The Dart Game

A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a class given by her teacher, Dr. Smith.  Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons, and on this particular day, Sally walked in the classroom and saw a big target on the wall and on a nearby table were many darts.  Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture. Sally's girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend.  Another friend drew a picture of his little brother.  Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face.  Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and fun.  Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart.  Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.  As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus!  A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced.  Dr. Smith quoted only these words (the words of Jesus), "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:40).  No other words were necessary.  The tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.

As you visualize that marred picture of Christ, consider the following…
With the release of Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, there is a
question that has been debated: 

                                  "WHO ACTUALLY KILLED JESUS?"  

History, both biblical and non-biblical, declares that some JEWS were involved (see Matthew 27:1ff).  ROMANS, like Pontius Pilate, were also involved (see Mark 15:15). However, the Bible teaches that actually every HUMAN BEING (is) responsible for the death of Christ!  How?  Because it was for OUR sins that Jesus was crucified!  
"He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes (wounds) you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).  ALL of us have "thrown the darts" that have wounded and killed the Son of God...  for "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

THE GOOD NEWS … is that Jesus died on the cross so that each of us can be forgiven
of our sins.  Those who place their trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of sin
(2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), are forgiven of past sins.  Then as we walk in the light of God’s Word, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7).

My fellow dart-thrower, will YOU not accept Christ on His terms?

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695  

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