DIVINE RESOURCES
[p. 392] DIVINE RESOURCES
1 Corinthians 2:10; John 21:5 - 13; Matthew 17:27; Luke 24:41 - 43
I wish to speak this evening, dear brethren, about divine resources, connecting my remarks with the Spirit through whom those resources are available to us. To suggest briefly how divine resources are mentioned in Scripture, I would allude to such a passage as that in Romans 10:12, which says, “the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him” — He is rich. “He was rich”, we are told elsewhere, “yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). That has come about, and now He is “rich unto all that call upon him”. Then we read in the same epistle of “the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Romans 11:33) — the depth of the riches. The apostle in writing breaks out into poetic form, God coming into his mind through His relations and dealings and counsels as regards His earthly people, His ways with them as with ourselves, showing us incidentally that God’s ways on earth, inclusive of His earthly people, become the occasion of worship. “O the depth of the riches”, he says. Then we have His riches in mercy, “God”, as we are told, “who is rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), and again, “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8), these indeed being the theme of the glad tidings, showing that they are available in the fullest way, and are presented so that we should lack nothing. It is the Lord’s intent that we should lack nothing: “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4). Indeed, so great are these riches that in Colossians we are told that all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily; God is there so as to be available, and that we might exclude from our minds all else.
[p. 393] For spiritual independency is what is in mind in that epistle, especially in regard to what appeals to a refined mind. Great appeal is made to the young at the present time in this respect, and there is considerable flattery in it; “philosophy and vain deceit” aims at flattery. Take away that side from the education of the world and it loses much that is attractive for the natural mind. God would impress us that we are independent as there is the depth of wisdom, as the apostle says, and then, that all the fulness of the Godhead dwells, as available to us, in Christ bodily.
Now I wish to take the liberty of using the product of the seas as illustrative of divine resources, and that is why I have read these scriptures in John and Matthew and Luke. I believe that these scriptures support the thought, for the seas are symbolic in their fulness — for we have that word in regard of them — of the resources of God. As over against the fulness of the earth, or the creatures upon it which are countable, as we may say, which are known, we have the great sea, as it says in a psalm which is full of creatorial glories, Psalm 104. The great sea is said to have “moving things innumerable, living creatures small and great” (verse 25). No one can make a census of them; indeed the word ‘innumerable’ would preclude that, but aside from that, the very nature of ocean conditions forbids man determining what is there. God knows. But, while the living creatures in the sea are innumerable, they are put under man, as are the land creatures, with a view to the incarnation; nothing is withheld from man s dominion. Hence we find that in Genesis 1, man is to have dominion over the fish of the sea. There was no provision made for them in the ark, and directly the flood passed, God blessed Noah and his sons, and directed that the fear and dread of them should be upon the fish of the sea (Genesis 9:2). We can thus [p. 394] see in these facts what a place they have in the divine mind, and as in the divine mind, what a place they are to have — inasmuch as God has written for us about them — in our minds, and how we are to understand that there are the “depths of God”, and that those depths are searchable by the Spirit. “The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God”, and that same Spirit is given to us as the passage declares; indeed, it is brought in there as over against the wisdom of this world. The apostle labours in those early chapters to detach the minds of the saints at Corinth from the wisdom of this world, and he brings in the hidden wisdom. He had not spoken of it to them; they were incapable of receiving it, but it was there to be spoken about, and he did speak about it to those who could receive it: “the hidden wisdom”, he says, “which God ordained before the world unto our glory” — think of that, dear brethren! — “which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him”. The Spirit as in us searches these depths of wisdom. He is not here in any other way than in us. Think of the link there is in us, therefore, with those hidden depths of God, the Spirit available in us to search them for us and bring them into our hearts. “The Spirit searches all things”, we are told, “even the depths of God” How this renders us independent of man’s wisdom! It comes to nought, says the apostle, and the leaders of this world come to nought. How assuring that is, and how it should detach us, especially young people having to do with the educators of this world. Our minds are so susceptible of being drawn into the whirlwind of the speculation of man’s mind, never wanting of flattery and pride. Whilst recognising [p. 395] the need of ordinary education, God would detach us by presenting to us what is infinitely beyond it, the “hidden wisdom” which He prepared before the world, mark you, for our glory.
Well now, I want to show how these resources come to light in these last days, first in regard to the breakdown in the ministry. The most sorrowful part of church history is the breakdown in the ministry. The type of it is in Numbers where certain favoured ones of the tribes were linked on with certain Levites, that is, it was a party matter. The daughters of Zelophehad said, as regards their father, that he had nothing to do with that, and one is thankful to find saints who can say that they avoid party affiliations. “Our father”, they said, “... died in his own sin” (Numbers 27:3). That is, it was an individual matter. It was bad enough, for he died in it, but it was not as bad as that party matter; he did not die in that party matter extending to the whole camp of Israel, led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram, against Moses and Aaron. But what is so comforting is that the cloud covered the tent in the presence of all that; God looked after His own interests. The precious testimony is to be preserved at all costs, and it was. Whilst the sinners themselves were swallowed up, I only speak of that to show you the full extent of the breakdown of the ministry, and how important it is for those who are in the ministry to avoid party affiliations.
Now we have Peter and John and some five others of the ministers, and Peter said, “I go a fishing”. That is to say, it is a movement among the ministers, and leading ones too, in independency and disregard of what was needed amongst the people of God. Whilst not dwelling unduly on these great men — for they were such and blessed of God subsequently — we have the thing here in principle so as to find a place in John’s ministry — I wish to show how the ministers are recovered through the introduction of [p. 396] divine resources, for as sure as possible, if we turn aside in party affiliations, we shall have nothing. We may have words and subjects, but there will be no supply, no communications, no speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit, no making of “the excellency of the power” to be of God. So the Lord says, What have you here to eat? And they said, Nothing; they were truthful. Well, He says, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find”; and they did. That is to say, the passage calls attention to the resources of God under the Lord’s hand, and they caught, as we are told, a great multitude of fishes, “a hundred and fifty-three” great ones. It is over against the turning aside; persons turning aside have nothing in a spiritual sense. See what there is, the Lord would say, from the standpoint of divine resources, you who have been working all night and have caught nothing! They had no means of tapping those great resources of God. How could they? Wanting of faith for the moment, and exercising their own wills, how could they draw upon the resources of God? To allow them to do so would be to set them up in their self-will and independency. And now one says, “It is the Lord”. That is very beautiful. Who said that? John, the one who loved the Lord.
Then the Lord stood on the shore, and there was “a fire of coals there”, we are told, “and fish laid thereon, and bread” — not bread first, but fish. I say that, because bread generally is knowable; it comes under the number twelve, or the number five, or what not; it comes under the hands of the disciples elsewhere for distribution, but Mark, who treats of the Servant, reserves the fish, in the feeding of the five thousand, for the Lord Himself. The Lord blessed the loaves and the fishes, and He gave the loaves to the disciples, but He hands round the fishes Himself. That is a very interesting matter for those [p. 397] who minister. One may have something; I come here tonight with something and I know what I have got, but I am not so sure of what the Lord may have. I count that He has got something, that is to say, He brings in things from the standpoint of divine resource that I have not thought of. What would our ministry be without this? So the Lord comes in, and Mark says that “the two fishes divided he among them all”. I have not a doubt that those two fishes, small as they were, were sweeter than the loaves of bread. Coming from the direct hand of Christ, how sweet is something, however small, but enough to go round to all! One little word, it may be, or a sentence, or a suggestion directly from the Lord stimulates everybody. That is what one looks for in all these services. So John would present the thing in this way. He does not admit that the servants had anything in this passage. They had nothing, and they admit they had nothing. Were I to go to the leading denominational ministers and ask them what they have, were I to go to the Archbishop of Canterbury or York and ask them what they have — I am not here to say anything about them — What have you got to eat? Well, what have they got? They have got the Creed — I admit that, and the Bible, thank God, is appointed to be read in churches. The Authorised Version is the Bible for public reading, and it is no small matter that it is appointed authoritatively to be read in churches. Nor would I say a word against the Creed, or the Catechism, but what is the present catch? What have you got now? Well, there is nothing in the way of freshness, and that is the test. Peter and these ministers here say, We have nothing; they had toiled all night and caught nothing. Well, the Lord says, there is plenty, you know, just “cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find”. Would that those ministers I have alluded to would [p. 398] do that. The Lord would help them to do it. But do they cast the net on the right side? I do not think so. I look in vain for anything today of that kind; it is “whosoever hath, to him shall be given” (Matthew 13:12). The Lord is graciously helping those who have, but He is gradually but surely taking away from those who have not. That is a solemn matter. Well, the Lord says; there is plenty; there is no stint at all; there is not the least reduction in the resources at all; just cast the net on the right side and you will find. And they did. What did they find? Great fishes, that is to say, there are great persons to be had today. The Lord knows them, and I speak of them now as a matter of resource to carry on things here. Then, what is on the shore? The Lord has fish laid on the fire and bread, the fish presented first. It is a dainty, as it were. It is no ordinary matter; it is food of an excellent kind, and it is His own doing. It is no question of the minister’s providing. He gives them opportunity later to bring in the fishes, but this is what He is doing. It is in keeping with John, and the Lord provides this dainty morsel from the standpoint of divine resources. There is the fish laid on the fire, and then there is the bread. But He brings the ministers back; He would bring them all into it. He would impress us with the extent of divine resources: “Bring of the fish which ye have now caught”, but there was what He had provided. Then He says to them, “Come and dine”. That is to say, John, at the close, anticipating ministerial defection, would bring in the best sort of things to effect recovery; the dignified word ‘dine’ is brought in, the Lord Jesus Himself inviting us to dine.
Now I want to show from Matthew how those same resources are available for us viewed as sons of God. The passage has in mind the kind of people that are to form the assembly. The Lord announced the building of the assembly in chapter 16, and then [p. 399] we have the dignified people of chapter 17 that should form it, those seen on the mount and now here on earth regarded as sons. But we cannot sustain ourselves in this dignified way, we cannot sustain a spirit suitable to our dignity with bread alone, with what is known, with the Scriptures and all the writings we have, the creeds and all that can be availed of publicly. There are those, alas! who are relying on those things, but they do not maintain themselves in the spirit of sonship. It is a question of sonship here, and how it is to be sustained, so that we are right in spirit towards those who are without. It is the resources of God. It was a house matter, as you will remember. We were speaking of the house this afternoon, and this was a house matter. Peter came into the house. He had been answering a question outside, Does your Master pay the temple tax? He said, Certainly, but the Lord in the house said to Simon, “Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?”, and Peter says, “Of strangers”. Now it is well to note that Peter knew that. He was a fisherman, and you may say that he did not know very much, but he knew what was necessary. God sees to it that His servants are not wanting in these matters. He knew and he answered the Lord rightly; he says, “Of strangers”. Well, the Lord says, “Then are the sons free”. How beautiful that conversation was in the house! The Lord loves to carry on conversations like that, because we are so feeble as to sonship; He would bring it home to us; it is a house matter, a conversation that belongs to the house, and the Lord says, “Then are the sons free”. How beautiful that was! Had Peter fully understood it, what a joy it would bring into his heart, that the Lord should say to him, “Then are the sons free”. And He goes on to say, “But that we may not be an offence to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and [p. 400] take the first fish that comes up, and when thou hast opened its mouth thou wilt find a stater; take that and give it to them for me and thee” — you and I are the sons. How glorious that is! But, mark you, it is a question of maintaining ourselves outwardly. How is it to be done? By using the resources we have. The depths of God make us suitable to represent God in this world in the dignity of sons. This is a very important matter, and I do urge it on young people, to understand this house matter in Matthew. It is a great subject, and I do not know any incident in Matthew in the house so interesting as this, in which the Lord brought this matter up with Peter, and how He brought Peter on to His own ground as a son: “Give it to them”, He says, “for me and thee”. Peter would never forget that, I am sure. Indeed, I often picture in mind how these great servants in ministry to the saints in later years would bring forward these great things and mention them in the power of the Spirit to their hearers. The Holy Spirit is here today to bring to our remembrance, we are told, what Jesus said. It is one of the offices of the Spirit, to bring to our remembrance what the Lord said. It is a precious service He renders; He would bring to us these precious conversations, these precious remarks of Jesus during His ministry here.
Well now, the final thing is in Luke, and it brings me to the assembly — I may say, to the local assembly, but to the assembly. The passage is well known to us. We often speak of these verses, and I speak of them now because they indicate that the saints at the beginning, as in assembly, had something in relation to the resources of God; they had already learnt to draw upon those resources. I wonder if we have learnt to do this, dear brethren, in our little gatherings. I love the thought, and often use it as expressed in 1 Corinthians 11: “When ye come together in assembly”. I wonder whether that phrase [p. 401] is understood and taken up in our minds and hearts as we draw together on the first day of the week, and whether too, as coming thus together there is the sense of being pleasing to the Lord in our footsteps and in the manner of the wending of our ways to the place of assembly. We believe but little in the delight with which heaven takes account of it, and all is in the power of the anointing. Think of those two, for instance, recorded in this chapter. They had gone to Emmaus. What their footsteps would be to the Lord and to heaven as they were going back! How different from what they were as they were going the other way! “What manner of communications”, said the Lord, “are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?”. The Lord does not look for doleful countenances and hesitating steps as we draw to the place of assembly. “I was glad”, said one, “when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1). The steps are to be in the power of the anointing, and in the power of the incentive of what is before us — to be “in assembly”, the most august expression you can get in the Scriptures. It is going through to heaven. Hence, those two, we are told, “returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them”. Every movement would be delightful to heaven as they moved back that day.
Now, as in assembly, the Lord comes in. The doors are not shut to Him. It is His assembly, and He comes in, and He says, What have you got here to eat? It is not only, What have you got? but here — in the assembly really. How He loves it! The Lord loves that thought of it. It is the joy of His heart to have part in it, and “they gave him”, we are told, “a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb” — the broiled fish first. Now, I think the Lord would say, as it were, They have got on to the thought. There are the resources of God available [p. 402] for the assembly. Why should we be impoverished? Why should we be unfurnished? Why should we not have everything needed, not only for our own comfort simply, but for the Lord? For it is a question of a part of a fish. They did not give Him all, nor does He wish it. Nothing pleases Him better than to share what we have. And what does He share? The resources of God. They have come in through faith and in the power of the Spirit, and He loves to have part with us. I would that the brethren would keep that before them, that every assembly should have in mind that Christ is to have part in it, not simply to help us — He does that — but to have part in what we have. Is there anything He can have part in? Things were not quite right here, according to the record, but right to this extent, that they had this piece of a broiled fish, and they handed it to Jesus and He ate it before them. What a lesson book that is as indicative of how the assembly is to go on! We who walk in the light of it are to go on in freshness, in the power of these resources, in the power of the Spirit who searches the depths of God and brings them to us as we are together. So, as the Lord comes in and reminds us of what He would like, have we got it? They had “a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb”, and they gave it to Him, and He ate before them.
I think you will see in what I have said, that the resources of God are available for us by the Spirit, the Spirit being here, not to leave us, but to stay with us under the title of Comforter or Paraclete, who takes care of us and reminds us of what should be, and helps us to provide what should be, and brings in from these infinite resources of God what is needed in its living freshness, so that the Lord can come and have His part with us. May He grant it!