A One Talent Man

“A One-Talent Man”

Jn. 1:35-42, Jn. 6:5-9, Jn. 12:20-22

By: Mark Engler, Mt. Vernon Christian Church, Mt. Vernon, MO. Revised from original author Rodney Brown of Sedalia, MO. Thank you Rodney!

· When was the last time you heard a really inspiring, motivating sermon? (I hope it wasn’t too long ago.)

· Or when was the last time you heard a particularly stirring song service? (Once again, I hope it wasn’t very long ago.)

Perhaps it was a Bible lesson, or an organ/piano recital, or even a prayer that had special meaning for you and touched you deeply. Whatever it was (and whenever it was), chances are you may have thought at the time, “Man, I wish I could do something like that for Christ’s kingdom!” How many of you have ever thought something like that?

Well, let me tell you something. You can do something like that. You may not feel like you have a lot of outstanding talents to draw on. Maybe you’re not even sure you have one talent. But let me assure you that it is well within the abilities of every person here today to do something truly outstanding for Christ’s kingdom.

This morning I’d like to present to you the life of one man in the Bible who seems not to have had many talents. In fact, I doubt he thought he had any talents, and, to be truthful, I can only see one talent. But oh what a talent! It is a talent that you too possess, whether you realize it or not.

Very little is known of this man from the scriptures although he was one of the original 12 disciples. At every turn he seems to have been over-shadowed by his more outgoing and multi-talented brother. Anybody know about whom I’m talking? It’s Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother—“A One Talent Man”!

Andrew, like his more famous brother, Peter, was a fisherman from Capernaum in Galilee. But he must have taken some time off from the fishing business from time to time to pursue his interest in spiritual matters. For, when we first meet Andrew in the Bible, he is already a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew is in the crowd one day when John points to Jesus passing by and says, “Look, the Lamb of God!” And so, interested and intrigued, Andrew follows Jesus to find out more about him.

Let me read it to you from Jn. 1:35-40.

Now, I don’t know what discussions took place that evening in the home where Jesus was staying, but it must have been some talk, because later on those two disciples even remembered the very hour that it took place. “It was about the tenth hour,” (or about 4:00 P.M. by our method of counting time.) It was a very significant hour for Andrew—an hour of decision, an hour of opportunity, and an hour that was to change his life forever. Whatever it was that was said, Andrew came away with the conviction that he had found the Messiah he had been looking for!

And I want you to notice that, because of that conviction on the part of Andrew, every time we meet him in the Scripture he is bringing someone to meet his Messiah. That is Andrew’s one talent, and that is the talent within the ability of everyone present today—the ability to introduce people to Jesus!

First, I want you to note…

I. Andrew brought himself to Jesus, and as such, he became one of the first disciples.

You know, Jesus personally called some to be his disciples. Matthew, the tax collector, was sitting in his booth one day when Jesus walked up and said, “Follow me.” And Matthew got up, left everything, and followed. (Mt. 9:9, Lk. 5:27-28).

Others were brought to Jesus by someone else. Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree one day when Phillip came to him and said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. … Come and see.” (Jn.1:45-46).

But all John the Baptist had to do was point Jesus out, and Andrew had to find out for himself.

Now, there may be some in this area, and some even in this congregation who need to do some personal investigating of the claims of Christ, and some searching of their own hearts and minds. It may not be as easy for some to come to the same point of acceptance and obedience as Andrew, but it is equally necessary for all.

It’s easier for some to become a Christian, than for others. Those who were raised in a Christian home for instance. But what about a Jewish man or woman, what about someone who is a Mormon, or Islamic, or Muslim, it’s very hard for them to become a Christian. Family members who are still of their giving religion will deter them with all their heart, and many of those who come to Christ anyway feel like they are betraying their family. But, praise God that many go ahead and make that decision for Christ even though it is tremendously hard for them.