Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-06-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xl. SECOND QUARTER. IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES. JUNE 10.

IL IL ~ -NI'h l'NIIOOILs
LESSON xl. SECOND QUARTER. IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES. JUNE 10.
Text Of the Lesson. John xxi. 4-I5 Mem
Org Verses. I5-I5-Goldcn Text, John
nj. Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
T. Seven Of the disciples had, under the
leadership Of Peter. gone afishing. 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 filed two
boats He was now no longer with them.
and perhaps il was His absence and their
need that led them at this time to turn 10
the old occupation
3. In the morning one stood on the shore
whom they knew not and asked them IL
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 unbcllcf.
6. At His word they east the net once
more and ~ on a former occasion when lie
called them 10 forsakc all they catch n
multitude of fishes He changes not His
power j. ever the same. II would only
trust Him. we might always he filled with
| joy aud peace Rom. Ky, l0 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 unbclief about the fishing bust
ness. else he might have known Him sooner.
| II was unbelet on the part of Mary that
caused her not to know Him (chapter Xxx,
14l, for had she believed His words she
would never have looked for the body of
dead Christ. The two who walked with Him
10 Emmaus and knew Him not were also
full OF unbelief duke xiv, 25l. And so
always unbelief blinds the eyes (IIeb iii, 49,
s. As soon as Peter heard John say 1T is
the Lord. he at once east 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 word with the Lord
tuut nC might Ahht tlit HIbu
himself and clear the others. As he had
led ont, he would be the first to lead back,
a thing not always so easily done. rs is seen
in the case of Manasseh III Chron. xxxiii,
l6. Ia.
.. Without any efforts of heirs, and with
out any of the fish that they had caught,
their breakfast was ready for them. They
might 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,
So. He will surely provide for all who truly
serve and follow Him, according TO Phil iv,
TO- We wonder if the fire OF Goals made
Peter think of another fire OF Goals when
he got into trouble Chapter xviii, Isl.
10. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the
fish which you have now caught" As il
they had done it. He wrought through
them and then gave them the credit of do
ing it. That is the way lie does still. He
works in us, when we are willing both to
will and 10 do OF His good pleasure phil
ii, 49,, and then promises to reward us for
the works which we allow Him to do
through us (Rev. xxi. i2) Is not His name
truly Wonderfully"
H. On the former occasion the net broke
luke V. o. but not so now, although IL
>
IL we read that there were l53, coo strangers
in the land in the days of Solomon, whom
he employed to get materials for the tenn
Pile We know that the sea represents peo-
Piles and nations (Rev. xvii, l5), and that
from the nations the Lord is gathering out
people for His name, TO form a great spir-
itual temple a dwelling place for God
(Eph. ii. q, 22l, and that Peter was the
first to open the door to the nations (Acts
XIV, 40
IL. Jesus saith unto them, Come and
break your fast" Or. 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 MS
If they must do something, but their some
what was all in vain till lie commanded
Without Him all our efforts will amount
to nothing John Ky, 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.
10. Jesus then cometh, and taketh
bread, and giveth them. and fish likewise
lie is always serving and supplying and
caring for His people. The Son OF Man,
/ who came not 10 be ministered unto but
( to minister (Math. Xxx, 2s), is still our High
4 Priest with girded breast (Rev !, -, 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 lie not with Him also
freely give us all thingss" (Rom. viii, 3D.
| II. This Is the third appearance to the
disciples recorded 10y John; see chapter xx,
10, 70 While it is probably the seventh APP
pearance since the resurrection, IL Is the
third to any number of the disciples, the
other four being to Mary, who first saw
J 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
He appeared to Peter.
IL. Lowest thou me more than theseg"
Did lie 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 crucifixion (Math.
XVI, SO, -; John xiii. 30 or did lie ask
Peter whether he loved the service Of
Christ, even though il should involve some
hunger and fasting, more than food for the
body such had now been provided We
all need TO remember that man doth not
live by bread alone, but by every word Of
God (Math. iv, y. and that il is possible to
esteem the words Of His mouth more than
our necessary food dob xiii, ~.
10 Lowest inou ilts ne second time
the question comes, but He does not add
more than these" We sometimes hear
people testify in public to how much
they love the Lord. | confess il always
makes me feel that they would do better to
testify to the great love of God 10 them. for
our love TO Him is, | fear, scarcely thing
to be talked Of in public Let us manifest
our love by caring for His sheep and lambs;
by doing to others as He would do were He
here; by acting on Johns admontion, let
us not love IN word, neither in tongue; but
in deed and in truth Il John iii, ISL
II. Lowest thou mef'' The third time
the question comes. for it is "A heart search
ing one Would Peter think of his three
fold denial: Why was he grieved? How
little we think OF how we greve the Lordl
Let us pray Ps cxxxix. %, ~, margin.
Peter had offered To die for Christ. Jesus
now tells him that he shall have that priv
ilege oversees Is. lg); has he love enough for