SundayJanuary 18, 2008 Phone: 570.829.5216
Pastor David Miklas e-mail
Message #6 Twelve Chosen Men Text: Matthew 10:1-8
“Andrew, a Man’s Man”
John 1:40-42. 6:8-9; 12:20-22
Introduction: As we continue to look at Matthew 10:1-4, we find ourselves getting acquainted with the Apostles of our Lord. Please notice again as we read this passage, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (2) Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; (3) Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; (4) Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.” The list of the Apostles in verses 2-4 starts out, “...The first, Simon, who is called Peter...” The word “first,” in verse 2 is the Greek word meaning “foremost one,” “primary one,” or “chief one.” Peter was the leader, the out-front, up-front man. However, Peter was not the first one converted or called. According to John 1:35-40, John and Andrew had that privilege.
Now we are going to meet the second Apostle on the list, Andrew. Andrew was a part of the most intimate circle of men closest to the Lord. His name means “manly;” he was a man’s man as well as God’s man.
He is mentioned in only twelve verses in the New Testament.
He wrote no books, like Peter, Paul or John.
We read of no sermons Andrew preached.
We only have a few statements he made, but what a tremendous man of God he was!
Andrew was Peter’s brother. He too was a native of Bethsaida, a little village in Galilee; and like his brother, Andrew was a fisherman. In fact, as recorded in Matthew 4:18-20, he was down at the sea fishing with Peter when Jesus came to them. “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets and followed him.” They had already met Jesus, believed in Him, and affirmed Him as the Messiah; but they went back to their fishing. Here in Matthew 4, the Lord appeared to them again and called them to permanently follow Him.
Using scripture as our guide, let us review what is known about Andrew:
First: Andrew’s PROCLAMATION about Jesus: Prior to following Jesus, Andrew had been a pious, godly, God-fearing Jew. He had also been a disciple of John the Baptist. In fact, it was John the Baptist who said to Andrew and John in John 1:35-36, “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; (36) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!” When they heard that, they immediately followed after Jesus. In John 1:38-39 we read, “Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? (39) He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. (40) One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.” After spending that day with Jesus, Andrew went and found his brother, Peter; and the first words from his mouth were the proclamation found in verse 41, “We have found the Messiah...” Andrew immediately wanted to share the Messiah with his brother. What a challenge to all of us, and especially to new Christians. God expects us to let our light shine the moment we are saved.
Second: Andrew’s POSITION among the Apostles: From the very beginning, Andrew was a part of the “intimate four.” However, it is interesting to note that there seems to be an inner circle within the first group. The Gospels, on numerous occasions, make reference to Peter, James, and John together. But, only once in Mark 13:3 is Andrew mentioned along with these three, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,..” He was in the most intimate group but he never quite cracked the inner circle. Nevertheless, he was greatly respected and considered to be intimate with Jesus.
Third: Andrew’s PORTRAIT in the Gospel of John: Andrew isn’t mentioned in any detail at all in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, or Luke. But in the Gospel of John, Andrew emerges from the background. It is here that he is characterized as the one who was always bringing people to be introduced to Jesus. There are three chapters, all in the Gospel of John, that mention him.
In John chapter 1, he brings Simon Peter, his brother, to Jesus.
In John chapter 6, Andrew brings a little boy and his lunch to Jesus resulting in the miracle of feeding 5000.
In John 12, he introduces the seeking Grecians who said, “Sirs, we would see Jesus.”
I believe that Andrew’s portrait gives us a true picture of Christianity. As it is set forth in the Bible, the true picture of Christianity is not only that of a saved person, but also a serving person. Allow me to add detail to the portrait of Andrew by calling attention to his incidental circumstances and his identified characteristics.
Andrew’s INCIDENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES often created opportunities for him to bring people to Jesus.
1. In John 1:40-42 we read, “One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. (41) He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. (42) And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.” Andrew recognized Jesus as the Messiah, found his brother and invited him to meet Jesus. It was that simple. Let me say this for your encouragement. You don’t have to be a theologian to win people to the Lord. Proof of this statement is found in the account of the maniac of Gadara in Mark 9. He was a raving man. Chains could not bind him. Society could not change him. But one day he was seen sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. Jesus said to him, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee...” And he did. It was that simple.
Do you want to win somebody to Christ? Then tell them what great things the Lord has done for you. Andrew simply said, “Peter, we have found the Messiah...” Folks, make no mistake about it. The heart of God’s plan is seeing people get saved. A church that is interested in and participating in soul winning is a New Testament church which receives the blessings of God. Remember our Lord’s last command to the church found in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”Andrew is characterized as the disciple who was always bringing people to Jesus.
2. In John 6:8-13we discover Andrew for the second time. Jesus had been teaching a vast multitude of people late into the day, and they had begun to get hungry. There wasn’t enough food to feed the crowd, but Andrew found a little boy with FIVE barley crackers and TWO pickled fish and brought him to Jesus. “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, (9) There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? (10) And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (11) And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. (12) When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. (13) Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”Andrew is characterized as the one who was always bringing people to Jesus.
3. In John 12:20-22 we read, “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: (21) The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. (22) Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.” This is the third time we meet Andrew. Philip had been approached by some Greeks who wanted to see Jesus, so Philip took them to Andrew, who in turn, took them to Jesus. Why did Philip go to Andrew? Because Philip must have thought, “If you want to get to Jesus, all you have to do is get to Andrew.”
Andrew was always involved in bringing people to Jesus. He must have understood Jesus well enough to know that there wasn’t anybody He didn’t want to see, anything He couldn’t respond to, or any problem He couldn’t solve. As far as Andrew was concerned, Jesus was the number one “go to” guy And therefore, Andrew is characterized as the one who was always bringing people to Jesus.
Additionally, to complete the portrait of Andrew, we must observe his easily IDENTIFIED Characteristics:
1. His FAITH:
a. He was sure of his own salvation. Again in John 1:41 we read, “We HAVE found the Messiah...” There was absolutely no doubt in Andrew’s mind about his salvation.
b. He appeared to have a simple faith. I don’t know what he was thinking when he brought those 5 crackers and 2 fish to Jesus to feed such a huge crowd. He must have been running around looking for some food, any food. But he must have had tremendous faith to believe that the Lord was able to do so much with so little. After all, he had seen Jesus make water into wine, why couldn’t He make food?
2. His ABILITY TO WIN SOULS:
a. He went first to his loved ones, John 1:41, “He FIRST findedth his own brother.”
b. He went after a difficult case. Simon Peter was loud, outspoken, and perhaps to many, a rather difficult case. However, often times the most difficult people are open to the gospel, and then become strong Christians.
c. He brought people to Jesus. His chief aim was to bring people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...”
d. He was friendly in his approach. When the hungry multitudes in John 6 had nothing to eat, it was Andrew who said, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes.”How did Andrew know about the lad? I believe he took the time to get acquainted with him, talk with him and befriend him. The successful soul winner first wins people to himself, then to Christ.
3. His HUMILITY:
Andrew probably spent his whole life being known as “Simon’s brother” or later on, “Simon Peter’s brother.” You will again notice in the list of the apostles that Peter’s name always appears first. But really it was Andrew who found Christ first, and then he brought his brother, Peter, to Christ. There might have been a temptation to say, “Boy, I’m not telling Peter. This is my chance to be somebody!” But no, he immediately ran to tell Peter that he found the Messiah, knowing full well that as soon as Peter entered the group, he would take-over and lead the group.Why?Because that was Peter’s personality!
But Andrew thought more of the WORK that had to be done than WHO was in charge.
He thought more of the CAUSE of the eternal soul, then he did of his PERSONAL FEELINGS.
Had it not been for Andrew BEHIND THE SCENES, there might never have been an Apostle Peter.
Andrew was willing to play “second-fiddle” but remember “second-fiddle” does not mean a lower position in God’s sight. Let me tell a story:
There was a king who had a beautiful garden with all kinds of plants, trees and flowers. One day while walking through the garden, the king said to the pine tree, “Pine tree, why are you so sad today?” The pine tree answered, “Because I don’t have large limbs like the big oak.”
He walked by the big oak and said, “Big oak, why are you so sad today?” The oak replied, “Because I don’t have shiny needles like the pine.”
It seemed that all the trees and plants he spoke to were unhappy because they were not like another tree or plant.Until he came to the daisy andthe little daisy lifted up its head and smiled. The king asked, “Little daisy, why are you so happy?” To which the little daisy replied, “Because when you put me here, I figured you wanted a little daisy just like me, so I am going to be the best daisy I can.”
It’s sad to say, but there are some people who won’t play in the band unless they can play the first string or beat the big drum. James and John as we shall see had a problem of that nature, but not Andrew. “Folks, the instrument that needs to be played most in the church is second-fiddle.”
Andrew is the picture of all those who labor quietly in humble places; not with eye service as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. Andrew is not a pillar like Peter, James, and John, he is a more humble stone.
He is one of those rare people willing to take second place and to be in the place of support.
He is one of those people who do not mind being hidden as long as the work is done.
Andrew is the kind of man, or in some cases woman, that all leaders including pastors depend on, the backbone of every ministry. In fact, the cause of Christ is dependent upon those self-forgetting souls who are content to occupy an obscure place, free from self-seeking ambition. But none the less, God is very, very mindful of who you are and what you have done behind the scenes in His name and for His glory.
Remember your efforts do not go un-noticed for in Hebrews 6:10 we read,"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."
Daniel McLean, a Scotsman with a special affection for Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, writes:“Gathering together the traces of character found in Scripture, about Andrew, we have neither the writer of an Epistle, not the founder of a church, nor a leading figure in the Apostolic age, but simply, an intimate disciple of Jesus Christ, ever anxious that others should know the spring of spiritual joy and share the blessing he so highly prized. A man of very moderate endowment, without either dramatic power or heroic spirit, yet with clinging confidence in Christ, brought him into that inner circle of the Twelve. Andrew is the apostle of private life.”
Tradition tells us that Andrew had the privilege of preaching in a province in which the governor’s wife received Jesus Christ as her Saviour. The governor was so upset he demanded that his wife reject Christ. When she refused, he crucified Andrew on an X-shaped cross. Andrew hung alive on that cross for two days, and in the midst of his agony he continued to preach the gospel of Christ, still trying to bring people to Jesus.
God uses people like Andrew, people who quietly and obscurely bring others to Christ. God also knows that it sometimes takes an Andrew to reach a Peter. Do we have any Andrews with us today? Yes, we do, and God bless you for your character and commitment.
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If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon on “Andrew, a Man’s Man”then why not right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.
Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in
Acts 16:31,“...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...”
Romans 10:13,“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”