Just before midnight on April 14th, 1915 – the British Ocean Liner Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in less than 3 hours’ time. To this day, the tragedy of the (supposedly) UNSINKABLE Titanic still captures our imagination. On April 15, the news spread that the “unsinkable” Titanic had hit iceberg and sank, but several newspaper editors did not believe the telegraph reports coming in, so they just made up their own versions of the story.
The Christian Science Monitor’s headline: “Passengers Safe and Steamer Titanic Taken in Tow.”
The London Daily Mail banner read: “Titanic Sunk, No Lives Lost.”
Obviously, that’s wasn’t true. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers died that day, but perhaps the saddest thing was - many of them didn’t have to die. A lot of people climbed into the twenty lifeboats, many of which were only half full. Hundreds of people were in the cold water with life preservers and most of them didn’t die from drowning; they froze to death. The people in the lifeboats heard the cries of those dying people, but they chose not to go back for fear of capsizing. Only one lifeboat returned - after it was too late. Of the 100s who were in the water, only six people were rescued.
Those who were already saved didn’t go back for those who were dying.
Today we’ve read something that is called “The Great Commission” – Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and 1. make disciples of all nations, 2. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of Son & of Holy Spirit, 3. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mt. 28:18-20
These were among the last instructions He gave His followers before ascending to heaven. Essentially, they were told: GO BACK AND RESCUE THE DYING!
Paul says Jesus gave him a version of Great Commission where Jesus said: “I am sending you to OPEN THEIR EYES, so that they may turn from DARKNESS TO LIGHT and from the power of SATAN TO GOD, that they may RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:17-18
GO BACK Paul… and rescue people from darkness. Rescue them for the power of Satan. Rescue them from their sins so they can find forgiveness from God.
That’s been the mission statement of the church for centuries. We rescue people from Satan, and darkness and from sin. How can we do that? By bringing them to Jesus (make them disciples/followers of Christ); By baptizing them into the name of the Father/Son/Holy Spirit (making them Christians); And teaching them to follow Jesus. THAT IS OUR MISSION!
Now, that said - there’s a problem!
ILLUS: Seven years ago (Oct. 2017) Barna research discovered that over half (51%) of the churchgoers they surveyed said they have NEVER HEARD of the Great Commission; Only 37% of them could pick it out from a list of verses. And only 1 in 6 (17%) said that they had heard of the Great Commission and then could tell you what it was. In other words – a lot of church goers didn’t realize this was important to Jesus, and many churches (seemingly) didn’t make this a priority for their people.
Why was there such ignorance about their mission? Why were they all so unaware of why Jesus died on the cross? Why were they unaware of why we (as the church) exist?
Well, one reason is - the Great Commission doesn’t fit a lot of people's theology. Let me repeat the theology of the great Commission: Our job is to open the eyes of a lost world, so that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and so they can be forgiven of their sins. THAT’S WHY JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS! THAT’S WHY WE EXIST AS A CHURCH!
Do you remember what I told you earlier about the initial response of some of the newspaper editors to the sinking of the Titanic? THEY COULDN’T BELIEVE IT! They had the information right before them - the telegraph reports told them exactly what had happened - but they could not believe such tragic news. The Titanic was unsinkable - everybody knew that.
As a result, some of them created their own stories. They said that the Titanic was towed into port and no lives were lost! (Pause) BUT THAT WASN’T TRUE! The unsinkable Titanic… sank! And 100s of people lost their lives. And the editors could not change those facts by changing their headlines.
But that’s why many churches/ Christians don’t understand importance of Commission. The Great Commission doesn’t fit with what many churches think. What do they think? They think that it’s impossible that anybody (that they like) would go to hell!
ILLUS: Recently there’s been a number stories in the news about the deaths of certain popular entertainers and sports figures. And you’ll often see in the news and on social media this phrase - “Rest In Peace.” Now why do folks say that? Why would they say, “Rest in Peace”? Well they say that because the death of that entertainer or sports figure made them sad. The loss was a tragedy, and nobody wanted to see these folks to die.
But here’s the problem with that: nobody has any idea if those folks are going to rest in peace or not. “Rest in peace” implied that these folks were going to a better place (i.e. Heaven). Now - that would be nice, but we have no idea where these folks are going! Lots of people hear about the death of someone they love and admire, and they just can’t believe that they’ll end up in hell. They think “If I Like Them – God will surely like them, and they’ll make it into heaven.”
ILLUS: The same kind of thinking happens at funerals. Friends and family of the deceased will often think to themselves (or say to each other) something like “If anybody should make it into heaven – they should. I mean… they were such nice people!”
I understand (I really do), but the problem is - that’s not what the Bible says. People don’t get into heaven by being nice people (we can’t be good enough to be good enough to deserve a place in heaven). Romans 3:23 tells us “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Or as Ephesians 2:3 says – Before we became Christians, we “were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Before we came to Jesus… we were ALL going to hell.
ILLUS: I recently saw a meme that summed it up perfectly: “The Gospel is not God hatefully saying, “Turn to me or I’ll send you to hell”. The Gospel is God’s mercy and grace saying, “You’re already on your way to hell. Turn to me and I’ll save you.”
But a lot of people ignore hell and basically believe that nobody they admire or like will go there. They don’t believe what the Bible says so they end up trying to change message to match their theology. But changing the message won’t help. People will still die in their sins because nobody went back and rescued them.
Do you know of someone who’s not a Christian or not going to church? (PAUSE) If they die without belonging to Jesus, they’re NOT going to Rest In Peace! If they’re not following Jesus… they’re not going to go where He went! They will die in their sins… and they’ll go to hell.
GO BACK AND RESCUE THEM
Open Their Eyes; Help them to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of their sins. Go back and tell them about Jesus.
Now, the question is: how do we do that? Well, perhaps the better question is: WHY don’t we do that? Well, the first reason is– we don’t think they’d be interested!
In my ministry I’ve learned that a lot of people struggle with something. They are in over their heads and they feel that at any moment they could drown. There’s something in their lives that’s beyond their control. Maybe it’s debts they’ve racked up, or they’ve lost a loved one, or they’ve been rejected by someone they cared for. Perhaps its Guilt for something they’ve done/ said/ thot, or maybe they’re afraid of the future… or even death. But they’ve no one to talk to about it. They don’t think YOU (or I) would be interested so they just bottle it up inside.
There’s always something in people’s lives that Jesus could help them with. I mean - that’s what Jesus promised: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
So… those are the 2 things we need to know: 1. People have problems; 2. And your Jesus can solve those problem. Jesus can lift them out of their darkness, take them out of Satan’s control, and give them hope and a future worth living for. All it would take would be for someone (like You or me) to GO BACK.
When the Titanic sank, there were hundreds of people floating in the water. They KNEW they had a problem - they were trapped with no way out. They even cried out for help… but no one LISTENED. No one came back for them.
ILLUS: Part of bringing people to Jesus, is just listening to them. Show interest in their lives/stories, and then finding ways to introduce Jesus into the conversation. Find ways to make Jesus mean something to them. I wrenched my shoulder a few weeks back, and I’ve been going to a chiropractor/therapist for a couple of months now. And I talked with them. I heard their stories. They told me about their lives & stories - and I listened to them. And listening to them earned me the right to tell them MY stories – and to talk about Jesus. So, I told them about Jesus, and I even told them about the sermons I did the week before. And I bragged about you guys.
I’m in love with Jesus; and I love you guys; and I love to preach - so those topics that I went with. But early on one of my questions was very straightforward – "DO YOU GO TO CHURCH?" They (both) told me that they weren’t involved right now and so I made it a point to invite them to worship with us. And I’ve invited them to come worship with us several times.
Granted, they didn’t open up about any deep struggles they’re going through, but – if God wants me to talk about their needs - they’ll open up to me. Until they do I’m going to talk about Jesus, and you, and my sermons every chance I get - because just one story/ or question/ can open a heart.
CLOSE: Milton Cunningham, former missionary to Africa, confessed being convicted of his own failure to share the Jesus by a young girl with Down’s Syndrome. They shared a flight from Atlanta to Dallas and as soon as Cunningham settled in for his flight the girl asked “Mister, did you brush your teeth this morning?” A little awkwardly, Milton replied, “Well, yes, I brushed my teeth this morning.” “Good, ‘cause that’s what you’re supposed to do,” the girl responded.
Her next question was, “Mister, do you smoke?” This one was a little easier on Milton. When he said no, the little girl answered with approval, “Good, ‘cause smoking will make you die.” The third question was even easier to answer. The young girl asked, “Mister, do you love Jesus?” Milton answered with confidence, “Well, yes, I do love Jesus.” “Good, ‘cause we’re all supposed to love Jesus,” she replied.
Just then, another man settled into the seat beside Milton. Immediately, the girl urged Milton to ask the new fellow if he had brushed his teeth that morning. Milton wasn’t about to disturb the stranger, but the girl wouldn’t leave him alone. Finally, he gave in. He said, “Mister, I don’t mean to bother you, but my friend here wants me to ask you if you brushed your teeth this morning.” When the man noticed the girl, he realized that her question was innocent enough, and he answered that yes, he had brushed his teeth that morning. With a sinking feeling, Milton realized where this was going.
Next the girl urged him to ask the stranger if he smoked. Milton and the man went through the second question. And sure enough, the girl wanted Milton to ask the third question: Did this man love Jesus? Milton protested that the question was too personal, that he just wouldn’t be comfortable asking it. Remember, Milton Cunningham was a missionary. But something in him made him uncomfortable about pursuing a spiritual conversation with a fellow passenger. But the young girl persisted, and so Milton said, “Now she wants to know if you love Jesus.” At this, the man’s face darkened. He began to talk about his desire to know God. He was at a point in his life when he was searching for God, for meaning, for purpose in life. But he didn’t know where to turn. So Milton Cunningham finally took advantage of the opportunity God gave him through an innocent little girl to explain to the man the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You and I are surrounded by lonely, hurting, lost people who need us to simply share with them the Good News that we have personally experienced through Christ. Do you love Jesus enough to speak up for him? (Tom Clairbourne, Restoration Herald, March 2012, p. 18)
INVITATION
