Son of Sam
Do you remember “Son of Sam?” I was in my first year of college when New York City was being terrorized by what some called “The 44 Caliber Killer.” Young couples were being shot. Six people were killed and seven wounded between July 1976 and July 1977. People were afraid to go out at night.
Then David Berkowitz, who identified himself as “Son of Sam,” was arrested in August of 1977. He pleaded guilty to the six killings and to wounding the other seven people. He was given six life sentences.
He told authorities that a dog was telling him what to do. He later admitted that he had a variety of mental issues and believes now that he was following the orders of a demon. He has been incarcerated for almost 50 years now, which probably makes us all feel better, but it does not undo the damage he did or the devastation he caused in so many families.
As disgusting as his deeds were, I want you to know that the one whose birth we are about to celebrate came into this world for people like David Berkowitz. We don’t usually think along those lines, but it is true. Jesus came into this world to save sinners, including you and me and David. And the good news is that anyone who puts his or her faith in Jesus as Savior gets the benefit of what He did. Including you and me and David.
I just recently came across a video of David Berkowitz sharing how someone shared the Good News of Jesus with him about ten years after he was in prison. He was told that Jesus loved him and wanted to forgive him. David thought that wasn’t possible. But the other inmate kept sharing the message with him, leading him to dig into Scripture. Eventually the Holy Spirit led him to faith in Jesus. And he has since dedicated his life to sharing that message with others.
David Berkowitz will most likely spend the rest of his earthly life in prison. While he is eligible for parole, he has stated that he believes he deserves to remain in prison for the rest of his life and has no interest in being released. He uses his parole hearings to apologize for his crimes and express remorse to the victims and their families. And he devotes himself to sharing the message of Jesus as Savior to anyone who will listen.
David knows that because of the one to who was born in Bethlehem, he will receive a crown of life and see his Savior face to face. Which is exactly why Jesus came into this world, to save people like you and me and David.
1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
You can listen to David speak about his conversion at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wf25jPXgGro
