Zimmerman, Trayvon, and Jesus!

For some the decision was abominable.

For others it was justice.

Some believe that the whole event was simply and completely about race.

Others see it as a bad circumstance gone awful.

Here are the indisputable facts as we stand here today.  A young man is now in eternity.  Another man’s life is altered forever.  A set of parents will never see their boy again.  Justified or unjustified, Zimmerman will forever live with the weight of having taken another man’s life.  People on both sides of the issue, who do not have all the information (no one does, we weren’t there) are throwing out accusations at those who are on the opposite side of the issue.  The media, as always, are doing their best to profit from the lives that have been lost and altered.  And, criminals (yes they are criminals) are attacking innocent people in the name of someone they never met or knew.

Regardless of what you think about the event, the trial, and the verdict, I’d like to share a few things with you that, if you truly believe the Bible, we should all agree on.

Racism is a sin.  Did you know that the term ‘races’ is a modern word, and in the original language it isn’t even used in the Bible? Now, our modern Bibles have indeed used the word ‘race’ because it is commonly used today, but the best, most accurate translation would simply be ‘peoples’.  The Bible teaches very clearly that God created one man and on woman(Gen 2:20-25), and that from their seed every human being on the planet has their existence, and their sinful nature (Romans 5:12-13).  One of the largest reason I verbally, strongly, and vehemently resist evolution, is that at its core is racism.  Evolution teaches that the different ‘races’ are at different levels of the evolutionary development (Great article laying this out: http://www.icr.org/article/55/).  To discriminate against anyone because of the color of their skin is not only stupid, but it is outright sin.  The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world (Rom 5:8ff), that all mankind is loved by God (John 3:16), and that we are to treat everyone that we meet as ‘better than ourselves’ (Phil 2:3).  And I want to be VERY clear here, I have seen massive racism since this verdict was announced, and it wasn’t just from ‘white’ people.  Yes, racism is a two way street that is walked by all shades of skin pigmentation!

Politics, government, rallies, and benefit concerts will never end racism.  If racism is a sin you cannot legislate it away.  You cannot elect a politician who gives great and rousing speeches who will convince people to stop being racist.  I don’t care if you have a million people at a rally shouting “Racism is evil!”, you’ll have 10 million thinking racist thoughts as they watch them do it on the tv.  And, personally, if one more self-appointed, self-important, alcoholic, drug induced, narcistic, actress/actor/singer/songwriter/musician/entertainer gives their ignorant opinion on this I just might barf…was that too much?

The hope and freedom that Jesus offers is the only hope and true freedom!  You want to stop racism, to end violence, to shut the human trafficking and sex slave industries down, to end abortions, and every other hot button issue you can think of?  Then my friend, you need to start living like and start sharing Jesus Christ.  Jesus can take the grand marshal/pubah, whatever, of the KKK and turn him into an inter-city missionary married to a girl from South-Central Philly!  Jesus can transform a Black Panther into a suburban pastor married to a girl from Minnesota!  You don’t believe me, look at the Apostle Paul.  He had more hate in his heart for Christian and Gentiles than Farrakhan has for ‘white people’.  In Paul’s own words he called himself the ‘worst of sinners’ yet Jesus not only saved him, but made him THE missionary/apostle to the Gentile world.

My friends, our world will never change because sin reigns here.  Until the day that Jesus returns and restores, this world will continue to careen towards the abyss.  But that doesn’t mean we cannot be an influence for change in the lives around us.  Look at the people around you, who needs Jesus?  What role does Christ want you to play in their lives?  Your story is powerful, tell it!  Your life speaks of Jesus, let Him be heard!  You want to change the world?  Well, you can’t……But Jesus can!