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September 25, 2009
Rescuce The Pershing!
down to the streets of his village and pouring out his soul in earnest entreaty for
men to be reconciled to God.
As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparent: he was consumed by the
Word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine consisted of, he
was known to reply, "The Word of God!" After five or six years of toiling on street
corners preaching the gospel and working in the mill during the day, Harper was
taken in by E. A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London, England. This set
Harper free to devote his whole time and energy to the work so dear to his heart.
Soon, John Harper started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as
the Harper Memorial Church.) This church which John Harper had started with just
25 members, had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later. During
this time he had gotten married; God did bless John Harper with a beautiful little
girl named Nana.
Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When he was
two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a well but was
resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was swept out to sea by a
reverse current and barely survived, and at thirty-two he faced death on a leaking
ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps, God used these experiences to prepare this
servant for what he faced next!
It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the bitterly
cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history. On board this
luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people. At the time of the ship's
launch, it was the world's largest man-made moveable object. At 11:40 PM on
that fateful night, an iceberg scraped the ship's starboard side, showering the
decks with ice and ripping open six watertight compartments. The sea poured in.
On board the ship that night were John Harper and his much-beloved six-year-old
daughter, Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that
the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took his daughter to a
lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily
gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his
mind. He bent down and kissed his precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told
her that she would see him someday. The flares going off in the dark sky above
reflected the tears on his face as he turned and headed towards the crowd of
desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge ship began
to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making his way up the
deck yelling, "Women, children, and unsaved into the lifeboats!" It was only
minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble deep within. Most people thought it
was an explosion; actually the gargantuan ship was literally breaking in half.
At this point, many people jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters
below. John Harper was one of these people.
That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen
swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before the
hypothermia became fatal. Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had
climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths, "Are
you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.
Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was near
shock, reply "No."
John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw it to the man and said, "Here
then, you need this more than I do," and swam away to other people. A few
minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading him
to salvation.
Of the 1528 people that went into the water that night, six were rescued by the
lifeboats. One of them was this young man on the debris. Four years later, at a
survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how that after
John Harper had led him to Christ, Mr. Harper had tried to swim back to help
other people, yet because of the intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His
last words before going under in the frigid waters were, "Believe on the Name of
the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."
Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no matter.
This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were trying to buy
their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save their own lives, John
Harper gave up his life so that others could be saved. "Greater love hath no man
than this than he lay down his life for his friends."
John Harper was truly the hero of the Titanic!
Friends, I believe that we too, are on a sinking Titanic of sorts. This Titanic is
called America! We are watching this country which once shone as a beacon of
hope in this world by sending missionaries everywhere slowly sinking deeper and
deeper into a sea of hopelessness! As tempting as it is to get into the life-boats of
politics, economics, personalities, etc. the only boat that will help is that old
Gospel ship the Good Ship Grace! we like John Harper may go down-we may
lose our fortunes, our reputations, our way of life, and even our lives..... But that
is Ok! It has to be! We are Ambassadors of Jesus Christ! we must declare Him to
those sinking out of sight into the depths of the sea! Our President I believe is
being used as a tool of Satan to bring destruction and discouragement to
millions.....yet, our focus must not be upon him, or even the USA.....it must be
upon the main objective of Rescuing the Perishing before it really is too late!
Rescuce The Pershing!
- In this edition of Friday Focus I want to share a
true story with you that you may have already
heard, but it is important to think about what it
means for today:
John Harper was born to a pair of solid
Christian parents on May 29th, 1872. It was on
the last Sunday of March 1886, when he was
thirteen years of age that he received Jesus as
the Lord of his life. He never knew what it was
to "sow his wild oats."
down to the streets of his village and pouring out his soul in earnest entreaty for
men to be reconciled to God.
As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparent: he was consumed by the
Word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine consisted of, he
was known to reply, "The Word of God!" After five or six years of toiling on street
corners preaching the gospel and working in the mill during the day, Harper was
taken in by E. A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London, England. This set
Harper free to devote his whole time and energy to the work so dear to his heart.
Soon, John Harper started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as
the Harper Memorial Church.) This church which John Harper had started with just
25 members, had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later. During
this time he had gotten married; God did bless John Harper with a beautiful little
girl named Nana.
Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When he was
two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a well but was
resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was swept out to sea by a
reverse current and barely survived, and at thirty-two he faced death on a leaking
ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps, God used these experiences to prepare this
servant for what he faced next!
It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the bitterly
cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history. On board this
luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people. At the time of the ship's
launch, it was the world's largest man-made moveable object. At 11:40 PM on
that fateful night, an iceberg scraped the ship's starboard side, showering the
decks with ice and ripping open six watertight compartments. The sea poured in.
On board the ship that night were John Harper and his much-beloved six-year-old
daughter, Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that
the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took his daughter to a
lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily
gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his
mind. He bent down and kissed his precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told
her that she would see him someday. The flares going off in the dark sky above
reflected the tears on his face as he turned and headed towards the crowd of
desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge ship began
to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making his way up the
deck yelling, "Women, children, and unsaved into the lifeboats!" It was only
minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble deep within. Most people thought it
was an explosion; actually the gargantuan ship was literally breaking in half.
At this point, many people jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters
below. John Harper was one of these people.
That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen
swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before the
hypothermia became fatal. Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had
climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths, "Are
you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.
Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was near
shock, reply "No."
John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw it to the man and said, "Here
then, you need this more than I do," and swam away to other people. A few
minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading him
to salvation.
Of the 1528 people that went into the water that night, six were rescued by the
lifeboats. One of them was this young man on the debris. Four years later, at a
survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how that after
John Harper had led him to Christ, Mr. Harper had tried to swim back to help
other people, yet because of the intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His
last words before going under in the frigid waters were, "Believe on the Name of
the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."
Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no matter.
This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were trying to buy
their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save their own lives, John
Harper gave up his life so that others could be saved. "Greater love hath no man
than this than he lay down his life for his friends."
John Harper was truly the hero of the Titanic!
Friends, I believe that we too, are on a sinking Titanic of sorts. This Titanic is
called America! We are watching this country which once shone as a beacon of
hope in this world by sending missionaries everywhere slowly sinking deeper and
deeper into a sea of hopelessness! As tempting as it is to get into the life-boats of
politics, economics, personalities, etc. the only boat that will help is that old
Gospel ship the Good Ship Grace! we like John Harper may go down-we may
lose our fortunes, our reputations, our way of life, and even our lives..... But that
is Ok! It has to be! We are Ambassadors of Jesus Christ! we must declare Him to
those sinking out of sight into the depths of the sea! Our President I believe is
being used as a tool of Satan to bring destruction and discouragement to
millions.....yet, our focus must not be upon him, or even the USA.....it must be
upon the main objective of Rescuing the Perishing before it really is too late!
