The Sinking of the Titanic
Posted 01-26-2015 at 06:55 PM by NT Fellowship
The ‘Unsinkable’ Ship!
In 1912, the RMS Titanic was the largest, most luxurious passenger ship of its time. Because of its engineering, the ship was boasted to be ‘unsinkable!’ Ironically, on its maiden voyage, this monument to man’s arrogance and greed met a dreadful end.
The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy built upon appalling carelessness. Since RMS Titanic was unsinkable, why carry all those lifeboats? The amount of vessels was greatly reduced to build luxury cabins with an ocean view.
British shipping officials had allowed this, though they knew this was unsafe. However, they made it impregnable to torpedoes. By creating 16 separate compartments, they thought they could seal off a damaged area and stay afloat. At worst, the ship would take days to sink. By that time, help would have come and rescued the passengers. Surely 20 lifeboats would be enough!
Imagine the horror felt by the passengers as the water poured into the hull and only half of the crafts needed were lowered! It was suddenly very clear that passenger safety was not the aim of the owners of the Titanic.
Many other foolish and dangerous practices on the Titanic were made evident. More than seven warnings from other ships were communicated to the crew about approaching icebergs; yet each one was ignored. Though warned of frozen waters and frozen ice masses ahead, the RMS Titanic sailed on heedlessly.
Further, the men on watch were not properly equipped for their jobs. Lacking binoculars, the watch did not see the iceberg until it was directly in front of the ship!
When at last the lookouts rang the bell to warn of an iceberg, First Officer Murdoch ordered the ship be put “hard a-starboard”; and threw the engines in reverse. Though the Titanic banked to the left, it wasn’t enough. The starboard side scraped the iceberg under the freezing waters. A gash of only 12 square feet fatally damaged the giant luxury liner; and water filled her hull.
It took an entire hour to assess the damage, inform First-Class passengers, and begin lowering the first lifeboats. After that, another 80 minutes were required to lower the rest of the vessels, and fill them with women and children.
Some men—including the wealthy magnate John J. Astor and his wife—tried to sneak onto the lifeboats to save their own lives. They were held back at gunpoint to allow all women and children on first. Astor, along with numerous other powerful, wealthy citizens went down with the ship.
Until they were ordered to abandon ship, many onboard were unaware of their imminent danger. Some passengers said they’d heard and felt the ship shudder; but did not think it was a problem, and continued on their pleasure seeking.
A few saw the iceberg pass their windows. Throwing on their robes, they ran onto the deck with anxious inquiries. They were assured that there would only be a slight delay; with no concession of the dire consequences they faced.
As the disaster became obvious and the lifeboats were filled, band leader Wallace Hartley kept the band of eight playing to divert the passengers still on board. Much speculation is made about the final song, but it is probable that it was the Christian hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee”; a hymn that was played at Hartley’s funeral.
In 30 minutes time, the electricity of the RMS Titanic failed. Its stern turned upward, the ship broke into two pieces, and the bow went under. At 2:20 a.m. April 15, 1912, the stern sank into the ocean. The ’unsinkable’ RMS Titanic had sunk!
Over 1500 people (passengers of men, women and children, as well as crew) died that terrible night...all because of carelessness, arrogance and greed.
On Which Ship Do You Sail?
Those boarding the RMS Titanic had no idea that they were on their final trip. Few realized that soon they would meet God.
Many aboard were rich, carefree and oblivious to the need of others or their own need of a Saviour. When the Titanic began to sink, however, all realized that they might perish in those freezing waters. What then would become of their wealth, beauty, and possessions? What did it all mean, if their lives were lost in an icy darkness, never to reach their homes again?
A few on board had a purpose to their lives and a purpose to their deaths, as well. Baptist minister John Harper gave up his seat on the lifeboat, and threw himself into the frigid waters as the Titanic split in two. He swam toward those who were also in the waters, and urged them to trust in Christ for salvation. One of the few survivors plucked from the sea recounts how this brave Christian man swam up to him, gave him his life jacket, and lead him to the Saviour. Another survivor gave account of the Mennonite missionary Annie Funk, who gave up her seat on a lifeboat for a mother and her children. These two valiant Christians did not survive in this life, but trusted God for the life to come.
Many today are on a Titanic of false hopes. Numerous ones calling themselves ‘Christian’ believe that God gives ‘pleasant places’ here on earth: safety, fine homes, large families, comfort and ease. They say their faithfulness to their church ensures safety from spiritual harm. Multitudes live for religious experiences, gained by fasting, drug use, or seeking out spiritual gurus who will touch them with “power.” Other religious people trust in their infant baptism, or their good works to outweigh their evil deeds. Many think they have ‘oneness’ with all creation that will fill their eternity. Yet these are icebergs, ready to sink the boat they have deemed ’unsinkable’!
What boat are you on? Do you trust your safety to a faulty faith; a life built on the shifting sand of empty religion or perhaps ardent unbelief? Is your hope for the future built on the abundance in your barn, your hefty bank account or your personal accomplishments?
The Bible says, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37) Two ships are leaving the harbor. One, the SS This Life appeals to all the pleasures that one could desire in this life. The second ship, the Way of Jesus, is a smaller vessel, with the simplest of accommodations.
Everyone is born on the SS This Life. It heads out to sea directionless, heedless of caution, sailing wildly into the icy darkness of death. Unless you transfer from the SS This Life to the Lord’s boat, one day you will hit an ice floe or run aground, and great will be the loss of all who are on board it. The Way of Jesus will face the storms of life with a strong anchor that keeps its crew from drifting.
All those aboard know the Captain will bring them to safe harbor. No unexpected icebergs, no impending doom will overtake the hearty sailors who stay aboard the Lord’s vessel.
You may transfer from the SS This Life to serve as part of God’s crew on the Way of Jesus. Following Christ is a voyage not filled with Titantic-sized luxuries and pleasures, rather, it is filled with the faithful who arrive at the Home Port of Heaven.
This invitation to join our crew comes from the Captain of our salvation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt 11:28-29) “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 9:34)
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ also urges: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord...Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved...And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 3:19; 4:12; 5:32)
Will you turn away from your sins and surrender to the only One who can forgive you and give you a new life? Only Jesus Christ can direct us safely Home. Only His route is the tried and true one. Come, follow Jesus Christ—today!
What Must I Do to be Saved?
You must meet the Saviour—the Lord Jesus Christ. He is revealed to us through the written pages of the Bible. This amazing Book is God’s love letter to mankind. It reveals His heart, the reason we were created, our fall into sin, and God’s plan to save man from eternal destruction. It also expresses the joy each one can have knowing and serving Him; and the beautiful Port that awaits us at the end of our journey. This powerful book will speak to the heart of anyone who sincerely seeks to know the One who inspired it.
Begin by reading the gospel of John. Read it slowly and carefully; asking God to reveal Himself to you through the pages of His Word. At the end of each chapter, ask yourself: “Who is Jesus?” You will be surprised at the many explanations He gives in the pages of the gospel.
One important example is given in the gospel of John, chapter 3. This is where the Lord Jesus was speaking to a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus. Nicodemus had read the Old Testament many times, and was looking for the One God had promised to send as the Messiah (or, Saviour). Coming to Jesus at night, Nicodemus sought personal counsel with Him. Jesus cut to the quick of the matter and told him, “Ye must be born again.”
Shocked at this thought, Nicodemus wondered how this could be? The Lord explained: First you must be born of water—as a baby is born in a sac of water. This is a literal birth. To be born into God’s Kingdom, to be saved from your sins, first of all, you have to be born! The pain the mother experiences in labor is a picture of the labor pains of recognizing our sin and its consequences. These labor pains prepare us to be born of the Spirit.
That is the next part: be born again! After you recognize that your sins separate you from God, understand that—unless you turn from living for yourself—all that is left is damnation. Will you remain satisfied with the darkness of sin—or will you humbly seek the Lord and cry out for Him to rescue you? Those who are drowning often fight the one trying to save them. Yet, to be brought from the waters, they must give up, and allow their Rescuer to recover them from the waters of judgment, and resuscitate them by the Holy Spirit. This is the spiritual labor of rebirth (being “born again”). Without a calling out to the Saviour, surrendering to Him, and allowing His life to be imparted into yours, you cannot be saved.
“Even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10:13)
Our sin is like the Titanic ramming into the iceberg. There is no hope of salvaging such a wreck—only through the Lord Jesus Christ can we be rescued, redeemed and made new. The waters of judgment—like those icy waters surrounding the Titanic can kill you in moments. Once you die, there is no escaping the darkness of separation from God for eternity, and the horrors of a literal, fiery hell.
Grab hold of the Life Saver — Jesus Christ! He is the only Hope for shipwrecked mankind.
Contact us if you need a Bible, want prayer, and counsel from God’s Word. We are here for all who are truly seeking Christ.
New Testament Fellowship
Pastor David Lee
In 1912, the RMS Titanic was the largest, most luxurious passenger ship of its time. Because of its engineering, the ship was boasted to be ‘unsinkable!’ Ironically, on its maiden voyage, this monument to man’s arrogance and greed met a dreadful end.
The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy built upon appalling carelessness. Since RMS Titanic was unsinkable, why carry all those lifeboats? The amount of vessels was greatly reduced to build luxury cabins with an ocean view.
British shipping officials had allowed this, though they knew this was unsafe. However, they made it impregnable to torpedoes. By creating 16 separate compartments, they thought they could seal off a damaged area and stay afloat. At worst, the ship would take days to sink. By that time, help would have come and rescued the passengers. Surely 20 lifeboats would be enough!
Imagine the horror felt by the passengers as the water poured into the hull and only half of the crafts needed were lowered! It was suddenly very clear that passenger safety was not the aim of the owners of the Titanic.
Many other foolish and dangerous practices on the Titanic were made evident. More than seven warnings from other ships were communicated to the crew about approaching icebergs; yet each one was ignored. Though warned of frozen waters and frozen ice masses ahead, the RMS Titanic sailed on heedlessly.
Further, the men on watch were not properly equipped for their jobs. Lacking binoculars, the watch did not see the iceberg until it was directly in front of the ship!
When at last the lookouts rang the bell to warn of an iceberg, First Officer Murdoch ordered the ship be put “hard a-starboard”; and threw the engines in reverse. Though the Titanic banked to the left, it wasn’t enough. The starboard side scraped the iceberg under the freezing waters. A gash of only 12 square feet fatally damaged the giant luxury liner; and water filled her hull.
It took an entire hour to assess the damage, inform First-Class passengers, and begin lowering the first lifeboats. After that, another 80 minutes were required to lower the rest of the vessels, and fill them with women and children.
Some men—including the wealthy magnate John J. Astor and his wife—tried to sneak onto the lifeboats to save their own lives. They were held back at gunpoint to allow all women and children on first. Astor, along with numerous other powerful, wealthy citizens went down with the ship.
Until they were ordered to abandon ship, many onboard were unaware of their imminent danger. Some passengers said they’d heard and felt the ship shudder; but did not think it was a problem, and continued on their pleasure seeking.
A few saw the iceberg pass their windows. Throwing on their robes, they ran onto the deck with anxious inquiries. They were assured that there would only be a slight delay; with no concession of the dire consequences they faced.
As the disaster became obvious and the lifeboats were filled, band leader Wallace Hartley kept the band of eight playing to divert the passengers still on board. Much speculation is made about the final song, but it is probable that it was the Christian hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee”; a hymn that was played at Hartley’s funeral.
In 30 minutes time, the electricity of the RMS Titanic failed. Its stern turned upward, the ship broke into two pieces, and the bow went under. At 2:20 a.m. April 15, 1912, the stern sank into the ocean. The ’unsinkable’ RMS Titanic had sunk!
Over 1500 people (passengers of men, women and children, as well as crew) died that terrible night...all because of carelessness, arrogance and greed.
On Which Ship Do You Sail?
Those boarding the RMS Titanic had no idea that they were on their final trip. Few realized that soon they would meet God.
Many aboard were rich, carefree and oblivious to the need of others or their own need of a Saviour. When the Titanic began to sink, however, all realized that they might perish in those freezing waters. What then would become of their wealth, beauty, and possessions? What did it all mean, if their lives were lost in an icy darkness, never to reach their homes again?
A few on board had a purpose to their lives and a purpose to their deaths, as well. Baptist minister John Harper gave up his seat on the lifeboat, and threw himself into the frigid waters as the Titanic split in two. He swam toward those who were also in the waters, and urged them to trust in Christ for salvation. One of the few survivors plucked from the sea recounts how this brave Christian man swam up to him, gave him his life jacket, and lead him to the Saviour. Another survivor gave account of the Mennonite missionary Annie Funk, who gave up her seat on a lifeboat for a mother and her children. These two valiant Christians did not survive in this life, but trusted God for the life to come.
Many today are on a Titanic of false hopes. Numerous ones calling themselves ‘Christian’ believe that God gives ‘pleasant places’ here on earth: safety, fine homes, large families, comfort and ease. They say their faithfulness to their church ensures safety from spiritual harm. Multitudes live for religious experiences, gained by fasting, drug use, or seeking out spiritual gurus who will touch them with “power.” Other religious people trust in their infant baptism, or their good works to outweigh their evil deeds. Many think they have ‘oneness’ with all creation that will fill their eternity. Yet these are icebergs, ready to sink the boat they have deemed ’unsinkable’!
What boat are you on? Do you trust your safety to a faulty faith; a life built on the shifting sand of empty religion or perhaps ardent unbelief? Is your hope for the future built on the abundance in your barn, your hefty bank account or your personal accomplishments?
The Bible says, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37) Two ships are leaving the harbor. One, the SS This Life appeals to all the pleasures that one could desire in this life. The second ship, the Way of Jesus, is a smaller vessel, with the simplest of accommodations.
Everyone is born on the SS This Life. It heads out to sea directionless, heedless of caution, sailing wildly into the icy darkness of death. Unless you transfer from the SS This Life to the Lord’s boat, one day you will hit an ice floe or run aground, and great will be the loss of all who are on board it. The Way of Jesus will face the storms of life with a strong anchor that keeps its crew from drifting.
All those aboard know the Captain will bring them to safe harbor. No unexpected icebergs, no impending doom will overtake the hearty sailors who stay aboard the Lord’s vessel.
You may transfer from the SS This Life to serve as part of God’s crew on the Way of Jesus. Following Christ is a voyage not filled with Titantic-sized luxuries and pleasures, rather, it is filled with the faithful who arrive at the Home Port of Heaven.
This invitation to join our crew comes from the Captain of our salvation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt 11:28-29) “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 9:34)
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ also urges: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord...Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved...And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 3:19; 4:12; 5:32)
Will you turn away from your sins and surrender to the only One who can forgive you and give you a new life? Only Jesus Christ can direct us safely Home. Only His route is the tried and true one. Come, follow Jesus Christ—today!
What Must I Do to be Saved?
You must meet the Saviour—the Lord Jesus Christ. He is revealed to us through the written pages of the Bible. This amazing Book is God’s love letter to mankind. It reveals His heart, the reason we were created, our fall into sin, and God’s plan to save man from eternal destruction. It also expresses the joy each one can have knowing and serving Him; and the beautiful Port that awaits us at the end of our journey. This powerful book will speak to the heart of anyone who sincerely seeks to know the One who inspired it.
Begin by reading the gospel of John. Read it slowly and carefully; asking God to reveal Himself to you through the pages of His Word. At the end of each chapter, ask yourself: “Who is Jesus?” You will be surprised at the many explanations He gives in the pages of the gospel.
One important example is given in the gospel of John, chapter 3. This is where the Lord Jesus was speaking to a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus. Nicodemus had read the Old Testament many times, and was looking for the One God had promised to send as the Messiah (or, Saviour). Coming to Jesus at night, Nicodemus sought personal counsel with Him. Jesus cut to the quick of the matter and told him, “Ye must be born again.”
Shocked at this thought, Nicodemus wondered how this could be? The Lord explained: First you must be born of water—as a baby is born in a sac of water. This is a literal birth. To be born into God’s Kingdom, to be saved from your sins, first of all, you have to be born! The pain the mother experiences in labor is a picture of the labor pains of recognizing our sin and its consequences. These labor pains prepare us to be born of the Spirit.
That is the next part: be born again! After you recognize that your sins separate you from God, understand that—unless you turn from living for yourself—all that is left is damnation. Will you remain satisfied with the darkness of sin—or will you humbly seek the Lord and cry out for Him to rescue you? Those who are drowning often fight the one trying to save them. Yet, to be brought from the waters, they must give up, and allow their Rescuer to recover them from the waters of judgment, and resuscitate them by the Holy Spirit. This is the spiritual labor of rebirth (being “born again”). Without a calling out to the Saviour, surrendering to Him, and allowing His life to be imparted into yours, you cannot be saved.
“Even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10:13)
Our sin is like the Titanic ramming into the iceberg. There is no hope of salvaging such a wreck—only through the Lord Jesus Christ can we be rescued, redeemed and made new. The waters of judgment—like those icy waters surrounding the Titanic can kill you in moments. Once you die, there is no escaping the darkness of separation from God for eternity, and the horrors of a literal, fiery hell.
Grab hold of the Life Saver — Jesus Christ! He is the only Hope for shipwrecked mankind.
Contact us if you need a Bible, want prayer, and counsel from God’s Word. We are here for all who are truly seeking Christ.
New Testament Fellowship
Pastor David Lee
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