Jesus our Ultimate Goal

School Truth & Transformation / Speaker Skye Jethani / Topic “Vocation”

Why are so many people abandoning religion including Christianity? Religion is useless, it doesn't accomplish at all what it promises, because is fear based, seeking control, trying to win Gods favor by works, or by obeying the rules. During this week we saw the different basics expressions (or postures) of religion in Christianity. There is an element of truth on each one of the assumptions, just that they should not be the ultimate goal as you will see. 

Life under God works with the idea that the world is a dangerous place. But if you follow the rules perfectly, you will be safe. If you pull the right strings, the world will go the way you want. Life over God looks like having the Bible as centrality, but without a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Is using the Bible as a manual for life, having biblical marriage, biblical friendships, etc. but leaving the relationship with God out of the equation, a bit like the Pharisees. Life from God has to do with fulfilling your desires. Everything exists for you and what you pursue in life. You are the center of the universe. Everything orbits around you. It's like the consumerist Christianity. Using the Gospel to satisfy your desires, and what God can do for you. It can end up in prosperity Gospel easily. Life for God is all about "The Mission", it's not about you, it's about Gods purposes. It's an activist Christianity. Your identity is based on the mission instead of a son of God. What you do for God, being a Pastor, been a missionary, working in the Church is the main goal. Many do an idol out of this...

After walking through all these stages, and acquiring more maturity in our Christian growth, we can finally understand that a right relationship with God is "To Belong to Jesus" based on true freedom and awareness of His presence. To belong to Jesus is the ultimate goal we should pursue. Let's not get stuck with the wrong motivation in the inferior stages. Our ultimate calling is Jesus himself.

Our heavenly father is not focused mainly on fixing our sinful nature or cultivating a life of service, but our presence towards Him. He is not interested in recruiting us for a mission like an ultimate goal. He really doesn't need us, He wants us. The great gift of scripture is that clarifies who God is. Is a window to see him clearly. It's a vehicle to His heart to have communion with the lover of our souls. To be transformed by him, we need more awareness of what's going on in us and really go deep in our relationship with Him. It's a process from inside out, not the other way around.

What struck me is that from the Garden, we were created to co-create, cultivate, and work the disordered creation. A garden is intentionally cultivated, has a purpose and a design to manifest the glory of God. As their representatives on earth, God gives us his eyes, his heart for all creation. It is not only a story of redemption (after the fall) but a vocation from the beginning, it is in our DNA ... manifest the design of God for each sphere of society in each nation.

"Imagine a Christian community where followers of Christ are not merely focused upon church-based programs, but they are taught how to commune with Christ and glorify him in business, the arts, medicine, education and every other channel of the culture where he has called them. Such a church would exist not to advance its own agenda but to advance the common good." Skye Jethani