2022-5丨General Subject：Loving the Lord and Loving One Another for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ

General Subject：Loving the Lord and Loving One Another for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ

Message One Loving the Lord and Loving One Another— the Most Excellent Way for Us to Be Anything and Do Anything for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ

V. John 21, a chapter on shepherding, is the completion and consummation of the Gospel of John; after His resurrection the Lord shepherded Peter and commissioned him to feed His lambs and shepherd His sheep; this is to incorporate the apostolic ministry with Christ's heavenly ministry to take care of God's flock, the church, which issues in the Body of Christ—vv. 15-17:

John 21:1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. And He manifested Himself in this way:

John 21:2 Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two others of His disciples were there together.

John 21:3 Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We also are coming with you. They went forth and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

John 21:4 Now as soon as the morning broke, Jesus stood on the shore; however the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

John 21:5 Then Jesus said to them, Little children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you? They answered Him, No.

John 21:6 And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. They cast therefore, and they were no longer able to haul it in because of the abundance of fish.

John 21:7 Then that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Therefore when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment around himself, for he was naked; and he threw himself into the sea.

John 21:8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away, dragging the net of fish.

John 21:9 Then when they got out onto the land, they saw a fire of coals laid there, and fish lying on it and bread.

John 21:10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just now caught.

John 21:11 Simon Peter therefore went up and hauled the net to the land full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.

John 21:12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. But none of the disciples dared to inquire of Him, Who are you? knowing that it was the Lord.

John 21:13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

John 21:14 This was now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples after He had been raised from the dead.

John 21:15 Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs.

John 21:16 He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep.

John 21:17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep.

John 21:18 Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.

John 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He said to him, Follow Me.

John 21:20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also reclined on His breast at the supper and said, Lord, who is the one betraying You?

John 21:21 Peter therefore, seeing him, said to Jesus, Lord, and what about this man?

John 21:22 Jesus said to him, If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.

John 21:23 This word therefore went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die, yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, If I want him to remain until I

come, what is that to you?

John 21:24 This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things, and the one who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose that not even the world itself could contain the books written.

A. Peter was so impressed with this commission of the Lord that in his first book he tells the believers that they were like sheep being led astray, but they have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer (Christ) of their souls—1 Pet. 2:25.

1 Pet. 2:25 For you were like sheep being led astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

B. He exhorts the elders to shepherd the flock of God among them so that when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, they will receive the unfading crown of glory (5:1-4); Peter's word indicates that the heavenly ministry of Christ is mainly to shepherd the church of God as His flock, which issues in His Body.

1 Pet. 5:1 Therefore the elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory to be revealed:

1 Pet. 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God; not by seeking gain through base means but eagerly;

1 Pet. 5:3 Nor as lording it over your allotments but by becoming patterns of the flock.

1 Pet. 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

C. The main purpose and goal of the apostolic ministry incorporated with Christ's heavenly ministry are to build up the Body of Christ, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem for the accomplishment of the eternal economy of God.

Morning Nourishment

John 21:16 ... Simon,...do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord...He said to him, Shepherd My sheep.

1 Pet. 5:2-4 Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing...willingly, according to God;...eagerly;...by becoming patterns of the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The entire [Gospel of John] covers the earthly ministry of Christ, beginning with His incarnation as the Word of God to become a man in the flesh (1:1- 14) and ending with His resurrection as the last Adam to become the lifegiving Spirit (ch. 20); hence, chapter 21 should be an appendix. Although it is correct to say this, it is more intrinsic to say that John 21 is the completion and consummation of the Gospel of John... It consummates the entire Gospel of John by showing that Christ’s heavenly ministry and the apostles’ ministry on the earth cooperate together to carry out God’s New Testament economy. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” p. 446)

In John 10:10, 11, and 16 the Lord unveiled to the disciples that He was the good Shepherd who came that the sheep might have life abundantly and that He had other sheep (the Gentiles) that He must lead to join with them (the Jewish believers) to be one flock (one church) under one Shepherd.

First, the Lord’s shepherding was in His earthly ministry (Matt. 9:36). The Lord saw the Israelites as sheep harassed by their leaders; they were cast away like sheep not having a shepherd. The Lord as the Shepherd of God’s elect prayed, and God told His sent One to appoint twelve apostles that they might take care of the sheep of God (10:1-6). Second, the Lord’s shepherding is in His heavenly ministry (1 Pet. 5:4) to take care of the church of God, issuing in His Body. When He was on the earth, He was shepherding. After His resurrection and ascension to the heavens, He is still shepherding.

When the Lord stayed with His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension, in one of His appearings, He commissioned Peter to feed His lambs and shepherd His sheep in His absence, while He is in the heavens (John 21:15-17). Shepherding implies feeding, but it includes much more than feeding. To shepherd is to take all-inclusive tender care of the flock. This is to incorporate the apostolic ministry with Christ’s heavenly ministry to take care of God’s flock, which is the church that issues in the Body of Christ.

In Acts 20:28 Paul told the elders of Ephesus, “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers to shepherd the church of God, which He obtained [or, purchased] through His own blood.” Paul says in Hebrews 13:20, “God...brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of an eternal covenant.” The eternal covenant is the covenant of the new testament to gain a flock, which is the church issuing in the Body and consummating the New Jerusalem.

Peter...tells the believers that they were like sheep being led astray, but they have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer (Christ) of their souls (1 Pet. 2:25). Christ’s shepherding of His flock includes His caring for their outward things and also their inner being, their souls... He shepherds us by caring for the welfare of our inner being and by exercising His oversight over the condition of our soul, our real person. Peter exhorts the elders to shepherd the flock of God among them so that when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, they, the faithful elders, will receive the unfading crown of glory (5:1-4). Peter’s word indicates that the heavenly ministry of Christ is mainly to shepherd the church of God as His flock, which issues in His Body. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” pp. 446-448)

Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 4, “Crystallization-study of the Gospel of John,” msg. 13