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Extracted from John, Chapter 21: 15-17 After Jesus was raised from the dead, He appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, He commanded Peter to lead and take care of His flock:
After the meal, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you’. Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs’.
A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you’. Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep’.
Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you’. Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
Peter was present when Jesus ascended into heaven —see Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1:1-11
Peter spoke to the crowd fearlessly on Pentecost - See Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2:1-41
In the name of Jesus Christ, Peter healed the sick and raised the dead - See Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9
Peter visited a Roman Centurion and baptised his entire family - See Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 10
Peter was saved by the Angel of God when He was being unjustly held in prison - See Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 12
The aforesaid are only brief extracts. Please refer to the Gospel, Acts of the Apostles if you want to know Saint Peter better, we will leave him to guide you. 8-)
Based on our records, the letters written by Saint Peter are quite limited, they can be found in the 1st and 2nd Letters of Saint Peter, we have extracted our favourites to share with you:
Fatherly Advice: A Call to Holy Living – Extracted from the 1st Letter of Saint Peter, Chapter 1:
13 Your minds, then, must be sober and ready for action; put all your hope in the grace brought to you by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 Do not allow yourselves to be shaped by the passions of your old ignorance,
15 but as obedient children, be yourselves holy in all your activity, after the model of the Holy One who calls us,
16 since scripture says, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'
17 And if you address as Father him who judges without favouritism according to each individual's deeds, live out the time of your exile here in reverent awe.
18 For you know that the price of your ransom from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors was paid, not in anything perishable like silver or gold,
19 but in precious blood as of a blameless and spotless lamb, Christ.
20 He was marked out before the world was made, and was revealed at the final point of time for your sake.
21 Through him you now have faith in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory for this very purpose - that your faith and hope should be in God.
22 Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves so that you can experience the genuine love of brothers, love each other intensely from the heart;
23 for your new birth was not from any perishable seed but from imperishable seed, the living and enduring Word of God.
24 For all humanity is grass, and all its beauty like the wild flowers. As grass withers, the flower fades,
25 but the Word of the Lord remains for ever. And this Word is the Good News that has been brought to you. |
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Fatherly Reminder – You are a Chosen People -Extracted from 1st Letter of Saint Peter, Chapter 2:
1 Rid yourselves, then, of all spite, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and carping criticism.
2 Like new-born babies all your longing should be for milk - the unadulterated spiritual milk - which will help you to grow up to salvation,
3 at any rate if you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 He (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) is the living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him
5 so that you, too, may be living stones making a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer the spiritual sacrifices made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 As scripture says: Now I am laying a stone in Zion, a chosen, precious cornerstone and no one who relies on this will be brought to disgrace.
7 To you believers it brings honour. But for unbelievers, it is rather a stone which the builders rejected that became a cornerstone,
8 a stumbling stone, a rock to trip people up. They stumble over it because they do not believe in the Word; it was the fate in store for them.
9 But you are a chosen race, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, a people to be a personal possession to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
10 Once you were a non-people and now you are the People of God; once you were outside his pity; now you have received pity.
Fatherly Advice: Be Good Stewards of God’s Grace -Extracted from 1st Letter of Saint Peter, Chapter 4:
1 As Christ has undergone bodily suffering, you too should arm yourselves with the same conviction, that anyone who has undergone bodily suffering has broken with sin,
2 because for the rest of life on earth that person is ruled not by human passions but only by the will of God.
3 You spent quite long enough in the past living the sort of life that gentiles choose to live, behaving in a debauched way, giving way to your passions, drinking to excess, having wild parties and drunken orgies and sacrilegiously worshipping false gods.
4 So people are taken aback that you no longer hurry off with them to join this flood which is rushing down to ruin, and then abuse you for it.
5 They will have to answer for it before the judge who is to judge the living and the dead.
6 And this was why the gospel was brought to the dead as well, so that, though in their bodies they had undergone the judgement that faces all humanity, in their spirit they might enjoy the life of God.
7 The end of all things is near, so keep your minds calm and sober for prayer.
8 Above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin.
9 Welcome each other into your houses without grumbling.
10 Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all these varied graces of God, put it at the service of others.
11 If anyone is a speaker, let it be as the words of God, if anyone serves, let it be as in strength granted by God; so that in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ, since to him alone belong all glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
Fatherly Advice: Be faithful in tending the flock of God that has been entrusted to you -Extracted from 1st Letter of Saint Peter, Chapter 5:1-11
1 I urge the elders among you, as a fellow-elder myself and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and as one who is to have a share in the glory that is to be revealed:
2 give a shepherd's care to the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, as God wants; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it.
3 Do not lord it over the group which is in your charge, but be an example for the flock.
4 When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the unfading crown of glory.
5 In the same way, younger people, be subject to the elders. Humility towards one another must be the garment you all wear constantly, because God opposes the proud but accords his favour to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves, then, before the power of God now, so that he may raise you up in due time;
7 unload all your burden on to him, since he is concerned about you.
8 Keep sober and alert, because your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
9 Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that it is the same kind of suffering that the community of your brothers throughout the world is undergoing.
10 You will have to suffer only for a little while: the God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will restore you, he will confirm, strengthen and support you.
11 His power lasts for ever and ever. Amen. ______________________________________________________________
Your question: Does the Church of Jesus Christ still exist today?
Our Answer: Yes, the Church that is founded by Jesus Christ is present among us and it has spread throughout the world. We confirm this, because His Church is still led by the “valid” successor of Saint Peter, the very first leader appointed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God - > click 8-)
As for other details, we would leave them to the Holy Spirit, the 3rd Person of God to teach you, as He would guide you in your search because He loves you. 8-)
4 February 2012
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