CALLED TO BE A RESCUER
In the early 20th century, the R.M.S. Titanic was the crowning achievement of human technology. It was the biggest, sleekest, and most unsinkable ship ever made. When it left Liverpool, England on a calm April day in 1912 on its way to New York, it carried the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people. But three-quarters into its maiden voyage, by Newfoundland’s frigid banks, the Titanic hit an iceberg and within several hours the unsinkable Titanic plunged to its death four miles below the icy surface taking with it 1513 passengers, most of the crew, and all its treasure.
As the Titanic took on water and began to sink, the passengers put on life jackets and rushed to the lifeboats. But the makers of this ship and its crew were so confident that it was unsinkable that there were only enough lifeboats for about 55% of the people. However, only 32% of the people (711) were rescued. The reason was that most of the lifeboats were only partially full. As the Titanic sunk, people jumped or fell into the frigid ocean waters and cried for help and shouted for someone to rescue them. But the people in the lifeboats just kept rowing away. Though there was room on the lifeboats to rescue additional multitudes of people, only one lifeboat turned back in time to save only 6 passengers.
Three days later when the funeral ships arrived from Nova Scotia, they were greeted by a eerie sight: 328 lifejacketed men, women and children floating in the water, frozen to death. And why did they die? Not because the Titanic sank, but because the people who were already saved would not go back for the people who were not.
By God’s grace we are in the Jesus lifeboat, saved and headed for heaven. But all around us—where we work, where we live, where we shop or go to school—are people who will die spiritually unless someone rescues them.
Tragically, too many Christians are content to just enjoy their own safe place in Jesus’ lifeboat. Will we take the risks to give them a chance to live—forever? Will we turn our lifeboats around? In 2 Corinthians 5:15, Paul says that Christ “died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”
When God gives us a Jesus-heart, we begin to see people eternally rather than externally. If we cannot see dying people like Jesus, we will never follow Him into the rescue mission for which He came. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
If you don’t have a Jesus-heart, just ask Him for it. Let’s ask our Lord to break our hearts for the lost and dying people around us. Remember, there is no greater difference we can make and no greater joy we can experience than to help someone else be in heaven for all eternity.
This summer, there will be 4 short-term mission teams that will travel to Ukraine and Romania to share the Good News of Jesus. God not only wants us to be involved in rescuing some who are near, but also, some who are far. If you would like to partner financially with “Partners In Evangelism International,” by supporting these summer teams, please click here and put “PIEI mission trip” in the “Requested Ministry for Donation” box.
