by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
In 1869, noted poet and songwriter Fanny J. Crosby penned the words to the beautiful hymn,
Rescue the Perishing. She later wrote about writing the poem on a hot August evening, after
speaking with a large group of men at a local mission. In the group, a young man of 18 confessed
to her that he had wandered far away from the Christian teaching of his mother, but that her words
had encouraged him to return. She said she saw the man by chance over 35 years later, and that he
was at that time maintaining a faithful, Christian life.
As I again looked over the words to this touching song, which many of us memorized years
ago, it occurred to me that our sermon series beginning today is well represented in the four
stanzas:
- Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep
o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save. These words remind
us that in order to rescue anyone, we must care for them. We must have pity and compassion upon
their lost state. Truly, there is no more serious danger than spiritual apostasy. There is no more
hideous fate that awaits anyone than an eternity in hell, separated from God forever. We need to
ponder with all sobriety what it really means to be lost, and that we are surrounded by people who
are in precisely that condition. But some can be rescued! They can be “snatched from sin and the
grave.” As James put it, “My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;
let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from
death, and shall cover a multitude of sins,” (James 5:19-20). May we never lose for a moment the
love for lost souls which it takes to rescue the perishing! - Though they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently; He will forgive if they truly believe. Some
people never come back to Christ because they feel that they have hurt Him too badly. Their guilt-
ridden heart tells them that forgiveness is impossible. But this song reminds us of the matchless
love and grace of our God. He is a loving God and full of mercy. “Thanks be to God for his
unspeakable gift,” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Yes, God can forgive even you! - Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can
restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate
once more. Sometimes our situation seems hopeless. We are too far gone! No one loves us, no one
cares, and restoration is unimaginable. It is a feeling of utter hopelessness. Some people are so
beaten down by sin, they feel shattered and crushed. They are without hope, and without the
motivation to even consider a change. This is exactly the situation Satan desires. He knows that a
person without hope is a soul he has captured. If we are going to rescue the perishing, somehow
we are going to have to give them a glimmer of hope. It’s the same hope that we cherish, that “we
may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:
which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which
is within the veil,” (Hebrews 6:18-19). - Rescue the perishing, Duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide; Back
to the narrow way patiently win them; Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. Yes, rescuing the
perishing is our duty! We cannot sit idly by as they rush on into destruction. “But if the watchman
see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, and the sword come,
and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require
at the watchman’s hand,” (Ezekiel 33:6). Our own soul is at stake! We must be about the business
of rescuing the perishing—or forfeit our own salvation.
Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. The song features
a confident and reassuring refrain. Over and over we are told that our efforts are not in vain. Our
Lord is merciful, and he is graciously willing to restore the lost, but we must be diligent to do our
part. Think about this song and sing it like you mean it! And may these words help us as we study
together God’s word with regard to rescuing the perishing!
