THE Lifeboat

At around noon on Wednesday April 10, 1912, the largest passenger steamship in 
the world departed on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England. After calling at Cherbourg, France and Queenstown, Ireland, she departed for New York City with over 2,200 people aboard. The ship offered an onboard swimming pool, gymnasium, barber shop, public rooms, smoking rooms, a Turkish bath, libraries for each passenger class, elevators, a reception room with adjoining dining hall, and a squash court.

The beautifully crafted interior was adorned with elaborate floor to ceiling wood paneling, expensive furniture, chandeliers, four parlor suites with private enclosed and spacious promenade decks with large mock oak beams, and a grand staircase made entirely of oak and wrought iron set beneath a spectacular glass dome. In addition, Cafés offered superb cuisine for passengers including a sunlit veranda fitted with trellis decor. The interiors of the ship were spared no expense with ornate furnishings and materials of the highest quality. The ship was quite literally “A Floating Palace.”

But then on Sunday April 14, 1912 just before midnight, the unthinkable happened. This magnificent liner, despite numerous "ice warnings" from several eastbound ships, maintained the SAME course and speed until it struck an iceberg and began to sink in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

At 12:20 AM the order was given to swing out the lifeboats, but there was much confusion due to the noise of steam escaping from the safety valves and the general reluctance of passengers to enter the boats. First Officer Murdock, on the starboard side, ordered that No. 7 lifeboat be lowered to the waterline, but had the greatest difficulty in getting the boat filled with passengers. It was a frightening prospect for them to think of leaving the luxury of the bright and comfortable ship in the middle of the night to get into a rowboat and be lowered by ropes 60 feet to the dark and freezing ocean below, even though this was their ONLY salvation.

Second Officer Lightoller was having the same difficulty on portside. The first boat to be lowered had only 26 passengers in it - 24 women and 2 children. It was in fact able to carry 65 persons however, most of the passengers were convinced that they were much safer on board the Titanic.  Two hours later.... it was all gone!*

Seeking security in a sinking ship – How tragic!  Yet, many do the same thing today by trusting in this present world for their security.  But this world too...
is a sinking ship!

Consider the words of the Apostle Peter: “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:9-10).

The world is the sinking ship, but there is a lifeboat; the body of Christ –
which is the CHURCH!  Christ will save ALL those who enter the lifeboat (Eph 5:23; 1:22-23).  He will add to the “lifeboat” (the church) those who place their trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repent of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  Once in the lifeboat, one must continue to follow the orders of the Captain 
(1 John 1:7).  Then, He will lead the lifeboat to eternal safety and bliss.

As amazing as it might sound, many passengers aboard the Titanic refused to 
get into the lifeboats because they simply did not believe the ship was going to sink
until it was too late, even though they were told that it was absolutely necessary for them to board the lifeboats.

God will not allow THIS world to continue on its present course indefinitely, but has appointed an end – a LAST DAY on which will be a resurrection of the dead and a 
FINAL judgment.

The world is truly a sinking ship and the church is quite literally the “LIFE” boat! 

Heed the warning!  There’s STILL room in the lifeboat for YOU.  Trust and obey the Captain, and get onboard!

--David A. Sargent / Michael Eddlemon 

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