Message for the week of January 26, 2025
Picture Frame
The Shark’s Secret
In 1799 an American ship called The Nancy was carrying illegal, stolen cargo to the West Indies. This was discovered, and the ship was boarded and searched by the authorities when it docked in the West Indies. Before the police came on board, the captain threw the papers overboard that described the cargo. He knew that if these papers were found, they would show that he was guilty of smuggling. The police, although not finding the papers they searched for, arrested the captain, and he was brought to trial.

At the trial, his lawyer seemed to be winning the case because there wasn’t enough evidence against the captain. However, before the trial was over, the captain of an English ship, The Ferret, was called forward. He told the following story.

“While sailing along the coast of Jacmel, near Santo Domingo, my crew spotted a large shark. It was shot and hoisted on board. Inside the shark’s stomach, we found a bundle of ship’s papers that listed the cargo of the ship The Nancy.” These papers were then presented to the court. When they were read, they showed quite clearly that The Nancy was carrying illegal cargo. The captain was found guilty of smuggling and sent to prison.

The head of the shark was on display for some time after this strange occurrence at Port Royal, Jamaica. Its jaws can still be seen in the Museum of the Royal United Service Institution in London.

Those who were part of this strange story died long ago, but this story teaches us a good lesson. Perhaps every one of us has lied to try to hide something wrong that we have done. Maybe we never got caught. But, does our lie work to hide our sins from God? Not at all. God’s Word, the Bible, warns us, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 NKJV).

Just as the captain of The Nancy had to pay for his sin, so will everyone who doesn’t believe in the Lord Jesus; only they will have a higher Judge and an eternal penalty to pay. One day, God will judge every secret sin of those who don’t believe in Jesus, by the very Man He once sent to earth to save us! The Apostle Paul wrote: “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16).

But for now, God is still waiting and longing to save sinners through His Son. “Through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things” (Acts 13:38). You can be forgiven for all of your secret sins and your not-so-secret sins, because the Lord Jesus Christ “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Have you received God’s gift of forgiveness? We can tell you how.

Adapted from Messages Of God’s Love, October 27, 2024, Bible Truth Publishers