Bleeding Trayvon Martin Presented As The New Messiah In The Nativity Scene At A United Methodist "Church"

At a Claremont United Methodist church, an artist has changed the nativity scene into a political (and liberal) issue, featuring, not the baby Jesus with His mother Mary  and father Joseph, but with a bleeding, hood-wearing Trayvon Martin.

Excerpts from Breitbart's report:

John Zachary, the artist, told me the acquittal in July of George Zimmerman, who fatally shot the 17-year-old African-American in 2012, struck him as a worthy subject for Christmas comment.

For one thing, the backdrop to the Christmas story is the slaughter by King Herod of all infants in Bethlehem, a barbarous attempt to kill the Messiah.

'What if Jesus was lying there bleeding to death? I was kind of thinking of that,' Zachary said."

The title of the nativity "art" is called " 'A Child is Born, a Son is Given,' the wording outlined in red formed from a pool of blood at Trayvon’s feet."

The Church's pastor, Sharon Rhodes-Wickett, said the scene was hard to to look at. 

End quote.

First of all, (and do I really need to state the obvious?) the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman case has zero to do with Christmas or Jesus Christ.  Martin was a 17 year old thug and Zimmerman was aquitted of murder charges. And both were sinners as are all outside of Christ.

Secondly the "backdrop to the Christmas story is the slaughter by King Herod of all infants in Bethlehem" is factually incorrect. That didn't happen until later. The actual backdrop, politically speaking , was a CENSUS by Caesar Augustus which is why Joseph and Mary, who were from Nazareth, traveled to Bethlehem, as they were of David's line. (The census was  likely in order to later extract a tax from each household /estate.)

Luke 2:1  Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.2  This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 

The real backdrop was that the promised Messiah had come to Israel just as Scripture said He would.

Mat 1:22  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23  "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

As Simeon said while holding the baby Jesus:

Luke 2:30  For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31  Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32  A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel." 

Mat 2:5  They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 

Mat 2:6  'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" 

Eight days later they were back in Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord at the temple according to Luke 2:21-22.

Herod's desire to kill all children two years and under came, again, well after the birth of Jesus Christ: 

Mat 2:1  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2  "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 

By this time they were not at a stable (or farm animal area to accommodate the vast numbers visiting in order to register as required by the king, as was more likely),  and Jesus was not in a manger in swaddling cloths, but at a house:

Mat 2:11  After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Besides all that, the attempt to kill the King of kings was an attempt to kill the Sinless One; Jesus Christ the God-Man---the eternal Son of God and God the Son who took on flesh when He was conceived in Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. Trayvon Martin was no sinless Messiah. Do I even have to say that?

Also, ironically ignored is that the Sinless Lamb of God did in fact get murdered by men when He was illegally crucified on the cross. There's no wondering "what if Jesus was lying there bleeding to death" because Jesus did bleed and He did die as a perfectly sinless Person in order to atone and redeem many sinners. Martin was not sinless, innocent, nor a messiah. He was more like one of the thieves who hung alongside Jesus on a cross who rightly was crucified. In other words Martin was a sinner who deserved death as we all do (Rom. 3:23). And while lawfully he didn't deserve to die,  Martin was not akin to Jesus hanging on a cross.

And as for this: "The title of the nativity "art" is called " 'A Child is Born, a Son is Given,' the wording outlined in red formed from a pool of blood at Trayvon’s feet.""

This is mocking the words of Isaiah of the true sinless Messiah:

Isa 9:6  For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. 

Psa 1:1  How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 

To blaspheme the prophecy and declaration of God the Son, Jesus Christ, to be born and be given by God the Father for the ransom of many and turn it on its head by making it about a 17 year old thug who was totally depraved is heinous. Martin saved no one and was given to redeem and atone for no one, least of all himself. He needed justification by the thrice holy God of Israel and atonement by Christ Jesus; he was not given to do that. Jesus was the Son of God ("son") and He was given as a ransom for many (Is. 53:5)

The fact that a "church" (headed by a woman, thus not only she but that church, are illegitimate according to Scripture)  would present it and defend it on their property merely shows their due condemnation by God Himself.  It's sick and disgusting. They are indeed sitting in the seat of scoffers as they mock and scoff at the Biblical Jesus Christ, His birth, and the very reason and accomplishment of why He was even given!

To the impure all things are impure and they treat that which is holy as unholy.

Isa 5:20  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!