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20121210 Apostles preached the Gospel 宗徒們宣講福音

The Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke, the author of the third Gospel. The book describes the development of the early Church focusing on the missionary works of the two most prominent apostles—St. Peter and St. Paul.
Authority of Peter
St. Peter received his authority as head of the apostles from Christ. After his resurrection, Christ told Peter to feed his lambs and to tend his sheep (John 21:15-17).
The authority of Peter became apparent in the early Church when he presided over the selection of Matthias to replace Judas. On Pentecost Sunday, Peter delivered a powerful sermon which resulted in the baptism of three thousand people.
In the name of Jesus, Peter cured a crippled beggar at one of the gates of the temple. The words of Peter after the cure convinced many more to become believers.
Peter and John were told by Jewish authority not to preach about Christ again, but they told them that they could not stop proclaiming what they had seen and heard, and that obedience to God came before obedience to men. So, Peter and the other apostles continued to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Church is “catholic” because both Jews and Gentiles were called to it. The Roman centurion Cornelius was told by an angel to summon Simon Peter to his house. Peter also received revelation from God that he should not hesitate to go to Cornelius’ house.
While Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit came upon the listeners. And Peter ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter received Gentiles into the Christian community.
Herod Agrippa started a persecution of the Church in Jerusalem. He had James the apostle killed by the sword and had Peter arrested. The faithful were praying ceaselessly for Peter. On the night before his trial, Peter was led out of prison by an angel. Not long after this, Herod was afflicted with a most loathsome disease, and he died in the most terrible torments.
Around the year 50 A.D., a Council was held in Jerusalem. It was presided by Peter. The Council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Mosaic law, including the rules concerning circumcision of males.
Paul, the missioner
Paul was a persecutor converted into an apostle. The conversion of Paul was a classic example of the operation of actual grace. By cooperating with actual grace, Paul received sanctifying grace and was baptized by Ananias.
Paul was ordained a bishop by the chief men among the Christians of Antioch. Barnabas accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey. During this journey, Paul proved the truth of his teaching by striking a magician blind in Cyprus. In Asia Minor, Paul turned to the Gentiles after the Jews refused to listen to him. Paul was opposed by the Jews, but a number of the Gentiles were converted through his preaching.
In his second missionary journey, Paul was accompanied by Silas, Luke, and Timothy. Paul was put into prison in Philippi, but an earthquake shook the prison at night, and the jailor was converted by Paul. In Athens, Paul saw an altar dedicated to the “unknown God”, and he took the occasion to preach to the people.
In his third missionary journey Paul made many converts and performed many signs in Ephesus. A silversmith opposed Paul and incited a riot against him. In Troas, Pau raised a young man to life.
Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and brought to Rome, where he and Peter died as martyrs.

聖史路加除寫了「福音」外,亦寫了「宗徒大事錄」,記載初期教會的發展,詳敘兩位重要宗徒 —— 聖伯多祿和聖保祿 —— 的傳教工作。
伯多祿的權位
伯多祿從基督手中,接受了宗徒之長及教會完首的權柄。基督復活後,曾特別委任伯多祿「牧放」和「餵養」祂的羊群(若望福音21:15-17)。
在選拔瑪弟亞取代茹達斯為宗徒之時,伯多祿被視為宗徒之首顯然易見;而確實,在五旬節日,伯多祿是首位現身講道的宗徒,當時感化了三千人。
在聖殿門外,伯多祿以耶穌之名,治好了一位不良於行的乞丐,當時亦使很多人皈依聖教。
猶太掌權者不許伯多祿和若望,繼續宣揚基督,但他們堅持要宣講所見所聞,並認定這是天主的吩咐,他們不會聽命於人的反對;於是,伯多祿和其他宗徒繼續宣講耶穌基督的福音。
聖教會是「大公」的教會,猶太人和異族同樣被召叫參與,正如羅馬百夫長科爾乃略被天使指示,邀請伯多祿到他的家講道,而伯多祿同時亦受聖神啟示,幫助科爾乃略皈化。
伯多祿向科爾乃略和他的家眷講道,聖神降臨慕道者;最後,伯多祿吩咐給他們付洗,把外邦人迎入天主的教會。
黑落德阿格黎帕迫害教會,先把長雅各伯用劍殺害,再把伯多祿投在獄中,嚴加看守。教會眾人殷切徹夜為伯多祿祈禱,伯多祿受審前的一夜,天主的天神把他領出牢獄,而黑落德不久以後卻染上急病,一命嗚呼!
大約公元五十年,教會在耶路撒冷舉行會議,在伯多祿的致力下,認同皈化聖教的外邦人,不需墨守梅瑟法律,也不需接受割損禮。
保祿使徒
保祿由一位迫害教會的人,轉化成基督的使徒;天主的寵祐,在他的歸化中顯露無遺;而保祿善與寵祐合作,領受了的天主寵愛,並從阿納尼雅手中受洗皈依。
保祿從安提約基雅的教會首長中,領受主教牧職,巴爾納伯曾在他第一次傳教旅程中伴隨他。保祿為證真道,在塞浦路斯使一名術士失去視力;在小亞細亞,保祿的宣講不為猶太同胞接納,他因而轉向外邦人並感化了很多人。
保祿第二次傳教旅程,得息拉、路加和弟茂德陪伴在側。在斐理伯城,保祿曾被囚禁,一次晚上的地震,保祿使獄卒皈化。在雅典,保祿見到一座祭祀不知名神的祭壇,便以此為題而向眾人講道。
第三次傳教旅程中,保祿在厄弗所的宣講使很多人皈化,他也行了很多奇蹟;不過,保祿的傳教工作,也遇到阻撓,一個銀匠發起了暴亂來反對他。在特洛阿,保祿復活了一位年青人。
最後,保祿在耶路撒冷被捕,押解到羅馬,後來在那裹和伯多祿為主捨生。