1. A SIGN OF THE TIMES

I recently saw the movie TITANIC. This movie is a fictional story based on the facts concerning the sinking of the Titanic. The Titanic was called an "unsinkable ship." There were those who said, "Not even God Himself could sink the Titanic."

Man had come to the conclusion that he was in charge of his own destiny. There was no longer any fear of the elements. There was no longer any fear of the deep, dark oceans. It was believed that man's intelligence and wisdom could conquer the universe! This was the spirit of the day.

2. AN UNSINKABLE SHIP?

The owners, the builders, and the news media, had all claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable.

Man was saying, "We don't need God's protection. We've built an unsinkable ship!" Man was saying, "We don't need God's help. We don't need God at all anymore!" But, a strange thing happened to that unsinkable ship. It sank on its first voyage out to sea. It became a spectacle to tell the world, "Maybe we still need God after all!"

On the night of April 14, 1912, at 11:40 p.m., the greatest maritime disaster in history began to unfold.

The great Titanic, pride of the White Star Fleet and of the United States, was approaching an iceberg. First Officer Murdoch ordered the engines stopped, then reversed at the same time as ordering Hard-a-Starboard, this action caused the Titanic to turn to Port. The iceberg glanced the side of the ship causing her plates to buckle and rivets to pop below the water line 300 feet in length. The Titanic was doomed.

There were 322 first class passengers, 277 second class passengers, 709 third class passengers, and 898 crew members for a total of 2,206 people on board the ship when the Titanic struck the iceberg. The first ever S.O.S from an Ocean Liner was sent out. Although the California was only minutes away, the Carpathia, which was nearly 58 miles away, would be the first to arrive. The unsinkable Titanic broke in two and went under at 2:40 am April 15, 1912 with over two thirds of the people still on board. Eventually 705 passengers and crew were rescued by the Carpathia.

For her maiden voyage the Titanic had received world-wide publicity as the world's largest and most luxurious ship ever. She was billed as the safest of all ocean-going crafts. Never before had a crew and passengers been so secure on a sea-going vessel. No ship was as luxurious as the Titanic.

The Titanic had all of these accommodations, but not enough lifeboats! They had a false sense of security.

2. A KNOWLEDGEABLE CROWD

The passengers on this ship were' world-famous. There were men with incredible fortunes on board the Titanic.

There was John Jacob Astor, one of the world's most wealthy men. His fortune was estimated at $150,000,000. He was returning from a trip to Egypt with his pregnant teenage bride.

There was Major Archibald Butt, the military aid to President Taft.

There was Benjamin Gugenheim of the American Smelting and Refining Company, worth $95,000,000.

There was Isadore Strauss, the famous clothing merchant worth $50,000,000.

There was Jay Bruce Ismay, owner of the International Mercantile Marine Company, He was worth $40,000,000. One string of his wife's pearls was worth $250,000. Today it would perhaps be worth $1,000,000

These brilliant men, as they walked calmly on that ship, were a sign to all that everything was secure. The Titanic had all of these wise and knowledgeable men, but not enough life boats.

They had a false sense of security.

3. AN EXPENSIVE RIDE

The Titanic was an expensive ride. The best suites were reserved for $4,300. A suite without a private promenade went for $2,300. That was big money then (it would be pretty big money even today).

These were the most expensive transatlantic accommodations ever offered. One would expect for that kind of price that everything would be taken care of. But, there were not enough lifeboats!

They had a false sense of security.

4. THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHIP

The Titanic was the largest marine vessel in the world at that time. It was 882 1/2 feet long, three or four city blocks. The anchors weighed 15 1/2 tons, with each chain link weighing 175 pounds!

It had a double bottom 5 feet thick to insure additional safety. There were nine decks on the Titanic. Below the top most boat deck were decks A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Below G deck were the boiler rooms and holds etc.

The hull was divided into sixteen water tight compartments by means of fifteen water tight bulkheads extending up through deck F. Heavy water tight doors provided communication between bulkheads during normal operation, these were electrically operated and also had a flotation mechanism for automatic closing.

The Titanic was designed to remain afloat with any two compartments flooded, possibly three, enabling her to withstand a collision at the joint of two compartments.

It was widely regarded that such "Olympic Class" liners as the Titanic were unsinkable and were themselves life boats. There was no ship that ever gave her passengers more confidence. There was no ship that ever made her passengers feel more secure. All seemed well as the Titanic sailed through the blue waters of the North Atlantic.

But, they would soon discover that their sense of security was false.

5. THE TIME OF TESTING

On April 14, 1912 at about 11:35 p.m. there were three warnings sent from the crow's nest that ice had been spotted. The first two messages were ignored. Finally, the officer picked up the phone but it was too late. A great portion of the passengers were drinking, dancing, gambling and having a great time, unaware that the ship would soon sink.

A group of gamblers went on deck to look around and returned to their cards to sink with the ship.

Even after they were warned, many went on to bed with confidence in the Titanic's ability to stay afloat. Others joked about the life preservers, with some actually putting the life belts on and dancing around the deck while others stood back and laughed. Others refused to put the life preservers on because they said they didn't want to get dirty and mess up their gowns.

Some were urged to get into the boats and they said, "Why should we get into the boats and go out into the cold night, when we'll just be coming back on board in a few minutes?" Many of them laughed when the porters and stewards tried to warn them that the ship was going to go down.

6. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Friends, many today are laughing at the old-time religion. Many today are laughing at the thought of meeting Christ.

Someone asked John Jacob Astor, "Man, where is your life belt?" Mr. Astor replied, "I didn't think I would need it."

Many today have a false security based on what they see in the world. But, at the Great White Throne judgment, they will stand before God and the question will be,"What did you do with Jesus?"

They will say, "I didn't think I'd need Him."

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash." Matthew 7:24-27(NLT)

2. MORE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED

1. MANY LIFEBOATS WERE OVER HALF EMPTY

Many of the people would have been saved had they gotten into the lifeboats. Lifeboat after lifeboat pulled away from the ship with only 10, 12, 15, when they had a capacity of nearly 60.

The total capacity of all the life boats put together was 1100 souls. Only 705 people could be convinced to get into the life boats.

2. PEOPLE REFUSED TO GET IN THE LIFE BOATS

Many of those boats pulled away with only a few people in them. This was not because they didn't have room for more, but because people wouldn't get in them. They wouldn't believe that the ship was going to sink.

3. MORE CAN BE SAVED FROM HELL

There are many today who would take Christ as Savior if they really believed that there was any need.

If they only knew that they were headed for an eternal Hell, they would accept Jesus.

If they only knew they could miss Hell and gain Heaven, they would accept Jesus.

There would be many more in our churches today if they really believed what the Bible says about eternity.

"So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days." Ephesians 5:16(NLT)

3. FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED

1. THE PARTING WAS HORRIBLE

When I watched the movie, it brought tears to my eyes to see a daddy put his little red haired daughter in a life boat, knowing he was probably going to die on board the ship and never see her again. Eyewitnesses say that the historical parting of families on that fateful day was horrible.

Women were torn from their husbands. Children were literally snatched from their parents' arms and in many instances, thrown into the lifeboats. Husbands and wives stood clutching each other as the ship went down.

2. WHAT LOVE IS THIS?

One eyewitness of the real event said that a man was holding onto his 12 year old son. He said he didn't know how many people came and begged the man to let the boy loose and let him get into the lifeboat. Every time that man tried to push his son away, the little boy would grab him around the waist and hold on so tightly that no one could pull him away. That daddy and that little boy went down together to an icy grave.

When I read that eyewitness account, I thought to myself, "Can you imagine the love that father had for that son, to hold him like that and to go down beneath the waters together!"

Then, I realized that he didn't love that son as he should have. If he really loved that boy, he would have literally thrown him into the lifeboat.

3. DO YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN?

The best way to demonstrate love for our children is to expose them to the good news of Christ. They WANT to hear it. Oh, yes, it is honorable to prepare them for the future by meeting their financial needs, that is important! It is honorable to be sure they are taken care of physically, when ill, take them to the doctor. That is important!

It is honorable to prepare them for the future by being sure they get a good education. That is important! It is honorable to spend time with our children. That is important!! The parent is the mentor, the role model, etc. You must not underestimate that importance!

AS important as all of these things are, the MOST important thing a parent will ever do is to be certain that our children are exposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they may be prepared for eternity!

"And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead in them. They were all judged according to their deeds. And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death - the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15(NLT)

1. THE CALIFORNIA WAS ONLY MINUTES AWAY

Did you know that there was another ship only minutes away when the Titanic went down?

Later, at a senatorial investigation, the captain of the California was asked why he didn't come to the rescue of a ship in distress. He said, "I didn't realize the ship was sinking." He was then asked why he didn't hear their cries for help. He said that at midnight he had turned off the wireless and went to sleep. Then he was asked if he didn't see the Titanic sinking. He replied, "We didn't know it was sinking because you see, as deck by deck went below the waters and the lights went out one by one, we thought the ship, being faster than we, had sailed off into the night."

2. YOU ARE CLOSE TO SOME WHO ARE SINKING

Many are sinking with a Christian only a few feet away. But, the church is asleep! Wake up, Church! Lost men all around us are dying and going into eternity without Christ.Unless we come to their rescue, it will be too late!

"If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways, they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will not be held responsible." Ezekiel 33:8, 9(NLT)

(as Ezekiel was appointed a watchmen, we are in the world where we live, responsibility requires accountability)

5. HELP IS ON THE WAY!

1. THE CARPATHIA WAS ON IT'S WAY

Most sources agree that the Titanic collided with the iceberg at 11:40 pm and finally sank at 2:40 am. Out in the darkness, there was no moon that night, the people waited for help. They wondered if anyone had heard their distress signals. They wondered if anyone would arrive to help. Then, at 4:10 am, only one and a half hours later, the Carpathia began picking up the first of Titanic's lifeboats.

2. JUST AS RESCUE WAS IMMINENT FOR THEM, IT IS FOR YOU

During the darkest of nights, when all hope seems lost, help is only a prayer away. God is there to reach out and pull you into the warmth of His loving arms. Like the lights of a ship approaching from the distance on a dark sea, He brings hope into troubled lives. He is the light in the darkness.

As our text says, "Vain is the help of man." Psalm 108:12But, there is a savior you can depend on.

"Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends." Revelation 3:20(NLT)