In less than one month thousands of college students will come back to Norman. Yes, it will take twice as long to get through the War Mart check out line, and no, I will no longer be able to cut through campus on my drive home due to increased traffic … but I don’t care.
I. CANNOT. WAIT.
I love the University. I am so thankful for the opportunity we have as a church family to welcome these students to our community each year, and invite them to follow Jesus with us and live for His glory. It is one of the main reasons (humanly speaking) I am in Norman, OK!
But as I was walking through Target today (enjoying the calm before the storm), I had this thought: what REALLY makes someone an OU student? How do I know who the real college students are?
Well, we might be tempted to think that every young person wearing an OU T-shirt and Crocs walking through Target is an OU student, but that would be a rather superficial understanding. After all, MANY young people who live in Cleveland County, don’t go to OU. And, they will sell OU T-shirts to anyone who will buy one; you don’t have to show a student ID to purchase. So what makes an OU student an OU student?
THEY ARE CURRENTLY TAKING CLASSES AT OU!
(NOTE: Thanks for tuning in for insight this profound … I appreciate you coming to my TED talk!)
Not all wearing OU T-shirts are students and not all students wear OU T-shirts, but all students are students! The proof is in the pudding.
Now, I say this as we approach week 2 of our July sermon series “roundtrip.” Last week we asked the question, “Is it possible for someone who once followed Jesus, but now no longer does, to come back home to Him?” From Jeremiah 29:11 and Luke 15:11-32, we found the answer is an emphatic YES! In fact, our God longs for all His prodigal sons and daughters to come home. But we ended last week’s message with a question … “what does coming home to Jesus look like?”
Does it look like a facebook or Instagram declaration that you are with Jesus again? Does it look like putting on a cross necklace or downloading the YouVersion Bible app? Well, these things are certainly not BAD AT ALL (in fact they might be great!) but they are not the strongest indicators of a heart that has truly turned back to Christ. Social media reposts and Christian things CAN BE indicators of a changed life, but we all know those who make bold internet claims, without a life direction that backs it up … and we all know that not everyone who wears a cross or has certain apps is truly following Jesus. So what is it that makes a Christian a Christian?
THEY ARE CURRENTLY FINDING THEIR ALL IN ALL IN CHRIST!
Christians are people who have made Jesus their home, not their vacation spot or status symbol or sometimes (when it is convenient) fashion. This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church in our 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 worship services, we will look to Ezra 1-6 and the book of Haggai to see what a previous generation learned about what it looks like to go roundtrip back to God and demonstrate that with a priority on worship.
Hope you make plans to be with us Sunday for this study as we worship together, celebrate the Lord’s Supper together, and follow Jesus together for the glory of God. Hope to see you Sunday … and bring friends!!!!!