Collision Course

At 10:00 p.m. Moscow Time on August 31, 1986, a Russian ship, the Admiral Nakhimov, sailed from Novorossiysk en route to Sochi, its next stop. There were 888 passengers and 346 crew members aboard. The captain of the ship was Vadim Markov.

Just minutes into the voyage, the ship's pilot noticed that a large bulk carrier, the 
Pyotr Vasev, was on a collision course with the Admiral Nakhimov. The pilot radioed 
a warning to the Pyotr Vasev, and the freighter responded, "Don't worry. We will pass clear of each other. We will take care of everything."

Despite the message, Captain Viktor Tkachenko of the Pyotr Vasev did nothing to slow his ship or change course. Convinced that the freighter would pass without incident, Captain Markov of the Admiral Nakhimov retired to his cabin, leaving his second mate in charge. The pilot of the Admiral Nakhimov continued to warn the freighter, and the dispatcher at Novorossiysk radioed repeated warnings to both ships. When it was clear that the freighter was headed directly for the ship, the Pyotr Vasev's engines were thrown in reverse. The Admiral Nakhimov turned hard to port, but it was too late.

At 11:12 p.m., the Admiral Nakhimov was struck by the Pyotr Vasev, ripping a 900 square foot hole in the hull between the engine and boiler rooms.  The Admiral Nakhimov sank in only seven minutes. There was no time to launch the lifeboats. Hundreds of people dived into the oily water, clinging to lifejackets, barrels and pieces of debris. Passengers and crew had had little time to escape, and 423 of the 1,234 on board perished. Sixty-four of those killed were crew members and 359 were passengers.

What was the cause of the shipwreck?  Was it negligence?  Was it pride?  Whatever the reason, the result was disastrous!

Due to our SIN.... WE find ourselves on a “collision course” with GOD!  

On our present course, WE are headed straight for ETERNAL destruction! (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)  Because of His GREAT love for us, God has provided “a way out” of our sin through the death of His Son on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).  

If we will just “change our course” by: trusting in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38), and continuing in the way He has prescribed (1 John 1:7), then calamity can be avoided and eternal bliss can be found.

Won’t YOU change your course before it’s too late?

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

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

*From Wikipedia -- http://wikipedia.org

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