When Lifeguards Forget the Beach; You are Needed At the Beach

Scripture: John 10:15
John 10:15-16 (NIV) 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Ever spend a few days in Ocean city, New Jersey, right along the Atlantic coast? There’s bikes to rent where you can ride the boardwalk very early in the morning when hardly anybody else is around except a few walkers or runners. At the one end of the boardwalk is this white building with the initials O.C.B.P., which stands for Ocean City Beach Patrol. Occasionally, you will find lifeguards meeting there early in the morning discussing their day’s assignments. You won’t see them meeting there in the afternoon. If you are at the beach, you don’t want them meeting in their little building in the afternoon. Mr. Lifeguard is up where he’s supposed to be, in his high chair, and he’s focused on people in the water. One time, he spotted three children who were in trouble – possibly ready to drown. He cleared the beach, got the other lifeguards, plunged in and saved those kids. It’s a good thing they weren’t having a lifeguard meeting up on the boardwalk. Let’s think a moment about when Lifeguards Forget the Beach.
In John 10: 15-16, God’s Word says: Jesus said, “I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.”
If you ever visit Westminster Abbey in London, for over a thousand years, they have buried some of the greatest people in British history. Many of the Kings and Queens, some literary and music greats, and one missionary. His tomb is in a central spot and is one of the first you would see. David Livingstone. The great man who introduced the Gospel of Jesus to much of Africa. He sacrificed the comforts of England to go and bury his life there. He sensitized his country to the needs of Africa, in what was then known as darkest Africa. He is considered one of England’s greatest men. If you stand over that vault in the floor there and read the facts about his life, you will also see the verses from John 10. It’s a moving experience to read those verses on his tomb: “Other sheep I must bring. I can’t be content with the ones already in the fold.” Livingstone devoted his life to the sheep who weren’t in the fold yet. So did Jesus. Have you? You don’t necessarily have to go to Africa or to any foreign mission field. You are surrounded at work, in school, and in your neighborhood by sheep who aren’t in yet. They don’t know Jesus the Shepherd who said, “I lay down my life for the sheep.”
See, we who know Christ are God’s lifeguards. We are assigned to rescue other dying people as we were rescued. The problem is, we tend to get in our lifeguard station, the church, and stay there. We have lifeguard meetings, lifeguard songs, we take lifeguard offerings, and we have lifeguard equipment, but we forget to go to the beach where the people who need us are. When is the last time you left the safety of the comfortable lifeguard station and plunged into the surf to bring Jesus to someone? We can’t settle for not having any unbelieving friends and simply saying, “Well, all my friends are Christian.” No, not until we get to heaven. We can’t settle for just feeding ourselves in lifeguard station while people are drowning in the surf.
Our Lord’s magnificent obsession was people who weren’t in yet. Will you let Him put that passion in your heart? Get strong in the lifeguard meetings, but don’t stay in the meetings. You’re needed at the beach.