Yeah, it's been more than a century since the unsinkable ship sank and some 1,500 passengers died. You know, of course, I actually have my boarding pass for the Titanic. I really do! They gave it to me at the entrance to a Titanic artifacts exhibit I went to. (I am not that old that I have an original. No.) Now, it doesn't have my name on it. It says, "J. Pearse, Crew." See, having the name of someone who was really there that night, I guess, made what I saw a whole lot more personal. That was the idea.
It really hit home with me at the end of this tour, because I stood staring at this large wall that had two lists. They were reminiscent of the same lists that they posted after the real tragedy in the White Star Line's Liverpool, England offices. Here are these anxious relatives waiting to hear the fate of a passenger they loved, and a company rep who comes in occasionally and adds a name to one of two lists: "Known to be saved" and "Known to be lost." My guy, "J. Pearse," was saved. My friends who also saw this exhibit turned out to be "lost."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Getting Your Eternity Right."
The haunting images of that mighty ship going down are indelible in my mind. But then so are those two lists. Because everyone I know - everyone listening to this - is also on one of two lists: "Known to be saved" "Known to be lost." Not "rich" or "poor"...not "liberal" or "conservative"...not "Religion X" or "Religion Y" - just "saved" or "lost."
God makes it so plain in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in 1 John 5:11-12. "God has given us," it says, "eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life (that would be saved); he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (that's lost)." Now, if you have Jesus, you are rescued from the death penalty for your sins and you've got heaven. And God says if you don't have Jesus, you don't have heaven.
Because that "saving" came at a very high price that only the Son of God could pay. It meant Him, who had no sin, doing all the dying for all my sinning. Going through my hell so I, and so you, could go to His heaven.
The great news of Good Friday, the great news of Easter, is you can change lists! In Jesus' words, "Whoever hears My word and believes in Him who has sent me has eternal life; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). I love the definite sounds of those words, "has eternal life." Not hopes to have - has. A done deal! We can know for sure right now that if we died today, we'd go to heaven - eternal life insurance. No fear.
Maybe you know some folks who are still outside the lifeboat. You have nothing more urgent to do than in the Bible's words, "rescue those who are being led away to death" (Proverbs 24:11).
If you're not sure that you've ever given yourself to Jesus, you've got nothing more urgent to do than in the words of the Bible, "believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). That transaction between you and Him could take place this very day. It could take place now. Why not get this done? Why not get it settled? Why not today where you are? Just say, "Jesus, I believe You died for my sins. I believe You are alive because You walked out of your grave, and I am ready to give the running of my life to You. I'm pinning all my hopes on You, Jesus, to get me to heaven and forgive my sins. I'm Yours!" At that moment the Bible says you go from those who are "known to be lost" to those who are "known to be saved."
Let me invite you to go to our website and check it out today. Why? Because it's all about how to begin that relationship and to be sure you have. The website's ANewStory.com.
I'll tell you, it is amazing to be saved, but it is awful to be lost.