Janaury 19th Newsletter

As more bodies are being pulled from the stricken Costa Concordia, more stories of sacrifice are coming to light. One of those stories immediately brought to my mind the events of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.

Nicole Servel’s, husband Francis was one of the number who died when the luxury liner ran aground off the Italian coast on Friday night, January 13th. (For the complete news story, type Nicole Servel into Google search.)

She told how he said to her: “Jump, jump!” She didn’t know how to swim so he gave her his life jacket and because she was hesitant to jump, he went first. She said, “Then I jumped, floated on my back, and called to him.” He shouted back; “Don’t worry! I’ll be all right,” but she never saw him again.

No doubt the husband who could swim, thought he might make it to the shore which wasn’t very far away. Others made it. Yet he would have known there was a chance he would not. The water was cold (57 degrees) and a person can’t last long in that temperature. This husband’s first thought was for his wife. I would hope that in such circumstances I would do the same.

By all reports it doesn’t seem that the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, had the same heart for the passengers under his care.

Immediately I thought of events at the cross. The scribes mocked the Lord Jesus, saying, “He saved others; Himself he cannot save” Matthew 27:42. And it was true.

But there is one difference. The Lord Jesus knew before He went to the cross that it was a choice between saving Himself or others. With the full knowledge of this, He gave His life for us.

The Lord Jesus forewarned His disciples telling them “…that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed…” Mark 8:31. He died willingly that we might live. As the apostle Paul stated: “The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20.

For the rest of her life this widow will never forget the day her husband gave his life for her. I wonder if we have ever stopped-even once-to thank the Lord Jesus that He died that we might live.  

Russ Nesbit