 | The Cross on Campus; How Should a Student Respond to the Cross? Steve Lounsbury Evangelist, LA Church of Christ - Tuesday, April 17, 2001
What does the cross mean to the average college student?
Does the average college student understand it? No Way!
Does the average college student believe it? Sort of!
 In the day-to-day activity on the college campus the Cross of Christ is like History 101. People have been taught the information and have listened to the story. They have "taken that class". Many treat it as a prerequisite, but it does not change their day. Just like history class, it is information that seems interesting to some, dead and boring to others. Either way when "class" is over they leave it behind.
Yet the cross is the greatest event in the history of the world and it should have the greatest impact on the college campus.When I was a student at UCLA I never even considered the Cross. Not once did I truly reflect on what it was about, what it meant, or why it was significant. Yet if someone asked me if I was a "Christian" my answer was "Yes"! I knew the story of Jesus but it had zero effect in my life.
When God eventually woke me up through the love, example and teaching of his disciples, the cross was still hard to grasp. It took a lot of pounding on my hard heart to see the power of the cross. Even now, 10 years later, the depth of its riches are still sinking in. We must always remain students of the cross. We can never study it too much, meditate on it too much, or preach about it too much.
How we respond to the cross will define our lives on the campus and for eternity.
How do you respond? Consider the following choices in view of the cross.
1.) We can stand in unbelief or we can bow down.
John 20:24-29
Stand in unbelief...
We can be skeptical. The cross is foolishness, it really did not happen. We can intellectualize the cross too much! It seems too distant. We can be obstinate in our hearts. We don't believe because we choose not to. It doesn't make sense because we do not want it to. We look for all the reasons to be skeptical instead of faithful.
When we are skeptical and critical of each other it destroys our relationships, how much more our faithfulness to God! (Gal 5:15) Many see the cross and simply stand in unbelief. They resist its message.
Or bow down...
The truth is simple. We need only believe it and bow down like Thomas. Repent and believe the good news is what Jesus kept preaching! It really is simple. God is pleased when we believe what is true. Jesus is watching every move we make! He absolutely wants us to bow down and follow him.
2.) We can run or we can weep
Matthew 27:24
Choose to run...
Pilate saw that an uproar was starting. He saw that conflict was arising. He saw that being on Jesus' side would not really be the popular thing, even though he knew it was right! He did not want to take responsibility for his actions. He ran from the right thing. He made excuses!
Excuse making puts you in the same league as Pilate.
Do you make excuses for giving in to actions you know are wrong? Do you minimize your sins so your choices do not seem that bad! Taking responsibility is not a natural strength for most college students. Excuses demonstrate pride and self-reliance. Relying on yourself will reveal how weak you are and in your pride you are forced to make excuses. In order not to change you make excuses for why you do not have to. Change takes humility. It takes honesty. It takes pain.
Matthew 27:3-5
Judas also ran. He knew clearly what was right! But he did not want to face the pain of his actions. He pushed them out of his mind. He ran from the truth and pain of who he was! When we avoid looking at the cross daily and considering our responsibility for it we are like Judas.We hang ourselves spiritually by not facing the truth head on. We are cowards. We do not want to get open about clear sins in our life. We are afraid of the consequences here and now more than what will happen before God.
Matthew 26:75
Or choose to weep...
Face the reality of who we are and what we have done. Feel the pain and let it change us. We need to make the decision that no matter how hard it gets we will do what is right. Decide to live with the pain of accepting your mistakes and admit your failure. In this, is the greatest of hope. Peter wept and let the pain sink in, but he did not run and quit. Three days later he saw the victory God had planned. We need God and his grace.
3) We can get religious or we can get radical
Acts 8:18-23
Do you get Religious...?
Religion has been the source of incredible conflict and war in our world. Fights and quarrels come from selfish desires when we do not get what we want. James 4:1-2. Religion can distance us even farther from God because we begin to think we understand everything. We think we are righteous by our religious behavior instead of by the cross.
Selfishness, greed, pride, and hypocrisy are indicators of religiousness instead of righteousness.
Are you selfish with your time? What about you purpose. Is it really what Jesus asked you to do?
Are you greedy? Are you more focused on money than souls? Are you defensive? What if someone challenges you on pride -- do you respond in a prideful way? Are you self-righteous? Do you feel like a "Good Person" inside? Do you think in your heart, "I have God's grace so my sin is not that bad"? Grace expected is not grace accepted. Religiousness will not change our campuses.
Acts 8:32-39
Or do you get Radical...?
The cross should call us to a Radical Life! This Ethiopian was an awesome example. He heard about the cross and he responded immediately. He got radical! We need to do the same. Get radical about personal change! The power that raised Jesus will transform you! (Phil 3:21) Get radical about the lost. WE ARE NEEDED! | |