One Lord's Day morning two Christian men visited a company of hop pickers at their camp. The background of the scene was formed by sheds, at the doors of which some men were washing. Curling smoke was rising from the fires kindled upon the ground for cooking purposes, and preparations for dinner seemed pretty general. Some were cutting potatoes, and others making puddings, or getting ready the meats for roasting.
Choosing a spot where a number of fallen trees would form seats for the congregation, and where the smoke would not blow into the throats and eyes, the two visitors started an old gospel song:
"Behold! Behold the Lamb of God!
On the cross!
For us He shed His precious blood,
On the cross.”
Many drew near and took their seats upon the logs as the singers continued:
"Come, sinners, see Him lifted up,
On the cross.
He drinks for you the bitter cup,
On the cross.
The rocks do rend, the mountains quake,
While Jesus doth atonement make,
While Jesus suffers for our sake,
On the cross.”
This "bell-ringing" for service was evidently understood, for the stragglers gathered together while many of the busy ones put down their work. Then came the last verse. This stanza fully explained the singers' intention in coming there:
"Where'er I go I'll tell the story
Of the cross;
In nothing else my soul shall glory,
Save the cross.
Yes, this my constant theme shall be,
Through time and in eternity,
THAT JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR ME,
On the cross.”
There was silence for a moment. Then the younger man said: “‘Jesus tasted death for me.'
"Not only can I sing these beautiful words, but I believe them. 'Jesus tasted death for me.' The Bible says, 'We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.' Heb. 2:9. Christ died for sinners, and I know He died for me. None are left out; God loves sinners. Now suppose," he added, "I saw some of you preparing dinner: some peeling potatoes; others roasting their meat, but there was none for me. How unhappy I should be!
"But God's Word of grace is for all. He says, `Behold, I have prepared My dinner: My oxen and My fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come.'" Matt. 22:4.
After more speaking, they prayed that the good seed might spring up into everlasting life.
The next season the elder of these Christian men was again among the hop pickers; indeed he had labored for several years in this service. Standing in the midst of a group of pickers, he said: "Now, are there any of you, whom we have met in this work over the years, who have got any good through our efforts by the power of God's Spirit?”
"Faith, yer honor," at once responded one of the men, "and I did last year, when that young man and yerself came on the Sunday morning. Up to that time I had too many saviors.”
"Too many! What do you mean? Who were they?”
"Oh, sir, I trusted to various saints and angels, and to others too. So there weren't much left for the Lord Jesus to do.”
"And how many saviors have you now?”
"Only One, sir; the great Lord Jesus, and He does it all right well, He does.”
He spoke ‘truly. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. 2:5.
“To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him." 1 Cor. 8:6.
This Savior says: "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 45:22.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
There was only one brazen serpent! Those who did not look at it died from the serpents' bites.
There was only one appointed ark! Only Noah and his 'family went into it. All outside died in the flood.
There was only One who "tasted death" for sinners! Can you say, "He died for ME"?