Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-06-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xi, SECOND QUARTER, m
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, JUNE t6.

LESSON %l, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, JUNE 16.
Text Of the Lesson. John xxi, 4-17-Mem-
ory Verses, I5-17-G Golden Text, John
Xxi, 17-Commentary by the Rev. ID. M.
stearns.
Seven Of the disciples had, under the
leadership Of Peter, gone a6shing But al
though they toiled all night they took
nothing. Perhaps Peter thought Of an
other night when they had labored in vain,
but in the morning the Master filled two
boats. He was now no lenger with them,
and perhaps it was His absence and their
need that led them at this time to turn to
the old occupation.
5. In the morning one stood on the shore
whom they knew not and asked them II
they had any meat. They were compelled
to confess their emptiness and helplessness
as they answered no They should have
trusted Him unseen as when He was visibly
with them. But they were like ourselves,
very slow to learn and full Of doubts and
fears and unbelief
6. At His word they cast the net once
more, and as on former occasion when He
called them to forsake all they catch
multitude of fishes. He changes not. His
power is ever the same IL we would only
trust Him, we might always be filled with
JOY and peace tRom. XIV, 49, and know
somewhat Of satisfied with the favor and
full with the blessing of the Lord (Deut.
xxxiii, 23).
Z. John, whom Jesus loved, was the first
to recognize the Lord. There must have
been some unbelief about the fishing bust
ness, else he might have known Him sooner.
1t was unbelief on the part Of Mary that
caused her not to know Him (chapter Xxx,
IA, for had She believed His words she
would never have looked for the body of
dead Christ The two who walked with Him
to Emmaus and knew Him not were also
full of unbelief luke xiv, 25). And SO
always unbelief blinds the eyes Heb. iii, I91.
s. As soon as Peter heard john say 1T is
the Lord, he at once cast himself into the
sea to get to Jesus, while the other disciples
came dragging the net with fishes. AS Pc
ter had led off in this going fishing, per-
haps he wanted a word with the Lord
alone, that he might take the blame upon
himself and clear the others. AS he had
led out, he would be the first to lead back,
a thing not always so easily done. as is seen
in the case Of AIanasseh II Chron. xxxiii,
16. IL.
O. Without any efforts Of theirs, and with
out any of the fish that they had caught,
their breakfast was ready for them They
might as well have trusted the Lord to care
for them, for they had testified that when
He sent them without purse or scrip or
shoes they had lacked nothing luke xxi,
S5). He will surely provide for all who truly
serve aud follow Him, according to Phil iv,
10. We wonder if the fire Of Goals made
Peter think of another fire of Goals when
he got into trouble (chapter xviii. lSl.
10. 'Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the
fish which you have now caught" As II
they had done it, He wrought through
them and then gave them the credit Of do
ing ii. That is the way He does still He
works in US, when we are willing both to
will and to do Of His good pleasure phil.
ii, 49,, and then promises to reward rs for
the works which we allow Him to do
through us Rev- xxi, 12l Is not His name
truly Wonderful
III. On the former occasion the net broke
luke V, 81, but not so now, although it
contained l53 great fishes In III Chron. Ill
II. we read that there were Isl. 600 strangers
in the land in the days Of Solomon, whom
he employed to get materials for the tenn
pie We know that the sea represents peO-
pies and nations (Rev. xvii, l5), and that
from the nations tile Lord is gathering out
a people for His name, to form great spir-
itual temple as a dwelling place for God
(Eph. ii, q, ~, and that Peter was the
first to open the door to the nations Acts
XIV, 14).
II. Jesus saith unto them, Come and
break your fast" (R- VI. See now why
they Lad gone fishing They were evidently
hungry, had been fasting for some time,
and no one seemed to care. So it looked as
If they must do something, but their some
what was all in vain till He commanded
| Without Him all our efforts will amount
to nothing John XIV, 81 He was visibly
before them now, and they saw His pro
vision for their need. Their lack Of conf
dence in Him when invisible kept them
from saying much.
13. Jesus then cometh, and taketh
bread and giveth them, and fish likewise %
He is always serving and supplying and
caring for His people. The Son of Man,
who came not TO be ministered unto, but
to minister (Math. Xxx, PSI Is still our High
Priest with girded breast REV. j, 49, whose
love and power combine for the best inter
ests of all who are His. ~He who spared
not His own Son, but delivered Him up for
US all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give us all thingss' Rom. viii, 32.)
IA, This is the third appearance to the
disciples recorded By John; see chapter XXX,
l9, ". While it is probably the seventh ap-
pearance since the resurrection, it Is the
third to any number of the disciples, the
other four being to Mary, who first saw
Him; then to the other women, and after
ward to Peter, then to the two who walked
to Emmaus, or possibly to the two before
lie appeared to Peter.
Is. Lowest thou me more than these2n
Did He ask Peter whether he loved Him
more than the other disciples loved Him,
because Peter had made the strongest pro-
fessions Of love before the crucihxion tMath.
XVI SO, 50; John xiii, 37), Or did He ask
Peter whether he loved the service Of
Christ, even though it should involve some
hunger and fasting more than food for the
body such as had now been providedS We
all need to remember that man doth not
live by bread alone, but by every word Of
God (Aiath. iv, q, and that it is possible to
esteem the words of His mouth more than
our necessary food (Job xiii. l2l.
I6 Lowest thou mesn The second time
the question comes, but He does not add
more than these" We sometimes hear
people testify III public as to how much
they love the Lord. l confess il always
makes me feel that they would do better 70
testify to the great love of God TO them, for
our love to Him i, I fear, scarcely a thing
to be talked Of in public Let us manifest
our love by caring for His sheep and lambs,
by doing TO Others a. He would do were He
here; by acting on Johns admonition, Let
us not love in word, neither la tongue; but
in deed and in truth Il John iii, lSl
IL Lowest thou mefn The third time
the question comes for it is a heart search
in- one. Would Peter think Of his three
fold deniali Why WAS he grievels How
little we think Of how we grieve the Lordl
Let us pray Ps. cxxxix, %, "a margin.
Peter had offered to die for Christ jesus
now tells him that he shall have that priv
;lege (verses IS. l9); has be love enough for
thats Have yons
w.. rrYu.4 r.nn-