PROVISIONS FROM THE LORD’S TABLE
MEMORIZE: I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. John 10:14
BIBLE READING JOHN 21:3-14
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.
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.
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.
MESSAGE
The declaration of our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse calls for deep reflection. In John 10:14 Jesus openly announced, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine”.
Jesus confidently declared Himself a good shepherd based on the three major assignments of a shepherd which are provision, protection, and direction.
The Lord proved Himself as Jehovah Jireh – the Great Provider by bringing money out of the mouth of a fish in Matthew 17:27. He quenched the thirst of His people by bringing water out of the rock in Exodus 17:6 and provided Manna to feed the people in Exodus 16:15.
God has also proven Himself as Jehovah Nissi – the banner of protection over His people. We have examples of miraculous deliverances from powerful enemies in the Bible.
Paul and Silas were singing praises to God then the Lord rose on their behalf to deliver them from bondage (Acts 16:25-26).
Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the beauty of God’s holiness and the Lord destroyed their enemies (2 Chronicles 20:21-23). Also, God has proven Himself to be All-knowing.
The book of Daniel 2:22 says, “He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what Is In the darkness, And the light dwelleth with him”.
It is a settled matter that Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. The fact that He knows all His sheep is confirmed in Acts 15:18 that says, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world”. God knows each of His children by name, He knows how many strands of hair are on their heads, He has the details of their vital statistics, He is fully aware of their family tree from the beginning of creation.
One important attribute of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd is that He feeds His sheep. He fed over 5,000 men (not counting women and children) with just two fishes and five barley loaves of bread.
He caused the food to multiply so much that even after feeding the multitude, there were twelve baskets of fragments left over (Matthew 14:14-21).
Jehovah Jireh can fill you to overflowing. He can meet and even surpass all your needs and expectations (Philippians 4:19). The Lord is inviting you to dine with Him today. Will you accept the invitation?
KEY POINT:
Father, please help me to know You more intimately, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
CHORUS
O deeper yet I pray,
And higher evry day,
And wiser, blessed, Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
3. Deeper, deeper! tho it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
4. Deeper, higher, evry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conquror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
