Fog on North Atlantic Ocean

The darkness seemed especially deep because of the fog that hovered over the North Atlantic Ocean . In contrast, the atmosphere aboard the Italian luxury liner was light and festive. Farewell parties were in progress as the ocean liner was to dock in New York City harbor the following day.

Suddenly a sharp, unexpected lurch of the ship, coupled with a grinding crash and flickering lights, sent a panic among the passengers. Then the ship stabilized, and the lights returned to a steady brightness. The passengers began to calm down, and a deceptively reassuring voice was reported to have come over the ship's intercom. Again and again the resonant voice said, "This is no emergency."

But a 30-foot gash in the ocean liner's side where the sharp bow of the Swedish liner Stockholm had struck the Andrea Doria was left gaping open to the sea. In a matter of hours the Andrea Doria slithered beneath the dark waters of the Atlantic , and fifty people died that summer night in 1956. *

God's Word warns of "danger ahead" for this world:

"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 3:10).

The "Day of the Lord" will be a day of Judgment for ALL.  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31).

 The Risen One who will judge the World is Jesus, God's Son.  One day "He will judge the world in righteousness," but NOW He is the Savior of the world. 

Our sins condemn us along with the world.  But because of His great love for us, God gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).  Through His atoning sacrifice, those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Christ before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38) have their sins washed away.  Then, as long as one continues to "walk in the light" of His Word, the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse him from sin (1 John 1:7).

Those who accept His offer of salvation on His terms need not fear the Judgment to come, for they have prepared themselves by being clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27).  For them, Jesus' return is welcomed, not feared.

That summer night in 1956 fifty people died in the North Atlantic Ocean because they thought that the danger was not real.  What happened to them PHYSICALLY can happen to us SPIRITUALLY - UNLESS we heed the warnings and submit our lives to the Savior, who one day, be our Judge.

Won't YOU accept the Savior's offer?

David A. Sargent, Minister

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