious.

Spending time in God’s Word.  The only way God’s word is going to transform your life is when you spend time in God’s Word.

Spending time with each other, learning from each other, and sharing with each other are all important factors to help you grow. Let's not forget even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.

Spending time in God’s Word and with God’s family is only the beginning.  As a matter of fact there isn’t anything that God doesn’t use to help us become like Christ.  As scripture states,

All things such as troubles, temptation and trespasses.

Troubles or trials are situations used by God to draw us close to Him. Unfortunately we see troubles and trials as situations that hurt us. When was the last time that you thought this trial is going to help me?  This is not our natural response.  Trials take away our peace and our comfort, which many people believe is their purpose in life. Living a comfortable life is not one of God’s purposes for your life. God is not interested in producing comfort.  God is interested in building Christ like character.

There is nothing wrong with telling God your wants and desires for your troubles and trials.  Notice what Jesus said next,

Jesus was saying I want Your will, not my will.  God, whatever fills your purpose in my life.

If you and I are going to become like Christ we have to learn to TRUST God completely.  God uses troubles and trials to teach us TRUST.  As the Bible states, 

The devil’s intent was to bring Jesus down. The devil’s intent has not changed.  He wants to bring us down.  Temptation provides us a choice.  We either choose to obey or to disobey.  It is not a sin to be tempted.  It is a sin when you yield to the temptation.

Our temptation is no different than the lies the devil told Adam and Eve.  Eat the apple and you will be like God.  If you are like God you won’t need God.  You can be your own God.

You will never outgrow temptation. You will never get to a point in your life where you become so spiritual or so old that you are not tempted any more.  Temptation tests your love for God.  Every temptation is an opportunity to do good, to make the right choice. Choosing to say ‘Yes to God’ is a matter of love not duty.

Jesus said,

Dealing with those who trespass against us is perhaps the most difficult thing we are called to do.  Our natural tendency is to get even, to retaliate.  Bearing the hurts other people inflict us with is without a doubt the most important and most difficult steps in becoming like Christ.

There are times in our life when it reflects Jesus on the cross.  When Jesus was on the cross he endured people shaking their heads in disgust and shock, people hurling insults, elders making fun of him. What was Jesus response?

Jesus yielded His right to get even.  He absorbed the hurt.  He put up with the pain.  He responded to the evil done to Him with good.  If you and I are going to be like Christ we have to learn to forgive. Remember God has forgiven you.  Scripture states

In order for us to become like Christ we must realize that we will go through our own Gethsemane where we must learn to TRUST.  We will go through our own wilderness temptations where we must learn to OBEY.  We will go through our own Calvary where we must learn to FORGIVE.

We were created to become to like Christ. Therefore