- Disgraceful; shameful or shocking; improper
- Defamatory or libelous
- Attracted to or preoccupied with scandal, as a person.
- A result of someone's negligence or irresponsibility.
Scandals affect the lives of
so many people. A simple, meaningless, poor decision can destroy lives
overnight.
A quick scan of the major
news media sources reveals that scandals involving infidelity and immorality
are being exposed on a daily basis.
It seems that no one is
immune including athletes, coaches, politicians, teachers, and yes, even more
than we would like to admit, the clergy.
In fact, abuse scandals in
the church (sexual, financial, verbal, and spiritual) have seemingly become
such a regular part of modern culture that these types of incidents hardly
surprise us anymore.
Careers and lives are ruined
as families are ripped apart in the aftermath of a series of poor decisions by
leaders who thought that it would NEVER happen to them.
And yet,
there was one public scandal that actually brought life and saved lives.
When it happened, it was considered
disgraceful, shameful, shocking, improper, defamatory, and libelous.
It ruined the reputation of the one
who was involved. His friends and family eventually walked away; some
publically stating that they never knew or were ever associated with him.
He was executed using one of the most painful and disgraceful methods of
capital punishment that was particularly slow, painful, gruesome, humiliating, disgusting,
and very public.
He
was beaten and tortured and then forced to carry the very instrument that would
bring his death to the execution site.
Then
he was stripped of his clothes and nailed to the device and left as he was
surrounded by an angry crowd who gathered to watch this naked man die a
scandalous death.
And
yet, it was a death that would ultimately bring LIFE to whoever would ask for
life because he didn’t stay dead; in fact three days after they put him to
death he came back to life; resurrected!
“For God did not appoint us to
wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us,
that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” (1 Thessalonians
5:9-10 NKJV)
And
because of his scandalous death (and resurrection) ALL who ask can have new
life!
“…One man died for everyone. That
puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that
everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better
life than people ever lived on their own.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 MSG)
This
new life can be yours TODAY!
“This
is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know
that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did
one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book
and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things
right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be
rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You
were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re
named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:24 MSG)
Need further help? Someone is
waiting to talk with you. Call either:
1-888-NEED HIM or
1-877-2GRAHAM (1-877-247-2426).
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights
reserved."
Scripture taken from The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene H. Peterson
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