The parable of the dragnet illustrates the final judgment at the consummation of the age, where the wicked will be separated from the righteous. This parable, given privately to the disciples, signifies a period after the church's rapture, during which the gospel of the kingdom will be preached, leading to a great end-gathering of souls. The sermon emphasizes that while the gospel of grace is for the present age, the gospel of the kingdom, with its themes of repentance, redemption, and retribution, will be proclaimed during tribulation days. Ultimately, the parable serves as a warning of eternal judgment for the wicked and an assurance of the kingdom for the righteous.
Restored with Diffio
Audio restored with Diffio. Diffio processed the original archive recording to reduce noise and produce a cleaner listening version; the original stays available.
Speech quality score (model-estimated, SCOREQ): before 2.07 → restored 4.04
We'll read from verse forty-seven. Matthew chapter thirteen, verse forty-seven. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. Such when it was full, they drew to shore and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast about away. so shall it be at the end of the age, or at the consummation of the age. The angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.
There shall be wailing and mashing of teeth. Jesus said unto them, Have you understood all these things? They say unto him, Ye, Lord. Then said unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, It's like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. And it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed hence. Now this evening we have come to the final parable of these mystery parables of the kingdom of heaven, that is the dragonette.
And I think that possibly it is one of the most difficult to interpret. But if we are correct in our definition of the kingdom of heaven, as the period of time that extends from the preaching of John the Baptist right through to that time when Christ shall come in visible glory, not the first stage of his coming, but when he comes back again in visible glory to reign, and his apocalypse, and his epiphany, and the outshining of his glory. When he comes back again, when his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, and he will visibly appear to set up his kingdom, then I think that this final parable, the dragnet, I think, that it does apply to that time after the church has been raptured and after the people of God of the present dispensation have been removed and taken up to heaven.
And we're not dogmatizing about these things. But I want to offer a few suggestions tonight concerning the parable of the dragnet and what we believe is the true interpretation of it. We have been looking at the three great parables, the final part of this chapter concerning the Kingdom of Heaven that was given by our Lord Himself. And you remember that he went into the house. and in the house privately to the disciples, he gave three parables. And of the first four in the chapter concern the kingdom of heaven in its visible aspect.
That is what we see in Christendom today, and the development of everything that's evil and corrupt, to try to destroy what God is doing. In the house, the Lord Jesus among the disciples... He gave three other parables. The first one was a treasure hidden in the field, and then secondly the pearl of great price, and then thirdly the parable of the dragnet. Now this is looking at it from God's standpoint. Here is a three-fold treasure that God has, and I think that when we take them in sequence, I think it brings us to the consummation of the age.
Now it might be as well just at this point to point out what that word means. We get it four times in the Lord's great prophetic discourse in Matthew twenty-four. And the Lord there in answering the questions that the disciples gave to him on the Mount of Olives, what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? The Lord Jesus, at that time he used the term four times. the end, or the consummation of the age. Now in Matthew twenty-four he gives us a wonderful picture, a most graphic picture of the consummation of the age.
On the first part of that great prophetic discourse it has to do with tribulation days. The rapture doesn't come into it at all, but at that period of seven years approximately, just before his appearing in glory. So I think that the term, the consummation of the age, is used three times in Matthew chapter thirteen, and it used four times in Matthew chapter twenty-four, it points to that time when Christ will come in visible glory to reign. And as far as we are concerned, our great hope is the coming again of Christ for his church. And that may happen tonight.
Right after night we have been trying to point out some of the things that are heading up very rapidly for that time when Christ shall come. We believe that there is not a single thing to take place as far as the prophetic picture is concerned that could prevent the Lord Jesus coming this evening. We believe that things have been heading up, they have been exhilarating, and as we look around us today the signs of his coming are very evident. We're not looking for signs. We're looking for the Son of God from heaven. But at the same time, when we see the political scene and the social scene and the religious scene in the world today, we can't help but feel that our time down here is going to be very short.
But as far as the first stage of the coming is concerned, the Matthew of the Church, that is not revealed in the Synoptic Gospels. You don't get it revealed in Matthew or Mark or Luke. It is the second stage of the coming. That is when he comes visibly to rain. When he comes to take up a scepter with the imperial diadem upon his head. And when the feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, and for one thousand years he will rain from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. That is the second stage of the coming. And this is what we find in the Synoptic Gospels in Matthew and Mark and Luke. We have it in these Gospels in a parallel way, but from the turn over to John.
The Gospel according to John in chapter fourteen, in an entirely different environment, not upon Rondolovet, but in the upper room. The Lord Jesus, he said to the disciples, his own, gathered around him, around the table in the upper room, he said, Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in Gorn, believe also in me. in my father's house or many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself.
That where I am, there you may be also. Now it's perfectly evident to any intelligent reader of the New Testament that there's a difference between Matthew fourteen. And that great Revelation of the coming of Christ for his own on what we get in Matthew twenty four and what we get here in Matthew chapter thirteen. In the Synoptic Gospels it is his visible appearing, the Apocalypse, the Epiphany, the Lord shining of his glory. When he comes back again in visible glory and majesty as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but in the Gospel according to John, there we get him coming for his own.
not coming to the Mount of Olives, but coming through the air to receive us, to be with himself. And there we will be with him in those days, the day of Christ, when the beamer will be spread, the judgment seat of Christ, and when the day of the Lord takes place upon the air. So this is what we are looking for. And before we look at the passage itself, I'd like me as well to emphasize the thing, that the hope of the Church of God today is the coming again of Christ for His own. Now just before we leave that, it might be as well to say that we believe that when Christ will come, the Church of God will be complete.
Another hoop will be left behind. There are some today who would like to spread the idea of a partial rapture. It's increasing. In the most unexpected places, I have been told a day by some who should know better, that when Christ shall come, it's only the watching and the waiting. It's only the faithful, those that are watching and waiting that will rise to meet him in the air. But have not a soul? The redemption of my soul, it depends entirely on the work of Christ, on the redemption of my body. When I will be conformed to the image of God's Son, it depends entirely on the sovereign grace of God. And I believe that every true believer no matter what name he calls himself by, no matter what his spiritual condition may be, he will be a member of the body of Christ and will be raptured up into the presence of the Lord when the Lord Jesus shall come.
The Son will tell us the day that some will be left behind to go through some kind of a modified purgatory in tribulation days. We don't believe the Word of God teaches that. And while it's not our purpose tonight to spend time to turn over to the proof text, In the New Testament, we believe that every true believer, every member of the body, everyone who's linked to Christ, will rise to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall they ever be with the Lord. This is the hope of the church, of the present dispensation. But let's never forget that after this, God will have a testimony here upon the air. And while the prayer that we were speaking about this morning The pearl that comes up from the depths of the sea, this beautiful jewel that's used for adornment, is a picture of the church of God coming up from the depths of the sea.
The final parable here, the dragnet, I think, indicates that there will be a mighty end-gathering of souls after the church is gone. Now, the kingdom of heaven, let me say again, it commenced with the preaching of John about this. Now the gospel that he preached was the gospel of the kingdom. And the gospel of the kingdom that John the Baptist preached had three themes in it. And I want to repeat what we said at the beginning of the week. The three great themes of the gospel of the kingdom that was preached by John the Baptist was, first of all, repentance. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
First of all, repentance. And then secondly, redemption. Behold the Lamb of God, which beareth away the sin of the world. On every preaching of the Gospel, let it be BC or AD, in every period the Gospel preached to mankind is based on the sacrificial work of Christ upon Calvary's cross. Before the cross they look forward to it. On since Calvary we look back to it. but there never will be anybody in heaven except those that have been washed in the precious blood. The great foundation of salvation in every era is the atoning vicarious death of the Lord Jesus from hell.
So that the gospel of the kingdom that was preached by John the Baptist was first of all repentance. That's concerned the person's condition on their sins in the sight of God. But redemption... And the Lamb of God that beareth away the sin of the world is the great foundation of the gospel of the kingdom. And then he also preached retribution. He spoke about the axe being laid to the root of the tree. And he spoke about the dividing fan that would separate the chaff from the wheat. And the chaff would go into eternal fire. But the wheat would be gathered into the garner. So the gospel of the kingdom that John the Baptist preached, That is before the cross.
It has these three great themes in it. And we believe that the gospel of the kingdom that will be preached in tribulation days will have exactly the same three themes. When we turn over to the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation, and when John sees that mighty company, that company that no man could number, gather out of every tongue and people and nation, and as he looks at that mighty company, he says, Whence are these? On the interpreting angel, he said, These are they which have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb.
Do you ever notice that? The blood of the Lamb. The gospel of the kingdom that will be preached on that coming day, it will be the same terms as John the Baptist preached. When he introduced our Lord, here below, He preached repentance, he preached redemption, and he also preached retribution, coming judgment. And so in the coming day, after the church is gone, after the church has been raptured up into the presence of the Lord, the gospel will be preached once again, but it will be the gospel of the kingdom. Now there are many that have a confusion in their minds concerning the gospel of the kingdom. You remember that in Matthew chapter twenty four, That tremendous passage that we have already mentioned.
Really this gospel of the kingdom must be preached unto all nations for a testimony. And then shall the consummation come. Then shall the end come. And I have been told a day that that applies to the present time. And therefore seeing that the gospel hasn't reached to every nation unto heaven, unto heaven, therefore the Lord can come. That applies. to the consummation of the age, and that will be the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom after the church is gone. Now at the present time, the gospel met is being led on. And we thank God for every servant of God that has gone out into the far reaches of the earth, proclaiming the gospel of the grace of God.
This is the message that we have today. And we thank God that in every part of the world a day, their honored servants of God, both men and women, that are spreading the gospel of the grace of God. But remember this, if Christ were to come tonight, that would be at an end. Can you imagine a world where every truly born again soul is removed from this era? You know, this is something that our poor little minds is very, very difficult to grasp. I don't care what the name is. or what the religious affiliation is. If the person has been truly born again and regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God, everything that's genuine and true will be lifted out of this earth and taken up to heaven.
And all that's left is the unclean residue that's left behind of nominal Christendom, the kingdom of heaven. But do you mean to say when that happens, after the church is gone but God won't have a testimony here and there. I'm as sure as I'm standing here tonight that immediately after the rapture of the church and they have been taken out of this scene that God will have a testimony. And I believe that God will take up his ancient people again and they will be the testimony that will go forth preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Now before we leave this point it might be as well to say this.
Sometimes people say, well now this gospel of the kingdom that will be preached after the church is gone, those that have heard the gospel today, will they have a second chance? My dear friend, my Bible tells me that in these English-speaking lands, on the places where the open Bible and the gospel of the grace of God has gone for it for many generations, my Bible tells me that to them will be sent to strong delusions. that they might believe thee lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but at pleasure and unrighteousness. You know, at the present time, Israel, on the account of our sin, on the account of the crucifixion of the Messiah, as far as they were concerned, the veiled route.
Anyone who has been to Palestine at the present time, underseen those men that are resurrecting the Jewish state, And they're working over there to try to bring everything up to the peak of expectancy. For the great coming Shodan, we believe it will be at the Battle of Armageddon. But you know, when you talk to these men over in Palestine, many of them are communist. Many of them have no use at all for the Holy Scriptures. Now, I know that there is a remnant. And in Palestine to do, there are many, many Orthodox Jews that are waiting for the coming of the Messiah.
If you go to the wailing wall, you'll find them standing there and knocking their heads against those large stones. Those great stones that were put there at the time of the erection of the temple. And they beat their head against the stones and they pray and they clap their hands and they'll see the tears running down their face. They're waiting for the Messiah. God has a remnant even today of Orthodox Judaism. And we believe that when the church is removed, that God will open the eyes providentially of many of these people. But for almost two thousand years, as far as the nation is concerned, the veil is dropped.
The blind is upon their mind and heart. It is a judicial act of God on account of the rejection of the Messiah. But you know when the church is God, Those that have heard the gospel today, the veil will drop as far as their concern. And if for a chance there may be one in our meeting here tonight who is not a Christian, I want to tell you, friend, you have heard God's gospel, you have heard the pleading of the Holy Spirit. God has spoken to your heart, and have you refused the gospel, and go on in your sin. When the church is gone, the veil will drop as far as your concern. You will be judicially blinded, and you will follow that awful travesty of the truth of God, that unholy Trinity, anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Spirit, and you will follow the strong delusion to your doing.
This is what the Word of God says. We believe that the door will shut as far as the gospel is concerned to those that have heard it today. But there are many, many, many. millions of people in the world today who have never heard the gospel. You take a nation like China, the most populous nation in the world, seven hundred and fifty million people. And while there may be a very small proportion of people in that vast land that has heard the gospel, there are many, many, many millions who never have. And you take, for instance, in Pakistan, and in India, and in certain sections of Africa. There are many places today where the gospel is not penetrated, and the price should come.
As far as those that have heard the gospel is concerned, the veil will drop. They will be judicially blinded. But as far as those that have never heard of this concern, the gospel of the kingdom will go on. So it might be as well just very briefly to outline the condition of things in the world at that time. It's outlined for us in the book of Revelation. And by the way, I would very, very much have liked to have been here for the two weeks that our brother McKay was speaking on the book of Revelation. You know, we're living in an exciting day. I'm awfully glad that I'm alive today. I'm seeing these great prophecies concerning the nation of Israel and concerning the world.
We see it at the present time. I'm awfully thankful that I'm alive today. On seeing it happening under our eyes, it's most exciting. And I think that any intelligent person, looking at the Word of God, on comparing it with world conditions today, they should be really excited, with their heads lifted up, knowing that the day of our redemption draws my. But after the church is gone, there are certain things will happen. It will be telescoped into a comparatively short period of seven years. Now in Matthew twenty-four, it's divided in two parts, those seven years. The first three and a half years is called the beginning of sorrows.
And the second part is called the Great Tribulation. Now, during that time, there will be very, very momentous events taking place in every phase of society. The church is gone. All that's left is nominal Christendom. And it will head up in that great combination that's called in the Bible Babylon the Great, the mother of Harlots. Now looking at Revelation, seventeen, eighteen, you can see immediately that Babylon the Great is divided in three parts. First of all, it's politico, secondly, it's religious, and thirdly, it's commercial.
And if you look at the two chapters, you'll find that very definitely you get the three angles to Babylon the Great, the mother of Carlos. It will come to a hit on the climax after the church is gone. Now, first of all, it is political. You know, again, we're living in an exciting day. Some time ago, I read an exposition of the prophecy of Jewel by William Kelly, and I was absolutely amazed to see some of the things that that dear man of God said a hundred years ago. Now, when he wrote that exposition, Queen Victoria was on the throne. As Israeli was the prime minister in England, And the British Empire had come to a head on the climax, one of the greatest empires that the world had ever seen.
And Mr. Kelly said this. He said, I venture to predict that at the end, he said, England will lose her colonies. She will lose her empire. And not only that, but he said she will become one of ten. She'll practically lose her sovereignty. Do you know what happened about three weeks ago? Do you understand what has happened over in Europe politically? Under the Council of Ten, these ten nations they have banded together, and England, she has chosen deliberately, headed by the Prime Minister to subject her sovereignty to a political combination over there in Europe.
It's called the European Common Market. You know, that is most significant. I believe it's one of the most significant things. the fact that England today is one of ten over Europe. You know, it's exciting to see it. Not only that, but I feel always sad. I carry a British passport. I'm loyal to my country. And I thank God for how God has used that country in many, many years and centuries in the past for the spread of the gospel. But to see what has happened since the war, that country that once was a leader in world evangelism is practically turning over to atheistic philosophy at the present time, becoming socialist and almost communistic, and today has lost their empire and has become one of ten.
And that's the most significant thing. And first of all, it will be political, it will be a ten kingdom confederacy, and it will have its headquarters in the city of Rome. Now, the second thing about Babylon is religious. And I don't need to tell you something that we have mentioned again and again during these meetings in connection with the mustard tree and the parable of the leaven. But today, the ecclesiastical world is fast hastening to apostasy. And the darkest period of church history, I believe, we're in today. You know, as we look at the ecumenical movement, the Church of Rome on the one hand and Protestantism on the other.
There's one thing that Rome has never done. She has never denied the deity of Christ. She has never denied the virgin birth. And she has never denied the bodily resurrection of Christ. These are things that Rome has still held on to, although there are other dogmas that they have that completely vitiate the fundamentals of the Bible. But at the same time Protestantism has, and the Protestant denominations today it's becoming more and more rare to find any man who has had a theological education who still believes in the virgin birth, who still believes in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and who would still believe in the vicarious death of Christ upon Calvary's cross, so that the ecumenical movement, it will head up.
religiously into this great organization that will be completely apostate and away from God. And then thirdly it will be commercial. You know, as you look at the twenty-six different items of commerce in Revelation chapter eighteen, it points up what is happening over on the ground of the old Roman Empire over in Europe. So at the three angles to Babylon the Great, the mother of Harlots, heading up very rapidly today under our eye, a most exciting day in which we're living. Politically, religiously, commercially, Godwin the Great is heading up into that great big combine that God will judge.
But after a period of three and a half years, all religion is removed. And the man of sin, the head of Western democracy in the city of Rome, he will step in and he will declare that the only form of religion that will be tolerated in the world at that time will be the worship of himself. It will be the worship of a man. Israel bank in the land with the rebuilt temple, and he will demand that an image of himself will be placed in the holy place, the holiest in the temple, and he will demand universal worship. And that will bring on the great tribulation.
Now this is practically what we see happening on our eyes today and the stage being set for these conditions. But at the same time, after the church is God, God will have our end. I heard a statement made some little time ago at a conference. An outstanding brother, he said he believed that there would be an interim period of about forty years. after the church was removed before Israel was taken up as a witness. I can't accept that. I don't believe that God will ever leave any period without a witness for himself. And I believe that immediately after the church is God, God will open the eyes of some of these dear people in the nation of Israel today.
There's a most significant thing that has happened over in Jerusalem. Among the dead sea scrolls, There was a complete copy of the prophet Isaiah, a man who are competent to judge, to say that that copy of the prophet Isaiah was copied about two hundred years before the birth of Christ. It was one of the most amazing archaeological discoveries that ever has been made. Now the Jewish people, recognizing the importance of it, have put up a most beautiful building right in the center of Jerusalem, to call it the Shrine of the Scroll, And if you went there and looked through the windows, you would see that wonderful, wonderful copy of the word of God.
I believe that God will use that. And after the church is gone, the blind will be lifted from their minds and hearts, and many, many will turn to Christ. Many will turn to the Lord. And we believe that at that time, God will raise up in the nation of Israel witnesses that will carry the gospel of the kingdom to earth's remotest bar. Now, I think this brings us to the dragnet. You say, how will it happen? Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said about his conversion? He referred to it twice. Once in the first epistle of Timothy in chapter one, he called his conversion a patron or a type.
Now, what he meant to say was this, and what he did say was this, that when he was providentially led hold off by Christ himself upon the Damascus Road when he was a persecutor. When he was persecuting the church of God, God laid his hand upon him. And the very arresting word that he uses in the epistle to the Philippines is that God arrested him. He laid his hand upon him and he opened his eye and he was providentially converted on the Damascus Road. Now he said, my conversion is a type. And what happened to him individually on the Damascus Road will happen on a mass scale in the coming days.
And after the church is gone, we believe that many of these Orthodox Jews gathered back in the land of day that God will open their eyes. We read about one hundred and forty-four thousand witnesses in Revelation chapter seven, each one with the seal of God upon him. And that seal, that stamp, of Almighty God was placed upon them that He might be a witness. You know, there are two bodies of people today that claim to be the one hundred and forty-four thousand. I always feel awfully sorry when I see this pathetic attempt of interpretation of God's Word to come through the door and knock the door and say, who are you?
And after you do a little bit of question, they'll say, well, we are Jehovah witnesses. And what is your object? Oh, I would like to be one of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. And I've always asked them, what tribe do you belong to? Do you belong to the tribe of Judah, or the tribe of Issachar, or the tribe of Benjamin, or the tribe of Manasseh? And they looked at me as if I had taken leave of my senses. You know, every one of the one hundred and forty-four thousand is of you. Revelation chapter seven. And God will see them. He will put his stamp He will put His mark upon them on everyone as a Jew.
And we believe that they will go forth preaching the gospel of the kingdom. This is a dragnet. On an every part of the world, while these terrible conditions that we have already mentioned, the tribulation breaking out, the man of sin with his image in the temple there in Jerusalem, and the false prophet demanding universal worship, of the man of sin, the worship of a man, on those that refuse, on those that refuse to have the mark in their hand or in their forehead. Notice here the commercial aspect of it. It wouldn't be able to do business unless you have a mark, either in your hand or in your forehead, then persecution will break out.
Literally, there will be many, many thousands of people who will lose their lives at that time. Walls that refuse to bar. to the image of the man of sin in Jerusalem will lose their lives. Very likely, the method of execution will be decapitation. But in any case, at that time, there will be the Great Tribulation. But at that time, there will be many. Hearing the Gospel of the King, the King is coming. On this one hundred and forty-four thousand, one of the greatest missionary bodies that the world has ever seen will go forward unto every nation and tongue and people.
The gospel of the kingdom will be preached. The king is coming. He's coming soon. Repent. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The king is coming back again on the three great themes that were preached by John the Baptist will be preached by them. Repentance, redemption, and retribution. This is the gospel of the kingdom, and we read that in those seven years, there will be a mighty multitude from every tongue and people and nation who believe and will be gathered in. It will be a mass movement. It will, of course, be individual as far as the new birth is concerned, but it will be the proclamation, not the gospel of the grace of God, as we know today, but the gospel of the kingdom.
The king is coming. He's coming back again to repent and believe the gospel. You know, as we look at this, It gives us a tremendous feeling of satisfaction that many today who have never heard the gospel have no opportunity of hearing it will hear it at that day. And there will be a mighty in-gathering of precious souls. But let me repeat that as far as we are concerned, in this present age, if Christ were to come to light for us and take us out of this, saying the door would be closed, and the veil would drop. as far as those who have heard the gospel up to this point is concerned under the no opportunity of hearing God's gospel in that day.
But there will be this mighty in-gathering. You know, as we think of the dry net, I was thinking of two other castings of the net that concerned our Lord when he was heard upon earth. It would be interesting to compare Luke chapter five. On John chapter twenty-one, with this most interesting narrative here, this most interesting parable at the end of this chapter. You remember when our Lord, when he was introduced by John the Baptist, you remember as he was calling out his disciples by the Sea of Galilee, hunching along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two men in the boat, and they were fishing.
And he called them, he said, follow me. and the left all, the pursuit all, and the fall of him. And then the Lord asked for the loan of the boat. And sitting in the little boat, and again using it as a pulpit, he preached, and preached to the multitude on the shore. And after he was through, he said, Push out your boat into the deep, and let down your net for a draft. And Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, the left and the net down, and the enclosed a mighty multitude of fish. so that the net break. And I believe there's a parabolic meaning, a figurative meaning behind that lovely scene. We read that the two partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, they came with their boat and they filled the two boats.
You know, anytime we lend the Lord anything, in his service, he always repays us a hundredfold. I think those who are here tonight that have had any experience of doing any service for God, Only a little thing that we try to do for him. He always repases a hundredfold. The Lord is no man's debtor. But after they had had that mighty shoal of fish, when Peter comes ashore, he gets down at Jesus' knees and he says, Depart from me, for I am a wicked man. I am a sinful man, O Lord. But he left off. He pursued all and he followed him. And the Lord said, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fish of the name.
And that was at the beginning. of our Lord's minister. And then in John chapter what, twenty-one, after his resurrection, again with a little group of disciples, he teaches them another lesson, and there's a second dropping of the net. Many, many times in looking at that chapter, I thought that the Lord taught the disciples three great lessons. The first lesson he taught them was a lesson in catching fish. And the second was a lesson in feeding sheep, And the third was a lesson in minding your own business. You know, it's a wonderful, wonderful chapter, and it is the connecting link between the Gospel according to John and the Acts of the Apostle.
First of all, we get the little fishing expedition, and I went out to catch fish, and the tiled the whole night long. There was no fish in the boat. And in the morning Jesus stands on the shore, and he said, "'Lad, have you any meat? Have you any fish?' and they answered with one disgruntled word and said, No. Well, they said, let the net down on the other side of the boat. And they took the net and they put it on the other side, and they dropped it, and immediately there was a great shoal of fish in the net. And when Simon Peter realized that it was the Lord that stood on the shore, he dropped everything, and he went over the side, and he went to, I wonder if he tried to walk on the water.
what he tried to do the first time. But then he gets over the side, he went, and there, as he met the Lord on the shore. What a wonderful scene that was. And as they drew the net to shore, we read that there were a hundred and fifty-three big fish in the net. Now there's some brethren here tonight that are real theological students. And I would like to ask you a question. What does a hundred and fifty-three big fish mean? You know, I've heard at least half a dozen answers to that question. And I'm not going to waste your time tonight by going over them. But I want to tell you something that Mr. Hogg said to me many years ago.
It was the last six months of his life I used to go and sit in his room and he used to advise me about reading and about study and about devotional life. And Mr. Hogg said this to me. He said, remember this, the one hundred and fifty-three big fish He said, statistics are not for the end of the mission, but for the end of the age. It's when the end of the age comes the consummation of the age. Then we can sit on the shore and dry out our wet garments in the sunshine, and we can count the fish. And for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
The Lord has some very, very real blessings to teach the disciples. I want to pass on here. Just a little story. The last thing I heard Mr. A.P. Gibbs say at the last conference where we were with him. He was reading John XXI and he told a story about a man that God saved. And after he was saved, he got up and he gave his testimony some little time afterward. He says, you know when God saved me, he spoke to me and he said, come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of man. And he said, he gave me a hook. And a little while afterwards, he spoke to him of the Frankenstein.
And he said, Son of Simon, Son of Jonas, loveth by me more than thee. He said, Lord, I know some things by that I know that I love thee. He said, feed my sheep. And he said, he gave me that little word. Feed my sheep. And he said, he gave me a crook. So he says, from now on, he says, by hook and by crook, I'm going to serve the Lord. That was Mr. A.P. Gibbs. I'll never forget that dear servant of God and the little story that he told, and it was the climax of his message. Now we have the opportunity to today, and I believe that the opportunity is fast running out of dropping down the net, bringing in the fish.
But I want to tell you that after the church is gone, God will have his purpose, and it will be completed on that day, and the net will be let down in the sea of the nations, and it will issue at the end in this great separated judgment. The three times we get the consummation of the ages, first twice in connection with the wheat and the tarot, and secondly with the dry knack. And at the end of this period, just before the inauguration of the kingdom, we read about the angels coming, and there will be a separated judgment. You remember it's looked at in the threefold way, the wheat and the tarot. The tears will be separated from the wheat.
Matthew twenty-five, the sheep and the goats. Again a separate judgment. The judgment of the living nations. But here it's the good and the bad fish. I believe that the three all point to the one period. There will be a mighty end there. But all there has been right down through the age the kingdom of heaven. There will be the good and the bad. And those that are in no use. Those that don't have vital faith in the Lord Jesus will be cast to the one side, and those that have true vital faith in Christ will pass into the kingdom. But those that have refused the message of the gospel, let it be the tears, or let it be the goats, or let it be the bad fish.
The word is, they shall be cast into everlasting fire, for there shall be weeping and wailing, a gnashing of teeth. For those that are truly Christ, that have accepted the gospel of the kingdom, will pass into the kingdom and will share that glory when Christ comes back again to reign. I shall we pray. As my God and Father, as we bow before thee tonight, if you are so helpless as we try to open our word and try to expand it, But, our Father, as we look around us today and see things heading up so rapidly for the coming again of our blessed Lord, Father, we do pray that thou will help us to be alert, to be wide awake to the nature of the day in which we live.
And, our Father, we pray that we may be able to occupy our time in holy, happy service for thyself. Our Father, as we see men and women around us on every hand, going on in their sins, completely indifferent to the age in which we live. Give us we pray our compassion for souls, and as we move an alert among them, in every way that we possibly can, help us we pray to drop the gospel next and seek it in your name. And our Father, we do thank you too for the bright and blessed hope of the coming again of Christ. We know that if that were to happen, our little day of service would be over as far as this scene is concerned, and then it would be the judgment seat of Christ and the eternal glory.
Father, we do pray that thou will help us in the remaining days, the remaining time that's left to us, that it may be occupied with and for thee. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.