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Tackling
the Problem
The
scene eerily resembled the Columbine High School
Massacre of 1999.
This time the events occurred at
Deer Park
Middle School
, three miles from Columbine, in
Littleton
,
Colorado
.
A
32-year-old man with a history of mental illness
opened fire at students at the Middle School last
Tuesday afternoon.
The shooter had wounded two students when Math
teacher Dr. David Benke, 57, who had been helping with
crosswalk duty, saw the gunman reloading his rifle.
He saw an opportunity to help protect his
students.
“I
noticed that he was working a bolt action rifle and
realized that I had time to get him before he could
chamber another round,” said
Benke.
He
ran and tackled the suspect, preventing him from
inflicting more harm. Thirteen year old Reagan Weber,
one of two students wounded in the attack, believes
Benke’s actions saved lives. “I
think he’s a hero,”
said Weber. “He
obviously probably saved a lot more students.” *
Neal
Pollard, minister of the Bear Valley Church of Christ
in
Denver
, wrote: “People want heroes and Benke is a good
fit. There's the gentle, sure demeanor that quickly
restored calm in a terrifying situation. There's the
willingness and ability to sacrifice himself to save
others.” **
Benke’s actions
remind us of an even GREATER Hero…
When WE were
trapped by our sins and destined to die, Jesus Christ came to our
rescue (Romans 6:23),
Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus “tackled” (CONQUERED) sin
AND our great adversary, Satan (Hebrews 2:14).
Through
Jesus, WE can be saved from sin when we respond to Him
with:
faith (Acts
16:30-31), repentance
from sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being
baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins
(Acts 2:38). He
will CONTINUE to cleanse those who CONTINUE to walk in
the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).
Because
of ALL He has done for us, we should consider Jesus to
be the Greatest Hero of ALL!
Pollard reminds us of the words of a beautiful
song:
“Why should I not love Jesus? Jesus who
died for me!
Why should I not adore Him, Hero of
Calvary
.
Why should I not love Jesus? Lost and alone was I;
In His great love He saved me, lifted my soul on high.
Why should I not love Jesus? One day He'll come for
me;
Oh, I shall share His glory for all eternity.”
– Claude T.
Lynn
Because
of His great love for us, Jesus “tackled”
our greatest problem: "SIN".
He
will save us and give us an eternal home in heaven -IF-
we will just “TAKE” His hand in trusting
obedience.
Won’t
YOU?
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Information gleaned from “Hero Teacher Tackled Colorado Gunman” by
Barry Petersen of CBS News
**
"Dr. David Benke is a Hero!!!” by Neal Pollard
in Daily Bread.
Bear
Valley
church
of
Christ
.
Denver
,
Colorado
. http://www.bearvalleycofc.org/
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