I'm just so thankful to the Lord for sending you to all this way. We just love you. The Lord's people love all the Lord's people and so we're just so thankful. It's a great mercy to us and a great grace gift of our God. He links his people together and knits them together and joins their hearts together and we worship the Lord Jesus Christ together. And I just thank you so much for both of you for being so kind and so generous and so accommodating and putting up with all of the things that you have to get all the way here. It's a long way to come from Tennessee to Australia, but we trust that it's been a blessing for you as well, because it's been a real blessing for us. We're just thankful to God. So why don't we turn in our Bibles to Ephesians chapter two.

And I wanted us to look at four verses. Simon's gonna come and have a brief word in a minute and so he's on the same theme. It seems like we're all singing from the same song sheet this morning, which is really, really nice. But there's a lovely word that's used four times in the book of Ephesians, and that word is together. And we are gathered together. And listen to what it says in verse five of Ephesians chapter two. Let's go back to verse four.

But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved. And has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. If the Lord would give us believing hearts and seeing eyes and hearing ears, we would just be amazed at what that just said. God said that. Raised us up together with Christ. Made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. and listen to what he's done in verse 11.

Wherefore, remember that you being in time past, Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time, this is how far away we were, you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now, right now, in Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. That's what we're here to preach about. We're here to preach about the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified, nothing else.

For he is our peace who hath made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of petition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, to make in himself of two, one new man, so making peace. that he might reconcile both under God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. And listen to this verse, this is just wonderful. And he, the Lord Jesus Christ, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off. And to them which are nigh.

When we first, the Lord first began a work amongst us here, we thought we were far off. We thought we were so far off. We were far off from all the religion around us. We didn't know that we had other brothers and sisters in this world at this time, but we knew they were there. And we just have rejoiced ever since that the Lord has brought his people and brought fellowship amongst us. For through him, we both have access by one spirit under the father.

Now, therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth, keeps on growing, unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom You also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. That's togetherness, brothers and sisters. That's togetherness. Began in eternity, that's going to be exemplified and magnified in this world, but ultimately it's going to be in heaven's glories. We're gonna be together forever.

And we love it that way. And we love it that the one reason for all of that is in verse 13, I just love it. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes far off are made nigh, made near to each other by the blood of Christ. We have felt that nearness and we just love the Lord and thank him for it.

Let's pray. Our heavenly Father, We do love what David said when you voiced to us the most remarkable and wondrous promises and write them in your word and seal them with the blood of your Son and seal them to our hearts by the Spirit. And David said, Lord, do as you have said.

And we long for that amongst us this morning, Heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus Christ would come and he would preach his peace made by his blood to the hearts of his people and that he would then knit those people together as he has promised and done throughout all time. He will knit the body of his bride together that they can fellowship in the sweetness of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Washed and made clean, made by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary to be perfectly fit receptacles for God to dwell in. Oh Heavenly Father, reveal your Son again to ascend the blessed Holy Spirit Take the things of the Lord Jesus Christ and reveal them to the hearts of your people here and whoever might be listening in.

We do pray for those who for various reasons and particularly Lynn who's unwell at this time, we pray for your healing hand upon her and your mercy upon her and others that can't be with us at this time, Heavenly Father. Bless the preaching of your Gospel here, bless it throughout this world, and bless the congregation back in Crossville as they miss their pastor and Shirley. Bless them, Heavenly Father. Upon his return, may there be good news from a far country. We thank you again for the glory of your Son that's revealed in this glorious Gospel and in your Word. and lives in the hearts of your people. For we pray in Christ's name, Heavenly Father, and for His glory. Amen. We're going to sing number 68.

Tell me the old, old story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love. Tell me the story simply. Thank you. Tell me all the story, tell me all the story Of Jesus and His blood, and His holy story Good morning, everyone. I'll make this very quick, but I think this is really important for me to do so. I'd just like to talk to you about appreciation and acknowledgement just briefly. Angus read about it. We've talked about it all the time.

We have a union and a communion with our Lord Jesus Christ. But we have a union and communion also with each other. And that too is in our Lord Jesus Christ. We don't always see it, but we need to receive it as a promise. And it doesn't matter if we don't see it. It doesn't matter what the world's doing. If it's a promise and God made it, it will be and has been and continue. It will continue to be fulfilled.

So sometimes we see these revelations of his work, of his fulfillments of promises, and other times we don't. But they're our Ebenezers when we do, when he gives them to us. And every story in the Old Testament and the New Testament of the blessings of God upon his people, they're a promise, and they're an Ebenezer to each one of us. And the greatest Ebenezer was at the cross. but they're revealed for our edification. They're revealed to increase our faith and to strengthen those unions that we have with our God in the Lord Jesus Christ and with one another in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And that's what church is about, isn't it? Us in union with one another, in union with him, and us working or him working through us by the power of his Holy Spirit in each one of us and in the midst of our relationships, our unions. Just turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 12 and I don't want to say a real lot, but I just want to read a little bit about union and about the body from the scriptures. I want to read about this spiritual family of ours These are practical illustrations given to us of a much greater spiritual reality.

So just as you turn, and it's interesting, well, the Lord, through Angus, took us to Ephesians. I just want to read some brief verses out of Ephesians while you turn. And this is talking about the Father having put all things under the Lord Jesus' feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness, can you believe this? The fullness of him who filleth all in all. In Ephesians 2, 21, it says, in whom all the building fitly framed together, not the way we slap stuff together, fitly framed, perfectly framed, and it all grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together. We're built together by God. He doesn't get anything wrong for an habitation of God through the Spirit. It's the work of God, the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4.14 says that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men and the cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive us. But, and this is the contrast between false religion and truth, but speaking the truth in love, the gospel, with a genuine, loving motivation, that we may grow up into him, into Christ, in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Do you see that? That's all God's work. That's all God's work, but it's happening in reality amongst us. That's what church is about. Jerusalem has been established on this earth, and it's here in places like this. Ephesians 5, 30, for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Now, I just wanted to say that just quickly, I know. We are his body and we are built together for a habitation of God, by God the Holy Spirit himself. And he's collectively in the midst of our relationships right now.

And we all believe to not complement each other. Now, 1 Corinthians 12 is a big chapter, but basically it deals with the issues of schisms, the natural longings of men to be greater than each other. I mean, we went through religion, we saw how you climb up a ladder, you crush people's heads as you climb over them. It's Genesis 3 religion, isn't it? Me.

But there's another way. Anyway, we'll just pick it up at verse 20 and I'll just read it for you and we'll be finished. But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Oh, sorry.

Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be feeble, are necessary. And those members of the body which we think, notice it's what we think, to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour. And our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need. And this is really what I wanted to just mention.

But God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked, that there should be no schism, no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, and we've been through this just recently, Where the one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Will one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular, and God hath set some in the church.

First apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues are all apostles. Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? And then he says in verse 31, but covet earnestly the best gifts. Well, Christ is the best gift, brother.

But he says he'll show you a different way. Coveting for ourselves is one way. It's a Genesis 3 way. But in a sense, he's just shown us a much better way. And he supplies all the gifts to the body as a whole. And he grows them and he nurtures them and he applies them and he moves us. And sometimes he uses the most horrible circumstances.

I'm only here because I was here before you because a few weeks ago I was here before you. when my darling got sick. And her biggest and highest priority was to get to the church and ask the church to pray for her. And it just came naturally. And I started with a James 5, 16, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. And again, that's a promise. We don't have to see it. But we saw a miraculous healing and we're seeing it. And she got to church. May God give us the grace and the faith to rest on him who is all our salvation, physical, spiritual, yesterday, today, and forever.

We do appreciate you guys, because you just drop straight into the family. And that's how it is in the Lord's families. He knits them together, he works it, he gives gifts, and he puts them together in a way that complements everybody. We appreciate and we acknowledge you both very much, and the encouragement that's been. We appreciate and we acknowledge you people that prayed and just were moved.

But most of all, we appreciate our God in sending His Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, and doing all things necessary and he's doing it now amongst us still. Every single thing is a miracle in this world, but only if you look at it through our eyes, every single thing is a promise by God's eyes. No, thank you, thank you, that was lovely.

We're going to sing number 49, There is a Fountain, and then Donny's going to come and preach the Lord Jesus Christ to us. There is a fountain filled with blood, thanks Norm. Drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.

What a saviour. you you John 21, John's Gospel, chapter 21. And it is an amazing thing that I've been in a lot of different congregations, a lot of different places where the Lord gathers, and sure enough, when you go, you just, God just makes us all one. It's a mysterious thing, mysterious thing. I'm gonna read verse one down to verse 13.

After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and on this wise showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing.

They say unto him, we'll also go with thee. They went forth, and immediately entered into a ship, and that night they caught nothing. When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was the Lord. And our Lord said unto them, Children, have ye any meat?

They answered him, No. And he saith unto them, Cast your 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. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked. and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were, 200 cubits, dragging the net with fishes. And as soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid there on, and bread.

Now the Lord saith unto them, bring her the fish which ye have now caught. Then Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and hundred and fifty-three. And for all that were so many, yet the net was broken. And Jesus said unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou, knowing that it was the Lord? Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them fish likewise."

Talk about how the Lord revealed Himself, how Christ shows Himself. Now after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, no one could see him out of curiosity or by chance. The only one who could see him was by revelation and he revealed himself after his resurrection only to his people, only his elect. And that's the way he is today. He reveals himself like he did then after the resurrection only to his disciples, nobody else. And I tell you what, and they saw him after his resurrection body. Now Mary, let me look over in John 20, 11. Look here for a moment. You know, none but disciples ever saw him in his resurrection body. Now Mary, she's down in verse 11.

Mary stood without at the grave, at the sepulcher, weeping. And as she wept, she stood down, and looked into the grave. She looked into that grave, and seeth two angels sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of the Lord Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Why are you weeping so? Why are you crying so?

She said, Because they've taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they've laid him. She wanted Christ wherever he was at. She wanted to be with him wherever he was at. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw the Lord standing there and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Who are you looking for? She supposed him to be the gardener, said unto him, Sir, if you have carried him away and took him someplace else, tell me where you've laid him and I'll come and take him. That's how desperate she was to be with Christ. And listen to this. And our Lord said unto her, Mary. Mary. Oh, she turned around and said, Master, my Lord. Oh, so that's what we're saying.

And when our Lord was on the road with the disciples to Emmaus, they did not have a clue that they was, they walked seven miles with the Lord Jesus Christ. and told him everything that had happened in Jerusalem, said, you're just a stranger, don't you know these things? Well, he got to the end of the journey and they invited him in for supper. He broke the bread and began to pray, and immediately they know it was the Lord Jesus Christ. Walked seven miles with him and didn't know until right at the last day.

And I'll tell you what, if we see him, we're gonna see him the same way. And he only shows himself to his disciples, his elect. And oh my, our Lord Jesus, you know, and Mary saw, many saw our Lord and His words and heard His words and saw His miracles, yet didn't believe on Him. Now if anybody sees Him, the Holy Spirit reveals Him and only to believers. And would you, you know, would you see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ? Believe and thou shalt see. And this is the way, verse one, this is the way our Lord revealed himself. And when did he reveal himself?

After a night of failure, after a night of failure. And it says there in verse three, and Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, we'll go with you too. They went forth and entered in the ship and that night they caught nothing, nothing. That night, you know, and you know how many, all these fellas went with him. There's a whole group of other disciples that were with him.

And when he said, I go fishing, that's not like you and I said, let's get our pole and go down to the river and fish for a while. That's not what he's talking about. This was what he did for a living. This is what he did when our Lord Jesus Christ called him out. It's not like you and this, what it meant is, is he went back to his old ways. He went back to what he did before the Lord. He quit living by faith. And that Simon Peter said, I go fishing.

Always he takes the lead. He's a very impetuous and impulsive person. And he's true to his nature, and the scripture says they went forth immediately. Immediately. And our Lord called them to be fishers of men, and they give in to the reasoning of their nature. And they said, oh, listen, they said to him there, said, we'll go with you. Look in verse three, it says, they say unto him, we'll also go with you. When you go astray, there's gonna be people following you. When you leave, they said, well, I'll just leave, I'll go with them. I'll just leave, I'll go with them.

But oh no, and our Lord didn't, you know, and they say unto him, we go with you. That night they went into the dark and labored and labored and labored and never caught the first fish, not one. And our Lord didn't appear to them during the night. He left them to the cells and they caught nothing, caught nothing.

They had to learn by experience. what our Lord said, without me you can do nothing. Without me you can do nothing. Not without the church, not without the preacher, not without some priest or rabbi or something, but not without me, you can do nothing. What can we do without Christ? What can we accomplish without Christ? How can we pray without Christ? How can we believe without Christ? What do we know without Christ? If we know anything, he teaches us. If we have anything, he gave it. He gave it. And all without Him, without our Lord Jesus Christ, all is a failure. All is a failure. Bound to fail. Already failed. Oh, don't attempt a moment without our Lord Jesus Christ. Don't attempt a moment without Him. Don't leave here without Christ. Don't leave this building without Christ. Don't leave this place without Christ. Oh my.

And how many, how many who think their life has been a success will find out in that day their life is really a failure. One old rich fella sat back one day and he said, listen, I have so much stuff I can't deal with all of it. He said, I'll pull down my barns, and I'll build bigger barns, and I'll fill them all up. And then he said, oh, take it easy now, soul. You've got many things laid up for the rest of your life. Just sit back and take it easy. And our Lord said, this night, you fool, your soul's required of you.

His life was an utter and absolute failure. And how many people go and think that they've been successful all their life, and they'll face God? You're a failure. It's utter, absolute failure. Your life's a failure. Without Christ, everything's bound to fail.

But, now look what happens here in verse four. But when all was a failure, when they caught nothing, when everyone followed impulsive, impetuous Peter, he says, and when the morning was now come, You know, Jesus stood on the shore. You know, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And I'll tell you what, our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how dark the night gets, how deep the trial is, and how intense the trial is, Our Lord always brings the morning sun with him. Always causes the light to shine. Always causes the sun to come up.

Oh my. And these disciples, they knew him not. He stood on the shore. And I'll tell you why. He's standing there on the shore. And he's watching, sees those boys out, sees those men out there on that boat. No, they had caught nothing. And oh, then it says their disciples knew him not. Disciples, that's what he said in verse four. And the disciples knew not that it was the Lord. And oh my, what a sad, sad state a heart must be in not to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes. Oh my, and it says they were hid in John 20 for fear of the Jews.

But when we have failed miserably, and I have so many times, when we have failed miserably, And when we stumble and fall, our Lord Jesus brings the morning with Him. Brings that morning sun, comes up on us, and blesses us, and warms us, and does something for us. And like Mary, when her heart was immersed in sorrow, occupied with death, she didn't recognize the Savior, and these men returned to their earthly worldly calling Occupied more with their bodily needs and didn't recognize the Savior when he came And then look what happens back in verse 1 After these things Jesus sold himself after this wise or in this way Our Lord Jesus has a way His own way of showing forth himself and his doctrine. He showed himself on this wise, on this wise. And look what he says in verse five. Then our Lord said unto them, they knew not it was the Lord.

Children? Calls them children. That's why John, that disciple said, whom Jesus loved, he talked so much about love. He said, children? It is something to be a child of God, for him to call you his child, to call you his own. He said, this is my child. And look what he says there.

Have you any, got anything to eat? Got anything to eat? They gotta admit, no, we don't. We've worked all night long. We ain't got, we're hungry. We ain't got nothing to eat. We ain't got nothing to eat. Oh, he leads them to confess their failure. Children, have you got anything? No, ain't got nothing. Ain't got nothing. And ain't that what we have to admit ourselves when he says, what have you got? Nothing. What do you got to eat? Nothing. Ain't got nothing. Oh, my. And I'll tell you what they're saying. We've taken nothing. We have failed. And oh, my. The answer, no. Our Lord didn't, you know.

Our Lord knew that they had taken nothing. He knew where they was at. He knew what they were doing. And our Lord doesn't ask questions for information. He asks questions to reveal our own hearts to us, to reveal where we're at. Well, Adam knew where Adam was, but he won't add him to knew where he was. And he won't see his disciples to know that where they're at and what they've accomplished.

No, we ain't got anything. Oh my. And I tell you, he does those things to reveal our hearts to ourselves. And there wasn't any use to pretend that they had some. And so I tell you, beware of misrepresentation. Beware of exaggeration. And let me give you a little illustration here.

And our Lord Jesus is standing on the seashore. Standing on the seashore. Christ on the shore. and these disciples are out on the sea, and our Lord, and that's a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory, standing looking at us, and Christ in glory, and he speaks to us from that shore up there, and still speaks to us down here. Huh, still speaks to us.

And oh my, now look, you know, look what he says now in verse six. And he tries their faith. that he said unto them, cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. Now that's certainty. You shall find. You shall find. Look what he goes on to say. And they cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw for the multitude of fishes.

Isn't this the sovereign of the sea? Isn't this the sovereign of the seas? You know, there's an old hymn that says this. As a mother steals her child, thou can hush the ocean wide. When thou sayest, be still, the winds and waves obey thy will. And oh my, that's what he, children?

Got anything? No. I tell you what, now how would he know where the fish were? You ever went fishing and caught nothing? Is somebody else right beside you catching everything? I remember when I was a little boy, well, I remember when we had a big farm pond. And some kids came down to visit us with their parents, and they went out fishing in the pond. And this one little old fella, he was catching fish right and left.

So the other one wasn't catching anything, and he'd just run over there to the other side where that ward's catching fish. He still couldn't catch a fish. The other one's catching right now. He followed him all the way around that lake and never caught the first fish.

So that tells you, you know, but our Lord Jesus, he knows where the fish are. Oh my, and I tell you what, cast your net, isn't this the sovereign of the sea? The one who stood on that ship in the middle of the night, who is asleep. Now we know God don't sleep, but Christ as a man slept.

But when they said, Lord, this storm come up, they said, Master, cares thou not that we perish? He got up, said, Oh, you have little faith. That storm, I mean, you know, running over that water, running over that boat, running off of it. He said, Peace be still. That wave and all that, just got just as calm and easy. And them fellas said, What manner of man is this? You know, man don't, God don't sleep. but man don't come to see either. God and man in one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. And have he ever told you, peace be still? Stop them waves, them winds? Oh my. I tell you, cast your net on the right side. Isn't this the God man? The man who knows all, sees all, and has all power?

He didn't say cast your net to the right, to the left, or in front, or in the back. You gotta do it one way. You gotta do it His way. He said, cast it on the right, and on the right they went. Oh my. I tell you what, and then He says, you shall find. He didn't say you might. I hope you will. I'd like for you to. But He said, you shall find.

These men had been ... This is the only miracle recorded after the resurrection. And I'll show you another here in a minute. These men had fished all their lives, toiled all night, and caught nothing. And then they heard the voice of certainty and authority, cast your net on the right side, and you shall find.

Oh my. And bless His holy name. He breaks something out of nothing. There was nothing when He created this world. And they cast, and look what it says, and they cast and were not able, you know, to draw the fishes. Ephesians 3, 20 says this. Now unto him who's exceedingly abundantly able, to give us more than we think or even ask. I can think awful big, and I can ask awful big, but he does exceedingly abundantly above anything we can think or ask. And that's what he did with these. How we gonna get all these fish to shore?

Oh, you know. They obeyed his word. Oh, they obeyed His Word. They had taken nothing. They obeyed His Word, and the result is, look what it says in verse 7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter. There's two things about two men in the Scriptures.

Every time Judas is mentioned, he's always that three-man. Judas was that one who betrayed Him. And when he talks about Nicodemus, every time he's mentioned, he's always him that came to Jesus by night. And when John's mentioned, he's always that disciple whom Jesus loved. Always referred that way. Three people. I like, you know, I don't, all except for Judas, but oh my. And look what they said. Jesus said, they said to Peter, It's the Lord. It's the Lord. It's the Lord. What? That's the Lord standing right there. That's the Lord. And oh, my.

Now, when Simon Peter heard that, it was the Lord, he girded his coat about him, his fisher's coat, because he was naked, and jumped into the sea. Now, here's the fellow. Here's the man. who had denied our Lord Jesus three times, went back fishing, went back to his old calling, but the Lord Jesus was so precious to him and he felt that he would be so accepted of Christ that he could not wait to get back to Christ. Everybody else is still on that boat, still body else trying to get that boat to shore and get those fishes there.

But Simon Peter said, I got to get to the Lord. I failed him so miserably. I've denied him. I'm such a miserable wretch. I went back fishing. Lord, I got to get to you. I've got to come to you. I've got to get there as quick as I possibly can. Oh, my. Only the Lord could do what he just did. Only the Lord could tell us we're fine. Only the Lord could do this. Oh, my.

Take our failure and turn it around. Take our night of nothing and turn it around. Oh my, he takes the weak to confound the mighty, the foolish to confound the wise. And when we have failed miserably, and I have, oh my goodness. Oh, Lord have mercy on me. When we have failed miserably, that's the way our Lord does, he shows himself. And oh my, sinner take this just like our master. Quit laboring for nothing. Believe his word. Believe his holy name. Oh my. And John recognized him. Look what he said. John said, it's the Lord. John recognized him, true to his love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh. He went fishing and he had to get back. It's like that Samaritan woman, when our Lord went and sat on the well, weary and tired, walked miles to get to this one, you know how many people our Lord saved one at a time? One at a time. That woman at the well, one woman, he went to get just one woman. One woman. And the scripture said that she got so taken up with him, she left her water pot. She come to get water and she got so rough, he revealed himself to her in such a way, she said, I forgot my water. She run into town and said, come see a man. Told me everything there is about me.

Oh my. And I'll tell you, bless his name, that's what they did. Jesus, therefore that disciple whom loved, And oh my, and then look what he does now. They come on and they get to the ship, they get everything, and in verse eight it said, the other disciples came in a little ship, and a cubit's 18 inches, so they were 1800 feet from the shore, and they start dragging, had to drag that net in. And listen now, watch this now.

As soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid their own in bread. Where'd that fire come from? Where'd that bread come from? Where'd them fish come from? Our Lord knows exactly what we need when we need it. Them fellas is tired, wore out, and they got to shore, and there's a fire burning. And there's fish cooking. He brought us some fish. He got bread there for them. Where in the world could that possibly have come from?

Oh, our Lord does things that just absolutely astonish you. That fake face just to bow down before Him and say, yes, Lord. Oh, Lord, blessed be Your holy name. And look what it says now. Oh, my. It wasn't a great feast, but it was sufficient. Oh, he's able to supply all I need. He knew they were hungry. They knew they were cold. And he being the shepherd of the sheep, and he sees his sheep, he said, they're not gonna want. I'm gonna give them what they need.

And I'll tell you what, and oh, then he goes on to say, and look what he went on down to say. The Lord said, under them, bringing the fish which you've now caught. So Simon Peter went out and helped him bring them all in, and that wasn't broke. Now listen to what our Lord said in verse 12. Jesus saith unto them, Come and die. There's an old song we sing at home.

Come and dine, the master calleth, come and dine. You may feast at Jesus' table all the time. He who fed the multitude turned the water into wine. Now he calleth his disciples, come and dine. And that's what they did. He said, come and dine. Wouldn't you like to sit and dine with the Lord Jesus Christ? Come sit down here.

I've got just the right food for you. I've got just what you need. And I'll tell you, he has what everybody needs. He got fish and he's got bread. And oh my, and then he said, oh boy, bless his name. Same things he fed the multitude with. When there's 5,000 people, men and women there sitting there, he said, what do you got here to eat? Well, we got five fish and two loaves of bread. Give them to me. He prayed over them. They started doing around. Next thing you know, he fed over 5,000 people and walked away with 12 baskets left over. And then, oh, he said, come and dine, come and dine, come and dine. And watch what it says.

None of the disciples, verse 12, dare ask him, who are you? They didn't have to ask him who he was. If He ever reveals Himself to you, you'll never have to ask who He is. You'll never have to ask how He acts. Look what He says, knowing that it was the Lord. When you know Him, you know who He is. And oh, listen to this. Now listen to this.

Jesus come and He takes bread. He gets that bread and He gives it to them. He takes that bread and said, Here, he did the same thing at the Lord's table. He took bread and broke it and gave it to him. Took wine and gave it to him. Take eat, this is my body. Drink this, this is my blood. And oh, listen, he comes and he takes bread. And listen, he didn't say, now get the bread yourself.

He said, he gives it to him. That's the only way we can get anything from Him is He has to give it to us. He has to give it to us. Oh, how many times have He fed us in a congregation and in a message or in a fellowship with one another? And then, and listen to this, then He gives some fish too. He has to, everything we get from Him, it has to come from His hand. Bread and fish.

Oh, they didn't have to ask. Our Lord has a way of giving whereby himself is made known. The law demands from us, but Christ in grace gives, gives. And I thank God that he gives, because if he didn't give, I wouldn't have. He has to do the giving. And you know, all I do is take. Somebody said, how do you live? And I said, I live from His mouth to my hand. Everything comes from Him.

Here, here's you some bread. Here's you some fish. Here's you some grace. Here's you some love. Here's you some compassion. Here's you some mercy. Here's you some strength. Whatever you need, I've got it. I've got it. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Amen. Let me pray. Oh, our gracious, gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be your name. Gloriously holy. Gloriously righteous. Gloriously gracious. Gloriously merciful. Gloriously long-suffering and patient.

And Lord, we bless and praise you that you met with us today. God bless these dear saints as we've gathered together. And I thank you for them. I thank you for this dear pastor, this dear preacher. And I thank you for his wife. I thank you for these saints that come and are so faithful and do what needs to be done to make these services go out so far and so many places. God bless our time together. Thank you for allowing us to come be with these dear people of God. Please bless our time together. Meet with us as only you can. We ask these blessings in our Lord Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.