147 years ago today, April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot at The Ford Theater in Washington D.C. This occured just 5 days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulyssis S. Grant and the Army of the Potomac. The Civil War was drawing to a close.
The Assination was planned and carried out by John Wilkes Booth, a well known stage actor, as part of a larger conspiracy to revive the Confederate cause. Lincoln died early the next morning.
100 years ago today, April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg, four days out of Southampton on her maiden voyage, bound for New York.
The Titanic had received several warnings of sea ice that day, but was traveling at maximum speed when it collided with the iceberg at 2340 (ship’s time) and sunk 2 hours and 40 minutes later. There were an estimated 2,224 people aboard; however, approximately 1000 passengers and crew members were still aboard when she sank.
This disaster led to the establishment of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) in 1914, which is still in effect today.
A little over 2000 years ago (at approximately this time of year) a little known (outside of the Nation of Israel) man became Savior of the World. Jesus of Nazereth, unjustly accused, unjustly tried, and unjustly crucified, Jesus Christ gave His life that you and I might have the opportunity for eternal life thru Him!
Lincoln’s death is well remembered, as is the sinking of the Titanic. However, these are just that….
MEMORIES.
The Cross of Calvary is more than a memory. It is FACT. Christ died a horrible, painful death. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. He lay in the grave 3 days and 3 nights, fulfilling His own words,
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:40).
At the end of the sabbath, toward dawn, two women went to see the sepulcher. They found the stone rolled away from the door by an angel of the Lord. Sitting upon it and sensing the fear of the two, he said, “Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here; for HE IS RISEN!!!” (Matt. 28:5,6)
He is STILL risen! Our Redeemer, our Restorer, our Rewarder. “… He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Seek Him, Surrender to Him, serve Him!
The Time…. NOW! “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Obadiah Okeson