Life Work of Peter the Apostle - Lects. Author:John Thompson General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1870 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: LECTURE II. PREPARATION FOR SACRED OFFICE. HRIST'S call to Peter at the Sea of Galilee was definite and decided. He wished the fisherman to leave his worldly occupation, and prepare for the holy apostleship. Peter's compliance with the Lord's call was prompt and complete. He did not stay nor linger, like Lot's wife on the plains of Sodom, or like Lot himself, until an angel pressed him forward on the path of duty. As quickly as possible the son of Jonah forsook his earthly work, gain, companions, pleasures, prospects, -- to follow Jesus. We are told he forsook ' all;' and in this word we have special reference to his wickedness. The sins of his youth had been allforgiven, and the sinful deeds and habits of his life were honestly abandoned. Christ's immediate object in calling Peter from his nets, was to train him for preaching the Gospel. ' I will make you fishers of men.' This word was spoken to Simon, and Andrew, and James, and John. They were not yet ready for the Christian ministry, but Christ would ' make' them ready. They required training in knowledge, faith, love, devotion, before they could undertake the great work of saving souls. And the first part of Christ's dealing with Peter was to give him a course of preparation for sacred office. I. PETER LISTENS TO THE GREAT TEACHER. We cannot say much about the Lord's private intercourse with Peter and his brethren. This would lead us too far into the regions of conjecture. It is quite certain that Jesus did take sweet counsel with His disciples in the house and by the way; beside the waters of Tiberias, and far up in the mountain solitude. On ...« less