VICTIMS

I Was Just Thinking About – VICTIMS.

Just a quick review of secular History reveals there have been several instances of innocent peoples becoming prey to ill-willed individuals who victimized them. In World War II, Germany set out to establish The Master Race. To accomplish their goal would require millions of Jewish people and other undesirables deemed unfit to become subjects of experiments and/or slaughtered during the Holocaust of World War II.

Worldwide, there is a vicious activity that has the label of Human Trafficking. There is also the gnawing issue of Abortion and the millions of innocent babies that have been killed. There are conversations and an inclination toward euthanasia continuing as a topic of discussion.

Today’s news has a story regarding the son of a former Penn State Assistant Football Coach who is serving a prison term of 30 to 60 years for child abuse. The report states that the son has now been charged with the similar crime of: “felony and misdemeanor child sex abuse charges. (He) was arraigned on Monday and charged on 14 total counts, including sexual assault of a child older than 11, sexual assault of a child less than 16, child sex abuse, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and corruption of minors.”

There is no shortage of victims in a decadent culture.

Biblical History focuses on the intolerable use by Rome of the practice of Crucifixion as a judgment and consequence for some crime(s) an individual had committed. One case in particular, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, at least two plausible questions emerge: (1) What crime had he committed? – and – (2) Was He an innocent victim who could do little to defend Himself or escape the pronounced judgment?

Was Jesus Christ the victim of a hostile culture or was He the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose to be the Redeemer and Savior for mankind? The Scriptures reveal:

I Peter 1:18-20, “You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life…but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.”

John 1:29, “John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 10:11, Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

John 12:27-28. Jesus is predicting His death and declares: “My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!”

Jesus did not come to be a victim but to be the Redeemer and Savior.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!