Former Senator Dwight Morrow searched in vain to find  his train  ticket as he was leaving New York City. “I must find that ticket,” he muttered. The conductor, waiting beside him, said, “Don’t worry about it Mr. Morrow, we know you had a ticket . Just mail to the railroad when you find it.” “That’s not what’s troubling me, replied Morrow. “I need to find it so I can know where I’m going.” A lot of people have a life ticket but they don’t know where their going to end up after it’s all said and done!

Knowing one’s end goal gives life meaning, hope and purpose. To have a end goal or central aim in life helps to guide one’s decisions and direction in life. It keeps one from wandering aimlessly  and recklessly through life. Everyone ought to have an end goal that motivates and compels them to keep waking up and working hard each day. While raising families, being productive citizens, owning  homes, building large financial portfolio’s or serving humanity might be worthy end goals. None of them compare to the end goal of being presented to God as a mature believer in Christ when this life is all said and done!

As Paul was wrapping up chapter one of Colossians, he revealed his end goal for God’s people. Paul’s end goal was to present everyone mature in Christ. Paul’s end goal wasn’t to be famous, powerful or rich, his end goal was to present saved people displaying Christ-like character and conduct before God. And he would do so through the means of preaching, teaching and admonishing. Christlikeness involves preaching, admonishing and teaching. Christian maturity can’t take place without these three essential components at work in a person life. People must hear and respond to the gospel to be saved. Saved people in order to grow in Christ need correction or admonishment. The task of admonishing is more than calling out and correcting ungodly ways, it involves directing one towards a course of action. Its guiding one away from the ways of world to the ways of God’s word! And one cannot be admonished apart from be taught. Admonishing and teaching go hand in hand. When the Christians end goal is to be like Christ in every way, he or she will gladly receive and submit to the preaching, admonishing and teaching ministry of their pastor and church. What’s your end goal? It should be Christlikeness!

God, give me divine power to consistently desire and pursue maturity in Christ as my end goal , Amen!