Introducing Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Introducing Jesus
John 6:1-14
Fitz is a radio host for ESPN.
4 years old started playing violin. Started practicing 8 hours a day.
8 years old he played. in Carnegie Hall.
He was accepted to Julliard and attended.
Stopped music to become a very successful financial advisor.
Went back to music professionally.
He decided to go country and became a fiddler- eventually as part of The Band Perry.
After traveling 300 days a year he decided he wanted to do something he loved more.
He began a sports radio show that now has been picked up by ESPN.
How does someone become the best in 3 different positions?
Out works everyone else. - He wants it bad enough to sacrifice to make it happen.
Why is Andrew known for bringing people to Jesus? It was important to him.
John 6:1-14
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.
4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”
6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,
9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
Andrew was in the inner circle of Jesus, yet not like the top three. Andrew was always named fourth after Peter, James and John. Andrew and John were the first two disciples to follow Jesus when they left the side of John the Baptist.
Andrew is known for bringing people to Jesus. His influence on individuals affected thousands. After following Jesus he quickly ran after Peter to tell him about the Messiah.
Andrew had a gift at finding the one who needed to know Jesus.
3 Reasons Andrew Led People to Jesus
1- He Valued Individuals
1- He Valued Individuals
John 6:8-9
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,
9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
He saw a boy - He didn’t see the boy was a waste a time for Jesus.
It was not enough for the whole crowd.
This didn’t stop Andrew from bringing him to Jesus.
John 1:40-42
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42 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).
Peter came to Jesus because he was valued by Andrew.
People do not accept Jesus because of a great sermon. They come to Christ because someone found them valuable. The person who made them feel valuable opened them up to the truth of the Gospel.
ILL-- Edward Kimball - The Sunday School teacher that led D.L. Moody to Christ while he was working in a shoe store.
Johnny Hunt tells this story like this..
“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.
Why would someone do something so contrary to what comes easy for them? Because the individual matters.
2- He Recognized Openness
2- He Recognized Openness
John 6:9
9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
Look at the difference between Phillip and Andrew.
John 6:7
7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
Phillip was overwhelmed by the size of the need.
Andrew saw someone willing to help.
Luke 21:1-4
1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box,
2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.
3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.
4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Faithfulness, not the gift, is what makes it significant.
God takes the small insignificant gift given in faith and multiplies its use.
Never see people as insignificant. God can use the one to influence the thousands.
example: Andrew through Peter.
3- He Demonstrated Servanthood
3- He Demonstrated Servanthood
Andrew labored quietly in humble places.
Ephesians 6:6
6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
Tradition says that Andrew took the gospel to Russia and was hung on an x-shaped cross where he suffered for two days. He preached Jesus to everyone who passed by.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
God can use you to make a difference if you just become his servant.
Luke 6:46
46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
CONCLUSION
God wants to use us to tell others about Jesus.
You do not have to preach to the millions like Billy Graham.
Start with one.
Jesus cares about you and came to change your life.
Jesus cares about you and came to change your life.
Andrew told Nathaniel, “Come and see.”