Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-27
international gessul1,
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON V, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY s.

Text of the Lesson, John xxi. 15-22'
Memory Verses, 15-15-Golden Tex
John xxi, documentary Prepnr-
ed by the Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1901, by American Press Assocation'I
Is. $50 when they had dined Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son Of Jo'
mas, Lowest thou Me more than these:'
This was in connection with His appear
ing to the disciples at the sea of Galllee
after Simon Peter and others had been
fishing all night but caught nothing. The
lesson Of this night is one that many OF
us need to learn more fully, that or I'M
plicit reliance upon Him under all c.r-
cumstances. They had not seen him fof
some time and did not know when they
would see Him again anG were evidently
hungry and out Of funds, and instead or
relying upon Him, though invisible, who
had called them away from their nets,
they do what seems very reasonable
and natural thing, they seek something to
eat in the old way. Their efforts, now
ever. are in vain, and when they break
their fast it is not upon fish which they
had caught, but upon food supernaturally
provided for them by the Lord Jesus
compare verse o and ] Kings xix, 3, G).
As to fish, they caught none until at HIS
command they in the morning cast the
net again.
16. "He saith to him again the second
time, Simon, son of Jonas, Lowest thou
MeY I quote from another in saying
that the word translated feed" in this
verse is different from that in verses ID
and II and means to ''rule" or tend
and more especially regards those of the
flock who are grown up and who require
guidance and some measure, it may be-
of restraint or correction, that they may
be directed Alright in the use of their
growing strength, of which kind of feed
ing we have an eminent example in Pe'
ter's first epistle, which not only presents
clear and practical view Of Christian
doctrine, especially in regard to the pur-
pose of our Lords first coming, it also
abounds in warnings Of danger and in
directions for those who are entering
upon the sufierings and activities Of t.:r
Christian life, Christ in His sufferings
being the great cScmplar Of the purity
and meekneSs there recommended.
II. "He saith unto him the third time.
Simon, son Of Jonas, Lowest thou Me?'
Ponder this thrice repeated question in
connection with Peters threefold denial
and ask your heart if it can say honestly.
"Lord Thou knowest that | love Thee!
And, if so, arc you busy feeding lambs
and sheep? The Spirit tells us by John
that we are not to love in word merely.
but in deed and in truth Il John iii, Isl.
Peter tells us Of crown Of glory as a
special reward for those who willingly
feed the flock II Pet. V, 1-4). There Is
also q crown for those who patiently en-.
dure and another for those who deny
instead Of pleasing self. yet another for
those who win souls, and also one for all
who love His appearing Jas. i, II; Rev.
ii, 10; Cor. ix, 24-27; Thess. ii, 19; II
Tim. iv. S.. These we may receive from
Him to cast at His feet tRev. iv, 1O).
May His love so constrain us that. with
out much thought Of the rewards. we
shall be consumed with desire to please
Him in all things III Cor. Y. II, 15).
IS, 10. This spake He. signifying by
what death he should glorify God. And
when He had spoken this He saith unto
him, Follow Me-" He had told him Of
his lifework, feeding lambs and sheep.
and now He tells him of martyrs death
that shall be his privilege also. If we
have truly received the Lord Jesus and
are thus saved by His blood. we are re.
deemed, that in all things God may br
glorifed in US Il Pet. iv. II: Phil. i. 20).
and that ue shall be magni6ed in our
bodies whether by life or by death. Our
good works are all prepared for us t"
walk in, and the time and manner of our
departure out Of this world are also ar
ranged for us lEph. ii, 10), so that He
has not allowed us room to be anxious in
anything. In ii Pet. i. II. the apostle
seems to refer to this word from the Lord
when he says, Knowing that shortly |
must put of my tabernacle. even as
Our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me-"
1t is rare thing to know the tim" and
manner of ones death. but it is proper
thing to lie ever ready for the next step.
whether it be out Of the body or caught
up in the body. to meet the Lord. To
deny self and follow Christ covers the
whole Christian life tMath. xvi. 24). and
to that end we must be filled with His
Spirit. There should be no fear in our
hearts. for He only asks us to follow
Him, never to 20 alone or our own way.
20. Then Peter, turning about. seeth
the disciple whorh Jesus loved following.
who also leaned on His breast at sup
per-" Sec the statement "the disciple
WHOM Jesus loved again In verse and
in chapters xiii, %: xix, &c. and notice
that he is not called the disciple who
loved Jesus" for our love to Christ is
never worth mentioning, but we may
well rejoice to sing Of 1.-The Son Of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for me"
and ever gladly say, Unto Him who low.
eth me and washed me from my sins III
His own blood" tGal ii, 20: Rev. i. 81.
This last John himself loved to say.
81. Peter, seeing him. saith to Jesus,
Lord, and what shall this man do?" This
is our tendency, to see others, to compare
ourselves with them. to woRder what is
planned for them or what the Lord
thinks Of them, to see the beam which
we imagine to be in their eye and to sit
in judgment on them. 1t is a splendid
thing to see Jesus only and to determine
that by the grace Of God we will not
henceforth judge others any more (Mark
TX. s; Rom. xiv, 13).
%. "Jesus saith unto him, If l will
that he tarry till l come, what is that to
thee? Follow thou Me" What splen-