Sermon Tone Analysis

(start with a blank slide)

Jesus gathered 12 disciples around him.

Some of those guys we see a lot.

Some we know very little about.

It certainly seems like there were sort of concentric rings of followers.

There is the outer circle - the guys that are merely mentioned.

This might include Thaddeus, Judas Iscariot, the other Judas, Simon the Zealot.

Then there is a middle circle - a little closer to Jesus and a bit more vocal.

This circle has guys that we hear about a bit more - people like Philip, Thomas, Nathanael/Bartholomew, Matthew/Levi

Then there was the inner circle - the four guys who are mentioned most often - these guys are with Jesus almost all the time.

These guys are closest to him.

This circle seems to include Peter, James, John and Andrew.

Of these four guys, each of them are known for things in different ways.

Peter is known for his boldness and leadership - and his foibles.

Tradition tells us he was crucified upside down in the last half of the first century.

James - was the first of the apostles to be martyred.

He and his brother John had an ambitious streak to them - wanting to be among the first in the kingdom.

John - likely wrote the gospel of John, the three letters named for him and the book of Revelation.

He was likely the longest living of the disciples.

The last of the inner circle is the man that we want to discuss today.

He seems the be the least known of the four and seems to be ok with that.

That is Andrew - Simon Peter’s brother.

We could call him - the soft-spoken evangelist.

As we reflect on Andrew’s ministry - we’re going to look at three different places in the book of John where we get to see Andrew in action.

We’ll make some observations about his outlook and how we might learn from his example.

Let’s begin in John 1.

We won’t have the scriptures on the screens.

Please use your Bibles or the pew Bibles as we skim through these passages.

We get to see first of all that...

He saw the value of individual people (John 1:40-42)

Sibling rivalries are nothing new.

They have been around as long as siblings have been there.

Even in scripture, we see the presence of rivalries -

Cain and Abel - Genesis 4 - this was a particularly deadly rivalry

Jacob and Esau - Genesis - lasted for decades

Joseph and 10 of his brothers

Absalom and Amnon - 2 Samuel -

If you have a sibling, you know that there can sometimes be bitter disagreements that are difficult to get through.

Some that may become so entrenched that it becomes a new norm.

Now, when it comes to Jesus disciples and the pairs of siblings, we don’t necessarily get a chance to see very much into the dynamic of the siblings, but when it came to Andrew and Peter - we certainly notice that any rivalry that may have been there was not enough to keep Andrew from bringing his brother to Jesus.

John 1:40–42 (ESV)

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

He brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John.

You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Andrew seemed to understand the value of what he witnessed in Jesus and knew that Peter needed to know the Messiah.

But, imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t reached Peter - recognizing that God may have used other means of getting to Peter.

Peter -

one of the foremost of the apostles

led over 3000 to Christ on Pentecost

one of the leaders of the early church

confirmed the work of the Spirit among the Gentiles

wrote 2 letters of the new testament

The family of God and the Scriptures we study would have been drastically different if Peter hadn’t come to faith - and Peter came because of his brother - Andrew.

As we’re praying this month about the “One” that God is leading us to reach with the gospel - we may feel like - this is not a big deal - but you and I never know.

We simply get the joy of being obedient.

Obedient to share the gospel in our homes - among our families - even the siblings or children with whom we have disagreements.

Obedient to witness to that neighbor, classmate, or coworker.

Obedient - even when ignoring the Spirit’s nudge would be easier.

Maybe you (like me) resemble the remark of being a soft-spoken evangelist or even a timid witness.

You’re not alone.

We are not alone.

Johnny Hunt shared the story of the man who led D.L. Moody to Christ:

“Few have ever heard of Edward Kimball.

He was a Sunday School teacher who led D.L. Moody to Christ.

Edward went to a Boston shoe store where the 18-year-old Moody was working, cornered him in the stockroom, and introduced him to Christ.

Kimball was anything but bold.

He was a timid, soft-spoken man.

He went to that shoe store frightened, trembling and unaware of whether he had the courage to confront this young man with the gospel.

Moody, on the other hand, was crude and obviously illiterate, and Kimball trembled in his boots as he recalled the incident.

Moody had begun to attend his Sunday School class.

Moody was totally untaught and ignorant about the Bible.

Kimball said, ‘I decided to speak to Moody about Christ and about his soul.

I started downtown to Holton’s shoe store.

When I was nearly there, I began to wonder whether I ought to go just then during business hours.

And I thought maybe my mission might embarrass the boy, that when I went away the other clerks might ask who I was, and when they learned might taunt Moody and ask if I was trying to make a good boy out of him.

While I was pondering over it all, I passed the store without noticing it.

Then, when I found I had gone by the door I determined to make a dash for it and have it over at once.’

Kimball found Moody in the stockroom and spoke to him with ‘limping words.’

Later, he said, ‘I never could remember what I said, ‘something about Christ and His love, that was all.’

He admitted it was a ‘weak appeal.’

But Moody, then and there, gave his heart to Christ.”

Tens of thousands testified that they came to Christ under Moody’s ministry.

Moody led C.T. Studd, the great pioneer missionary and William Chapman, who himself became a well-known evangelist, to Christ.

Moody founded the Moody Bible Institute that has trained thousands for ministry.

It all began when one was faithful to introduce another to Christ.

Who knows, maybe your one is the next D.L. Moody or Billy Graham or George Whitfield or Marilyn Laslo (who brought the gospel to Papua New Guinea).

Andrew saw the value of individual people - even if the individual was his brother - in whose shadow Andrew would remain for many years.

The shadow and the sibling relationship did not prevent him from bringing his brother to Christ.

A bit later, when some were scoffing at the cost of feeding so many people, Andrew...

He saw the potential of insignificant gifts (John 6:8-9)

Turn in your Bible’s to John 6.

This is a familiar passage, but I want you to understand Andrew’s role.

Let me back up a moment to give us a little context.

then look down in verse 5

Even though Jesus addressed the initial question to Philip, Andrew observes the potential of a small gift that might be able to make a small difference and he speaks up...

Just as there are times when we may be tempted to overlook the one person that Jesus may be calling us to reach, so too we may be tempted to feel like our gift or ability may be too small or insignificant to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

God is the God of making miraculous things happen out of insignificant things.

You may not feel like you have gifts of teaching or musical abilities or leadership skills, but God has given you gifts and abilities that he can do profound things with, if you’ll let Him.