Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome

Good Morning!

I’m Pastor Wayne and I’d like to welcome you all to the gathering of Ephesus Baptist Church.

We believe we are a called people!

Called to worship and exalt our God among the nations in order that His glory may be spread over all the earth!

If you are visiting with us this morning, we want you to know that ...

At Ephesus, we are all one family giving our all to love God, love others, proclaim Jesus, and make disciples in our generation.

We have a connect card in the pew in front of you.

I invite you to take one and fill it out!

If you have prayer needs, you can let us know about those as well.

I promise, our prayer team will lift you up soon.

You can place those cards in the offering plate when it comes around.

Scripture Memory

Opening Scripture

Introduction

Think about Peter, James, John, and Andrew.

James and John.

Jesus referred to them as “the sons of thunder.”

It didn’t take much to tick them off.

Somebody didn’t want to listen to the gospel, they’d say, “Call down fire from heaven,” that will light them up.

Peter

Impetuous, hasty, bold, oftentimes proud.

Most of the times, many times, he responded without Christ’s permission.

How many of us fit into one of those two molds?

Today, we are going to begin our Who’s Your One campaign, by looking at another Biblical character, a seemingly insignificant one.

(But there is nothing insignificant in the Bible)!

He’s one that the Bible teaches touched one, but the one he touched, touched thousands, really millions.

This one is going to reveal to us,

“What’s the value of one life lived out for God’s glory?

His Name is Andrew.

What we will see in Andrew is that we’ve lost the capacity to really understand how important even those who feel they’re insignificant really are.

Join me in John 1:35-42 as we go to the infallible, inerrant, inspired, and Holy Word of God to be convicted, inspired, and instructed on the value of one life in God’s economy!

Historical Context

Peter’s brother, Andrew, is the least known of the four disciples in the inner circle.

Andrew ordinarily is left very much in the background.

We will learn, too, he was used by our Lord to touch one who touched thousands.

Homer Lindsey referred to Andrew as “the Inviter.”

We could call him “the Introducer.”

Andrew was part of a chain reaction that helped to establish the New Testament.

Peter met Jesus through the introduction of Andrew.

Peter would go on to preach the famous Pentecost sermon of Acts 2.

Through introducing Peter to Jesus, Andrew helped to provide us with two books of the New Testament, 1 and 2 Peter.

Only heaven knows the value of the life Andrew lived out in the Bible and church history.

Andrew was the first of all the disciples to be called (John 1:35-40).

His eagerness to follow Christ, combined with his zeal for introducing others to Christ, fairly represents Andrew’s character.

Let’s look briefly at Andrew’s encounter with Christ!

Briefly explain this part of the passage

Think about it: Peter, James, John and Andrew.

Certainly, Andrew was the least conspicuous.

Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot about him.

He appears in the New Testament only nine times and most references simply mention him in passing.

Andrew lived his life in the shadows of his better-known brother, Peter.

He is even mentioned in the text as Simon Peter’s brother.

However, lest we forget, Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus.

Andrew shows that he had the right heart for effective ministry in the background.

Andrew’s name means “manly.”

He was a strong fisherman.

His life proved him to be bold, decisive and deliberate.

He was driven by a hearty passion for the truth, and he was willing to subject himself to the most extreme kinds of hardship.

Andrew’s personal encounter with Jesus took place a little after Jesus’ baptism in (John 1:29-34).

Andrew and John were standing next to John the Baptist when Jesus walked by, and John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God in (John 1:36)!”

Andrew became Jesus’ first disciple.

We don’t know exactly what Jesus taught Andrew at their first encounter, but the news Andrew heard was too good to keep to himself, so he went and found the one person in the world he most loved, whom he most wanted to know Jesus, and introduced him to Jesus.

What is the value of one life?

Andrew life reveals to us the answer.

He valued Christ and valued others and in doing so, his life became extremely valuable to God’s Kingdom expansion.

This morning, I’d like to suggest three principles that guided Andrew’s life.

Three principles that made a seemingly insignificant life tremendously significant.

Three Principles to Value.

1. HE SAW THE VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.

Andrew appreciated the value of a single soul.

He was known for bringing individuals, not crowds, to Jesus.

Almost every time we see him in the gospel accounts, he is bringing someone to Jesus.

He brought Peter to Jesus: Just one

He brought the boy with his lunch to Jesus: Just one

Andrew has been referred to as the first home missionary because of the Jewish people he brought to Jesus.

He saw the value in his brother understanding who Jesus was!

Andrew was obviously excited.

He spent enough time with Jesus to believe that Jesus was “the Messiah!”

This is the first time in John’s Gospel that Jesus is connected with being the long awaited Messiah!

The very first thing Andrew did was to go find the one closest to him, his brother!

He told him about Jesus, but notice that He also brought him to Jesus in verse 42.

Andrew was the first disciple, the first witness for Christ, and therefore, the first missionary to the Jewish people.

Andrew has also been referred to as the first foreign missionary because of the Greeks he brought to Jesus in John 12:20-22.

We don’t actually know the outcome of the Greek’s encounter with Christ, but the important thing is Andrew and Philip brought them to Jesus!

Most people do not come to Christ as an immediate response to a sermon they hear in a crowded setting.

They come to Christ because of the influence of an individual.

Andrew brought one—his brother—Peter.

Peter then brought thousands.

All the fruit of Peter’s ministry is ultimately also the fruit of Andrew’s faithful individual witness.

Who’s Your One?

There’s not a person that breathes this morning that doesn’t have somebody in their life that they deeply love.

They rise above everybody else, and they say, “I’ve got to take this to them.”

They need to know the Gospel that transcends and transforms life!

Who’s Your One?

Your Mama?

Your Daddy?

Your Brother or Sister?

An Aunt or Uncle?

Maybe it’s a cousin?