"I'm George Zimmerman"

John 8:1-7

My Name is George Zimmerman

Well, unless you have been hiding under a rock somewhere in a non-populated part of the world, you have heard this name...probably more than you would like to have over the last several months. You’ve watched TV and other media and watched “me” being tried, fried... I’ve lied, seen family members who cried and any and every other thing...that might thyme or reason. You’ve heard of me... one way or the other.

No doubt you have given your opinion concerning my innocence or lack thereof; you probably empathized with Trayvon and his family and maybe you might have sympathized with me... or not. However, you see it…no one won! Trayvon is dead; and I’m sentenced to life; look over my shoulder from now on; suspicious of every person meeting me on the street. Look at me ... I’m George Zimmerman!!!

Now right away, you’re saying...Bishop...we know who you are and you ain’t no George Zimmerman! We love you but George Zimmerman ... well; I don’t know what to think I feel about him. But you’re not he.

However, for the sake of this lesson this morning ... My name is George Zimmerman. Maybe, maybe there may be some other George Zimmermans here in a minit. You see ... most of you know me (George Zimmerman) by what you have seen or heard of me over the last several months. You have made you opinions known to many; you have most likely tried me in your court; found me … “whatever”;

1

You’ve sentenced me and I am already where you placed me. But here I am this morning... in your presence...I’m George Zimmerman.

Let me tell you what I did. I shot and killed a young black man named Trayvon Martin in Miami,(Sandford) Florida. I have not come here today to gloat my freedom or prove any innocence. Whatever the case or cause, circumstances of mitigating circumstances ... , here it is ... I did it! I just ask that you would hear me out and then ... make your decision. These are some of the facts surrounding the ordeal. I’m George Zimmerman and this is what I did:

On February 26, 2012 ... on my rounds, as a neighborhood watchman, doing what I convinced myself that I was supposed to do...

I made a personal judgment on a human being that I encountered. No. 1: I defied Matthew 7:1; I did not know him ... had not seen him before but even though I had not had a personal meeting with him to know him ... I decided what … and who he was. I couldn’t see him; and even if I could, I still didn’t know him. BUT, I decided within myself that he was no good and up to no good.

I’m George Zimmerman ... but I wonder is there anyone here that ever saw someone that you didn’t know; had, no doubt, never seen...but you decided within your court that they were no good; that they were up to no good. You didn’t know them but you didn’t like them simply because they were the wrong color or wore the wrong color; or didn’t talk like you, or; whatever, they just "rubbed you wrong"!!!

You made a judgment, right or wrong. You made a judgment call. You probably didn’t shoot them with a gun but maybe you killed them by character assassination, a cold shoulder or hot conversations. I’m George Zimmerman and I passed judgment on someone I didn’t know.

The second thing I did was ... I pursued, followed something; someone I had been told to leave alone. After I was told not to pursue this person, I got out of my safety zone and followed someone, something I had no business pursuing. I’m not trying to slither out of anything or justify anything but is there anyone here who has ever pursued after something or someone ... you had been told to let alone?

Stay in your house and don’t follow; stay with your spouse and let it alone; don’t follow; stay away; (alcohol; drugs; gambling, sexual encounters, etc.) flee the lust of the flesh. BUT... you couldn’t stay away ... and ran up on something, someone ... and brought about a tragic outcome. You may not have shot them but ... you may have killed a relationship; destroyed someone’s trust; broke someone’s heart. I’m George Zimmerman. What’s your name?

Thirdly, in my conceit, I took matters in to my own incapable, self-gratifying hands. As a matter of fact, I may have even created the scenario just so I could do what I wanted to do. I proclaimed me right and Trayvon wrong. This is what I want to do; the adversary tells me …no one will find out; no one will ever know. Do it. You can get away with it …however, I had to come to grips with the fact that I might get by but I’ll never get away. Look at me … I’m George Zimmerman … but who are you.