the desire of ages-第173节

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　in　need　of　food　and　clothing；　which　the　proceeds　of　a　successful　night's　fishing　would　supply。　So　they　went　out　in　their　boat；　but　they　caught　nothing。　All　night　they　toiled；　without　success。　Through　the　weary　hours　they　talked　of　their　absent　Lord；　and　recalled　the　wonderful　events　they　had　witnessed　in　His　ministry　beside　the　sea。　They　questioned　as　to　their　own　future；　and　grew　sad　at　the　prospect　before　them。

All　the　while　a　lone　watcher　upon　the　shore　followed　them　with　His　eye；　while　He　Himself　was　unseen。　At　length　the　morning　dawned。　The　boat　was　but　a　little　way　from　the　shore；　and　the　disciples　saw　a　stranger　standing　upon　the　beach；　who　accosted　them　with　the　question；　〃Children；　have　ye　any　meat？〃　When　they　answered；　〃No；〃　〃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。〃

John　recognized　the　stranger；　and　exclaimed　to　Peter；　〃It　is　the　Lord。〃　Peter　was　so　elated　and　so　glad　that　in　his　eagerness　he　cast　himself　into　the　water　and　was　soon　standing　by　the　side　of　his　Master。　The　other　disciples　came　in　their　boat；　dragging　the　net　with　fishes。　〃As　soon　then　as　they　were　come　to　land；　they　saw　a　fire　of　coals　there；　and　fish　laid　thereon；　and　bread。〃

They　were　too　much　amazed　to　question　whence　came　the　fire　and　the　food。　〃Jesus　saith　unto　them；　Bring　of　the　fish　which　ye　have　now　caught。〃　Peter　rushed　for　the　net；　which　he　had　dropped；　and　helped　his　brethren　drag　it　to　the　shore。　After　the　work　was　done；　and　the　preparation　made；　Jesus　bade　the　disciples　come　and　dine。　He　broke　the　food；　and　divided　it　among　them；　and　was　known　and　acknowledged　by　all　the　seven。　The　miracle　of　feeding　the　five　thousand　on　the　mountainside　was　now　brought　to　their　minds；　but　a　mysterious　awe　was　upon　them；　and　in　silence　they　gazed　upon　the　risen　Saviour。

Vividly　they　recalled　the　scene　beside　the　sea　when　Jesus　had　bidden　them　follow　Him。　They　remembered　how；　at　His　command；　they　had　launched　out　into　the　deep；　and　had　let　down　their　net；　and　the　catch　had　been　so　abundant　as　to　fill　the　net；　even　to　breaking。　Then　Jesus　had　called　them　to　leave　their　fishing　boats；　and　had　promised　to　make　them

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fishers　of　men。　It　was　to　bring　this　scene　to　their　minds；　and　to　deepen　its　impression；　that　He　had　again　performed　the　miracle。　His　act　was　a　renewal　of　the　commission　to　the　disciples。　It　showed　them　that　the　death　of　their　Master　had　not　lessened　their　obligation　to　do　the　work　He　had　assigned　them。　Though　they　were　to　be　deprived　of　His　personal　companionship；　and　of　the　means　of　support　by　their　former　employment；　the　risen　Saviour　would　still　have　a　care　for　them。　While　they　were　doing　His　work；　He　would　provide　for　their　needs。　And　Jesus　had　a　purpose　in　bidding　them　cast　their　net　on　the　right　side　of　the　ship。　On　that　side　He　stood　upon　the　shore。　That　was　the　side　of　faith。　If　they　labored　in　connection　with　Him；His　divine　power　combining　with　their　human　effort；they　could　not　fail　of　success。

Another　lesson　Christ　had　to　give；　relating　especially　to　Peter。　Peter's　denial　of　his　Lord　had　been　in　shameful　contrast　to　his　former　professions　of　loyalty。　He　had　dishonored　Christ；　and　had　incurred　the　distrust　of　his　brethren。　They　thought　he　would　not　be　allowed　to　take　his　former　position　among　them；　and　he　himself　felt　that　he　had　forfeited　his　trust。　Before　being　called　to　take　up　again　his　apostolic　work；　he　must　before　them　all　give　evidence　of　his　repentance。　Without　this；　his　sin；　though　repented　of；　might　have　destroyed　his　influence　as　a　minister　of　Christ。　The　Saviour　gave　him　opportunity　to　regain　the　confidence　of　his　brethren；　and；　so　far　as　possible；　to　remove　the　reproach　he　had　brought　upon　the　gospel。

Here　is　given　a　lesson　for　all　Christ's　followers。　The　gospel　makes　no　compromise　with　evil。　It　cannot　excuse　sin。　Secret　sins　are　to　be　confessed　in　secret　to　God；　but；　for　open　sin；　open　confession　is　required。　The　reproach　of　the　disciple's　sin　is　cast　upon　Christ。　It　causes　Satan　to　triumph；　and　wavering　souls　to　stumble。　By　giving　proof　of　repentance；　the　disciple；　so　far　as　lies　in　his　power；　is　to　remove　this　reproach。

While　Christ　and　the　disciples　were　eating　together　by　the　seaside；　the　Saviour　said　to　Peter；　〃Simon；　son　of　Jonas；　lovest　thou　Me　more　than　these？〃　referring　to　his　brethren。　Peter　had　once　declared；　〃Though　all　men　shall　be　offended　because　of　Thee；　yet　will　I　never　be　offended。〃　Matt。　26：33。　But　he　now　put　a　truer　estimate　upon　himself。　〃Yea；　Lord；〃　he　said；　〃Thou　knowest　that　I　love　Thee。〃　There　is　no　vehement　assurance　that　his　love　is　greater　than　that　of　his　brethren。　He　does　not　express　his　own　opinion　of　his　devotion。　To　Him　who　can　read　all　the　motives　of　the　heart　he　appeals　to　judge　as　to　his　sincerity；〃Thou　knowest　that　I　love　Thee。〃　And　Jesus　bids　him；　〃Feed　My　lambs。〃

812


Again　Jesus　applied　the　test　to　Peter；　repeating　His　former　words：　〃Simon；　son　of　Jonas；　lovest　thou　Me？〃　This　time　He　did　not　ask　Peter　whether　he　loved　Him　better　than　did　his　brethren。　The　second　response　was　like　the　first；　free　from　extravagant　assurance：　〃Yea；　Lord；　Thou　knowest　that　I　love　Thee。〃　Jesus　said　to　him；　〃Feed　My　sheep。〃　Once　more　the　Saviour　put　the　trying　question：　〃Simon；　son　of　Jonas；　lovest　thou　Me？〃　Peter　was　grieved；　he　thought　that　Jesus　doubted　his　love。　He　knew　that　his　Lord　had　cause　to　distrust　him；　and　with　an　aching　heart　he　answered；　〃Lord；　Thou　knowest　all　things；　Thou　knowest　that　I　love　Thee。〃　Again　Jesus　said　to　him；　〃Feed　My　sheep。〃

Three　times　Peter　had　openly　denied　his　Lord；　and　three　times　Jesus　drew　from　him　the　assurance　of　his　love　and　loyalty；　pressing　home　that　pointed　question；　like　a　barbed　arrow　to　his　wounded　heart。　Before　the　assembled　disciples　Jesus　revealed　the　depth　of　Peter's　repentance；　and　showed　how　thoroughly　humbled　was　the　once　boasting　disciple。

Peter　was　naturally　forward　and　impulsive；　and　Satan　had　taken　advantage　of　these　characteristics　to　overthrow　him。　Just　before　the　fall　of　Peter；　Jesus　had　said　to　him；　〃Satan　hath　desired　to　have　you；　that　he　may　sift　you　as　wheat：　but　I　have　prayed　for　thee；　that　thy　faith　fail　not：　and　when　thou　art　converted；　strengthen　thy　brethren。〃　Luke　22：31；　32。　That　time　had　now　come；　and　the　transformation　in　Peter　was　evident。　The　close；　testing　questions　of　the　Lord　had　not　called　out　one　forward；　self…sufficient　reply；　and　because　of　his　humiliation　and　repentance；　Peter　was　better　prepared　than　ever　before　to　act　as　shepherd　to　the　flock。

The　first　work　that　Christ　entrusted　to　Peter　on　restoring　him　to　the　ministry　was　to　feed　the　lambs。　This　was　a　work　in　which　Peter　had　little　experience。　It　would　require　great　care　and　tenderness；　much　patience　and　perseverance。　It　called　him　to　minister　to　those　who　were　young　in　the　faith；　to　teach　the　ignorant；　to　open　the　Scriptures　to　them；　and　to　educate　them　for　usefulness　in　Christ's　service。　Heretofore　Peter　had　not　been　fitted　to　do　this；　or　even　to　understand　its　importance。　But　this　was　the　work　which　Jesus　now　called　upon　him　to　do。　For　this　work　his　own　experience　of　suffering　and　repentance　had　prepared　him。

Before　his　fall；　Peter　was　always　speaking　unadvisedly；　from　the　impulse　of　the　moment。　He　was　always　ready　to　correct　others；　and　to　express　his　mind；　before　he　had　a　clear　comprehension　of　himself　or　of　what　he　had　to　say。　But　the　converted　Peter　was　very　different。　He　retained　his　former　fervor；　but　the　grace　of　Christ　regulated　his　zeal。　He　was　no　longer　impetuous；　self…confident；　and　self…exalted；　but　calm；

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self…possessed；　and　teachable。　He　could　then　feed　the　lambs　as　well　as　the　sheep　of　Christ's　flock。

The　Saviour's　manner　of　dealing　with　Peter　had　a　lesson　for　him　and　for　his　brethren。　It　taught　them　to　meet　the　transgressor　with　patience；　sympathy；　and　forgiving　love。　Although　Peter　had　denied　his　Lord；　the　love　which　Jesus　bore　him　never　faltered。　Just　such　love　should　the　undershepherd　feel　for　the　sheep　and　lambs　committed　to　his　care。　Remembering　his　own　weakness　and　failure；　Peter　was　to　deal　with　his　flock　as　tenderly　as　Christ　had　dealt　with　him。

The　question　that　Christ　had　put　to　Peter　was　significant。　He　mentioned　only　one　condition　of　discipleship　and　service。　〃Lovest　thou　Me？〃　He　said。　This　is　the　essential　qualification。　Though　Peter　might　possess　every　other；　yet　without　the　love　of　Christ　he　could　not　be　a　faithful　shepherd　over　the　Lord's　flock。　Knowledge；　benevolence；　eloquence；　gratitude；　and　zeal　are　all　aids　in　the　good　work；　but　without　the　love　of　Jesus　in　the　heart；　the　work　of　the　Christian　minister　is　a　failure。

Jesus　walked　alone　with　Peter；　for　there　was　something　which　He　wished　to　communicate　to　him　only。　Before　His　death；　Jesus　had　said　to　him；　〃Whither　I　go；　thou　canst　not　follow　Me　now；　but　thou　shalt　follow　Me　afterwards。〃　To　this　Peter　had　replied；　〃Lord；　why　cannot　I　follow　Thee　now？　I　will　lay　down　my　life　for　Thy　sake。〃　John　13：36；　37。　When　he　said　this；　he　little　knew　to　what　heights　and　depths