COME AND DINE

Jesus saith unto them: “COME AND DINE” (John 21: 12).

There is an open invitation to the Elect to “come and dine” and be partakers of the Lord’s Table. “Tell them which are bidden, behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready: come unto the marriage” (Matthew 22:4). God has provided for all His children to feed to their full. Not on the abundance of the natural, but on the full bounty of His Spiritual provision. The children of Israel were fed Quails and Manna in the wilderness, which they had to gather each day except the Sabbath. The prophet Isaiah was fed two meals which sustained him for a forty day’s journey from Beer-Sheba to Horeb the Mount of God. With five loaves and two fishes Christ fed five thousand and with seven loaves and two fishes he fed the four thousand; all of whom were filled and satisfied for a while. But those natural food did not last forever. At the Last Supper Jesus broke bread and gave his Disciples along with the wine cup for them to eat and drink, symbolizing his body and his blood for their cleansing and participation in his suffering. Teaching that it’s necessary for us to feed on Him, the Lamb of slain from the foundation of the earth; he declared: “verily verily I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you. Whosoever eat my flesh, and drink my blood, have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day, for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed. He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eat me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever” (John 6:53-58). Here at this third appearance of Christ to the disciples following his resurrection; we see Christ laying out in principle of our total dependence on him for all our spiritual food. Those who were fed by him prior to his crucifixion; or some of them, had in some way participated in providing and preparing the meal with which they were fed. But now we see Christ himself; providing, preparing and serving this final meal. The partakers had no part in its provision, preparation and serving; symbolizing our none-participation in the provision, preparation and serving of the spiritual food of Salvation. Christ providing all that we would ever need to go forward and do the work of Him who sent us. The invitation to: COME AND DINE; had no limits or dietary restrictions. Eat as much as your heart’s desire, as much as you are able to, eat to your fill, there is no limit or bill to pay. It will not make you sick or make your condition any worse. Christ wants us always, to be full with His goodness; full of his Redeeming, Cleansing, Renewing and Sustaining Power. As the disciples came out of the sea they found a banquet of fish and bread waiting for them. The provider was The Lord, the Chef was The Lord and the Waiter was The Lord.  All they needed were the willingness and a desire to eat; and they were ready. Not only does the Lord want us to feed on Him but He wants us to go and feed others. We see him admonishing Peter three times after Peter was fed; to: “feed my lambs, feed my sheep and feed my sheep” (John 21: 15 – 17). He had set the example and now he commanded that we do as he did: feed the hungry with the Bread of Life. There is more than enough to share. Each of us is commanded to go forward and: “Feed the flock of God which is among us, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (1 Peter 5:2). But we must first come and dine at the banquet by the sea of Tiberias. Come to the dining table and be fed. For if you are hungry, mal-nourished, feeble and weak, not built up in the things of God you will not be able to remain focus and perform the task set before you; to go forward and feed the flock of God which is among us. First you must be fed, nourished and strengthened in Him who is able to give you all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and sustain you unto life eternal. Get to experience him for yourself. Know him in a personal way, so you can share him in a personal way. Cast all your burdens upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you, he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:8-12). COME AND DINE. Grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Love you. Be blessed.

W. Bennett