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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
December, 1938
of the Lord came to him with peculiar force: “Lovest thou me more than these?” The "these” evidently referred to the other disciples standing there. Three times the same question was put to Peter. What could he reply? If he said he did love the Lord, would not the others say that such a profession already was proved false by the denial? But Peter could and did appeal to what the Lord knew about him. The others knew Peter’s failure, but what they did not know was what was locked in his heart—his true heart-relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter knew that he did love the Lord, and he knew the Lord knew that fact. Hence he answered: “Thou [who knowest all things] knowest that I love thee.” As a disciple, Peter had been restored pri vately, and with such restoration others had nothing to do; hence we know nothing of what passed between the Lord Jesus and Peter at the time when "He [Christ Jesus] was seen of Cephas” (1 Cor. 15:5). As an apostle, however, Peter must be publicly restored, and the Lord took this method of restoring him to that position. Following this incident, there does not appear to have been any question ever raised as to Peter’s authority as an apostle. The immediate cir cle of disciples, together with the thousands who afterwards accepted the Lord as their Saviour through Peter’s ministry, never referred to Peter’s failure. And we may obtain an indication of the extent of Peter’s growth in grace from his Epistles and the record of his work. Peter's commission was to “feed” the lambs and the sheep belonging to the Lord. The word means to attend to, as a physi cian attends his patients; to guard, as a sentinel guards the sleeping soldiers; to guide, as a leader directs his followers through dangerous or difficult paths; to provide for, as the parent provides for the children. Of this activity the Lord had spoken earlier; “When thou art converted, strengthen [or stablish] thy brethren” (Lk. 22:32). III. T he P rophecy (18, 19) Peter seems to have learned his lesson well. There was no longer a rebuke or any denial of what the Lord said. Peter ac cepted the manner of his death without re bellion. W e should be careful to notice that the Word does not say "signifying by what death he should die,” but rather "by what death he should g lo r ify God" (v. 19). The believer may not only glorify God in his life upon earth, but also by the very means by which he leave this earth. “Follow me.” With this word, the record well could be closed. It is the Lord’s word to all believers, and in the measure in which it is obeyed will be the glorious entrance in to the kingdom of the Lord. Points and Problems 1. “So w hen th ey had dined" (John 21: 15). The American Revision translates "So when they had broken their fast.” Did Christ ea t with the disciples at this morn ing meal? The implication of the passage is that He did. Upon another occasion (Lk. 24:43), we are told specifically that He “did eat before them.” Certainly the resurrection body needed no food to sustain it, but
T hank Y ou M r . R ossi THESE little lepers are grateful that there was room for them in one of the Christian leper colonies.
HERE the healing chaulmoogra oil is administered to their suffer ing bodies, and here, too, they come to know the greatest of all healers—Jesus Christ. BUT many must be refused each year because the missionaries haven’t the funds to care for them. Thousands face lives of os tracism, fear, shame and possibly death, unless helped.
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16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lora; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou know est all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou would est not. 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. G olden Text: “If ye love me, keep my commandments’’ (John 14:15). D evotional R eading: Matt. 10:34-42. Outline and Exposition I. T he M anifestation (John 21:11-14) I ED by restless Peter, the disciples had gone fishing, but they had caught —^nothing, even though they toiled all the night. As they returned in the morning, Jesus appeared and told them where to cast their net. Obeying His word, they enclosed in the net a great catch of fish. Jesus called “Come and dine," and the disciples were aware that they were in the presence of the Man who had died on the cross. As He stood before them and talked with them, doubts concerning His resurrec tion were swept away. They saw Him eat-
ing bread and fish, and giving to them por tions of the same food. Our Lord apparently did everything He could to convince His followers that He lit erally was risen from the dead. It was upon this great fact—the atoning death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ—that they were to build all their witnessing, and He would have them so thoroughly con vinced of its reality that nothing would be able to turn them from their belief in it and their proclamation of it. If we allow our be lief in this fundamental doctrine to become dim, our belief in all other facts concerned with Christianity eventually will fade. II. P eter ’ s R estoration (15-17) Peter once before had declared that though all others should forsake the Lord, he himself would not. He had implied that though others might profess to love the Lord, his love for Christ transcended the love of others. Now the pointed question BLACKBOARD LESSON
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