Urantia Book 120. The Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua bin Joseph, Yeshua, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of Nebadon. On Sunday, April 22, Jesus assembled his apostles and they knelt in a circle around him. It was his 14th morontia appearance. He reenacted the ordination scene, but the Master’s prayer was different. Now he prayed in tones of majesty and with words of power such as the apostles had never heard. Jesus now spoke with the rulers of the universes as one who, in his own universe, had had all power and authority committed to his hand. After he took an affectionate farewell to them, he vanished. He disappeared for a full weak. He was conducting business with the morantia creatures on the earth and transitioning from one level to the next. People all over Galilee were hearing about the resurrection of Jesus and coming to see for themselves. So, Peter sent out word that a public meeting would be held on the next Sabbath at 3 pm. Accordingly, more than 500 people gathered on Saturday, April 29, to hear Peter give his first public sermon since the resurrection. Peter was at his best, and when he was finished, few people doubted that Jesus had risen from the grave. Peter ended his sermon, saying: “We affirm that Jesus of Nazareth is not dead; we declare that he has risen from the tomb; we proclaim that we have seen him and talked to him.” Just as he finished making this declaration of faith, there by his side, in full view of all those people, the Master appeared in morontia form and, speaking to them in familiar accents, said: “Peace be upon you, and my peace I leave with you.” And then he vanished, having made his fifteenth appearance in front of over 500 people. Early next day the apostles left Bethsaida for Jerusalem. They did much preaching and teaching on their way, so they arrived late on Wednesday, May 3. They made the Marks’ Upper Room their HQ while they awaited developments. On Thursday night the apostles had a wonderful meeting, and all pledged themselves to go forth in the public preaching of the new gospel of the risen Lord except Thomas, Simon Zelotes, and the Alpheus twins. Already they had begun the first steps of changing the gospel of the kingdom–sonship with God and brotherhood with man– into the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus. Nathaniel opposed this shift in the burden of their public message, but he could not withstand Peter’s eloquence, neither could he overcome the enthusiasm of the apostles, especially the women believers. And so, under the vigorous leadership of Peter and before the Master ascended to the Father, his well-meaning representatives began that subtle process of gradually and certainly changing the religion OF Jesus into a new and modified form of religion ABOUT Jesus…… The sixteenth appearance occurred in the courtyard of Nicodemus. It was about 9 pm and those assembled there were the apostles, the women’s corps and their associates, about 50 other leading disciples, including a number of the Greeks. As soon as he appeared, the Master began to instruct them, saying: “Peace be upon you. Witness that I told you beforehand that my presence among you must come to an end; I told you I must return to the Father. And I plainly warned you that the rulers of the Jews would put me to death, and then I would rise from the grave. Why were you so surprised when you heard that I was risen from the grave? You failed to believe my because you heard my words without understanding their meaning. Now, don’t make the mistake again of hearing my words, but not understanding them. Remember that your mission among humans is to preach the gospel of the kingdom–the reality of the Fatherhood of God and the truth of the children of God. Go forth preaching the love of God and the service of all brothers and sisters. Love all people as I have loved you; serve your fellow mortals as I have served you. Freely you have received, freely give. Stay in Jerusalem until I go to the Father, and then I will send the Spirit of Truth. He shall lead you into the enlarged truth, and I will go with you into all the world. I am with you always, and my peace I leave with you”(192-193).