“High-level Jack! High-level Jack, with a chapel on his back!”
Laughing and joking, jostling and scuffling with one and another, the boys followed the old man down the street as he went steadily on his way with the shouts of “High-level Jack” ringing in his ears. Who was he, and how did he come by such a strange nickname?
Years ago, when the bridge over the River Tyne was being built at Newcastle, England, it was considered a marvel of construction. Designed by Robert Stevenson and built at the then-tremendous cost of half a million pounds, it was a great wonder. It had a roadway for public traffic and -most marvelous! - an overhead railway track 112 feet above the river.
Among the workmen there was one, Jack, who was working on the upper portion of the bridge, on the “high-level,” high above the dark water flowing beneath it. Suddenly the plank of the scaffold on which he stood slipped. Horrified and helpless, his fellow-workmen watched him fall. Surely, they thought, that was the last of Jack. His death was certain.
But God had His eye on the poor fellow who seemed destined so soon to stand before Him. Just below the treacherous plank, on the lower part of the scaffolding, a huge nail projected. As Jack’s thrashing body hurtled down, the heavy corduroy trousers which he wore caught on this nail.
There Jack hung suspended in midair between sky and water, between life and death. In those first awful moments when death seemed imminent, the frightened man was thoroughly awakened to the realities of eternity. But his concern was not for the physical death that seemed so sure, but rather for the eternal death now facing his lost soul. In his agony he cried out loud: “Save, Lord, or I perish!”
Did God hear the cry of his penitent, desperate creature? He who delights to show mercy had prepared the way of escape for Jack. The nail was strong, and firmly embedded in the structure. The cloth was good, and it held till the other workers could lower ropes and reach their almost-hopeless fellow-workman. High-level Jack, weary and aching throughout his wrenched body, stood again on the riverbank with a heart overflowing with gratitude to the God who is able to save . . . to the uttermost. There, a sinner saved by grace, he dedicated himself to the spreading of the good news of salvation.
Afterwards he travelled through the country carrying with him quantities of Bibles and gospel tracts. His fame as High-level Jack was spread abroad by his experience, and his constant load of gospel literature suggested the thought of “the chapel on his back.” God used His rescued one to turn many from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.
You may never fall physically on this earth, but if you are not born again and come to stand unsaved before the great white throne, you will be among those of whom it will be true: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15).) Awful descent with nothing to intercept - no hope of a return!
Now you have a choice. In that fateful moment, Jack was brought face to face with life and death, blessing and cursing. He chose life eternal and so may you. Will you not choose life, and say with High-level Jack: “Christ for me.” v