Spurgeon: October AM
* 10/16/AM
"Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine."
--John 21:12
In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to
Jesus. "Come and dine," implies the same table, the same meat;
ay, and sometimes it means to sit side by side, and lean our
head upon the Saviour's bosom. It is being brought into the
banqueting-house, where waves the banner of redeeming love.
"Come and dine," gives us a vision of union with Jesus ,
because the only food that we can feast upon when we dine with
Jesus is Himself . Oh, what union is this! It is a depth which
reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus. "He that
eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in
him." It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the
saints . Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they
have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel
alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down
from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one
bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes round we pledge one
another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find
yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like
yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were more
near to Jesus we should be more near to one another. We likewise
see in these words 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 labour under much unnecessary weakness
on account of neglecting this percept of the Master. We none of
us need to put ourselves on low diet; on the contrary, we should
fatten on the marrow and fatness of the gospel that we may
accumulate strength therein, and urge every power to its full
tension in the Master's service. Thus, then, if you would
realize nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus, love to His
people and strength from Jesus , "come and dine" with Him by
faith.