The cruise ship Costa Concordia, over three football fields long from bow to stern, glowed with lights. Some of its 4,252 occupants strolled the decks, others found the elegant dining rooms and ordered meals, while some checked out the schedules for the live performances of the evening. Its promoters called the ship “a floating temple of entertainment.” Passengers looked across the calm seas to the hilly Italian countryside. For about four hours the ship sailed across the Mediterranean, cruising peacefully at 20 miles per hour.
Carelessness
Captain Francesco Schettino thought he would provide the passengers an extra treat by sailing by the island of Giglio. He had firsthand knowledge of the waters around the island. But he grew careless and took his attention away from navigation. Suddenly he looked up and saw that the ship was passing dangerously close to the rocky island. Immediately he ordered the helmsman to turn the ship. This careless move made the ship swing about in the water and brought the back part of the hull even closer to the island.
Passengers in the dining rooms heard the grinding of the ship’s metal hull against the rock, and they felt a jolt as the rock cut deep into the ship. Chandeliers overhead swung wildly, plates fell off tables, waiters carrying food stumbled to the floor. Near pandemonium developed as passengers rushed to the upper decks. Sea water rushed into the engine room, swamping the engine and electric generators and putting them out of commission. The ship had hit an underwater rock, cutting a 230-foot-long gash in the hull. Within minutes, the head engineer notified the captain that the ship had been damaged beyond repair. Emergency lights switched on throughout the ship. The seawater entering the hull caused the ship to lean 20 degrees to one side. The ship, carried forward by its momentum, drifted away from the island.
The luxurious Costa Concordia was in trouble because of carelessness and negligence on the part of the captain. The captain had the solemn responsibility to protect the welfare of every person on his ship. You too have a solemn responsibility to look out for the welfare of your own soul. If you are living without faith in the Saviour, you are sailing in dangerous seas. Wake up to the danger of living without the Saviour and cry out for the Lord Jesus to save you! “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).
Confusion, Panic and Lies
Frantic passengers made their way through the dark corridors to the lifeboat stations. Every second wasted could make the difference between life and death for the men and women on board. But Captain Schettino didn’t give the order to abandon ship. If he had given the order immediately after the crash, many lives might have been saved. Perhaps he was in a state of denial about what had happened.
Captain Schettino didn’t even call the Coast Guard and ask for assistance. The Coast Guard ended up contacting him. Worried passengers used their cell phones to call relatives on shore and tell them about the crash. These relatives then called the police, who in turn called the Coast Guard. The Italian Coast Guard immediately contacted the Costa Concordia by radio. Unfortunately the conversation went like this:
“Do you have any problems on board?”
“Yes, we have an electrical blackout.”
“We had a relative of a passenger say things were falling on passengers’ heads. Are you in serious trouble?”
“No, negative. We are working to fix an electrical problem.”
In another deception, the captain sent a high-ranking crew member with a message of false hope to the passengers who were crowded together by one of the Lifeboat Disembarkation Stations. This crew member, in a calm and reassuring voice, gesturing with her hands to make her points, emphatically told the passengers, “We have an announcement from the captain. We kindly ask you to return to your cabins, or, if you prefer, you can stay in the lounges. Once we are finished addressing the electrical problems, everything will be fine. That is why we have these emergency lights. Everything is under control. If you want to stay here that is fine, but I ask you to kindly return to your cabins and stay calm.” A short time later many of those cabins would become death traps when the ship rolled on its side and filled with seawater.
Lies, Truth and You
Everything on board the Costa Concordia was in a state of confusion. Do you know that this world is in a state of confusion? Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12) reads, “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Since that time death and sin have wreaked havoc. Who can make sense of all the evil that has been committed in human history? Who can make sense of the evil even in their own heart? Why the stubbornness, the hate, the willingness to see others hurt? Why the insubordination to authority, the envy, the cowardice, the dishonesty? Because of sin, men and women are headed to eternal death and separation from God. It is not a future God wants for the people He made and loves. He wants us to come back to Him and look to Him for salvation. He says He “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)). To save us, God sent His Son into the world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
The gospel proclaims a full and free salvation offered as a gift to all. “By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). But many won’t receive this gift. Since the Garden of Eden, the lie has been whispered, “Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:44And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (Genesis 3:4)). And since that time deceit and misinformation has made people think they aren’t so bad as to need the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Many think that they should try to live as comfortably as possible and not to trouble themselves about spiritual things which they can’t really understand anyway. This lie takes many different forms and shapes and has many willing accomplices. Many people leave God entirely out of their lives. Will you fall for this misinformation? Or will you open up your eyes and see your need of the Saviour who can forgive sins and bring you to heaven?
Running From Responsibility
The momentum of the ship carried it about a mile away from the island. At this point Captain Schettino could no longer deny that the ship was sinking. He turned the ship back towards the island with the hopes of running it aground in the mouth of the harbor, but when he got close, he saw his plan wouldn’t work. The mouth of the harbor was far too small. So he turned the ship parallel to the island and ran it aground on a rock shelf in about forty feet of water. In a terrifying moment, the giant ship rolled over on its side, and a good portion of the interior of the ship flooded with seawater.
Life boats became difficult or impossible to launch. Captain Schettino, fearing for the safety of his own life, abandoned ship, leaving hundreds of stranded passengers behind him. In the harshest language possible, the headquarters of the cruise line called the captain and ordered him to get back onto the ship and see to the safety of his passengers. He refused.
How vast the difference between Captain Schettino and the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of abandoning us when we needed Him the most, the Lord Jesus endured the pain and agony of the cross so that we might be saved.
How Will it all End?
A desperate rescue operation lasted for hours, and the search for missing passengers trapped in the ship continued for days. In the end 32 lives were lost in the accident. The Costa Concordia, one of the most beautiful ships ever built, remained on the rock ledge partially submerged for over two years before being refloated, towed to a shipyard, and cut up for scrap.
What will be your end? Will you end up lost and ruined in hell or will you trust Christ for salvation? He is completely worthy of your trust. Those who trust Him will never be disappointed. “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 10:1111For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:11)). Won’t you trust Him for salvation before another day goes by?
Captain Schettino abandoned hundreds while Jesus Christ showed His devoted love to the whole world. But does Jesus Christ have a personal interest in one individual — you? Find out more in The Amazing Rescue.