| R.M.S.
Titanic, a Graphic Picture of Today's Society of Man And Where
It's Headed
Some
facts: R.M.S. Titanic was built at Harland and Wolff Shipbuilding
in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1912. She was 882 feet long
and had a gross tonnage of 45,000 tons. She was owned by the
White Star Line (recently purchased by J.P. Morgan). She carried
only 16 lifeboats, and 4 life rafts, an insufficient number
to cover 3200 passengers and crew. The passengers could chose
between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
class accomodations for the voyage, the difference in price
being L870 for a first class ticket and as little as L2 for
a third class one. The majority of passengers were third class.
The Titanic had 28 staterooms and suites for the first class
passengers. The special staterooms were located amidships
on B and C decks and were designed in differing ways. The
first class passengers could choose between a room in these
following designs: Empire, Renaissance, Georgian, Modern and
Old Dutch, Regency, Queen Anne and Louis XIV, and XV. A few
of the rooms even had fireplaces and burned coal in the sitting
room, and had gigantic beds in the bedroom. The most expensive
suites had five rooms and a private lavatory also.
One of the places people could meet on board and have dinner
was the giant restaurant which was located on D deck. It measured
92 feet wide by 114 feet long. It took a maximum of 500 people
sitting. The ship also has a French Restaurant, "Café
Parisien" with French waiters.
The first class met at the Lounge on the Promenade deck. It's
walls were very similar to the ones at the Versailles castle
near Paris and were very exquisite. Situated next to this
room was the Georgian reading and writing room for ladies,
and next to that was the smoking room for men.
The entire crew consisted of about 860 men and women, 340
of which worked below decks in the engine department as engineers,
trimmers, boilermakers, greasemen, window-washers and linen
keepers. Only a few dozen were actually engaged in seamanship,
and fewer still were officers. The Captain at the time of
this maiden voyage was Captain E.J. Smith, whose career was
long and professional before this voyage. He had sailed over
2 million miles for the White Star Line and they had complete
confidence in him. This was to be his last voyage before his
retirement.
Titanic's keel (number 401) was laid down on March 31, 1909
and she was launched May 31, 1911. She had nine decks including
the orlop deck. 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. The hull was divided into sixteen watertight compartments
by means of fifteen watertight bulkheads extending up through
deck F. Heavy watertight doors provided communication between
bulkheads during normal operation. These were electrically
operated and also had a floatation mechanism for automatic
closing. She was designed to remain afloat with any two compartments
flooded, possibly three, enabling her to withstand a collision
at the joint of two compartments. Her overall length was 882.5
feet, her beam was 92.5 feet from water line to boat deck.
Her gross tonnage was 46,328 tons, net tonnage 24,900 tons.
She was driven by a three prop design that used two outboard
reciprocating engines with a low pressure turbine in the middle
driving the centre prop. The reciprocating engines were of
the four cylinder, triple expansion direct acting and inverted
type. Each engine developed 15,000 horsepower at 75 revolutions
per minute. The low pressure turbine in the middle was of
the Parsons type. It developed around 16,000 horsepower at
165 rpm. It was an elegant design as the middle turbine was
driven from the excess steam exhaust from the other reciprocating
engines. The steam required to run all this came from 29 huge,
three story high boilers.
Titanic's complement of passengers and crew was not adequately
provided for in event of the worst disaster, the sinking of
the ship. The British board of regulations required that any
ship over 10,000 tons had to carry at least 16 lifeboats.
As Titanic carried 20 lifeboats she was well within regulation.
Sixteen of these were regular wooden type and four Engelehardt
collapsibles, as A, B, C, and D. In fact, no liner afloat
at that time carried enough lifeboats to evacuate all passengers
and crew. The reason for lifeboats came from this disaster.
Prior to this the general opinion was, should a ship become
stricken, that lifeboats were used to ferry passengers to
rescue ships waiting nearby in the already crowded North Atlantic
shipping lanes. With the invention of wireless, this made
this even more credible. Any large ship in trouble was expected
to remain afloat for many hours or even days and help would
be promptly summoned by radio. [The world today lives by this
same precarious standard, as seen when a country's civil and
emergency plans and stockpiles are carefully examined. Three
percent of the modern western world's population produces
well over 75 percent of all the food grown in the world!]
The chef aboard had made a list of things which he wanted
for the maiden voyage. It included among other things: 35,000
fresh eggs, 40 tons of potatoes, 1,000 bottles of wine, and
15,000 bottles of beer. Also were 12,000 dinner plates, 40,000
towels of different sorts, 45,000 napkins, 1,000 oyster forks
and 15,000 champagne glasses.
On her first day, Titanic sailed 386 miles, the second day
519 miles and on the third day over 546 miles as she picked
up speed. The Captain proceeded to increase speed further
on the fourth day until she was doing 22.5 knots. At that
speed, by the time the lookouts saw the iceberg in the dark
of night, with her rudder of insufficient size, she could
not avoid a glancing blow which caused the iceberg to run
along down her side, opening up horizontal gaps in her hull-plates
anywhere from six inches to a foot high from at least bow
to midships. Half an hour after she struck, the first call
for help went out over her wireless. The Carpathia immediately
answered the call and set course eastward toward Titanic.
The collision had awakened many members of the crew and passengers
in their quarters. The passengers were less wakened by the
noise than by the water swirling about the deck at their feet.
The Titanic carried lifeboats for 1200 people, but this evening
only about 700 boarded the lifeboats, mostly women and children.
A few men succeeded in smuggling themselves on board and a
few clamoured aboard after jumping into the cold waters of
the north Atlantic.
It was dawn when the Carpathia arrived, but not before 2,207
had died, mostly by freezing to death in the icy night waters
of the north Atlantic. Only 712 people were rescued by the
Carpathia.
[Most of the details from this account were taken from Hannah
Goransson's webpage on the Titanic. Very good job Hannah.]
The R.M.S Titanic is a perfect example of today's society
of man. They had the best that technology and entertainment
had to offer. Exquisite living for the rich and warm shelter
and good food for even the poor. Most of Titanic's passengers
were poor or middle class at best, same as those in our respective
western world societies. Comfort, warmth, and decent quarters
on a ship headed for the cold depths of the north Atlantic.
Now she resides at least three miles under the ocean. In Matthew
24 and the book of Revelation, particularly chapters 16 and
19, Jesus shows us that the end-time society of man will hit
a similar iceberg called the tribulation (World War III) which
will sink man's Satan influenced society under the waves into
oblivion. [To view this prophetic iceberg which may now be
just over the horizon CLICK
HERE.]When all prophecies are taken into account, both
in the Old Testament and New, the clear indication is that
maybe a 10th of the world's population will live
on into the kingdom age of Jesus Christ. Nine tenths of six
billion is 5.4 billion dead. Six hundred million survivors
out of six billion will be all that remain of mankind! Bible
believing Christians know this is going to happen, because
God's Word says it will. Is there any way we can save some
of those who dwell on the RMS Titanic of man's society?--Maybe
reserve a few seats on lifeboats for as many as we can? Is
that possible? I think it might be, depending on what a lifeboat
is. I get into that in the following pages. The analogies
that can be drawn between Titanic and this world's society
are both frightening and accurate. God's prophecies have never
failed. The people who boarded Titanic, both rich and poor,
were awed by her size and technical sophistication, much in
the same way mankind in our western societies are awed by
the same type of things around them, helping them be the masters
of their environment. I am just trying to get you to see the
striking similarities between mankind in our present age and
those who boarded Titanic. The attitude was one of awe toward
what man had created, while letting fly the statement "That
even God couldn't sink her." Are things much different today?
Pre-evangelism
or evangelism--which harvesting tool is the correct one?
In
John 4:35 Jesus said, "Do you not say, 'There are still four
months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you,
lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already
white for harvest!" Every farmer knows that you have to use
the right harvesting tools for the type of field you're harvesting.
Not every field is the same, and not every harvest is the
same. In Matthew 10:7-8 Jesus said, "as you go, preach, saying
'the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse
the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely you have
received, freely give." Here he was telling them to proclaim
the gospel and use God's healing power to directly evangelize
a certain group of people. In Matthew 9:10-13 is says, "While
Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors
and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When
the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does
your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing
this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire
mercy, not sacrifice,' For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners." Jesus healed sick, halt, maimed and the lepers
of society, not the well or those who thought of themselves
as well. The apostles did the same and then they evangelized
to these same people and those around them. What is the difference
between evangelism and pre-evangelism? The fundamental difference
between the two methods or approaches of bringing people to
God lies more in the group of people each is aimed at. One
approach is very effective when aimed at those who are on
the "life rafts" of this life, those who know death and discomfort
are near and constant companions, and that death is imminent
if something doesn't happen to save them from their circumstances.
Straight evangelism coupled with the healing power of God
reaches this group of people very effectively and bears much
fruit. This group has been humbled to the point where they
know they need God, and basically if God doesn't help, that
they're goners. The other approach is meant to be aimed at
those in this world "who dwell on the R.M.S. Titanic." This
world is composed of these two distinct groups. One is destitute
and if their situation doesn't change for the better, they'll
die. It's that simple. Their lives and existence are wretched.
The other group live in today's various societies--the society
of man, which Matthew 24 shows us is going to come crashing
down around them and sink under the waves in a massive event
called the tribulation. Modern students of history and war
would call this event World War III. Those on this "R.M.S.
Titanic" scoff when offered the Bread of Life through evangelism.
The message that saves the other group means nothing to them.
They think they're fine as they are. There are poor, middle
class and rich on board, but they're all well off when compared
to the other group in this world. They have a degree of comfort
and wealth the others in the world don't share in--plenty
of good food and warm shelter. They think they're fine just
as they are, steaming into the black night toward a massive
event with an iceberg. They think they don't need the Bread
of Life or spiritual shelter, they have the Grand Dining Room
and massive kitchens, ball-rooms for dancing, and libraries
for study. They have everything by comparison to the other
group. And they think that in a few days, they'll be docking
in New York. Offering them Bread is silly. But convincing
them of the dangers of icebergs in the north Atlantic isn't
so silly and idea.
Pastor Cymbala has found that straight evangelism coupled
with the healing power of God through intercessory prayer
works best in the destitute areas of the inner city environment
where wretched people live on "life rafts", where their way
of life threatens their very existence. They know that without
God, they're dead or as good as dead. "There are no atheists
on a life raft" is a very true saying. But to those better
off individuals who reside on the RMS Titanic of today's society
they must be convinced of God's existence, and be healed of
their skepticism toward His existence, and then be brought
to realize the danger they're in on the coarse they're headed
on. Pre-evangelism has the power to effectively reach this
group and help anyone willing to listen. It proves God exists
and is in ultimate control of the universe and the world we
live on. It also shows through prophecy where this RMS Titanic
of a society of ours is ultimately headed. Then when pre-evangelism
has done all of this, if properly presented, it leaves the
individual in a state of belief and faith, willing to accept
the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.
To see a graphic example of straight evangelism, preaching
to those on "life rafts", read the letter which follows this
short article. The people described are not people living
in our society as we know it. If their wretched circumstances
are not improved immediately, many of them will die--but
they're openly accepting Jesus Christ into their lives!
Take this same message to those you work with, or those in
your nice little neighborhood, or even your not so nice little
neighborhood, and see what kind of reaction you get. To learn
more about how those on the RMS Titanic of man's society might
be effectively reached go back to the previous link on this
webpage titled "What Is Pre-Evangelism?" and read it. What
follows this article is a letter I received from the Campus
Crusade for Christ International. It is graphic, but it gets
my point across. The people who are reaching these poor starving
refugees are on the front battle lines of evangelism.
The interesting thing is that a healthy percentage of the
world's population are in this "life raft" category. And this
percentage is growing larger too, as world conditions worsen.
But for most who dwell in the Titanic category, evangelism
bounces off skeptical minds and deaf ears. They're too well
off--too in love with what this push-button tinsel-world has
to offer. A warning-witness type pre-evangelistic message
is all they might hear. If we take an honest look at the situation,
those on this huge RMS Titanic of our society don't know they
need a saviour. For those unfortunate ones who were onboard
the real Titanic their saviour would have been a seat on a
lifeboat to bring them to the HMS Carpathia. Pre-evangelism
offers those in our Titanic society a free seat on a lifeboat,
which will then transport them to the Saviour, Jesus
Christ. The interesting thing about these
lifeboats is that they have the ability to transport people
off the Titanic and onto the Carpathia before
this Titanic society of ours ever hits the iceberg! All of
society as we know it will go down into the depths of oblivion
before the iceberg Jesus prophecied about in Matthew 24 and
Revelation 16 and 19. It is the tool of pre-evangelism that
helps focus people on the danger and the solution. But being
saved by Jesus does not necessarily equate to saving your
neck physically. That just hasn't been the history of Christians.
The proper use of pre-evangelism is to bring a people to accept
Jesus Christ as their personal saviour, thus bringing about
the spiritual salvation of those people and their eventual
receiving of actual eternal life (I Corinthians 15:49-54)--it
brings people to the point of being ready to be evangelized.
Many Christians think that prophecy was given to help edify
the Christian, but when you look closely at the fruits of
Christians spending too much time studying prophecy, those
fruits are not necessarily good. No, saved born-again Christians
need to be delving into the gospel of Christ, clothing themselves
in it. Prophecy, if properly used, is a harvesting tool the
Lord gave for Christians to use to help bring non-believers
into a state of believing in God and His Word.
Both pre-evangelism and evangelism have a proper use in our
efforts to bring people to Jesus Christ and salvation through
him. We must learn how to use the proper harvesting tool for
the type of field we're harvesting--life rafts adrift in the
hostile sea or the super luxury liner RMS Titanic, steaming
in the dark of night toward her doom.
To see a perfect example of how effective each harvesting
tool can be, consider this. Membership in the Worldwide Church
of God under Mr. Herbert Armstrong from 1934 to the late 1960's
rose from a local congregation with just nineteen members
to a globe-spanning denomination of 150,000 people! It remained
at this size right up to the death of Mr. Armstrong. That
church's harvesting tool under Mr. Armstrong was pre-evangelism--a
tool the Lord had definitely used Mr. Armstrong to fashion
to perfection. Then he died, and Mr. Tkach Sr. took his place.
Ten short years later the church's main harvesting tool became
conventional evangelism, as just described in that sermon
at the beginning of this link given by Mr. Dan Rogers, head
of that church's ministers. I remember reading an amazing
article in the church's bimonthly newspaper during this period
of time. It detailed how the congregations in our African
churches were growing in number by the thousands!
Everywhere else in the church, numbers of new converts to
Christ remained at an all time low. But in this section of
equatorial Africa thousands were being brought to Jesus Christ
and baptism. But the U.S. congregations were not growing all
that much. Amazing? It shouldn't be. The proper harvesting
tool for the right kind of field--simple as that! Each tool
successfully harvested a bumper crop. But each type of crop
harvested was different. What follows on the next page is
a letter sent to me by the Campus Crusade of Christ International.
It describes straight evangelism in dynamic action, aimed
effectively at those who genuinely dwell on life rafts.
The plight of these poor people is desperate, and yet
they're accepting Jesus Christ in large numbers. Some local
congregations are giving directly to this organization as
their means of evangelizing and bringing people to Christ,
people whom they'll probably never ever meet in this life.
That is admirable.
November 1998
Dear friend in Christ,
Sometimes Heaven comes down to Earth.
On this night, the encounter occurred in a place that seemed
more like Hell.
What I am about to share with you is surely among the most
dramatic moments in the powerful evangelistic film, "JESUS."
It's a moment that can never be forgotten.
The news media didn't talk about it much. Perhaps it was too
remote, or maybe it was because tragedy in Mozambique was
too close to South Africa.
Mozambique was a nation in absolute chaos. Civil war had degenerated
into total anarchy. Marauding soldiers and Marxist rebels
were fighting each other. Even worse, they were routinely
raiding villages and robbing, raping, and killing any person
they encountered. And, Mozambique was gripped by a cruel famine.
Millions were dead or dying.
Over 500,000 refugees had fled. Some had come to a camp just
inside South Africa. When "JESUS" Film Partners Willie and
Marie Erasmus arrived, the sight and sounds were overwhelming.
Shimmering waves of heat rose in the distance as the blazing
African sun beat down on the Film Team truck. Gritty red dust
hung in the air, the evidence of thousands of refugees on
the move. Willie and Marie had heard there was little or no
water for these people, that they barely staved off starvation
by eating meager daily ration provided by struggling relief
agencies.
As they entered the huge camp, they told me how they were
overcome by the stench of human excrement. Even worse was
the sea of emaciated bodies and the empty, hopeless looks
in the eyes of the people. They heard tale after tale of misery,
like the young mother who fled Mozambique with her children,
but was eaten alive by a lion before she could make it to
camp. Her two children survived, only to be confronted with
this Hell on Earth--their hopes for a better life dashed.
But, there was hope. That's why Willie and Marie had
come. A young missionary, working among these desperate people,
had begged Willie and Marie to come and show them the "JESUS"
film. At first, Willie had protested, "We haven't yet translated
it into the Shangaan language these people speak." The young
missionary had replied, "It's O.K., we'll interpret it while
it is being shown." He had already led 30 of these refugees
to Christ. In the middle of this camp they had formed a church.
And, they had been trained and were ready to help counsel
those he had prayed would respond to the message that night.
It seemed that Willie drove the truck through the camp forever,
trying to find a suitable clearing where the Film Team could
show the film. Finally, they found a place. All afternoon
they worked in the searing heat to set up the portable screen
and sound system.
But Marie sensed that something was very wrong. In her spirit
she could feel demonic oppression building. Then the team
heard witch doctors chanting and saw them throwing bones on
the ground in satanic rituals. With howling and incantations,
the witch doctors began calling up the "spirits of their ancestors."
An eerie and foreboding pall seemed to fall over the camp.
Satan wanted the showing stopped.
Willie called the team together to pray. Thirty others
who had come from a nearby New Life Training Center were also
enlisted. They had come to help with evangelism and follow-up,
but now they were involved in full spiritual warfare.
For three hours they interceded, praying that God would
bind the power of the evil one, pour out His blessings,
and open the eyes of these spiritually blind people who lived
in darkness and continuing misery. They joined hands and walked
around in a circle, symbolically encircling the camp. They
beseeched God to tear down the walls of evil that had engulfed
these people, just as he destroyed the walls of Jerecho.
As darkness set in, the ragged refugees emerged from their
shacks and began to stream toward the showing area. The witch
doctors stopped their dancing. Over a thousand people crowded
into the small dusty clearing. When it was dark enough, the
film began.
With the English soundtrack playing low and with microphone
in hand, the interpreter translated line by line all that
was taking place on the screen. Between reel changes (there
are four reels and three changes) he told them why it was
important that Mary be a virgin and how only a supernatural
man could be God.
Marie recounted, "During the scenes of the crucifixion in
the fourth, 30-minute reel, we sensed something unusual was
happening. Everyone began to cry--women, men and children.
A mournful wailing gradually rose from the crowd into a relentless
crescendo."
As Jesus was being pushed down the Via Dolorosa, the weeping
became louder and uncontrollable. When the Roman soldiers
started nailing Jesus to the cross, many of the people jumped
up and ran toward the screen with their hands in the air,
crying out to God.
Everywhere, people were confessing their sins. The film was
forgotten. Rivers of tears poured down their dirty cheeks.
Men beat their chests and cried out, "Oh God!, Oh God!" Some
were on their knees, some stood with eyes closed and arms
raised, others lay prostrate on the ground. The interpreter
was even on his back in the dirt, praying, thanking God, crying,
praising, and worshipping.
These people were in the presence of a holy God. They
were overwhelmed by a sense of their sinfulness, and they
wanted desperately to be forgiven.
Someone turned off the projector. The Film Team rushed to
pray and counsel those who were seeking God. But they couldn't
speak. One by one, the team members themselves fell to their
knees, confessing their own sins.
"I can't explain how I felt," Willie told me. "I felt the
awesome power of God. I felt His love, His compassion, His
care. It was overpowering. It was a wave that welled up inside
us and we couldn't contain it. We were totally, irrevocably,
hopelessly in love with Jesus. And the experience just burst
out of us with confession and tears, praise and worship, and
a feeling of wonder."
Tears came into Willie's eyes, "I saw a nine-year-old boy
crying out to God. I turned to pray for him, but I couldn't
because I was crying myself. A 70-year-old man with his eyes
open and his hands in the air, repeated over and over again,
'I just saw Jesus!' But we were not just seeing the portrayal
of Jesus, we were feeling His presence so powerfully that
we just couldn't take it in."
Marie continued, "I started to pray with one woman, but I
couldn't speak. I was overcome and began confessing my own
sins. The sense of God's presence, His power and holiness,
was so great that no one could do anything but confess their
sin. I knew I was in a holy place. These people had nothing.
And God decided to give them a chance--right there in that
filthy camp--to feel His presence and His love."
More than 30 minutes passed. Still the sounds of weeping and
passionate prayer filled the field. Willie went to the interpreter
and said, "We need to finish the film so they will know the
good news of the resurrection."
All across the audience the people continued to wipe tears
from their eyes. They saw the burial of Christ, and then the
resurrection. The interpreter explained to the crowd, "Jesus
died to make the payment for our sins. But death could not
hold Him." And with that, he pointed to the screen and shouted
with uncontainable joy, "And there He is! He was raised from
the dead!" The crowd exploded as if a dam had burst. Everyone
began cheering, dancing, hugging one another, and jumping
up and down.
The Film Team never finished showing the film. An
invitation was given for those who wanted to receive Christ
to come to the front. The "problem" was they ALL wanted
to accept Him as their Savior and Lord--all 1,000 people!
Isn't God wonderful? Who can know or understand His ways?
These people had absolutely nothing. They were totally hopeless.
They desperately needed to know love, to belong to someone.
That night, that holy night, Heaven came down to Hell on Earth.
Through prayer, God brought to their impoverished, darkened
hearts His indescribable love. They had never heard of Jesus.
But, that night, they experienced His touch. What a night!
What a God!
No, not every showing of "JESUS" is so incredible. Many are
actually somewhat routine and predictable. But many others
are just as dramatic and power-filled. What is certain is
that God is using this most translated film in all of history
to radically, supernaturally transform the lives of millions
around the world. To date, some 83 million have indicated
decisions for Christ at showings of "JESUS." More than 815
Christian organizations have chosen to use the "JESUS" film
as one of their primary tools of evangelism. This is why over
2,200 Film Teams are laboring in 223 nations using 472 different
translations of "JESUS."
I am writing you because those very same Film Teams need support,
a lot of support. They are working in some of the most difficult
and remote areas you can imagine. Daily, many face the very
threat of violence directed against them, Satan's onslaughts,
beatings, and death. Yet, enabled by prayer and driven by
their vision to see their people healed and come to know Christ,
they persist.
This is why I am boldly and confidently coming to you on their
behalf. For these 2,200 Film Teams to be funded for the next
several months, we need to raise $2,100,000. That amount will
help cover their salaries, travel expense, food, lodging,
training, literature, and other follow-up materials. In one
year, each team will show "JESUS" to an average of 50,000
people. In all, these 2,200 teams will show "JESUS" to tens
of millions of people in the year ahead.
As the year 2000 looms imminent, as we dream of having reached
every person on earth, will you take it upon yourself to help
raise these funds to help complete this $2,100,000 need?
As you know, we've found that for every dollar you send, one
person can receive Christ as Savior and Lord. So, would you
consider a gift of $100 to help lead 100 people to Christ?
Or, would you pray about a gift of $250 to help introduce
250 to Christ?
Perhaps you can only give a smaller amount. God honors each
gift according to our ability….It's a big vision, isn't
it? However, we have an even bigger God. The task of reaching
the six billion people on Earth can seem daunting indeed.
But, not if we partner together, not if we pray together,
not if we give together, so that people around the world who
have not once heard the name of Jesus will experience His
touch.
Let me close this rather long letter by expressing to you
my deepest thanks. I cannot tell you how much your partnership
means to me throughout the year. You are what makes this powerful
ministry of film evangelism and follow-up possible. Thank
you so very much.
I believe God will bless you for what you have done and will
do. I hope to hear from you soon!
Until the whole world hears,
Paul Eshleman
Director
The JESUS Film Project
More details about this supernatural encounter appear in
Paul Eshleman's book, The Touch of JESUS, along with
scores of other exciting stories from the mission field. To
find out how you can receive your own copy, please call 1-800-432-1997,
or you can reach us through the Internet at: http://www.jesusfilm.org/
If you would like to help, we've created two easy, quick ways
to send your gift. You can call toll free 1-800-432-1997
and send your gift today by credit card or you can use the
internet and send your gift over our encryption-protected
secure server. Just go to: http://www.jesusfilm.org/easygift
Why would Jesus want the main thrust of evangelism through
the proclamation of the gospel of Christ to go toward those
who exist on "life rafts"--the halt, maimed, sick and destitute
of this world? Jesus gave us the reason in the following parable:
Matthew 22:1-10. "Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
'The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding
banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had
been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they
refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said,
'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my
dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and
everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' But they
paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another
to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated
them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army
and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then
he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but
those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street
corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. So the
servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people
they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was
filled with guests." Matthew 19:30 states, "But many who are
first will be last, and many who are last will be first."
Historically the main thrust of the Church Jesus founded on
Pentecost, 31 A.D. has been straight evangelism (Matthew 28:18-20;
Acts 4). But as the Good farmer, Jesus wants all his fields
harvested of those willing to heed the call to salvation.
Some of those fields are located on the "Titanic of modern
society" and some are located on the "life rafts." Each harvesting
tool--pre-evangelism and evangelism--has its specific purpose
in Jesus Christ's overall operational harvest plan. Let's
use these tools wisely in order to achieve the greatest harvest
yet, before Winter sets in (Matthew 24).
One last thought. Those of us who've been richly blessed in
this world's goods need to not only support the evangelizing
efforts of those bringing our poorer brothers and sisters
to Christ, but we need to support these poorer churches being
raised up in the third world with the substance we have been
so richly blessed with. We Christians in the United States
and wealthier western nations have the responsibility to support
our poorer Christian brethren--without regard to denomination--in
these third world countries where the harvest of souls is
being so plentifully reaped. Then our joy in the wedding banquet
of Jesus will be complete.
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