On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was no more than a hut, and there was only one boat; but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea.  With little thought for themselves, they went out day and night, tirelessly searching for the lost.  Some of those who were saved wanted to be associated with the station and give their time, money, and effort to support the work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew.

Some of these older members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those who were saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely because they used it as sort of a club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The lifesaving motif still prevailed in this club’s decoration, and there was a memorial lifeboat in the room where the club initiations were held.

One day a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick, and some of them were foreigners. The beautiful new club was in chaos. Immediately, the property committee hired someone to rig up a shower house outside the club, where victims of shipwrecks could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s lifesaving activities because they felt they were unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. A small number of members insisted upon lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. The small group’s members were voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast.

They did.

As the years went by, however, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old station. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore.  Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the passengers drown.[1]

As Jesus disciples our primary task is lifesaving or reaching others in His name. (See Matthew 28:19.)  Jesus said, “He came to seek and save the lost”[2]   Save them from what?  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ” [3]  Our sins or shortcomings cause death, Jesus is the lifesaver!  Unfortunately, we sometimes forget our purpose.

We need to recover our passion for lifesaving.   At Easter this is great reminder! He died for our sins and rose from the dead. We too have new life in Jesus.  It’s why we do door hangers,  local and global outreach, loads of love, and more.  I pray your heart and mine will never forget our primary purpose to reach others with the life saving message of Jesus.

Darrell

[1] The Life Saving Station, Youth Specialties, 2011

[2] Luke 19:10

[3] Romans 6:23