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”;
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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.
Is there anyone here that has ever created a situation just so you could do what you wanted? You know what I mean, start an argument just so you could feel justified in doing what you had already planned to do? You wanted to go somewhere, so you picked a fight so you could storm out of the house. I’m George Zimmerman; what’s your name? You may have asked a question...to use the pre-conceived answer as a spring board to do what you had all ready planned to do! I'm George Zimmerman...who are you?
But finally ... since we have so much in common … can I call you brethren? Finally brethren; let me tell you my fortune; I’m not going to take the witness stand to try to protest my innocence; I’m not going to even say that I did or didn’t act in a righteous manner. After all, I did take something that I couldn’t give back; I took something that didn’t belong to me; I took something that I had no right to take. I cannot say that I didn’t do it. Yes, I’m George Zimmerman … and I took another human’s life!!!I Did it!!! But look …
The prosecutors have argued and argued; they have sought to prove me guilty; my accusers have presented evidence; viable, verifiable, non-vindicating evidence to prove me guilty. I must admit that not everything they said was a lie. Much of the stuff they said about me was true; I’m George Zimmerman … Is there anybody else here that can admit to that? Your adversary, the devil still goes before God to accuse you and much of the stuff he says about you is actually true. Can I get ... one, two, three witness? BUT, guess what? ... I had lawyers speaking for me; they would not allow my adversaries to even put me on the witness stand; I had a lawyer who sacrificed their reputation to get me free.
My attorney would not let the haters get me; they growled; and fired their weapons of destruction at me but ...look at me... I’m George Zimmerman ... and when the dust had settled, when the gavel was pounded ... ... I was declared … NOT GUILTY!!! I didn’t say I was not guilty... I said I was declared to be not guilty; in the courts that’s called justification.
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I wonder if there are any more George Zimmermans in the house. ... If there are, let him without sin cast the first stone!!!
You’re George Zimmerman! Guilty as charged ... the odds against you ...but you have an attorney ... who could talk to the judge in your behalf; who sacrificed His life so you could be free. And when it was over; you were declared ...NOT GUILTY!!! Not Guilty!!!
No, I shouldn’t have done it...but then I’m kinda like Apostle Paul...That that I do, I shouldn’t do; that I want not to do is what I do;
When I desire to good, evil is present with me.
They were going to condemn you but the court declared; there is no condemnation to them that love the Lord. Thank you Lord. Then I asked ... who shall deliver me from this body of death. The verdict came back …I thank God thorough Jesus Christ.
I’m George Zimmerman and I have been declared ... NOT Guilty!!!
Is there anybody else in here ... you know you did wrong; you made some bad decisions; followed someone or something you shouldn’t have; killed a relationship; broke a heart; destroyed a family. Yes, you know you did it but GRACE!!! Grace and mercy...
Declared not guilty because he died, but he wouldn’t stay dead. He got up. Thank you Jesus … I’m George Zimmerman; I can’t throw the stone! Thank you Jesus!!!
