I. NEARNESS familiar and domestic. While we are sinners faith brings us into a justified state by simply looking to Christ; but after believing faith then assists us to enjoy Christ. Some expect to enjoy Christ first and believe Him afterwards; but you must take God’s mercies in their order. You will not find “Come and dine” in the first chapter of John--there it is, “Come and see.” Believe Jesus first, and you shall feed on Him afterwards. “Come and see” gives peace, but “Come and dine” gives heaven, for it gives Christ.
II. UNION WITH JESUS, because the only meat that we can eat when we dine with Christ is Himself. We do not provide the supper. Christ found the fish, the fire, and the bread, and then said, “Come and dine.” The fire that warms our heart when we have fellowship with Him comes from Himself, and the fish that we eat is His own, and the wine that we drink flows from His own heart. Oh, what union is this!
III. FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SAINTS. You are not to eat your morsel alone, but in company. We sit down in heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, and no small part of the hereafter bliss is connected with the fellowship of the saints. So here we enjoy the company as well as the feast. The Supper of the Lord is the table of communion, not only with the Master, but also with all who love Him. Hungry men are sure to be quarrelsome, but if you would have sweetest fellowship with each other, live on Christ. We do not expect to see all Christians agreeing, but we are sure that one of the most likely plans for cultivating a brotherly spirit is to listen to Christ’s words, “Come and dine.”
IV. THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN. To look at Christ is to live, but for strength to serve Him you must come and dine. We need as much food for the soul as for the body, and unless we eat we shall be fainting by the way. If you want to be as Mr. Feeblemind, take only a small modicum of spiritual food in your closets; neglect family prayer; never attend a prayer-meeting; on no account speak about religious matters during the week; go late to the house of God, and fall asleep when you get there; as soon as you leave the place of worship talk about the weather. All your strength depends upon union with Christ. Away from Him you must wither as a branch severed from the vine. Feeding on Him you will be like the branch which is drinking up the sap from the parent stem; you will be strong enough to bring forth fruit.
V. GROWTH AND PROGRESS IN SPIRITUAL THINGS. To see Christ is to begin the Christian’s life, but to grow in grace we must “come and dine.” The early history of the first disciples is by no means satisfactory. They were evidently only babes in spiritual things. They had seen Jesus, and loved Him, and followed Him, but they were far from possessing the Spirit of Christ. Now after they had reached this stage of living on Christ they became new men. It is no longer mere sight, but an inward appropriation, and the consequences are manifest. Many Christians remain stunted and dwarfed. They exist but do not grow. The reason is evident, they are not taking of Christ, and they neglect to appropriate to themselves the blessing which He is waiting to bestow.
VI. PREPARATION FOR SERVICE. Before the feast is concluded, Christ says to Peter, “Feed My lambs;” “Feed My sheep;” “Follow Me.” All the strength supplied by Christ is for service. Some Christians are for living on Christ, but are not so anxious to live for Christ. Heaven is the place where saints feast most and work most. Now, earth should be a preparation for heaven; come and dine, and then go and labour. Freely ye receive, freely give; gather up all the fragments of your feast, and carry the loaves and fishes to others, as did the disciples. We are not to hold the precious grains of truth like a mummy does the wheat, for ages, without giving it a chance of growing. No, feed yourself, and then go forth and bid others come and eat and drink. Why does the Lord send down the rain upon the thirsty earth, and give the sunshine and the genial refreshing breeze? (C. H.Spurgeon.)
The dinner on the Galilean shore an emblem of redemption
I. THE TIME WAS OPPORTUNE. The disciples had tried all their resources for means of a livelihood that night and had failed. They were no doubt tired, hungry, and dejected. The dinner came just at the right time. It is just so with the redemptive system. After the world had tried everything for its salvation--poetry, philosophy, religion, civilization--and grew worse, Christ came “in the fulness of time.”
II. THE PROVISIONS WERE DESIRABLE. The fish they caught they had been toiling all night to obtain. They were craving for such food. The provisions of the gospel are both suited to man’s needs and urgently required. They are
1. Renovating.
2. Cleansing.
3. Developing.
4. Harmonizing.
5. Perfecting. Isa_25:6 we have a description of the great Spiritual banquet.How rich, varied, abundant the viands!
III. THE HOST WAS CONDESCENDING. What a sight!--the Son of God preparing a feast for poor fishermen, and dining with them. Thus He has done in redemption. He descended into the “lowest parts of the earth,” unto the lowest grades; “made Himself of no reputation.” (D. Thomas, D. D.)
A feast with Jesus
1. Our Lord is careful of bodily wants. Twice in the days of His flesh He fed the people with bread and fish, and now He has risen He still thinks of the hungering bodies of the disciples. This may be a warrant to the churches to feed, not to try and proselytize.
2. If any of you are needy catch at this. He who said to the seven, “Come and break your fast,” will not forget you. I cannot tell how the fire was lighted, &c., but some way or other you will be fed.
3. If Jesus is thus careful of bodily wants, much more will He be careful of your souls. After He had supplied the one He proceeds to Supply the other.
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF A FEAST WITH JESUS. It was important to these men
1. For they were wet and cold; so a fire was provided where they could dry their jerseys and warm their hands. They were hungry too, and here is the old food, light and easy of digestion. Christ does not like to see us wet, and cold, and hungry, because it is not good for us. If, therefore, you feel uncomfortable and unhappy Jesus does not want you to be so. Many a battle has been lost because the soldiers were not in good condition.
2. They were weary with the night’s fruitless toil; and when Christ’s modern workers feel discouraged He invites them to come and break their fast with Him.
3. They were likely to forget their bodily wants in their sudden success. It is hungry work now to live on catching and counting. Successful workers are prone to forget their own spiritual wants.
4. Christ was about to overhaul them. It is needful that Christ should feed us before He searches us.
5. They were about to receive a commission. Christ does not send people to feed His sheep and lambs without feeding them first.
6. They were about to enter on a perilous path. Wonder not that you are called to endure fiery trials, but see that you are first fed on heavenly bread.
II. JESUS ACTING AS HOST. IS not this wonderful? Jesus communing with Thomas, who doubted Him, and Peter, who denied Him. Notice Jesus our Host
1. Preparing the feast. It was an act of creative power. Your soul can ever feed on what Christ creates, but on nothing else.
2. Waiting on the feasters. Sometimes a host will say, “Help yourselves,” but we cannot help ourselves; so “Jesus cometh and taketh bread and giveth them.” There is good spiritual food in the Word, but sometimes we cannot get at it; so Jesus puts it into our hearts.
3. Showing Himself. Giving them food was the most effective manner of doing this. When the Word nourishes most, then is the time of the clearest vision of Christ; and that vision is the most satisfying thing on earth or in heaven.
III. THE PROVISIONS.
1. What He had mysteriously prepared. Feed now on the mysteries of
(1) Everlasting love.
(2) The covenant of grace.
(3) The brotherhood of Christ.
(4) Atoning efficacy.
2. What He had graciously given. God’s mercies are like the hundred and fifty and three--an odd number, but very exact. Has not your net, too, been full of answers to prayer?
IV. HOW THE GUESTS BEHAVED THEMSELVES.
1. They only spoke one word--“No;” which betrayed the emptiness and hunger of their souls. You may say to your Lord, “I am a negative, nobody and nowhere without Thee.” The devotion which shows itself by bawling may be genuine, but it is very superficial. Deep waters are still. It takes a wise man to hold his tongue.
2. They asked Christ no questions. People who have no religion are fond of religious questions. But when you get near Christ there is no questioning. We believe in the Bible because we know the Author, and are therefore not troubled with sceptical doubts. They were lost in wonder at His amazing condescension, and His majestic presence. What could they do but hold their tongues? (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Communion with Christ
This chapter has a sacramental character, and the words, “Come and dine,” are a summons to communion. Note
I. THE ENTERTAINMENT.
1. There is already fish prepared when Jesus says, “Bring of the fish now caught.” Host and guest must each contribute. “If any man will hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with Me,” i.e., I with him as his Guest, and he with Me as Mine. It is so here. Communion implies reciprocity. When Christ meets His people at the holy feast He is there as the Host who furnishes the fire and the fish, the bread and the wine, the supplies of grace and of the Spirit. But He is also the Guest. We partake of Him, but He looks to partake of us, though we know that He can find nothing that can give Him pleasure till He puts it there. This fish which we must bring He guided into the net. Christ having first given the grace comes to receive of it. He is spiritually present to receive as well as communicate that highest joy which is the interchange of conscious feeling and trusted love, to partake of us as we of Him.
2. If this be the case can we come thoughtlessly, with defiled hands, or with self-righteousness to offer ourselves for Christ’s participation? Nay, but let us come with what He craves, the love on receiving which here or anywhere He sees of the travail of His soul and is satisfied.
II. THE FEELING. “None durst ask Him.” Why should they if they knew? The saying expresses that almost new converse with which the disciples after the Resurrection regarded their Lord. One there had previously presumed to question, “Be it far from Thee, Lord.” It was not so now. Think with what instinctive awe we should regard a similar manifestation of Christ now. Questioning would have been impertinent. They must wait for Him to speak now. It would also have been mistrusting. Well enough did they know it was the Lord, notwithstanding the changes which the three days had wrought. There is a familiarity in words, hymns, meditations, in these times which befits not our intercourse with the Risen. Let the feeling which reigns around the Lord’s table be one of reverence. This is not dread, distance, bondage, but adoring love.
III. THE CONVERSATION. Some have found it difficult to maintain a spirit of prolonged communion at the Lord’s table; but let them learn from this to commune about
1. Their sins. Who can doubt that Peter’s three denials were uppermost in his heart? Yet you will note that there was no remorse for an irrevocable past, and no excuses for inexcusable guilt. Be guided by this in your communion, and this one topic will provide enough for an hour’s profitable discourse.
2. Their work. This communion brought reinstatement for Peter in his apostolate, and a particular designation to his future employment. Converse, then, about thy work, its past deficiencies, and thy need of present and future strength to do it.
3. Their future. Peter’s was here revealed, and if thine is not in such particularity, yet the words, “Follow Me,” will hearten thee to meet it, whatever it may be.
4. Their friends, “What shall this man do?” (Dean Vaughan.)
