The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FoR
MARCH 10.
Lesson Text THE Drausht OF Fishes .
Luke ", f-ft-0oIdep Text: Luke
", i0.-Comthensery on. the
1essoh

Gospel or tho Kingdom, and healing all man
among the people Matt. iv:, 2s). We now
lind Him again by the sea Of Galilee, or, as
IL Is in our lesson, the lake of Gennesaret,
and probably at or near Capernaum, where
Peter lived. Most of our Lords public life
which was also called the sea of Tiberias It
is about thirteen miles long and six broad,
and in His day there are said to have been no
less than nine cities on its shores 1t is 800
feet below the Mediterranean, its waters are
clear and sweet and are said to abound In
fish now as in the days Of Jesus. The Jordan
flows into it through it, and out of it. Sec
Jesus standing ON the shore, He created
this sea and everything living in it, the river
that flows through it and the hills that sur
round iii by Him and for Him were all
things made, and He upholdeth all by the
word of His power Col j., 16; Heb. l., 81.
2. And saw two boats standing by the
lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them,
and were washing their nets" Two or three
of these fishermen had already been with
heard His words. yet had not wholly left
their calling to follow Him. How many
Christians there are now who are truly the
Lords have heard gladly His word. seen some
thing OF Aislp2wsr, and yet while the multi
they are wsS6ling nets thathave taken moth,
ing.
g. He sat down and taught the people out
of the boat" Having stepped into Simon's
boat, He meekly asks him to push out little
the boat teaches the people as they stand, an
eagerly attentive crowd, upon the shore.
4. He said unto Simon, Launch out into
the deep, and let dowh your nets for.
draught." Simon having kindly given the
use of his boat, Jesus will now reward him
for it and teach him at the same time many
things. Simon had for a little season cheer
fully given himself and his boat to the Master
for His work. and now this gracious Lord
and Master is about to give special attention
to Simons work.
5. Master, we have toiled all the night
and have taken nothing" So oreplicd Simon,
confessing their unavailing toll and their
presentneed. So also after the resurrection,
after night Of fruitless toll, in reply to the
question of Jesus: Children, have ye any
is good thing to find out that all our efforts
are unavailing. There were plenty of fish In
the sea and they were no III san fishermen,
but "toiled and taken nothing" describes the
result of their labor. "Nevertheiess, al Tiny
word will let down the net" Jesus is now
the Captain, and they are simply obeying
orders; He is responsible for results
6. And when they had this done. they in
closed great multitude of fishes, and their
nets brake" Whether it be a great fish to
swallow Jonah, or a smaller fish to bring a
piece of money, or mulJitudes of fish to fill
these nets, all are obedient to Him who
created them, and who also created Adam
and said unto Him, Have dominion over
the fish of the sea-" The one before us is
none other that the last Adam, who shall re-
move the curse and restore the dominion.
Let us be as oDedient to Him as the fishes
and birds and beasts. Let us yield all to
Him, for only in His service is there rest.
Z. They came and filled both the ships, so
that they began to sink" We are told in the
tenth verse that James and John were part
ners with Simon, and finding that he had
more fish tIan he could manage, he called mis-
partners and they found fish enough 10 iii
both the boats to overaowing. Our Lord
Jesus loves to have empty vessels, and not
with the pot of oil began to pour into the
empty vessels the oil kept coming till every
vessel was filled. When Jesus fed the thou
sands they did all eat and were filed. Both
t1Ssrmsse s1Is ,Y,sS and temple when finished were
and again the disciples were fllled1with the
Holy Spirit In Him dwelleth all TIE fuilness
of tie Godhead bodily; and His own words to
thirst after Righteousness, fol- they snah DO
filed"
8. "Depart from me for am sinful man,
o Lord This is the language OF Simon Peter,
as seeing this great miracle he realizes some
what in whose presence he stands, ana iaiis
at Jesus's knees with these words. This Is
part of ths emptying process; deep CON
viction Of sin as we see ourselves In COOS
sight.
o. FOR he was astonished, and all that
we're with him." The Revised Version says
that he was amazed. So Saul of Tarsus,
when convinced of his sin on the way to Da-
mascus, trembling and astonished, said,
Lord, what wilt Thou have me to dor' we
put forth our best efforts in most approved
fashion, and labor unwearyingly for the sal
vation of souls and for the Guickening or be-
levers, but how often we have to CONFESS as
to the result, nothing In some unlikely
way, and perhaps through some weak but
empty vessel, the Spirit of God works, and
we all stand astcnished. Our wisdom is con"
founded, our plans upset, and 1t becomes
gloriously manifest that this Is the hand Oh
God.
TO- And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear
not" When convicted OF sin we fall at
Jesus's feet in our helplessneSs and unworthi-
ness. Then it is that we hear His Fear
not" or when we, all unworthy, are willing
Rev l., II. Luke l., 13, 3O. 1t is only the
willful and rebellious who have cause to
fear. OF the proud and hard of heart, for
they shall be broken and brought down, ana
made to know that tIe Most High doeth
according to His will both I'm heaven and on
earth. and those that walk in pride He is
able to abase Dan. iv). But from the first
Fear not in the Bible Gen. XIV, ~ down
to the last in Revelation there is no place
where the penitent and broken in heart are
taught to fear All Is Tor thehi cohitort
and peace. and joy, and strength, ana
prosperity in the Lord. -,
From henceforth thou shalt catch men, -
or, as in Matt. iv., 10: "Follow me and will
make You fishers of men," Here we see the
spirit Of prophecy most marked; listen to
Jeremiah xvi, 16l: "Eehold. will send for
many fishers, saith the Lord. and they shall
fish Them And again, to Ezekiel (xlyli.. 10y ;
''The fishers shall stand upon it, from Engedt
even unto Enseglaim." Each passage refers
to the Kingdofilof sfsrael in its glorious fu-
ture If we would hasten that kingdom, we
must follow Jesus, that He may make us
skillful and successful fishers of men from
among all nations, that so His marriage day
may be fastened, and the time of His return
for IsraeIs restoration.
IL. "And when they had brought their
ships to land, they forsook all, and followed
Him" IF any man will come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross. and
follow Me-" "Whosoever he be of you that
forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be
My disciple" (Matt. xvi, "a: Luke xiv, 80.
Jesus does not ask us to drop what we have
without showing us something better When
Peter one day spoke of their giving upal for
Him, He told them of the throne of His
glory and the thrones that awaited them.
When Paul saw His glory, he was able to
count all earthly glory but dross. Stephen,
seeing Him, thought nothing of being stoned
to death. Let us only get our eyes upon the
Glory of His Kingdom and the Thrones which
await tba oyprcomprS and shall haye no