Address—J. Brereton
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General Meetings. Wheaton, August 1973, addressed by John Barton.
Mike, we open our meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #51.
I'm sorry, 52 M #52 Lord, we are thine bought by thy blood. Some brother would start it for us #52.
1.
As Branson from.
Burning.
Our Holy.
Heaven.
Lord where?
Unlikely.
Ourselves.
Today we always.
Time.
Of our hearts alone, and let us.
To my glory.
Airline.
And.
Expected.
When motion.
That.
Way.
To read.
Two episodes in the life of Peter, involving him as a fisherman.
The first one is in Luke's Gospel chapter 5.
Lukes Gospel chapter 5 beginning with verse one.
And it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God.
He stood by the lake of Genesis, and saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their Nets. And he entered into one of the ships which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launched out into the deep, and let down your Nets for a draw.
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And Simon answering, said unto him, Master.
We have toiled all the night and have taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net break. And they beckoned onto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees.
Saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all.
And followed him.
If we were to take the time this afternoon, we would turn back to the first chapter of John's Gospel and we would find there how Peter came to the Lord Jesus. We would find how it was Andrew that first introduced Peter to the Lord Jesus, telling him we have found the Messiahs, which is called Christ, and we find that Peter, when he came to the Lord Jesus, was given a new name.
He was given that name of Cephas or Peter, but we find that after that.
Relationship was established between Peter and the Lord. We find that that time, dear young people, that Peter had not committed his life into the hands of the Lord Jesus. And so we find here in the 5th chapter of Luke that the Lord Jesus here this day is about to step into the life of Peter in a way that Peter never imagined, I'm sure.
When he met him that day in the first chapter of John and so we find that the Lord Jesus is standing by the shore here by the sea of Genesis. And he sees these two ships standing and he steps in to Peter ship. Well beloved young people, you and I, how we can thank God and I trust we can each one say it here with all our hearts. I thank God that the Lord Jesus has stepped into my life.
That he came into my life when I had no desire for him at all and he stepped in and I now know him through wondrous grace as my Savior. The Lord Jesus here steps into Peters ship and he asks Peter to do something for him. It's such a simple request. He says that and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the people.
Out of the ship, all beloved young people, do you see the Lord Jesus in your life? Do you see Him, as it were, asking you to do these things that He has put down in His word, asking you to do these little things for Him? You know, I love to think of Peter here. It was such a simple thing, such a simple beginning. Just move the ship, Peter, a little bit out from the land.
But before the day was over, Peter found that everything that he had had been fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter takes up this request of the Lord Jesus here asked so lovingly, and he does bring the ship out a little from the land. And the Lord Jesus uses that ship, uses that occasion to teach the people that were on the shore. He used Peter's ship.
And all beloved young people, the Lord Jesus seeks to use you and what you have for him. You know, he presents his request to our hearts in such a loving way. It's love that makes it a commandment, but it's presented to us in love. The Lord Jesus here when he asks Peter, Peter had the option of refusing, but no, he loved the Lord Jesus, I'm sure, and he was willing to take this first step of faith.
Listening to what the Lord Jesus called upon him to do. And he moves the ship out, the Lord uses it and the people are taught. But then we come to this point in Peters life when the Lord Jesus is going to show not only what Peter is himself, not only what the Lord Jesus is himself, but he's about to show Peter the claim that he has upon Peter and upon all that Peter has.
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Beloved young people, can I say, and I trust I say it by the Spirit of God, the Lord Jesus has a desire today to have absolute, complete control of your life and all that you have. That's what He's seeking. Not just a little part of your ship, not just a little part of your life where you take a few hesitating steps in obedience to what He asked you to do, but He wants your whole life. He wants everything that you have.
All that you are, He wants that whole life of yours. And you know, beloved young people, when you're young, when you're young you have a whole life. If the Lord tarries a life to give to him. Just this past week I was talking to a man 80 years of age down in St. John, NB. This dear man, I believe, just accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. And while I was talking to him, he spoke about all the wasted years.
The wasted years that were gone, 80 years of age, but all beloved young people, you have a life, you have a whole life and the Lord Jesus wants that life. He saved your soul, but now he wants your life, all that you have because he wants it for himself.
He knows that that's the only way you and I can be happy, fully happy, profitable, fruitful children of God is by surrendering all to Him. So we find that when the Lord speaks to Peter here, he says launch out into the deep, launch out into the deep and let down your Nets for a drought. We find now that this is the next step. Peter has already acted in obedience.
By moving his ship a little bit out from the land. But now the request comes, go further, go further, launch out into the deep and let down your Nets, your Nets for a drop. Well, you know, I leave it to others to decide whether Peter actually moved the ship or not. We don't know from the record here whether he actually did move his ship out into the deep or not. What we do know is that he acted partially in obedience to what the Lord asked him to do.
He let down his net, not his Nets. The Lord had asked him to let down his Nets. He had been washing his Nets. They had Nets.
But the Lord, when asked, when Peter was asked by the Lord to let down his Nets, Peter let down only one net. But you know, before he did that, he said something else. He said, Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing. Now what? What does this really mean that Peter's saying? He's as it were, he's saying to the Lord Jesus, we've already tried that. We've already tried fishing. We've already been doing what you're asking us to do. And it didn't produce any fruit for God at all. It didn't produce any fish.
But now, now, beloved young people, Peter was being called upon to act upon the instruction given him by the Lord himself. Now we find that there is going to be fish, but when Peter lets down his net, it tells us. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net break.
Beloved young people, how much happier it would have been, how much better it would have been, if Peter had done just what the Lord asked him to do, to launch out into the deep and to let down his Nets. And truly, beloved young people, there is no way, no substitute, no way we can act as it were, half in obedience and expect.
Expect that we are going to have the Lord's approval.
When we find in the 15th chapter of First Samuel we find that Saul had been told to go and slay all the Amalekites and he was also destroy all their cattle everything. Well if you and I were keeping the record, we would have said we read that 15th chapter of First Corinthians. We would have said that Saul did 99% of what was required on but the Lord.
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Through Samuel.
To tell him that he has been disobedient. We find in the case of Peter that here now, Peter doesn't do exactly what the Lord tells him to do. He doesn't go all the way. But all beloved young people, how it delights one's heart and reading this story to see how the Lord does accept what Peter did do. The first steps that Peter does take in obedience. First moving his ship out a little bit from the land.
Now going a little bit further at the Lord's word, letting down.
Annette, Annette. And so we find that even with these first, as it were, faltering steps of obedience, as Peter gradually learns what it is to trust the Lord and to step out a little further and to act more in accordance with what the Lord brings before his heart. The Lord shows that there is blessing that follows from acting in obedience. And so Peter finds that the fish are there.
The fish are there, having toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at the Lord's word, the fish are there. We find, as we read in the chapter, the net break.
Well, when we read earlier in the chapter, we found that Peter had been washing his Nets. I suppose we can't really say definitely, but one has thought of Peter thinking to himself, you know, I've worked all night and here I've got all these fish. I've I've got all these Nets all dirtied up from fishing.
And now I've just spent the time washing these Nets and now the Lord wants me to go and put them back in the water again once we go and get them all dirtied up again. Well, instead he, as I say, he only went part way. And instead of ending up with two or three dirtied up Nets and a lot of fish, instead, beloved young people, he ended up with a broken net. He ended up with a net that was broken. Now he didn't have to wash it. He had to fix it. He had to repair the net if he had continued on with his fishing.
Well, I believe, at least for my own soul, that there's a lesson for us here.
Beloved young people, the Lord Jesus has told us, has given us in his Word, has revealed to you today.
A measure of truth that He looks for you to walk in and He's looking to expand that truth, to lead you into more truth and more truth and more truth as He has it in His word. For you to enter into more and more of the precious things of Christ like we had before us this morning, but but to grow to enter into these things.
We have to walk in them, we have to obey, we have to be willing to submit to the Lords instruction for us. We find in the case of Peter that he had to learn that there was a cost of not fully being obedient.
To the voice of the Lord Jesus, there was a cost. He got the blessing. The fish were there, so much so that they began when transferred to the two boats. The boats began to sink, but the net break. Beloved young people, the Lord Jesus is looking to you and I today to walk in obedience to His precious word, if ye be willing.
And obedient.
Ye shall eat the good of the land. So we find that he looked to Peter to act upon what he said. Well, the Lord is very gracious. And even though Peter and I say it reverently, because you know, so often we talk about poor Peter, but at least speaking for oneself. If we began to compare ourselves against Peter, we would end up thinking of poor ourselves. But when the case of Peter.
He learned this day that there was a cost involved in disobeying, but that in the measure in which he did obey, there was blessing. There was blessing. And you know, beloved young people, haven't you and I proved the same thing? We look back over the years and we say to ourselves so often we failed, but in any measure in which the Lord has given grace to walk in obedience to His Word, we have found that the blessing was there.
So much so that they couldn't contain it. Would you turn with me for just a moment? We'll be coming back to this portion, but turn back to Malachi Chapter 3.
Malachi chapter 3 and verse 10.
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Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now here with saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Well, Peter proved this, and measure this day. He proved that even when he only went part way, the blessing was so great.
That he wasn't able to contain it, we find it says in the seventh verse. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink. Prove me now, said the Lord of hosts, If I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that he will not be able to contain it. Beloved young people, haven't we proven that? Haven't you already proven that? I'm speaking now to those who belong to the Lord Jesus.
Haven't you proven already that when you took those first steps in obedience to His word, when the Lord showed you the first things, when you came to know Him, and you acted in obedience, that the blessing was there, that you had the joy of the Lords approval in your soul? And you found that the Lord did indeed?
Make you happy, give you the joy of knowing that your ways were pleasing to Him. And then he showed you a little more and he showed you a little more. And beloved young people, as long as we acted, as long as we walked in that precious truth as the Lord revealed it to us, as we grew in the things of God, we found that there was blessing connected with the path of obedience. Well, this is what Peter, I believe, is learning here, that there is blessing in the path of obedience.
But Peter was learning something else as well, and that is that, as we mentioned earlier, the Lord was leading up to the time, the point in Peters life this same day, when he was going to call upon Peter to forsake all. And he was learning this day that the one who was calling him was the one who had command over the fishes, the one who could command the fish where to go in the sea, the one who had complete control of all the circumstances.
That could ever possibly come into Peter's life. Well, what a precious lesson this is as we go on. Beloved young people, perhaps you were saved last night or last week or last year or five years ago. The Lord is showing you, the Lord is seeking to have more and more and more control of your life. He wants it all. All beloved young people, can I, can I say, brethren, in all accuracy, that the Lord Jesus is indeed a jealous Lord. He wants it all.
He's not prepared to share you with anyone. He wants all of you. You know, I thought of it in connection with my wife.
When I proposed to my wife many years ago, President, do you think, dear young people, do you think my heart would have been content if when I proposed to her some 25 years ago, she had said to me, well, she said, I'm prepared to be your wife one day a week, but the other six days I expect to be able to be my own, be for myself.
That one day a week I'm willing to give to you, but the rest I want for myself. Beloved young people, Can you imagine my heart being satisfied with an answer like that? Well, Can you imagine the Lord's heart being satisfied in any way with an answer like that? He has given all that He had to make you His own. His claim is based upon the fact that He has redeemed you, that you belong to Him now because He has paid the price, and now He's looking for all.
Not just part of you, but all. So we find in the case of Peter here.
But he has learned one thing and that is that there is a cost of not acting in complete obedience to the word of God. He has found out another thing and that is that the Lord is sufficient so that he can even direct the fish where to be. He has learned another lesson. You notice it says in the eighth verse, when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knee saying, depart from me for I am a sinful man, Oh Lord.
Or a man full of sin. That is, Peter had learned, at least in some measure this day. It seems later on, at times he forgot it. But he learned in some measure this day that he had no merit, no value. There was nothing in himself but sin, nothing that he could lay claim of or boast of in any way. He was a man full of sin. He was a man that needed the Lord. No question about that.
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He fell down at Jesus knees and owned his unworthiness to even be in the presence.
Of such a divine glorious person. But all beloved young people, who was it that had stepped into Peter ship? It was the Lord. It wasn't Peter that had gone looking for the Lord. It was the Lord who had stepped into petership and Peter there at the very feet of the Lord Jesus owns his complete unworthiness. He's a man full of sin. You know I remember hearing years ago and I may tell this story slightly wrong, but as I understand it.
A young man came to Mr. Darby many years ago and said to him that he was considering serving the Lord and he wanted to know what he should study. And as I understand the story, Mr. Darbys answer to him was first study this well, the flesh profiteth nothing. There was the first lesson. I mentioned that to a brother yesterday and he said yes, and that's the second lesson. And the third lesson too, that the flesh profits nothing.
Peter learned here, in some measure at least, that in himself he was nothing but beloved young people. The Lord was sufficient. And so we find when we go on in the ninth verse, he was astonished and all that were with him at the draw to the fishes which they had taken. And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. You know, I wondered.
I have wondered and meditating on this portion, why it was that Peter called for his partners earlier in the chapter and they came and the fish were transferred to their ship and both ships began to sink. The blessing was so great that the two ships couldn't contain it all. Well, you know, I don't know as I can say definitely the reason, but it has been an encouragement to my own soul to see how that the Lord while He was dealing with Simon.
While Simon, as it were, was before him in this instance, that was Simon ship that he had stepped into. It was Simon that he had said launch out into the deep. It was Simon that he had told to let down the net. Yet at the same time, the Lord was going to bring blessing into the life of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. The Lord had a call for them too. And you know, beloved young people, I would submit to you. And I trust we'll see this a little later on again when we look at the next example.
What you do, your enjoyment of Christ, has an immense influence on the other young people. Can they look at you this afternoon and find a real encouragement to go on to please the Lord? Can they look at you and see, as it were, there's someone, there's one of the young people, and they truly are enjoying the Lord. And if they can enjoy the Lord like that, I want to enjoy him too. You know the Scripture speaks.
About being ready to give an answer to every man, a reason of the hope that is within you, with meekness and fear. I remember a brother saying to me some years ago. He said, you know from the looks on some of our faces, no one would bother to ask us. No one would bother to ask us what hope we had. We had the meeting this morning and brought it so beautifully. That precious hope that is ours that we can look forward to, of being with Christ in glory and being like Him, having bodies fashioned like unto His body of glory.
This is what the future is that's before us. Beloved young people, are you and I enjoying that, rejoicing in it, finding our joy in that precious anticipation that we're going to be with Christ? We find here for Peter that the blessing that came into Peter's life overflowed, and it overflowed into the life of James and John, too. They also saw that great blessing that came into Peter's light. They saw the results.
They felt the results. They shared in the results of Peters act of partial obedience. They shared in the blessing. And beloved young people, if you and I will walk in obedience to the precious word of God, there will be blessing to our own souls guaranteed. But all that blessing will overflow into the lives of others. So we find in the case of Peter that he was astonished. James and John were astonished. They were all astonished at this great draft of fishes.
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But then we come to the great lesson in the 11Th verse. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him. Oh, you know, I have thought about Peter. I can just, I trust, I don't go too far with my imagination in this, but I can just imagine Peter seeing the Lord Jesus step on board his ship that morning. And little did he realize that before the day was over, the Lord would have taken it all.
That he would have given up the ship and the Nets and the fish and everything just to follow Christ. This was what the Lord had in mind. And stepping into Peters ship that morning, do you think it was an accident that brought the Lord there that day? Was it an accident that there were two ships waiting there and Peters was one of them? No beloved young people. It was no accident. It was no accident. The Lord Jesus was there and he was about to exert his claim, not just on part of Peter's life.
Not just on the front part of Peter's ship, but on all that Peter was and all that Peter had.
Beloved young people, that's his claim. He presents that claim to you today. He presents that claim to me today. This is his claim. He wants it all. All of you, your whole life. He wants it for himself. Beloved young people, when we consider such a thing, let's go back and see how Peter was.
Challenged. Here was Peter and he had spent his life fishing, supporting himself as it were by fishing. And now the time comes when the Lord Jesus has said to him, from henceforth thou shalt catch men, Men. Who was this person that they were being called upon to follow all beloved young people. He was the one to whom all power was given.
All power was given. They had seen how the Lord could even command the fish. And so it is, beloved young people, when you entrust your life into the hands of the one who has already stepped into your ship, when you entrust your life into his hands, you're entrusting your life into the one, into the hands of him to whom all power has been given, to the one who is in complete control of every circumstance.
That can even command the fish where to go. Do you think that there is a circumstance?
That can possibly come into your life over which he does not have control.
Over which he is not able to exert complete control. You say, if I give up everything for Christ, if I if I give my whole life to Him, life is going to be very difficult. Beloved young people, the one who calls upon you to do just that is the one who commands the fish. It's the one who commands all creation. It's the one to whom all power has been given in heaven and in earth. Can't you trust your life to Him?
Oh, I'm talking to those who have already trusted their souls to Him. We have committed our souls into His care. We've already received the salvation of our souls. If I was to go up to you and ask you, who are you trusting in for your soul salvation? You would say the Lord Jesus Christ. But then if I was to say, who are you trusting concerning the circumstances that might arise this afternoon and tomorrow, are we prepared to answer just as readily?
The Lord Jesus Christ, Well, we find in the case of Peter, he forsook all. He left it all. He left the fish, He left the Nets, He left the boat. Beloved young people, that's his claim. If I could say it reverently, I'm simply passing on to you his claim. He claims your whole life. But Peter found that even in the measure in which he walked, in which he acknowledged the Lord's claim, even in that measure.
The blessing was more than he could contain. And now he was to find out in forsaking all and following the Lord, that there were lessons to learn, that there would be trials and difficulties, that there would be failure, that he still had things to learn about his own heart that he hadn't learned fully yet. But all beloved young people, if you were, if you were to meet Peter today and ask him, was it all worthwhile? I'm sure you know what the answer would be. I'm sure you know what the answer would be. Indeed, it was all worthwhile.
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Now, would you turn with me to the 21St chapter of John for a moment?
The 21St chapter of John, beginning with the first verse.
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and on this why showed He himself there were together Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately, And that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. But disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.
They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved, Seth unto Peter. It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gird his fishers cloak unto him, for he was naked, and did cast himself into the sea.
And the other disciples came on a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were, 200 cubits, dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon and bred. Jesus said unto them, Bring up the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and 150 and three. And for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Jesus said unto them, Come and dine, and none of the disciples just ask him, Who art thou?
Knowing that it was the Lord, Jesus then cometh and taketh bread, and giveth them and fish. Likewise, this is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples. After that he was risen from the dead.
Some three years have passed, or a little bit more perhaps, from that day in the 5th chapter of Luke, when Simon Peter was led to forsake all and commit his whole life into the hands of the One to whom all power had been given. And there he was. Three years had passed, and as you know, there had been failure. There had been such bright spots in Peter's life too, one when he confessed that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
There had been some other points in Peter's life, for instance when he denied the Lord Jesus, but we find that the Lord Jesus, his claim upon Peter was an eternal claim. He could say to Peter, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as wheat.
But there was number way that Satan could have him. He belonged to Christ.
When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, he could send the messenger, send the message through the angels and through the women. Go tell my disciples and Peter that I go before thee into Galilee. There was be no question in Peters mind that he was wanted to. He belonged to Christ, He was His. And if Peter had failed, the Lord's claim upon him had not been diminished in any way. And so we find here when we come to the 21St chapter of John.
That there is still a measure of restoration needed in the life of Peter. He has denied the Lord, the Lords. The work of restoration has been begun in Peters soul. He has got to the point where he has seen the Lords look upon him, where he has had a meeting, a private meeting between him and.
The Lord where he has also met the Lord in the upper room. But now we find that Peter here says I'm going fishing. You know, dear young people, there was nothing wrong with fishing. No one could point to fishing and say now there's a sin, there's a sin to go fishing.
But Peter had been called to a different pathway. Peter had been called to be a catcher of men, a Fisher of men. Peter had been called away from the fishing to follow the Lord. And now we find that he's going back, going back to some of his old pursuits, the pursuit of fishing and you know, beloved young people, this happens. This happens to young people. It happens to those of us who are older, too.
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Our hearts perhaps get discouraged and we find ourselves going back, going back to some of the things that our hearts used to be occupied with, that perhaps not where sins in themselves, but that filled our lives and occupied our lives with things for which there was no fruit for God, nothing that God could use. And Peter was doing just this, going back to his old habits. But the sad thing is to see.
How that not only does Peter go back to his fishing, but his act leads others backwards too. So we find that when Peter says I go fishing, Thomas goes too.
Nathaniel goes to, James and John go to and two others.
Dear brother here this afternoon I'll borrow something that he said to us some years ago in Toronto. He suggested to us that the other two disciples might be you and me. Well, regardless of who the other two were, the fact remains was that Peters act of going back to fishing had the effect of leading others back too. Leading them back to their old pursuits too. And so it is, they go back to fishing and beloved young people, just as we noticed.
That when we do act in obedience to the word of God, the blessing is so great that it fills our lives and overflows to others. When we go backwards, when we find that our hearts are cold and we're turning away and turning back to some of the old habits, the old things, this too has an effect. This too has a discouraging effect on other young people. So that they too, not that they should, but they do find themselves saying, well, if.
Jack can do that. I guess there's no harm in me doing it too. Or if Mary, you know, Mary's gone to doing such and such, I guess I can do it too. Well, this happened in the case of Peter. But we find that the Lord Jesus has not let Peter go. And so it was that when Peter was out fishing, the Lord appears on the shore. You notice he says Simon. Peter says, I go fishing. We also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately.
And that night they caught nothing. You know what, it struck one and meditating on this portion again, there was number question in Peter of Peter here praying about it, of looking to the Lord and asking the Lord if this was to be according to his mind. They just started out. They said this is what we want to do. And so they go right ahead and do it immediately. They went out, but they fished all night and caught nothing, absolutely nothing. What a fruitless night.
What an empty, wasted night oh beloved young people, when we act in self will what we have is an empty, wasted night that's what we have an empty, wasted night well, we find in the.
Fourth Verse. When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. You know that has struck me again too, in meditating on this portion.
We were to go back to the previous chapter we had, we would find that the Lord Jesus had already appeared to them in the upper room. Peter had seen the Lord, James and John had seen the Lord and the latter part of the 20th chapter, Thomas had seen the Lord. And yet now they're away. They're they've pushed off from the shore. They're away from the Lord and they don't recognize the Lord's voice. They don't recognize that voice of the Lord right away.
But the Lord speaks to them nevertheless. They didn't recognize him, but he asks dear young people.
To me, a very, very vital question. He says, children, have ye any meat? You know, one has thought in connection with this portion of all the things that the Lord could have said standing on that shore and calling out to Peter. Again, I trust I don't go too far within in thinking of these things, but one has thought of how the Lord could have called out and said, Peter, what are you doing fishing?
What are you doing out there fishing. I called you to be a Fisher of men. Or he could have called out and said, Peter, didn't I tell you that in the disobedience you would just waste your time that it was going to be a waste of night and see it didn't get anything. But no, he just asks Peter and those with him a simple question. Children, have you any meat? And so it is dear young people, it's as if I could put it this way. The Lord says to you and I when we go off in any way in a path of self will.
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When we choose our own way now, it means, as I said before, it may not be an evil way, but it's our own way. Peter did not ask the Lord about going fishing, He just said I'm going fishing and the others went with him. When we choose our own way, to go our own way, even though it may not necessarily be an evil way, the Lord as it were, comes to your heart and mind and says, did you find any satisfaction in that path?
Did you find any food for your soul in that path? Did you find any joy, any peace, any real satisfaction in that path of self will? I was talking to a lady just this 10 days ago.
This lady I've known for many years.
And she was in the.
One of the churches and she had been LED out and gathered to the Lord's name.
And justice. Recently she went back to the church that she had come from.
And when I went to visit her just recently.
She said to me, she said, you know, John, I prayed about it. I really prayed about it. And she said, I really feel that where I am right now, I can be useful, I can be used for the Lord.
Well, I felt constrained to tell her that if there were ever been a wasted prayer, it was a prayer that asks the Lord to lead me in a path that's in disobedience to the Word of God.
To ask the Lord to lead me in a path that the word of God has shown me.
Is not the path of obedience. This is what she had prayed and she felt she had got the answer that the Lord had shown her that she could be useful there. Beloved young people, can you conceive of the Lord ever saying to you or to me, be a little bit disobedient so that you can be more useful? Can you ever imagine us getting home to glory and at the judgment seat of Christ saying, having the Lord say to us, I know that you were disobedient.
There, but I was the one who encouraged you to be disobedient so that you could accomplish this result of that.
No, beloved young people, it can't be. There is never a time, never, never, never a time when the Lord leads in a path of disobedience, or where the Spirit of God ever instructs us in any way by any combination of circumstances to take a step that the Word of God condemns. No, it cannot be. Well, in spite of the fact that the Peter had acted in this self will.
And in spite of the fact that he had found that in that course of self will there was nothing, he had caught nothing. It had been a wasted night.
Beloved young people, sometimes.
Sometimes my heart weeps and I say it reverently, but sometimes my heart weeps when I see some of the dear beloved young people who are wasting years, just wasting years where the Lord came upon them. They acknowledge that they belong to Christ, but they are going on in a path of self will, choosing their own life and leaving the Lord out.
Beloved young people, I can only submit to you from the word of God. You will find it's a dark night in which you find no meat, nothing for the soul. Well, we find in the case of Peter that now the Lord, they, he, they have acknowledged you notice it says children, have you any meat? And they acknowledge no. It has been fruitless, it has been empty. It has been a wasted effort.
It was all for naughty. Now that they have acknowledged this, now the Lord is ready to step in.
And show that at His command, following His instructions, at His voice, there is fruit to be had, there is blessing to be had. And so the Lord says, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes where the fish been all night. All, my friend, they were in the control of the one who stood upon the shore.
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They were in the control of the One, and school was on the shore. Oh, how this I must have reminded Peter of that time three years previously, when he had forsaken all at the command of the One, at the call of the one who had commanded the fish. And now here he is standing on the shore again, and showing that he still has command of the fish. They've caught such a great multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loves, said unto Peter, It is the Lord.
It's the Lord now they see in this act, they see again, this is the Lords hand, this is the Lords dealing. And all beloved young people, when we get, if we get away from the Lord, if we get as it were into that path of self will there's the Lord standing on the shore asking us first of all, is there any meat in that course? Do you find anything to satisfy your heart in that course? And when we own.
Fully and frankly, no. Then the Lord says, now I'll show you the path of blessing.
Now I'll show you where the blessing lies, and it's at the command. It's at heeding the command of the voice of the Son of God. And so it is that when they act in obedience to His Word, they get this great multitude of fishes and furthermore.
They see in it the Lords hand, they recognize the Lorde hand in their life again, and Peter is so attracted now that he jumps overboard and swims to shore to get to be with the Lord Jesus. You notice it goes on, it says. And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were 200 cubits dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there.
And fish laid there on, and bread, Jesus saith unto them, Bring up the fish.
Which ye have now caught. Now caught, you know, here was the Lord Jesus. And what did they find? They found that the Lord Jesus in calling them, in their heeding his voice, in their being attracted to him, they found beloved young people that there was something to eat. Have you any meat in their course of self will? No, but what about in the Lord's company?
Yes, they found that there was meat and there was bread. The fish laid there on and bread.
And the 13th verse it says then Jesus then cometh and taketh bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise.
Beloved young people, I must own in my own soul that I really feel how little I know of what it is to.
Forsake all and follow Him. But I know, and you know, that in any measure in which we have, as it were, turned over our whole life to Him, we have found that there was blessing and there was food for our souls, that we could sit down in the Lord's presence while He said to us, Come and die, feed and enjoy what the Lord has provided for us. But we find that there was something else.
The Lord had to say to Peter, bring up the fish which he have now caught, now caught. What was he reminding Peter of? That all that blessing that had now come into Peter's life was the result of his command, the result of listening to his voice. It wasn't all that night of toil. That whole night of toilet produced nothing because it was a path of self will.
But in now at the listening to the one command, the one.
Piece of instruction that the Lord gave them, He could now say, bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Beloved young people, there is blessing for your soul. There is blessing that overflows to others in the path of obedience. But in the path of self will is an empty life. An empty, empty life. Beloved young people, haven't we proven that already?
Haven't we already proven first of all that in any measure in which we have walked to please him, the windows of heaven were open and the blessing was so great we couldn't contain it all. And in any way measure in which we have walked in self will we have found that it was a dark empty night. We find here it says Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes 153.
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And for all, there were so many, yet was not the net broken? You remember back in the 5th chapter of Luke, the Lord said let down the Nets, they let down the net and the net broke. When we come to the 21St chapter of John, the Lord says let down a net, just a net. They did exactly what he said. They let down the net. And the fact that there were all these fish didn't break the net.
Didn't break the net. They were acting now.
In obedience, complete, full obedience to what the Lord said. And the result was no broken net, but a great number of fishes brought to land. Beloved young people, that is what the Lord, as it were, says to my heart and to yours, act in obedience and you'll get the blessing and you'll see great many fishes brought to the shore. Beloved young, isn't that what we desire? Don't we desire to be a blessing?
A blessing to others, though we desire to be used of the Lord and blessing to others.
Our beloved young people, the first step is mandatory. We must walk in obedience ourselves, the Word of God, before we can use be used to bring it to others. That word must be applied to our own hearts and to our own consciences. But there is the path of blessing, so it says.
Jesus then cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples. After that he was risen from the dead. Beloved young people, the Lord Jesus.
Has said to Peter.
Be a Fisher of men. And he said the same thing to you and I. The Lord Jesus has called upon us to forsake all.
And follow him to turn over our whole life to the one to whom all power has been given. And the Lord has shown us in his word that therein in that path is the path of blessing and fruitfulness. But he's also shown us, as he showed Peter, that in the path of self will, there's an empty life, if we're in that path of self will this afternoon.
Or may we listen to the Lord's voice speaking to us, dear young people, speaking to my heart and saying, did you find any meat in that path? Do you find anything to satisfy your heart in that path? And if we're ready to be honest and open before the Lord and admit, no, no, it has been all wasted and empty, then we're going to be fine. That the Lord is ready then with His instruction to show us just what to do. That would be pleasing to Him to choose the path for us.
And there to find that there is blessing that flows out from the one to whom all power has been given. And again, that blessing will flow out to others, overflow to others, because when the Lord blesses, it is at such of such a magnitude that we can't contain it. It overflows to those around us. Beloved young people, is that, isn't that what you desire? Isn't that what your heart desires this afternoon?
The Lord's way is forsake all and follow Him.