“The Case for Christ: - Kingdom/God: Lord/Provisions”

Tonight, let us look at Jn 21 in the light of the Lordship of Christ in the Kingdom of God.

In this manifestation of Jesus after His resurrection, we first saw the nature of the faith that must develop in the stewards of His kingdom.

It is the faith that is the power of God putting into action that which He wills to be done.

And, then, when the disciples were helplessly struggling with their own ingenuity and skills to catch fish, we saw the power of God in the Word Jesus spoke.

The miracle of the sudden catch of fish confirmed the strength and force of His mighty voice as part of the revelation of His kingdom. 

It was spoken to ‘accomplish that which He pleased and it prospered in the thing whereto He sent it.’

Now - tonight, let us look at Jesus as the ‘Lord’ of His kingdom which is also part of the revelation in this appearance.  

The last time, when an incident similar to this fishing event  happened, in Lu 5:10, the disciples were astonished at the number of fish that were caught.

This time, they were not so excited about the ‘catch’ itself. 

Did you notice that?

They were far more stirred up and thrilled to know Whose voice it was that told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat.

You see - they were responding to the revelations they were receiving in the resurrection appearances. These were all declarations God was making: He was acting in this end time in Jesus, His Son!   

‘And we are witnesses’, one of them wrote, ‘of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem; Whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly [that is, in the resurrection appearances], not to all people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.’ (Acts 10:39-41)

The reign of God that had drawn nigh in Jesus has now been worked out in Him Who is ‘Lord and Christ’(Acts 2:36). 

Yes - it was Jesus - manifesting His glory as the risen Messiah. God was showing them that He is ‘Lord’!

‘It is the Lord!’, John was quick to acknowledge.

The disciples had called Him ‘Lord’ many times before. 

Probably, at first, it was purely a title of honor, the same kind of honor given when any teacher or rabbi was addressed.

And, no doubt, they used this term often, the longer they were with Him.

And, as they saw Him as the One Who was to carry out the decisive word of God, the term ‘Lord’ began to mean more to them.

In fact, they, at one time, according to Lu 24:21, hoped that He Himself would complete God’s act by fully inaugurating the kingdom then and there. 

But - look at the crucifixion scene! They fled and hid! They were completely shattered by His death!

He was gone! ‘How could He possibly be Lord now!’

But - it was these resurrection appearances that decisively changed the meaning and content of ‘Lord’.

It was by His ‘doing’ entirely, from start to finish - in this scene, especially - that they would realize that the only course they can take to God’s goal was through His Lordship in all things!

They would come to realize that ‘Jesus is Lord’ in every single aspect of life ahead!

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How, then, was this opened to them in this scene?

First, as we have already seen, He ‘spoke’! 

Within their spirits, they somehow knew it was right to follow His command: ‘...drop the net on the right side of the boat.’

It was a voice that summoned them - beckoned them to follow!

And they did! And that was followed by His miraculous work, proof of His Lordship.   

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Then, second, He rewarded their faith and obedience with the immediate manifestation of Himself.

And - along with that, came the instantaneous recognition and intimate fellowship and communion they so desired.

This is always true! Instant communion of joy and a rejoicing of the heart will always spring forth in this kind of faith and obedience!

Why is this so?

It is because of a new light that is seen in such fellowship of faith and obedience!

These men are standing in that new light: they cannot go back to the Jesus of history and live as they once lived.

They will only go back to the Jesus of history as seen in the light of the resurrection, in seeing that God has acted in Him. 

He has made the past history of Jesus now present and available. And He will go on acting upon believers in this new light in Christ.

And, now, when they say ‘It is the Lord!’, they will see Him exactly as that: ‘the Lord Christ’! 

And they will see how He continues to act as ‘Lord’, as God goes onward in Him through their faith and obedience to the final end.

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Of course, the disciples did not understand this as yet. For right now, they were thoroughly delighted at His appearance and relieved and gladdened with the miracle.

And, now, they have come to the shore as they dragged in the catch of fish.

Glory awaited them there! They would see it now!

‘And, as soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.’

Can you imagine this? 

Look at the heart of their Lord: the resurrected Messiah, the ‘Lord’ over all and above all, felt their hunger and fatigue. 

Without their asking and scurrying about to start a fire for their breakfast, He had already made provisions!  

Listen: had Jehovah not promised, as part of the revelation in His kingdom, ‘And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer...’?

Oh - yes He did!

So - Jesus had a meal all prepared for them!

He provided for them! And, by doing so, He entered into their immediate experience of having failed in their original attempt of fishing. 

In His fellow feeling with them, He had revealed His will in the matter with the voice of His authority.

And now, as a Ministering Servant, He was attending to their immediate need, as well!   

This consequence of His blessing came after the Word that manifested the power of His voice!

They could know by this that He would always provide for the Word that He speaks, for His will and work ‘must be done on earth as it is in heaven’!

And, in it, He would always be their source and their resource to build His church and to develop His kingdom.

Thus, He is manifesting the truth declared by John: ‘It is the Lord!’

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And, then, He told them to ‘Bring of the fish which you have caught.’ (v 10)

What did He intimate here?

Probably many things, one being of a sharing together of the fruit of their labors, of ‘...belonging to God as His fellow-workers’. (1 Cor 3:9)

It perhaps served to remind them of what He said in Jn 4:36: ‘...so that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.’

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Then, He told them so simply: ‘Come and dine’. ‘Come - break your fast and dine with Me.’

This is how it would be from now on. They would always ‘dine with Him’. They could ‘feast at His table anytime!’

He would always be available to give them their spiritual food!

What graciousness from the Lord of life!

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And - ‘Not one ventured to ask Him Who He was, knowing it was the Lord.’ 

They knew Who He was. 

None dare speak! 

In their quietness before Him, they were amazed and honored in His presence! 

There was a deep sense of His mysterious nature in consequence of His resurrection - a sense of wonder, reverence, and awe! 

And so it should be! For they were being invited to partake of the meal He prepared, to receive out from His hand directly.

Is this not the way it always should be when we come together in His presence? Think about this within your own heart and see if some of our ways do not need to be changed before Him!

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‘And He took bread and gave them, and the fish, likewise’. 

As Master of the meal He prepared for them, He gave them their portion of sustenance.

Yes - it is the Lord Who served them! Do you catch a little of the depth of meaning here?

He is their ‘waiter’. 

Listen to it again: ‘Jesus then cometh and taketh bread, and [Jesus] giveth them[the bread], and [Jesus giveth them the] fish likewise.’

He carried the bread and the fish to each one of them. He waited on them until each was satisfied.

What is He revealing by this?

There is an alliance between them that can compare with nothing else!

There is a permanent, unchangeable, imperishable oneness between them!

This was the emblem of His unbroken, continual spiritual fellowship they would have with Him as their Lord!

It was a symbol of the mutual and reciprocal relationship now existing between them.

It was His pledge of the future relationships that would exist between them - He in them and they in Him! 

Is this not too wondrous to take in all at once!

They each can have confidence in the other: He, being their ‘Lord’ and ‘Head’, yet giving them the freedom to be free.

And - they, as being confident and free to interact with Him without fearing rebuff nor ‘running with things’ out on their own anymore!

They are as free to be His willing stewards and His friends and devotees as He is free to be their Friend, Lord, and Head!

‘They are equally committed, equally dependent upon each other, equally responsible, equally ardent in developing His kingdom upon the earth!’

Yes - it is wondrous! It is far too much to grasp for any of us!

Thus, He encouraged them with a friendship that will continue. 

He gave practical proof that He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

He made provisions for their needs, temporal as well as spiritual, and will continue to do that, even after He is no longer with them visibly!

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I wonder, too, if this waiting on the disciples and giving them bread and fish out from His hand could have also reminded these men of the feeding of the multitude.

It certainly would serve to let them know that what He has done for them He will continue to do for the ‘many’ yet to come into His kingdom. 

And as He does that, they - in turn - will be the ‘waiters’ who distribute the ‘loaves’ and the ‘fish’ according to the power of His Word to them.

As they give themselves in a willing participation to develop His kingdom and expand His church, they will always be able to depend on Him for continuity of service.

It will always come from Him on a continuing and progressive basis because He is Lord!

This is how Christ would extend Himself to the world for all time.

Only as Supreme Lord over all could anyone do a work like His!

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I will close for tonight. But before I do, let me say this one last thing.

Christ’s purpose and enterprise is vast - it goes far beyond what we can imagine.

But the vastness of it does not allow any interference with the interest He has in His own people, in His stewards in their daily lives!

His spiritual comfort and help is always available to our hearts if we would but avail ourselves of Him and His graciousness to give it to us.

We can always eat directly out from His hand and enjoy the fruit of labor together with Him.

We do live in strange and tumultuous days. 

We can get whipped in our daily callings of life, just by reason of the times in which we live!  

We can get so baffled and beaten, so restless we do not know which way to turn!

But - it is in these times Christ can manifest Himself as Lord and give us our ‘daily bread’ of life! It is His will to do that!

Yes - it is His will to do that - because it is only in the power of His ‘daily bread’ that we can keep following Him in the reality of His Lordship! 

Oh, I pray, that all of our hearts will flow into that gracious consciousness of His presence within and be open to share in the bounty of His spiritual provisions each day we live in this coming week!

Amen! Let us pray!