Come and Dine...the Wayfarer 2/26/16

Come and Dine
 2/26/16

¹² Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

(John 21:12)

“Come and dine!” The invitation is still extended and open as it was given that day as the disciples saw Jesus once more, for the third time after His resurrection.

That invitation, given them was not merely an invitation to dinner, supplied through what was shown them that particular day, but an invitation to feast on the meat of life eternal through faith as the subsequent conversation took place giving Peter the mission of feeding the flock, tending to the ongoing need for sustenance that was passed through him to all who have followed in that mission.

Prior to the dinner, there was first a lesson given at the outset of this meeting.

John 21:1-11

21 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

² There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

³ Simon Peter saith 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.

⁴ But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

⁵ Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

⁶ 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.

⁷ Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

⁸ And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

⁹ As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

¹⁰ Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

¹¹ Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

Peter, for whatever reason, after having already witnessed the living Jesus after the resurrection, decided to go fishing, his previous vocation prior to following as a disciple.

In turn, he was accompanied by Thomas, and Nathaniel on this particular venture, both of which had also witnessed the living Savior after his resurrection, and two other disciples.

For that particular moment, concern lay in gaining sustenance and perhaps income for their future, as seen by them.

They caught nothing!

The activity was an exercise in futility, no doubt frustrating all who had gone on this fishing trip.

As Jesus stood on the shore watching, they didn’t at first even recognize Him for who he was.

Christ’s question for them called out across the water was plaintive, and clear, “Children, have ye any meat?”

Of course the response was in the negative, as they continued to fish from the wrong side of their boat.

Once following the directive to change the placement of their net, the return was immense, far better than could ever have been hoped for.

They were fishing from the wrong side of the boat to net any physical sustenance, and most certainly the wrong side to net any spiritual sustenance by having left off the original “fishing” for which they were called out from among all those Christ came into contact with.

On this day, once directions from the Master had been followed, once again, nets were filled beyond any expectation once again, and finally Christ was recognized by those disciples who had seemed to have forgotten him as he stood on shore giving those directions.

Peter, immediately, again jumped into action eager to set foot on the same ground as Jesus, and eager to once more be in his presence.

When told to bring of the catch to the master, he alone was on shore to help pull the boat and nets safely to their intended destination, while the Master awaited with bread and fish already prepared for the feast.

Forgotten, for the moment was another meeting, long before this moment when they had been first called to become disciples, and, along with THAT meeting, the very reason for their discipleship.

¹⁸ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

¹⁹ And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

²⁰ And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

²¹ And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

²² And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

(Matthew 4:18-22)

Apparently, they had also to be brought into remembrance of that very day in which they were called to discipleship, in a manner similar to that very calling, perhaps to assure that remembrance remain and bring with it the required sustenance and fortitude required to continue the mission they were given to perform.

Luke 5:1-10

5 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

² And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

³ 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.

⁴ Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

⁵ 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.

⁶ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

⁷ 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.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

⁹ For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

¹⁰ 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.

Without the Master’s guidance, daily, that each of these disciples had been so long given, it was easier for them to return to their past profession, and the life held by that profession.

This was not and could not be allowed to occur, because their initial mission was not completed.

Having given this object lesson in remembrance, the lesson continued as the feast came to its closure, and conversation ensued that must have been perplexing to Peter, and, most definitely to Thomas the doubter who followed him as well.

(John 21:13-17)

¹³ Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

¹⁴ This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

¹⁵ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

¹⁶ He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; 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 knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

This conversation was to remind Peter, and assuredly the others as well, that their purpose was to continue in the mission given them at the beginning of their discipleship, not to abandon it to return to the mere physical labor for the same things sought before that calling out.

The purpose given them was not defeated by the physical absence of the Master, but became even more amplified and paramount in necessity of its accomplishment by those to whom it had been given.

(John 21:18 & 19)

¹⁸ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest 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 wouldest 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.

The way to the accomplishment of that given mission was not easy, still is not easy, cannot be easy, but, requires continuance and remembrance continually.

Once more, I hear the question on the minds of many reading this, hearing it as it may be spoken, “Preacher, what’s your point?”

The point is the same made to Peter and the others in attendance that day for each and every one who chooses the appellation of Christian.

Daily maintenance, daily guidance is available through the scriptures, and more significantly through prayer, without which it would be far too easy to return to the fishnets that would remain empty of the greatest treasure ever to be taken by any “fisherman” or by any other profession that promises only the rewards of the here and now, and those in and of themselves quite empty.

The final two words of that 19^th verse still echo for ears willing to hear them, as does the necessity for the accomplishment of the mission given that day to those few disciples that has passed to us as well.

Jesus’ birth, life, sacrifice and resurrection was not, and, is not in vain.

We too are not given the precious gift of His grace, experienced by those disciples, to squander by forgetting who we are called to be once that call has been accepted.

If your nets come up empty after long toil, perhaps it is time to cast them to the other side of the boat where the fish are thronging in schools waiting to be taken.

Perhaps it is time to feed the sheep, and leave off the fishing that is being done in pursuit of other goals.

Once more I would direct attention to the final two words of that 19^th  verse, words heard and understood well by those who choose to hear and understand them.

The invitation has been issued, and awaits acceptance or rejection.

“Come and Dine!”

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer