The Power of an Ordinary Life

This morning lets talk about Andrew the disciple of Christ. Andrew was Peter’s brother, Peter gets most of the attention. But the type of people these brothers are, are quite different. Peter is seen now and then. Andrew is seen every day. They type of person Andrew represents is an everyday kind of person. The grocer, the postal worker, mechanic, farmer, police officer or firefighter. Every church, school or community organization has its leaders, but behind the scenes there are those who do much of the work and never get the credit. Andrew was one of those ordinary men.

Let’s talk about Andrew. He lived in Bethsaida of Galilee according to John 1:44, where he worked as a fisherman. He was mending nets when Jesus called (Mark 1:16-18). Andrew had heard of the preaching of John the Baptist, so and John went to see him. As John pointed to Jesus saying “Behold the Lamb of God”.

It is a great hour in any person’s life when he or she comes to Christ. Salvation is life’s greatest discovery, wouldn’t you agree?

In the early church Andrew was frequently known by the title protokletos which literally means “first called”. Andrew was just an ordinary man, but think about what he did for His Lord.

John 1:35–42 NIV

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Prayer - Word of God speak pour forth like rain

The Will to Serve

Talking to friends about God is hard at timess. But talking to family members is even harder. We want to see our family know God as Lord and savior but sharing these feelings is often the cause of heavy tension in families. For Andrew He brought in members of His family.

John 1:41 NLT

Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

Andrew went looking for his brother Simon. I think maybe Simon Peter was out somewhere on the lake in a boat. Ansrew, having made a great discovery, he could not wait to share the good news with his brother. Great emotion swept over his soul. He could not keep it to himself. Andrew cupped his hands to his mouth and called “Simon! We have found the Messiah!”

Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.

Oh how I wish I could do the same for my family members. I long for the day to come when I see my loved ones come to know Jesus as I do.

What a brother Peter was. He became the most important of the apostles, a towering personality and a natural born leader.

But think of this there would have been no eloquent Peter at Pentecost had there been no humble Andrew in Bethsaida.

We think in order to be used of God we need to be on talent overload, have elaboate speeches or spotless conditioning. But my friend all you need is a willingness to serve.

Andrew was that. Are you willing to serve?

Someone has said “It often takes more courage to tell your own brother than it does to a man over in China”.

It takes more genuine willingness to witness before your own family than it does to strangers.

Family members react differently to someone they know well like other family members don’t they. They may laugh and smirk you are telling me about Jesus.

Peter may have said to Andrew “Remember the time you became angry and cursed like a sailor? Remember the Saturaday night you drank too much? Remember that man you have a grudge against? And you’re telling me of Christ?

But Peter could not say that. Andrew lived an exemplary life.

You cannot be an influence for Christ if your life is not fit.

Andrew probably never preached a sermon but I do believe we can say he lived a better sermon than most preachers will ever preach.

Andrew never wrote an epistle, but was a living epistle.

Andrew never performed a miracle, but his life was a miracle of God. We need more Andrews who live their faith each day and are concerned with members of thir own family.

At Dwight Moody’s funeral his oldest son stood and said “Dwight Moody won each of his own children to Jesus Chris”.

That was probably the greatest accomplishment in the life of the famous evangelist.

Would your family members want to follow the God you serve by how you live your life?

Would they want what you have?

The Will to Search

The next picture we see of Andrew is down by the seashore. Many people had been following Christ. People simply forgot what time it was as they listened to him speak. It was now late afternoon and the people were still hanging onto every word.

The babies and children started to get upset, they were tired and hungry. Food could not be obtained for at least 3-4 hours. Children would suffer and others would faint. Jesus asked about good and Andrew answered because he had be willing to search out a solution.

He said to Jesus there is a boy here who has food: 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish.

John 6:9 NLT

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

Now the most important one in the crowd was the boy, but Andrew had brought him. Had there been no Andrew, there would have been no boy with the lunch.

Do we recognize the importance of leading and developing our young children?

We have said that they are the church or tomorrow but they are the church of today. They should not have to wait to be used and to lead, they have so much potential to offer. Many of our youth could help us tap into using the gifts of the spirit in our church because they have learned how to operate in these gifts at rallies, camps and conventions. Are they welcome to speak out and share this at home?

There have been revival reports where a 70 year old man and a 11 year old boy came to Christ. Everyone wept at the coming of the man and no one seemed to pay much attention to the boy.

We must set a good example if we expect young people to trust us.

In our passage of scripture we see that the boy had confidence in Andrew. You cannot fool young people. They know whether your religion is genuine. When young people believe in a person it is usually a good test of that person’s character.

“Neglect the child and you spoil the future, recognize the child and you determine the future”.

At this church what is our focus?

Do you believe that children and youth can be used by God to lead the church?

Do you believe that they have a place here?

Andrew was the ordinary man behind the scenes.

Behind Charles Spurgeon was an unknown layman.

Behind William Carey was an unknown preacher.

Behind Dwight Moody was a humble Sunday School Teacher.

Who can estimate the power of ordinary people dedicated to God’s service?

The Will to Receive

Some Greeks came to the Feast of the Passover. Everywhere they heard wonderful reports about Jesus of Nazareth and wanted to meet Him. These worshipers looked for help from Philip.

“Sir,” they said “we would like to see Jesus”. Philip introduced Andrew and together they brought the Greeks to Jesus.

Philip did not take them to Peter. He might have said what are you doing you know Jesus came for the children of Israel.

But he brought them to Andrew and Andrew brought them to Jesus. Jesus was stirred with joy as he saw the Greeks coming. He saw a vision of the future when all the races would come to Him. He saw Peter at Pentecost, Paul at Antioch, and Philip witnessing to a man from Ethiopia. He saw Livingstone in Africa, Morrison in China, Judson in Burma and said:

John 12:32 NIV

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Each time we see Andrew in the New Testament, he is introducing someone to Jesus.

That is the reason throughout the world there are “Andrew clubs” composed of men and women who want to win others to Christ. The church needs more Andrews.

Andrew was an ordinary man with extraordinary qualities.

Andrew was great in humility. He did not care who got the credit as long as the work was done. You have known sour saints who became cynical and surly because someone else got the credit. They bitterly resented to the fact that another led the parade.

Second fiddle is the most difficult part to play in orchestra of life.

Andrew was greatly overshadowed by his brother, but never did he show any hint of jealousy or antagonism. This is a quality of a great person. He was a selfless soul concerned only with service.

Andrew was great in personal friendships. He had genius for reaching out to others. People are brought to Christ on the vehicle of friendship.

Andrew kept pointing people to Christ. This kind of evangelism - friend to friend, person to person - is the ultimate source of strength and growth for the church.

Conclusion:

Andrew took the gospel to Russia, Greece, Asia Minor, and Turkey. He lived to an old age and died a martyr’s death but he died telling others of Christ.

It was in Greece, in the town of Pastras, that Andrew died a martyr. When Andrew came to the town, Maximillia, the wife of the governor, was at the point of death. Because of Andrew’s ministry to the family in the time of crisis, the governor’s wife and brother became Christians, but the governor remained hostile to the Christian faith.

The governor was so enraged by the conversion of his wife and brother that he arrested Andrew. Later Andrew was condemned to death. To prolong the angony, he was not nailed - only bound - to the cross to die of hunger, thirst and exposure.

When faced with the cross Andrew prayed. A portion of his prayer was as follows:

“Hail precious cross, thou has been consecrated by the body of my Lord. I have ardently loved thee. Receive me into thy arms; and present me to my master that he who redeems me on thee may receive me by thee”.

An ordinary life was extraordinarily powerful when lived in the spirit of the cross.