USS OSAS, More Deadly Than The Titanic?
"There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers." Phillip Franklin, White Star Line vice-president, 1912
Ships and words that have gone down in history for all the wrong reasons.
The Year was 1912. The RMS Titanic was set to make her Maiden Voyage on this 14th day of April.
Al Jolson’s, “That Haunting Melody,” was number one on the billboard.
We all know the story…The belated iceberg spot, a failed swerve, the lack of lifeboats
and the loss of over 1,500 lives – roughly 70% of the ship's passengers and crew –
the sinking of the largest and most luxurious ship built at the time
has become immortalized in popular history, inspiring documentaries,
television dramas and Hollywood blockbusters. What about the USS OSAS?
Why is no one talking about this ship? This ship is ten times larger and more luxurious
than the Titanic? In fact I tried to board it a while ago, but after seeing my life vest
they promptly turned me away. I found out they have everything you could want on that ship
and then some, from a sixty five year old pastor. He was getting his wife’s prescription sunglasses
from their car. He waved at me as he hurried back up the gang plank to get aboard. I was about to leave
when I notice a dock worker who had the same life vest as me. He was using a forklift to cast off the
giant ropes that moored the Colossal ship to the pier. I waited till his task was complete before
approaching him. I said to him jokingly, how you gonna get aboard now? He didn’t laugh. He said never
board that ship as he pointed to my life vest. I told him the pastor said it has everything you could
ever want, was he wrong? “Nope” he said, as he backed up the forklift. “It has all that and more.” He
was just about to drive away on his forklift when I motioned for him to stop. Wait, what do you mean by
more? He leaned over to the side I was standing on as if he were going to dismount the forklift. He
looked at me and said, “That ship has 100 times more death than the Titanic ever had.” He took a small
note book out of his shirt pocket. He then wrote down what the OSAS meant in the Ships name. Then
he said, “Never board that ship, and Never say that out loud.” I nodded. He said,” you have the same life
vest as me you’ll be okay,” then the loud speaker made an announcement he was off to the next pier. In
remembering what he said I dare not say it out loud. You will need to look in the Podcast transcript for
the answer. USS Once Saved Always Saved. Anyway the weather was nice so I thought I would go for a
walk. As I walked I began to read my Life Vest thanking GOD they did not let me board that ship. Yes
friends I am speaking today of the false doctrine put forth by cultural Christians who think church is a
good thing, but they’re just not interested in making it a priority. They are not involved in any ministry.
They don’t sacrificially give. They couldn’t tell you the last time they told someone about Jesus.
They come to church about once every couple months, because they are “just so busy.”
Ask any of these people if they are saved, and they will say “yes.” They will tell you about a time when
they prayed a prayer and got baptized. But they don’t live their lives as if Jesus is Lord.
Romans 11:17-24
17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among
them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the
branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The
branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off,
and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural
branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God:
on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise
thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God
is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and
wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the
natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
If we see that God was willing to cut off branches from his own original tree because of their unbelief,
why would we (who have been grafted somewhat unnaturally into this Jewish tree) ever think we can
get away with the very things that got them removed?
The same transgressions that got Israel removed from the tree—compromise, taking their salvation for
granted, giving lip-service to God, and going through religious motions without their hearts really
belonging to him—are rampant within the church today.
I am especially concerned for children who grow up in church, are raised in Christian families, and live up
to expectations by, at some point, “getting saved.” They avoid most major sins—at least, the ones they
think are major. But in their heart of hearts, they know Jesus is not Lord.
If this is you, Paul says, “Wake up! If this is what God did to the sons and daughters of Abraham, it’s
what he will do to you, too!”
Sometimes Christians will use a perverted version of the doctrine of eternal security to assure
themselves they belong to God. This doctrine says, “once saved, always saved.” That is, once you are
truly saved, you can never lose it. They have boarded the USS OSAS ship.
If there were any truth in this doctrine why did Jesus say to strive to enter in at the strait gate?
If everyone gets a trophy why would he tell us to strive?
Aren’t these like the branches that God removed from Israel?
So, we must be cautious. Beware tolerating compromise in your life. Beware being casual and
complacent in spiritual growth. Beware, lest sins you let go unchecked grow up and choke out your
faith. My fear for many in the church today is what Paul’s was—that they take forgiveness for granted,
assume it is their birthright, and do the very things that got Israel removed.
Maybe they prayed their prayer, and they’re satisfied to sit complacent with their “get out of hell free”
card. Or maybe they follow “Prozac Jesus,” who comforts them and is their BFF in a jam. But nothing
about their life says that Jesus is in charge. If we put you on trial for being a Christian, and the only
admissible testimony was that of your friends at school, would there be enough evidence to convict
you? If the only evidence we considered could come from what your spouse observes of you at home,
would there be enough evidence to convict you? If your best friends at school or those in your family
don’t know that you are a Christian, you probably aren’t. Who you are in the unseen, unrehearsed
moments is who you are. Period. Friend, if God removed those branches from Israel who didn’t really
walk with God and submit to his lordship, won’t he also remove you?
The only Jesus is Lord Jesus—He is either Lord of all, or not Lord at all. His lordship is demonstrated not
by the confession of your lips but the obedience of your life.