Mr. McKenzie was a blacksmith. He was a big strong man, and a very kind man too. Sometimes he sang as he worked, and sometimes he looked rather sad. There was one thing that bothered him and made him sad at times. He wasn’t sick, he had a happy home, and he wasn’t in debt. But every once in a while he would think about his soul, and about eternity, and then he couldn’t sing at all, for he was not quite sure that his soul was saved.
Mr. Dawson had often spoken to him about the Lord Jesus, and the big blacksmith believed every word. He believed that the Lord Jesus had died on the cross for sinners, but he felt that there must be something left for him to do, and he didn’t know just what it was.
One day, Mr. Dawson ordered an iron gate for his farm. Now Mr. McKenzie was a good workman, and when that gate was done, it was really well done. Not many days after the order was placed, the gate was finished and standing up against the wall of the shop, waiting for Mr. Dawson to come and pick it up.
About a week later Mr. Dawson came in and went straight to his gate. He looked it over carefully, and then picked up a great file that was near at hand, and began to scratch the surface noisily.
“What are you doing there?” called out Mr. McKenzie.
“Oh, I am finishing the gate.”
“You are spoiling my work! The gate is finished. Please, leave it alone!”
The farmer then told Mr. McKenzie that he was doing with the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, just the very same thing as he had done with the file.
“Don’t you see,” he went on to say, “that you are trying to add something to the work which the Lord Jesus Christ finished on the cross of Calvary? I picked up this file and began to work on a gate you claim is finished. I believe you have done a good job, and I believe I would only spoil it with this file I have in my hand. So, I want you to remember that the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary is a finished work, and that anything you try to do will only spoil it.”
I’m glad to be able to tell you that Mr. McKenzie saw at once just what Mr. Dawson had brought before him. Then and there he accepted the finished work of Christ and his soul was saved.
However, this illustration falls short. The gate that the blacksmith had made, would wear out in time, although he had made it well. But the salvation that has been accomplished on the cross of Calvary will endure forever and ever.
Have you dear reader, accepted the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ for your very own need?
When I was a boy in Sunday school we used to sing a little hymn like this:
“Nothing either great or small—
Nothing, sinner, no;
Jesus did it, did it all,
Long, long ago.
It is finished! yes, indeed,
Finished ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need,
Tell me, is it not?”
Will you not accept right now the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour, and put your trust in His precious word which says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life?” John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).
ML 08/12/1956