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Andrew and Simon Peter · Urantia Radio

• 0:00
  Welcome to the Urantra Radio Podcast.
• 0:02
  Once again, we are continuing our series on the Apostles from
• 0:06
  Paper 139. We also have some listener
• 0:08
  e-mail that we'll respond to in this edition in just a moment.
• 0:12
  And also want to invite you to check out the revised podcast
• 0:15
  and the website urantraradio.org, which you can
• 0:18
  find on pretty much any browser, urantraradio.org and there's
• 0:24
  also a feedback button. So if you have a question or if
• 0:27
  you want to leave a comment regarding the Urantia Radio
• 0:30
  podcast, you can do so. Simply go to theurantiaradio.org
• 0:34
  website. So in a second we go to Part 2
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  of our multiple part series on the apostles of Jesus.
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  Last time we talked about John Zebedee and Judas Iscariot, two
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  men who were so diametrically opposed, and you had both of
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  them, the apostles. In this episode, we're going to
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  take a look at Andrew and Simon Peter, the two brothers, and
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  they too have very colorful lives and personalities.
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  And I know that you'll enjoy learning and listening about
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  them. I also want to give nod to a
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  reader and someone who listens to the program.
• 1:32
  And, and as I've encouraged people who listen to these
• 1:34
  podcasts, if you have a question, if you have something
• 1:37
  in the Urantia book that draws your ire or you're curious and
• 1:41
  you want to ask, ask away. Our e-mail address is
• 1:45
  urantiabookradio@gmail.com. And this comes from a listener.
• 1:51
  And I won't, I won't divulge the identity, but it's an
• 1:54
  interesting question. And the listener says, what do
• 1:58
  our guardian angels do? It's a mystery to me.
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  And after reading the paper on angels and listening to this
• 2:05
  podcast, what precise way do angels get involved in our
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  lives? And he says that prior to the
• 2:14
  encountering the Urantia book, All my life I heard people
• 2:18
  attribute miracles to angels, such as enabling someone to
• 2:22
  survive a calamitous accident. But the UB seems to say that
• 2:26
  this would be a very rare occurrence.
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  And it left the writer wondering what exactly do they do all with
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  all the time that they have. So I thought I would take a stab
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  at that because it is a good question.
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  And after studying the Oranja book, it took me a long time to
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  figure out what it is that they do.
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  And we learn early on that certain groups of people are
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  overseen by one group of, of, of angels.
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  And then when you get down to the people that have the real
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  light in them and they're in positions of social influence or
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  impact, that those people when they, when, as it's described,
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  there are certain people who, who breakthrough that spiritual
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  level of being where they're, they're really acting almost
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  parallel with their thought adjusters influence.
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  And if you remember, the thought adjuster is the spirit fragment
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  of God that resides in each one of us and the citadels of our
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  minds. And it is that that spiritual
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  influence that seeks to dominate the human personality in a very
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  subtle way. And in doing so, for example, in
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  the act of meditation, you're stealing the mind and you're and
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  you're directing your mental currents, if you will, towards
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  spiritual values. And this is the value of worship
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  and prayer. So taking all of that into
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  consideration, angels are social influencers.
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  And every once in a while, when it's necessary or when they deem
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  that it's important, they act as protectors.
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  And they're also documentarians. They take a lot of notes.
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  In fact, there were probably angels taking all kinds of notes
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  as Jesus was living on earth, following certain people around,
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  notating their expressions. And I know that perhaps I've
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  gone on too long, but I think that's what they do.
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  I think that's what their job is.
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  They are ministers to us, and they're also collectors of
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  information. Let's get to Andrew the first
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  chosen. Let's talk about Andrew the
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  Apostle as the Urantia revelators describe him in Paper
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  139, Section 1. Andrew, chairman of the
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  Apostolic Corps of the Kingdom, was born in Capernaum.
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  He was the oldest child in a family of five, himself, his
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  brother Simon and three sisters. His father, now dead, had been a
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  partner of Zebedee in the fish drying business at Peseta, the
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  fishing harbour of Capernaum. Capernaum.
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  When he became an apostle, Andrew was unmarried, but he
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  made his home with his married brother Simon Peter.
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  Both were fishermen and partners of James and John, the sons of
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  Zebedee. So now we have that connection.
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  Now you could argue that perhaps that was done by design to bring
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  these men together, Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John,
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  perhaps some sort of predetermined destiny that they
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  would all four go on. Imagine you meet somebody in a
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  capacity, you become good friends with him, and then turns
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  out later you and this person that you met 20 years ago go on
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  to invent some, you know, incredible invention that
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  changes the life of humanity. Anyway, back to the paper.
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  Both were fishermen and partners of James and John, the sons of
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  deputy of Zebedee. And in 1826, the year he was
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  chosen as an apostle, Andrew was 33, a full year older than Jesus
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  and the oldest of the apostles. He sprang from an excellent line
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  of ancestors and was the ablest men of the 12, accepting
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  oratory. He was the peer of his
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  associates and almost every imaginable ability.
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  Jesus never gave Andrew a nickname, a fraternal
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  designation. But even as the apostle soon
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  soon began to call Jesus master, they also designated Andrew by a
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  term the equivalent of chief. Hey, chief, I've I've do you
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  know chiefs in your life? Andrew was a good organizer, but
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  a better administrator. He was one of the inner circle
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  of the four apostles, but his appointment by Jesus as the head
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  of the Apostolic group made it necessary for him to remain on
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  duty with his brethren. While the other three enjoyed
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  very close communion with the Master, to the very end, Andrew
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  remained Dean of the Apostolic group.
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  Although Andrew was never an effective preacher, he was an
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  efficient personal worker, being the pioneer missionary of the
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  Kingdom in that as the first chosen apostle, he immediately
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  brought to Jesus his brother Simon, who was subsequently go
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  on to become one of the greatest preachers of the Kingdom.
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  Andrew was the chief supporter of Jesus's policy of utilizing
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  the program of personal work as a means of training the 12 as
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  messengers of the Kingdom. Whether Jesus privately taught
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  the apostles or preached to the multitude, Andrew was usually
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  conversant, conversant with what was going on, and he was an
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  understanding executive and an efficient administrator.
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  He rendered a prompt decision on every matter brought to his
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  notice, unless he deemed the problem one beyond the domain of
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  his authority, in which event he would take it straight to Jesus.
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  Andrew and Peter were very unlike in character and
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  temperament, but it must be recorded everlastingly to their
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  credit that they got along together splendidly.
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  Andrew was never jealous of Peter's oratorical ability.
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  Not often will an older man of Andrew's type be observed
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  exerting such a profound influence over a younger and
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  talented brother. Andrew and Peter never seemed to
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  be in the least jealous of each other's abilities or
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  achievements. Late on the evening of the day
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  of Pentecost, when largely through the energetic and
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  inspiring preaching of Peter, 2000 souls were added to the
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  Kingdom. Andrew said to his brother.
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  I could not do that, but I am glad I have a brother who could.
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  To which Peter replied, And but for your bringing me to the
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  Master, and by your steadfastness keeping me with
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  him, I should not have been here to do this.
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  Andrew and Peter were the exceptions to the rule, proving
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  that even brothers can live together peaceably and work
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  together effectively. After Pentecost, Peter was
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  famous, but it never irritated the older Andrew to spend the
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  rest of his life being introduced as Simon Peter's
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  brother. Of all the apostles, Andrew was
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  the best judge of men. He knew that trouble was brewing
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  in the heart of Judas Iscariot before, when none of the other
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  suspected that anything was wrong with their treasurer, but
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  he told none of them his fears. Andrew's great service to the
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  Kingdom was in advising Peter, James, and John concerning the
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  choice of the first missionaries who were sent out to proclaim
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  the Gospel, and also in counseling these early leaders
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  about the organization of the administrative affairs of the
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  Kingdom. Andrew had a great gift for
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  discovering the hidden resources and latent talents of young
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  people. Very soon after Jesus's
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  ascension on high, Andrew began the writing of a personal record
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  of many of the sayings and doings of his departed Master.
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  After Andrew's death, other copies of this private record
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  were made and circulated freely among the early teachers of the
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  Christian Church. These informal notes of Andrew's
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  were subsequently edited, amended, altered and added to
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  until they made-up a fairly consecutive narrative of the
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  Master's life on earth. The last of these altered and
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  amended copies was destroyed by fire at Alexandria about 100
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  years after the original was written by the 1st chosen of the
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  12 Apostles. Andrew was a man of clear
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  insight, logical thought and firm decision, whose great
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  strength of character consisted in his superb stability.
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  His temperamental handicap was his lack of enthusiasm.
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  He many times failed to encourage associates by
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  judicious commendation, and this reticence to praise the worthy
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  accomplishments of his friends grew out of his abhorrence of
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  flattery and insincerity. Andrew was one of those all
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  rounded, even tempered, self-made and successful men of
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  modest affairs. Every one of the apostles loved
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  Jesus, but it remains true that each of the 12 was drawn toward
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  him because of some certain trait of personality which made
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  a special appeal to the individual Apostle.
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  Andrew admired Jesus because of his consistent sincerity, his
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  unaffected dignity. When men once knew Jesus, they
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  were possessed with the urge to share him with their friends.
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  They really wanted all the world to know Him.
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  When the later persecutions finally scattered the apostles
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  from Jerusalem, Andrew journeyed through Armenia, Asia Minor and
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  Macedonia, and after bringing many thousands into the Kingdom,
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  he was finally apprehended and crucified in Petre in Akaya.
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  It was 2 full days before this robust man expired on the cross,
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  and throughout these tragic hours he continued effectively
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  to proclaim the glad tidings of the salvation of the Kingdom of
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  Heaven. And thus concludes the reference
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  to the Apostle Andrew from Paper 139, section one in the Arantia
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  Papers. We'll take a quick music
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  interlude and then come back and we'll focus in on Simon Peter.
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  Simon Peter is probably the most colorful apostle, and in a
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  minute you're going to learn why as we delve into our section on
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  the apostles from Paper 139. So the Oranget book writes that
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  when Simon joined the apostles, he was 30 years old.
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  He was married and had three children and lived in Beseda
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  near Capernaum. His brother Andrew and his
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  wife's mother lived with him. Both Peter and Andrew were
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  Fisher partners of the of the sons of Zebedee.
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  The Master had known Simon for some time before Andrew
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  presented him as the second of the apostles.
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  When Jesus gave Simon the name Peter, he did it with a smile.
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  It was to be sort of a nickname. Simon was well known to all of
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  his friends as an erratic and impulsive fellow.
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  True, later on Jesus did attach a new and significant import to
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  this lightly bestowed nickname. Simon Peter was a man of
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  impulse, an optimist. He had grown up permitting
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  himself freely to indulge strong feelings.
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  He was constantly getting into difficulty be difficulties
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  because he persisted in speaking without thinking.
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  This sort of thoughtlessness also made incessant trouble for
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  all of his friends and associates and was the cause of
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  his receiving many mild rebukes from his master.
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  The only reason Peter did not get into more trouble because of
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  his thoughtless speaking was that he very early learned to
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  talk over many of his plans and schemes with his brother Andrew
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  before he ventured to make public proposals.
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  Peter was a fluent speaker, eloquent and dramatic.
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  He was also a natural and inspirational leader of men, a
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  quick thinker but not a deep reasoner.
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  He asked many questions, but more than all the apostles put
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  together. And while the majority of these
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  questions were good and relevant, many of them were
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  thoughtless and foolish. Peter did not have a deep mind,
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  but he knew his mind fairly well.
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  He was therefore a man of quick decision and sudden action.
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  While others talked in their astonishment at seeing Jesus on
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  the beach, Peter jumped in and swam ashore to meet the Master.
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  The one trait which Peter most admired in Jesus was his
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  supernal tenderness. Peter never grew weary of
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  contemplating Jesus's forbearance.
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  He never forgot the lesson about forgiving the wrongdoer not only
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  7 times, but 70 times and seven. He thought much about these
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  impressions of the Masters forgiving character during these
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  dark and dismal days that immediately followed his
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  thoughtless and unintended denial of Jesus.
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  In the high priest courtyard, Simon Peter was distressingly
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  vacillating. He would suddenly swing from 1
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  extreme to the other. First he refused to let Jesus
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  wash his feet, and then, on hearing the Master's reply,
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  begged to be washed all over. But after all, Jesus knew that
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  Peter's faults were of the head and not of the heart.
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  He was one of the most inexplicable combinations of
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  courage and cowardice that ever lived on earth.
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  His great strength of character was loyalty, friendship.
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  Peter really ain't truly loved Jesus.
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  And yet, despite this towering strength of devotion, he was so
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  unstable and inconstant that he permitted a servant girl to
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  tease him into denying his Lord and master.
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  Peter could not withstand persecution and any other form
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  of direct assault, but he withered and shrank before
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  ridicule. He was a brave soldier when
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  facing a frontal attack, but he was a fear cringing coward when
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  surprised with an assault from the rear.
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  Peter was the first of Jesus's apostles to come forward to
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  defend the work of Philip among the Samaritans and Paul among
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  the Gentiles. Yet later on at Antioch he
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  reversed himself when confronted by ridiculing Judaizers,
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  temporarily withdrawing from the Gentiles, only to bring down
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  upon his head the fearless denunciation of Paul.
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  He was the first one of the apostles to make wholehearted
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  confession of Jesus's combined humanity and divinity, and the
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  1st save Judas to deny him. Peter was not so much of A
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  dreamer, but he disliked to descend from the clouds of
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  ecstasy and the enthusiasm of dramatic indulgence to the plain
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  and matter of fact world of reality.
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  In following Jesus, literally and figuratively, he was either
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  leading the procession or else trailing behind, following afar
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  off. But he was the outstanding
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  preacher of the of the 12. He did more than any other one
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  man's aside from Paul to establish the Kingdom and send
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  its messengers to the four corners of the earth in one
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  generation. After his rash denials of the
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  Master, he found himself, and with Andrew's sympathetic and
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  understanding guidance, he again led the way back to the fishnets
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  while the apostles tarried to find out what was to happen
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  after the crucifixion. When he was fully assured that
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  Jesus had forgiven him and knew he had been received back into
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  the Master's fold, the fires of the Kingdom burned so brightly
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  within his soul that he became a great and saving light to
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  thousands who sat in darkness. After leaving Jerusalem and
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  before Paul became the leading spirit among the Gentile
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  Christian churches, Peter traveled extensively, visiting
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  all the churches from Babylon to Corinth.
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  He even visited and ministered to many of the churches which
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  had been raised up by Paul. Although Peter and Paul differed
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  much in temperament and education, even in theology,
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  they work together harmoniously for the upbuilding of the
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  churches during their later years.
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  Something of Peter's style and teaching is shown in the sermons
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  partially recorded by Luke and in the Gospel of Mark.
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  His vigorous style was better shown in his letter known as the
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  First Epistle of Peter. At least this was true before it
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  was subsequently altered by a disciple of Paul.
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  But Peter persisted in making the mistake of trying to
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  convince the Jews that Jesus was, after all, really and truly
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  the Jewish Messiah. Right up to the day of his
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  death, Simon Peter continued to suffer confusion in his mind
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  between the concepts of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, Christ as as
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  the world's Redeemer, and the Son of Man as the revelation of
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  God, the loving Father of all mankind.
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  Peter's wife was a very able woman.
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  For years she labored acceptably as a member of the Women's
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  Corps, and when Peter was driven out of Jerusalem, she
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  accompanied him upon all his journeys to the churches, as
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  well as on all of his missionary excursions.
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  And the day her illustrious husband yielded up his life, she
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  was thrown to the wild beasts in the arena at Rome.
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  And so this man Peter, an intimate of Jesus, one of the
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  inner circle, went forth from Jerusalem proclaiming the glad
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  tidings of the Kingdom with power and glory until the
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  fullness of his ministry had been accomplished.
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  And he regarded himself as the recipient of high honors when
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  his captors informed him that he must die as his master had died
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  on the cross. And this was Simon Peter
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  crucified. And thus was Simon Peter
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  crucified in Rome. I, I, I have to say, I find you
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  know these words very comforting.
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  And it's quite a thing to imagine these men, these papers,
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  these words really, really do speak to you.
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  You feel like you know them. And whoever wrote these words
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  certainly must have been Privy to such personal information.
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  What a great story. And so we'll continue on.
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  I think we're going to move through the other apostles as
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  well. And I appreciate you taking got
• 22:35
  a lot of good feedback from listeners who say they'd rather
• 22:39
  enjoy hearing the story of these 12 men.
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  So if you've got a question or a comment, your
• 22:44
  rancherbookradio@gmail.com. And please check out the new
• 22:48
  website, yourrancherradio.org. yourrancherradio.org.
• 22:53
  That's our new website where we post all of these podcasts and
• 22:57
  you can play them universally, no matter what country you're in
• 23:00
  or what state. If you go to the podcast, all of
• 23:03
  the podcasts are held at your rancheradio.org or you can look
• 23:08
  on the website for your favorite podcast player or everywhere
• 23:12
  your rancher radio. Until next time, thank you again
• 23:16
  for stopping by and cheers. And and if we don't speak before
• 23:20
  Easter, a a blessing of the Resurrection Day is fast
• 23:25
  approaching and I wish you well in spirit until next time.