Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-06-14
/ THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON x, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, JUNE 10.

stearns.
Seven of the disciples had, under the
leadership of Peter, gone afishing. But al
though they toled 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 longer with them,
and perhaps it was His absence and their
need that led them at this time to turn to
the old occupation.
s. In the morning one stood on the shore
whom they knew not and asked them if
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 unbelef
6. At His word they cast the net once
more. and as on former occasion when lie
called them to forsake all they catch a
multitude of fishes He changes not. His
power is ever the same. If we would only
trust Him, we might always be filled with
JOY and peace Rom. XIV, l3) and know
somewhat of satisfied with the favor and
full with the blessing of the Lord" Deut.
XXXiii, 23)
:. John, whom Jesus loved, was the first
to recognize the Lord There must have
been some unbeief about the fishing bust
ness, else he might have known Him sooner.
1t was unbelef on the part of Mary that
caused her not to know Him Cchapter Xxx,
IA, for had she believed His words she
would never have looked for the body of a
dead Christ. The two who walked with Him
to Emmaus and knew Him not were also
full of unbelief duke xiv, 25). And so
always unbelef blinds the eyes (lIeb. iii, l0.
S. As soon as Peter heard John say at 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 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,
thing not always 30 easily done a. is seen
in the case of Manasseh I'll Chron XXXiH,
l6, 10
9 Without any efforts of theirs. and with
out any Of the fish that they had caught,
their breakfast was ready for hem. 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 duke xii.
So. He will surely provide for all who truly
serve and follow Him, according to Phil ",
10 We wonder if the fire OF Goals made
Peter think OF another fire of Goals when
he got into trouble tchapter xviii, 49,
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring Of the
fish which you have now caught As if
3 h.l / Tt., !,
them and then gave them the credit of do
ing it, 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 Us for
the works which we allow Him to do
through u (Rev. xii, ~. l. not His name
truly "Wondertuly'
H. On the former occasion the net broke
duke V, g., but not so now, although it
contained l53 great fishes. In II Chron ii,
Il, we read that there were l53,OOO 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, 10, and that
from the nations the Lord is gathering out
people for His name. to form great Spir-
itual temple as a dwelling place for God
(Eph. H. 81, 22), and that Peter was the
first to open the door to the nations acts
XIV, l4).
II. Jesus saith unto them, Come and
break your fast (R W. 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
/ IL :. Il
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
- 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,
I who came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister (Math. Xxx, 2S), is still our High
/ Priest with girded breast (Rev. i, 49, whose
love and power combine for the best inter
] ests of all who are His. lie who spared
not His own son, but delivered Him up tor
( us all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give Us all thingsy' (Rpm viii, 32)
II. This is the third appearance to the
disciples recorded by John; see chapter NX,
10 20. While ii il probably the seventh APP
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
d -. Lowest thou me more than these;'
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 crucifiXion lMath.
XVI, SO, 35, John xiii, 81, 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 a. had now been providedf We
all need TO remember that man doth not
live by bread alone, but by every word OF
God (Math. iy, a, and that it is possible &c
esteem the words of His mouth more than
our necessary food (Job xiii. l2l
l6. Lowest thou mel" The second time
the question comes, but He does not ado
more than these" We sometimes heal
people testify IN public as TO how muci
they love the Lord. confess it always
makes me feel that they would do better tC