Be an Andrew

Pastor Rod Thompson

Midland SDA Church

September 16, 2017

I would like to start off this morning by asking you a question.  If you could be like anyone in the bible who would you want to be like?  And you can’t say Jesus because you can’t be God.  Who would you want to be like?  Moses, Abraham, Paul, Peter, Mary, Ruth, Esther Who would you want to be like?

When Sabrina and I interviewed with the Monroe and Tecumseh churches one of the elders asked me a very similar question.

Who do you most identify with in the bible or who would you most like to emulate, other than Jesus and why?  Without hesitation I said John the Baptist.  And there are two reasons that I identify with him and want to be like him.  First of all because John was a powerful preacher who was not swayed by authority.  You’ll remember when the Pharisees came to the Jordon and saw John baptizing others he said to them you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath.  So first of all I want to be like John because he was never afraid to speak the truth.  And second, I want to be like John because he knew his place in the kingdom of God and had great humility.  You’ll remember when his disciples came to him and complained that Jesus was baptizing more than they were.  And do you remember what John said, he said, He must increase I must decrease.  Jesus Himself called John the greatest prophet ever.  Why because he was bold and spoke the truth without apologizing for it and because he was a very humble in the sight of the Lord.  So yes I want to be like John the Baptist.

This morning I want you to present to you the life of one man in the bible who seems not to have had many talents.  In fact, I doubt he thought he had any talents, and, to be truthful, I can see only one talent.  But oh what a talent!  It is a talent that you too possess, whether you realize it or not.

Very little is known of this man from the scriptures though he was one of the original 12 disciples.  At every turn he seems to have been overshadowed by his more outgoing and multitalented brother.  Anybody know who I’m talking about?  It’s Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. – A one talent man

Andrew,  like his more famous brother, Peter, was a fisherman from Capernaum in Galilee.  But he must have taken some time off from the fishing business from time to time to pursue his interest in spiritual matters.  Because, when we first meet Andrew in the bible, he is already a disciple of John the Baptist.  Andrew is standing there one day when John points to Jesus passing by and says, “behold the Lamb of God.”  Andrew was so interested, so intrigued by this title that he follows Jesus to find out more about Him. 

Read John 1: 35 – 40

Andrew spent the day with Jesus.  Can you imagine that?  I wonder what they talked about.  I can’t help but think that it must have been impressive.  This was no ordinary day.  In fact years later when John wrote his gospel he even remembered the very hour that it took place.  “It was about the 10^th hour.”  Or about 4pm by our method of counting time.    It was an hour of decision, an hour of opportunity, and an hour that would change his life forever.   Whatever it was that was said Andrew came away with the conviction that he had found the Messiah he had been looking for. 

And I want you to notice that because of that conviction on the part of Andrew, every time we meet him in scriptures he is bringing someone to meet his Messiah.  That is Andrew’s one talent, and that is the talent within the ability of everyone present today – we all have the ability to introduce people to Jesus. 

First , I want you to notice that Andrew brought himself to Jesus, and as a result he became one of the first disciples.  You know, Jesus personally called some to be His disciples.  Matthew the tax collector was sitting in his booth one day when Jesus walked up and said, follow me.  And Matthew got up, left everything and followed Him.  (Mt 9:9, Lk 5: 27-28).

Others were brought to Jesus by someone else.  Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree one day when Philip came to him and said, “we have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph… come and see.  (Jn 1: 45-46).  But all John the Baptist had to do was point Jesus out, and Andrew had to find out for himself. 

Brothers and sisters, be an Andrew – bring yourself to Jesus

Andrew has always played second fiddle to his brother Simon.  But perhaps for the first time in his life he is first.  He has found the Messiah.  In situations where one brother overshadows another, it is common to find resentment, sibling rivalries and estrangement.  He could have been bitter, he could have been proud or arrogant.  He could have said to himself I finally got one up on my brother.  He could have left Peter to find the Messiah on his own.   But in Andrew’s case there is no evidence that he begrudges his brothers dominance.

Read John 1:41-42

So what does he do?  After bringing himself to Jesus Andrew could only think of one thing – his brother Peter. 

He goes to his brother and tells him, we have found the Christ.  And notice what he does next.  He brings his brother to Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, be an Andrew – bring yourself to Jesus, bring your family to Jesus.  

You know, Andrew, Peter, and some others accompanied Jesus periodically for some time before Jesus called them to permanently leave their fishing nets to follow Him.  Shortly afterward both Peter and Andrew were named among the 12 who were to become apostles.  But from this time on in the scriptures, his more talented brother, Peter, outshines Andrew.  Although Andrew first followed Jesus, and introduced Peter to Him, Peter is always named first in the list of Apostles.  Andrew is second and sometimes fourth.  Andrew is mentioned only 14 times in the entire New Testament ( four of these he is simply listed among the 12).  But Peter is named 176 times. 

Peter and Andrew together with james and John operated a fishing business.  But it was Peter, James and John without Andrew who made up the “inner circle” of disciples whho were closest to Jesus – accompanying Him up to the Mount of Transfiguration and further into the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus went to pray. 

And more than once the Bible refers to Andrew as “Simon Peter’s brother.”  Notice verse 40 of John Chapter 1 for example, where Andrew is called Simon Peter’s brother even before we are told who Simon Peter is. 

Simon Peter’s brother Don’t you suppose that was the story of Andrew’s life?  I imagine that

in school – Peter always had the answers

In Sports – Peter was the star who always got chosen first

In romance – Peter attracted the girls

In business – Peter called the shots

But with Andrew it was always. “Oh yeah, your Simon Peter’s brother aren’t you.  How many of you can identify with that?  Many have older siblings who have been ahead of them in school.  If they were very smart or to the other extreme the teacher usually says something like, “oh your so and so’s brother or sister.” And they expect the same from you. 

I have a brother who is 6 years older than me.  And everywhere we went I was known as Randy’s little brother.  I hated that.  Not that I had anything against my brother, I just wanted to be known for who I was, not who he was. 

Can you imagine how Andrew felt having a brother like Simon Peter.?  And now Andrew discovers Jesus Christ.  For once, Andrew can be first!  For once Andrew can be the star!  Why Andrew didn’t even have to tell Peter about Jesus.  Let Peter find out for himself.  But he did tell Peter, and that’s the point here. 

Andrew didn’t have a lot of talents, but he knew that Peter did.  Jesus could sure use a man like Peter.  So Peter must meet Jesus. 

Andrew wasn’t sour or bitter, he just did the one thing he could do – He brought his brother to Jesus.  And you know something, without Andrew there might never have been an Apostle Peter. 

We need more Andrews in the church today!

In the book “13 men who changed the world,” it says this concerning the Andrews of this world.  “They are not those who get the notice, the publicity, the highlights, and the praise.  They are not the stars, but the extras.  They are not the quarterbacks, but the lineman.  They are always taken for granted.  Now I remember you, you are Simon Peter’s brother.  They play second fiddle.  They are ordinary men, But without them nothing can be accomplished.  One talent men … not five, not ten, only one.  But that talent is given to Christ, and not kept for oneself.  We remember the Peters, but we forget the Andrews.  They write no stirring epistles.  They preach no great sermons.  They do not win 3000 with one message.  They work no miracles.  But they bring the Peters who write the epistles, who preach the sermons, who win 3000, who work the miracles in men.”

Charles Spurgeon was a great and famous preacher of a past generation  whose name is recognized by many still today.  C. H Spurgeon is responsible for the conversion of hundreds, perhaps thousands to Christ.  But did you know it was a substitute, fill in preacher who introduced Spurgeon to Christ?  No one remembers his name, but without his faithful witness scores of others might never have come to Christ. 

Andrew brought himself to Jesus, He brought his brother Peter to Jesus.   Be an Andrew!

The next time we meet Andrew in the scriptures is in John 6.  We read a little bit of this story in our scripture reading.  Let’s pick up where we left off.

Read John 6: 5-9

As we look at this story we see that on this occasion Andrew brought the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus.  You may remember that on one occasion (Mt 19:13, Mk 10:13, Lk 18:15) the disciples rebuked the people for bringing their children to Jesus.  But Andrew was different.  Andrew took the time to be concerned about just one, and brought him to Jesus. 

Who do you know that has been overlooked, snubbed, or even shunned by the rest of the world?  Shouldn’t they be introduced to Jesus? 

Someone might say, well, yes Jesus brought the boy to Jesus, but that was only because he needed the boy’s lunch to feed the 5000.

Well, that’s another important aspect of Andrews’s faith.  You see Andrew was no dummy.  He knew 5 biscuits (for that is what they really were) and 2 fish weren’t enough to feed all those people, the same as Philip and all the other disciples knew.  But while Philip focused on what he lacked, Andrew brought what little he had to be blessed and multiplied by Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t ask more of us then we are capable of giving or doing.  He only asks us for what we have, what we know, and what we can do.  Then He blesses it, multiplies it and uses it for His glory. 

Once again we see Andrew doing what he does best.  Brothers and sisters be an Andrew, bring yourself to Jesus, bring your family to Jesus, and bring a child to Jesus.

There is an old hymn – “Little is much when God is in it.”  In the harvest field now ripened there’s a work for all to do.  Hark! The voice of god is calling, to the harvest calling you.  Little is much when god is in it, labor not for wealth or fame.  There’s a crown, and you can win it, if you go in Jesus’ name.

The last time that we read about Andrew other than his name being listed among the apostles in Acts 1:13 is in John 12.  Here we see Andrew bringing some Greeks to Jesus.

Read John 12: 20-22

I don’t know why these Greeks wanted to see Jesus.  The text doesn’t say.  Maybe they had a request or maybe they were just curious.  But either way, Greeks were outsiders to the Jewish mind.  They were heathen, unclean, and a man could become defiled just being in their presence.  These men knew the Jews felt that way about them, so they decided their best chance of obtaining an audience with Jesus was to approach Philip.  The only apostle with a Greek name. 

But Philip didn’t know what to do, so he sought some advice.  And it’s noteworthy, I think, of whom he sought that advice – He sought out Andrew.  He knew better then to ask James and John.  A short time earlier they were ready to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village – and Samaritans were half Jew.  He knew better than to ask Peter.  Peter continued having trouble with the gentiles clear up to the time of Cornelius in Acts 10

But when Philip consulted Andrew, he knew just what to do.  Without hesitation Andrew did what he always does – brought them to Jesus. 

In nearly every incident in which he is specifically mentioned, Andrew is bringing someone to Jesus.  That was his one ability.  That was his talent

He brought himself to Jesus

He brought his brother to Jesus

He brought a young boy to Jesus

He brought some gentiles to Jesus

Andrew evidently considered it a privilege to be a follower of Jesus and a gift from god to be shared with others.  He is a good example of a basic principle of Christianity – that everyone who comes to Jesus should bring others.  Perhaps you can’t preach, or sing, or teach, or play a musical instrument; but you can speak a word about Jesus to a friend or neighbor.  You may not be able to do everything but you can do something.

Poem (Something you can do)

Hark the voice of Jesus calling.  Who will go and work today?   Fields are white and harvests waiting.  Who will bear the sheaves away?

Long and loud the Master calleth, rich reward he offers free; who will answer gladly saying, Here I am, send me, send me.

If you cannot cross the ocean and the heathen lands explore.  You can find the heathen nearer, you can help them at your door.

If you cannot give your thousands, you can give the widow’s mite; And the least you give for Jesus will be precious in His sight

If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul. You can tell the love of Jesus, you can say He died for all

If you cannot rouse the wicked with the judgments dread alarms, you can lead the little children to the savior’s waiting arms.

Let none hear you idly say, there is nothing I can do, while the sons of men are dying, and the master calls for you.

Take the task he gives you gladly, let His work your pleasure be; Answer quickly, when He calleth, Here am I. send me, send me

Unlock Revelation ( Operation Andrew cards)  today I want to encourage you to be an Andrew

Although the Bible says nothing further about Andrew, there is a tradition about his death.  The story goes like this.  He was somewhere up around Greece where he led a Prominent  Roman’s  wife to Christ.  He tried to get his wife to recant and when she wouldn’t he ordered that Andrew be crucified.  But apparently he wanted him to suffer longer so he had him scouraged and tied to an X shaped cross.  Apparently being tied there would make the death prolonged.  He hung there fro 2-3 days before he died.  But all the while he preached the gospel to the passers by.  He never stopped trying to bring people to Jesus.

Andrew brought himself to Jesus, his brother, a small boy, gentiles

Is there anyone here besides me that wants to be an Andrew.  Are you willing to invite someone to church ( Unlock Revelation)?  Is that the desire of your heart?  Stand with me know.