NOAH’S ARK VERSUS THE TITANIC

Genesis 6: 9-22 recounts the story of Noah, a simple farmer who lived after one of the world’s worst floods ever. When God instructed him to build an ark measuring 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high, inhabitants of his small town mobbed his house and laughed their lungs out at the idea. You can imagine statements like: “Which God is it Mr. Noah who can instruct you to build an ark? How should people believe in this madness of yours?”

Since he was already 600 years old at that time, they also questioned whether old age was taking its toll on him. One can sympathise with Noah’s critics bearing in mind that there had never been a major flood before. And so Noah’s neighbours and other relations went about their businesses as the old man toiled day in and day out. What then followed is a miracle which the world shall continuously talk about forever. Noah’ ark which had three decks managed to stay afloat during the entire 40 day period when flooding rain water filled the whole earth.

None of the decks were filled with water even though water had flooded the earth for an amazing hundred and fifty days! Centuries later, man became to acquaint himself with new ways and means of doing things. And so from March 31 1909 to May 31 1911 at Harland and Wolff yards in Belfast, Ireland, a passenger liner was built. At that time owners of the ship, The British White Star Liner, were some of the proudest living persons. Proudest because the ship used some of the most advanced technology available at the time and had been designed to be ‘unsinkable’.

Four of its 16 water tight compartments could be flooded without putting to risk the ship’s buoyancy, an enviable feat no other man made ship possessed at that time. Add to that the fact that it was at that time the largest and luxurious passenger steamship ever made. This ship offered an on-board swimming pool, a gymnasium, a squash court and a sun lit veranda fitted with trellis decorations amongst others. You are reading about the Titanic, yes the ship whose film of the same title you probably viewed before.

According to Wikipedia the Titanic could hold a total of 3,547 passengers and crew. And so with pomp and ceremony the Titanic set off on her maiden journey from Southampton, England to New York City on Wednesday, April 10, 1912. Because she was ‘unsinkable’ the titanic only carried 20 lifeboats enough to accommodate only half its 2,228 passengers and crew. Because of the strong belief in its ‘unsinkability’ the 20 lifeboats were merely meant to rescue survivors of other sinking ships.

The “unsinkable ship” struck a premonition of gloom there and then as she left her berth. Her wake caused the New York liner which was docked nearby to break away from her moorings, drawing it dangerously close to the Titanic. A tugboat had to be used to tow the New York away. This near accident delayed the Titanic’s departure by an hour. The rest of the story is common knowledge - the titanic struck an ice berg shortly before midnight on April 14; after five of its watertight compartments ruptured and this caused the ship to break.

Two hours and forty minutes later at 12:20 AM on April 15 1912 to be precise, the ship sank. Over 1523 people either drowned or froze to death and only a pitiful 705 people were rescued. Do you see what happens when the fallen man decide to trust in his own intelligence? There are times when human wisdom gets the better part of us and make us start to think that we can live on our own without the creator.

A London based newspaper asked several eminent writers to respond through an essay the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” One prominent English writer mused over the question and submitted the following response:

Dear Sir,
I am.
Sincerely yours,
Gilbert Keith Chesterton.  

He was right. Many problems that the world encounters stem from man’s inner cravings-the fallible belief in our own greatness. Amateurs like Noah built the ark and professionals like The British White Star Liner built the titanic.

One survived a terrible flood and the other met a disastrous end- God’s perfection versus man’s ingenuity. The Lord makes this declaration for us: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. And so in all what we do, we must seek God’s favour and guidance.

It is now 100 years since the unsinkable ship got to its dead end. If I may ask, how many years are you left with before that ‘final sinking’ which everyone I know calls death? Tomorrow might be too late!

THE WAY TO GOLGOTHA

With grief and compassion

Christ prayed in Gethsemane

Then came the betrayer

In a manner seemingly sincere

With a kiss, the ‘deal’ was sealed

Taken to Caiaphas, the High Priest

And dragged to Pontius Pilate

Where our Lord was mocked, ridiculed

Whilst the betrayer committed suicide

Was shamelessly treated with scorn

On a sponge they offered Him wine

And for no justified cause

He was crucified on the cross

Unparalleled leadership

Heads of state and government attract people’s attention wherever they go. A host of factors can be attributed to the hype. Their itinerary is largely advertised both in the print and electronic media.  Government Press Officers, Party Publicists and other apologists work round the clock in order to ensure that every minutest detail is attended to. 

  

People flock to see them for different reasons.  Some do so just to see the motorcade that carries them; others turn up to admire the protective task highly trained bodyguards who travel with them performs.  And then they are those who turn up in their large numbers to see the red carpet treatment, the meticulous saluting from military personnel and all the accompanying pomp.

During Christ’s three-year stay on earth people followed Him wherever He went.  But Jesus had no publicist, owned no motorcade, had no bodyguards, no red carpet was rolled for Him and He didn’t receive any salute from anyone.  And yet a lot of people came to see Him. These people were never ferried in trucks from places far and near (the African leaders way of drumming up patronage, at least the Sub Saharan way) but had voluntarily walked long distances in order to see the most wonderful man who ever walked the earth. Several biblical incidents testify to these facts.

Great leaders have come and gone but none of them was more compassionate than Jesus. No matter how large the crowds, Jesus made Himself available to everyone who presented himself before Him. With no red tape mechanisms in place, people shouted on top of their voices to attract His attention.  If the same were to be done to Caesar one would have been arrested for indecent behaviour towards authority. Today, shouting in order to get attention might also warrant one a charge of a booking in the cooler for public disorder and indecent behaviour towards high authority. 

During political campaign rallies leaders go out to the remotest areas of the country in order to sell their party manifestoes to the voters.  Even at such occasions local people do not have the privilege of meeting and talking with these leaders on one on one basis save for a few selected fortunate souls who act as their spokespersons. 

But people were able to rub shoulders with Jesus without being shoved aside.  Take the case of one woman who lived with hemorrhage for 12 years. She had to jostle through the thick crowd and eventually managed to touch the hem of His garment for her healing. (Luke 9: 43-48)  Amazing determination from a woman who in my opinion was rather feeble and helpless to wrestle her way through an ecstatic moving crowd! How she fought her way through this strong male dominated crowd for the healing of her life still baffles me.  Only one word is fitting – determination. 

      

And there is a story of one diminutive tax collector who resorted to climb a sycamore tree in an attempt to see this humble man from Bethlehem of Judea who walked with 12 disciples, most of them fishermen.  The height disadvantaged tax collector voluntarily left his cash office in order to see the passing Jesus. (Luke 19: 1-10) Imagine what can happen to a modern day Zacchaeus in any country who might climb a tree in order to have a better view of a passing presidential convoy?  Security personnel may pounce on him and categorically claim that he had some evil intentions.  

Without haste a treason charge can be instituted for this unfortunate fellow even though there could be no tangible reasons to prove this helpless case. Those advancing the case might probably allege that our modern day Zacchaeus had intended to jump at the motorcade as it sped past thereby creating an inexplicable accident in the process.  And yet the midget Zacchaeus earned salvation through his monkey tree antics!  By climbing the sycamore tree, one would think that Jesus would have accused him of impropriety.  None of the 12 disciples accused him either of trying to pelt stones at the procession.  By the way no one knew there was a man up in the tree until Jesus commanded him to come down and play the host: “Hurry down, Zacchaeus, because I must stay in your house today!” 

The lepers, the demon possessed and all afflicted people got the attention they deserved from the man of the cross who bore the sins of the world. To date, Jesus Christ continues to touch the hearts and minds of all those who are willing to hearken to his call: “Come unto me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Christ only offers unparalleled compassion and leadership for all mankind.

That triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Atheists say He stole a donkey and made some show of it when He entered Jerusalem. The truth of the matter is that Christ rode on a donkey on divine appointment. He had earlier sent His two disciples to ‘go into the village and you shall find a colt that has never been ridden before tied to a tree… loosen it and bring it to me and if anyone asks you where you are taking it to, tell them the Lord needs it.’  And it happened just as Jesus had said. The owner(s) of the colt asked just in the same manner that Jesus had explained and they were allowed to take the colt away. Luke 19: 30 – 40.

It was on a Sunday like this one, Palm Sunday (which simply means the Sunday before Easter) many years ago, when Jesus, saddled on a colt, made that triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The whole city came to a standstill, not with blaring sirens and an intimidating gas guzzling motorcade but through a man who sat on a mere colt. He rode into the city not on any of Africa’s big five (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino and Leopard) but on a simple colt. He could have used a hippo if he had wanted to. Better still, His pick could have extended to other land mammals like dinosaurs (extinction wasn’t the word then) but He chose this young donkey for this kingly march into the holy city just to illustrate His meekness.

And so the whole Jerusalem was in an uproar! People thronged the streets carrying palm tree branches and spread their clothes throughout the whole route Jesus took. They shouted with great passion, “blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” This hype did not please some Pharisees and they immediately lodged a complaint to Jesus. “Master, rebuke your disciples!” At this Jesus replied, “I tell you if they keep quiet, the stones will immediately cry out.” That’s the gist of the story. As we observe Palm Sunday, we must realise the fact that Jesus wants us to proclaim about His kingdom and indeed spread the gospel.

If you remain quiet, God shall command stones to worship Him, to spread the word. Wait a minute, the stones being alluded to are twofold – literal and figurative ones. He can make real stones shout. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14. The figurative aspect points to the fact that people who are regarded as outcasts can have a turn around and start worshipping God. Paul of Tarsus was such one ‘stone’ that Jesus later used in spreading the gospel to the utter most parts of the earth.

Similarly, you may not regard yourself as somebody God can use. Big mistake! That’s what all God’s servant are – mere stones turned instruments. Heed the call, reflect and embrace the gospel. The man of sorrow is knocking at your heart’s door. The choice is yours- ignore Him and be damned or show Him in… and receive eternal life. Happy Palm Sunday!