#118 - Kyle Thompson // Titanic Courage: Evangelizing Until the Moment of Death

Summary

Episode #118 - Kyle Thompson: Titanic Courage: Evangelizing Until the Moment of Death

Release Date: June 13, 2025
Hosts: Pastor Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson
Podcast: The Daily Blade

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Introduction to the Episode

In Episode #118 of The Daily Blade, co-host Kyle Thompson delves into a profoundly moving narrative that intertwines history with unwavering faith. Titled "Titanic Courage: Evangelizing Until the Moment of Death," this episode explores the heroic actions of John Harper during the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic, drawing parallels to biblical accounts of steadfast evangelism.

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Exploring the Heroism of John Harper (00:20 - 04:30)

Kyle begins by recounting the events surrounding the RMS Titanic's ill-fated voyage. On April 10, 1912, John Harper, a 39-year-old Scottish Baptist evangelist and pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Church in London, embarked on the Titanic with his sister and six-year-old daughter, Annie Jesse. Harper was en route to Chicago to continue his ministry at Moody Church, where he had previously served as a guest preacher.

As the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Harper discerned the imminent disaster. Understanding the gravity of the situation, he prioritized the safety of his loved ones, ensuring that his daughter and sister secured seats on a lifeboat. However, Harper made a selfless decision that would cement his legacy as a Christian hero.

Kyle Thompson (02:15): "Pastor John could have taken a seat on the lifeboat next to his daughter because he was the only surviving parent of Annie. But instead, he decided to stay behind on the ship."

Instead of seeking safety, Harper chose to remain on the sinking vessel with a mission: to spread the Gospel. Witnesses observed him fervently approaching individuals on the deck, urging them to embrace Christianity before their untimely demise. His actions mirrored the teachings of Charles Spurgeon's sermon on compulsion towards salvation.

Kyle Thompson (03:45): "Pastor John was sealing his own fate in the chance that it would give this one passenger more time to accept Christ."

Tragically, Harper perished in the icy waters, but not before his final act of evangelism. He handed his life vest to an unsaved passenger, uttering the poignant words, "You need this more than I do," thereby sacrificing his chance of survival for another's salvation.

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A Parallel with Biblical Evangelism: Stephen's Martyrdom (04:31 - 05:50)

Kyle draws a compelling parallel between John Harper's selfless evangelism and the biblical account of Stephen in the Book of Acts. In Acts 6 and 7, Stephen is introduced as a man of great faith and miraculous deeds, who faces persecution for his unwavering commitment to spreading the Christian faith.

Kyle Thompson (05:10): "Stephen's final words were a proclamation of the divinity of Jesus and a calm plea for Jesus to receive him and to not smite the men that were murdering him."

Like Harper, Stephen confronted his adversaries with the message of Christ even in the face of certain death. Both men exemplify the ultimate sacrifice, choosing to prioritize the Gospel over their own lives.

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Concluding Reflections: Emulating Unyielding Faith (05:51 - 06:04)

Kyle wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to reflect on the extraordinary courage displayed by both John Harper and Stephen. He emphasizes the importance of steadfast faith and the willingness to evangelize until the very end, setting a powerful example for believers to follow.

Kyle Thompson (06:00): "May we prepare our hearts, minds and spirits to do the same as these two giants of the faith."

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Key Takeaways

1. Self-Sacrificial Evangelism: John Harper's decision to stay on the Titanic to evangelize, even at the cost of his own life, serves as a powerful testament to living out one's faith sacrificially.

2. Biblical Parallels: The episode effectively draws parallels between historical events and biblical narratives, highlighting the timeless nature of unwavering faith and dedication to spreading the Gospel.

3. Inspiration for Believers: Harper and Stephen's stories inspire Christians to prioritize their mission of evangelism, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith even in the face of adversity.

4. Legacy of Faithful Witnesses: Both men left a lasting legacy through their final acts, demonstrating how one's faith can profoundly impact others, even in the most dire circumstances.

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Notable Quotes

• Kyle Thompson (02:15): "Pastor John could have taken a seat on the lifeboat next to his daughter because he was the only surviving parent of Annie. But instead, he decided to stay behind on the ship."

• Kyle Thompson (03:45): "Pastor John was sealing his own fate in the chance that it would give this one passenger more time to accept Christ."

• Kyle Thompson (05:10): "Stephen's final words were a proclamation of the divinity of Jesus and a calm plea for Jesus to receive him and to not smite the men that were murdering him."

• Kyle Thompson (06:00): "May we prepare our hearts, minds and spirits to do the same as these two giants of the faith."

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Closing Thoughts

Episode #118 of The Daily Blade offers a profound exploration of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering faith through the lens of John Harper's heroic actions aboard the Titanic. By intertwining historical events with biblical narratives, Kyle Thompson provides listeners with both inspiration and a deeper understanding of what it means to live out one's faith fully, even unto death. This episode serves as a testament to the enduring power of the Gospel and the incredible impact of steadfast evangelism.

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Connect with Us:
For more insights and to support the podcast, visit The Church of Eleven22 or text DONATE to 441122.
Join Pastor Joby & Kyle in person at the 2025 Men's Conference in Jacksonville, Florida: mensconference.com

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Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes of The Daily Blade, where Pastor Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson equip Christians to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson. And they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

[B]

All right, guys, we made it to the end of another week. This week we've been looking at real life stories of courage and sacrifice from the tragic shipwreck and sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15th of 1912, and how they relate to historical occurrences described in God's Word. So I teased today's episode on Monday of this week, so I'm glad you're here for it. It is simply one of the most moving and powerful stories of evangelism that I've ever heard in my entire life. So today I'm going to tell you about one of the greatest heroes in the history of Christianity. And I would venture to guess that almost all of you guys have never heard of this man, right? I'm talking about John Harper. So John Harper was a 39 year old Scottish Baptist evangelist and pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Chur Church in London. So he was a widow and it was raising his only child, a six year old girl named Annie Jesse, when he, his sister and annie boarded the RMS Titanic as second class passengers on April 10th of 1912. So Pastor John was traveling from London to Chicago where he was set to preach for several weeks at Moody Church. So this was where he actually was a guest preacher the previous fall and he was coming back to continue his ministry in America. So obviously those plans changed entirely when the Titanic hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912. So Pastor John quickly surmise that his fate was likely already set, but that he could still save his daughter and his sister. So Pastor John quickly got Annie and his sister to a lifeboat. Now here's where things really get interesting. Okay. Harper could have taken a seat on the lifeboat next to his daughter because he was the only surviving parent of Annie, Right? But instead he decided to stay behind on the ship. Why would he do that? Well, became apparent very quickly so that he could share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I mean, just, just think about the mindset of John Harper as you continue with the story. So as witnesses reported, John Harper frantically and fervently began confronting people that were on the boat deck, many of whom would likely perish very soon to accept Jesus Christ. I mean, he was compelling them, as Charles Spurgeon taught us in his famous sermon, compelled them to come in he was quoted, right as screaming women and children and the unsaved to the lifeboats. So a witness actually saw Pastor John give up his life vest to a passenger that didn't have one. So Pastor John had found out that this passenger was not a follower of Christ. And the witness said that Pastor John said this to the passenger. You need this more than I do. So Pastor John, in this moment, was sealing his own fate in the chance that it would give this one passenger more time to accept Christ. So early on the morning of April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank into the freezing waters of the North Atlantic. John Harper was one of roughly 1500 people that met their fates in the frigid ocean. But that isn't nearly the end of Pastor John's story. Without a life vest, surely knowing that he was only moments away from death, Pastor John swam from person to person, asking them, are you saved? Do you know Jesus Christ? And one man actually called out to Harper, saying that he was not saved. Harper swam in the frozen waters to this man and immediately quoted Acts 16:31, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Those were the last words that John Harper ever uttered. This man said that Pastor John disappeared under the surface of the water, never to come back up. He literally died with the Gospel on his frozen lips. That man went on to accept Christ and became known as John Harper's last convert. So this incredible story reminded me of Stephen as described in Acts 6 and 7. So in Acts 6, Stephen is doing many great wonders and signs. And the members of the synagogue, they really didn't like this very much. So they concocted a scheme to seize him, accuse him of blasphemy, and then have him killed. So when Stephen was brought before the high priest of the Sanhedrin, he gave a blistering speech about Abraham being called by God, Joseph being rejected by his brothers, Moses being rejected by the Israelites, the law being disobeyed, and the temple being misunderstood, and a bunch of other stuff. But let's actually go to Acts 7, and we're going to start in verse 54. Now, when they heard these things, they were enraged and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city. And stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, lord, do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Stephen's final words were a proclamation of the divinity of Jesus and a calm plea for Jesus to receive him and to not smite the men that were murdering him. He died with Jesus on his lips. He, like John Harper, was evangelizing until the moment of death. May we prepare our hearts, minds and spirits to do the same as these two giants of the faith. Thank you for your attention this week. Stay sharp.

[A]

Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.