THE KING'S BUSINESS
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SEPTEMBER 23, 1923 JESUS APPEARS TO DISCIPLES-]ohn 21 : 1-14 . . Golden Text: "This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his d1sc1ples, after that he was risen from the dead." (John 21: 14) Outline: struction and exhortation. They had ( 1) Partnership and Compensation, been commanded to go to Galilee, vs. 1-8. where He had promised to appear to (2) Provision and Communion, them (Matt. 28:7) VS. 9-14. "And behold he goetll before you Into Introduction: !!.~~le;~ut.~ere shall ye see him; Io, 1 ban
Peter, the leader, stirred perhaps by the sight of the sea, proposed a fish– ing party, in which · he was joined by six others,-the "two others" besides those named being probably Andrew and Philip. They toiled all night and took noth– ing,-a sad comment on a company 0! seven fishermen. Seven, of course, is the number of compieteness and per– fection, but these seven men proved themselves perfect failures. Their experience demonstral.e<\ that fishing without Christ is poor business (John 15:5) "I tun the vine; ye are the brnncbu. He that abideth in 1ne, und I in him, the sn1ne bring·eth forth n1uch fruit; for with– out n1e. ye can do nothing." (Phil. 4:3) '"I can (lo nil things through Christ." Jesus knew all alJ011t their want of success. He had hearfl. their talk and knew their thoughts all through the night, and just as He did in that other time of need, He appeared (Mark 6: 48) ''And h e stnv then1 toiling in rowing; for the '~·hul '\VUS contrary unto them; and ubout the fourth '\vntch of the night be co1ucth unto the1n, '\Vnlking uuon the sea, un•l '\Vonld h~n·e JUtsSe•l by them." In the early morning light they do not recognize Him (v. 4). He tells them what to do. They obey and the result is startling. (v. 6) "And he snhl unto then1. Cnst the net on the right side of the shiJ>, und ye shall find. '1 1 hey cust therefore, und now tbe1 were not nbJe to •lr1nv it for the mul• titude of fishes." John, the spiritually-minded, at once perceives that it is Jesus, and says, "It is the Lord." John always sees first; Peter acts first. John stood at the door of the sepulchre, but Peter rushed in. s
There were twelve appearings of Jesus after the resurrection,-the first to Mary, the last to Paul-a widening circle. The appearance. recorded in the por– tion of Scripture which we have for our study today was the seventh mani– festation of Christ to His disciples, and the third manifestation to the assem– bly. Five of these appearances took place on the first day. The sixth ap– pearance was to the eleven disciples as– sembled together on the following Lord's Day. These appearings were to prove His resurrection, prepare the disciples to testify as witnesses, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The manner of these manifestations -i. e., showing Himself to them in place of living with them as heretofore, was to emphasize the difference be– tween the natural body and the glori– fied body. He manifested, or unveiled, Himself to them. They might expect Him at any time, and might also be– come accustomed to His absence. (1) PARTNERSHIP AND COMPEN– SATION, vs. 1-8 "He said unto them, cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." The chapter opens by touching the fringes of one of the most beautiful of all the resurrection SC€\nes,-on the border of that picturesque lake which had been endeared to both Christ and His disciples by reason of many sacred memories. Here they had toiled and suffered together. Here mighty mir– acles had been wrought. Here our Lord had poured forth His soul in in-
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