SCRIPTURE: JOHN 6:1-15
SUBJECT: THE GREATNESS OF SMALL THINGS (ANDREW)
MERRIAM-WEBSTER DEFINES OXYMORON AS: A COMBINATION OF CONTRADICTORY WORDS.
CRUEL KINDNESS
LITTLE BIG MAN
TIGHT SLACKS
PRETTY UGLY
OLD NEWS
IN A REAL SENSE TO SUGGEST THAT SOMETHING SMALL – GREAT . . .
HOW CAN SOMETHING SMALL BE OR BECOME GREAT?
WOMEN – SMALLER THE BOX – GREATER THE VALUE WITHIN . . .
STORM (NOT DIVERTED TODAY) – THUNDERSTORM (TOMORROW)
N.O - SMALL BREAK IN THE LEVEE, CAN LAND A CITY UNDER WATER
JESUS – DISCIPLES – MATTHEW 17:20 - FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED – MOUNTAINS. . .
JOB 8:7 TEACHES “DO NOT DESPISE THE DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS.” “THOUGH THY BEGINNING WAS SMALL, YET THY LATTER END SHOULD GREATLY INCREASE.”
IF EVER THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE VALUE AND POTENTIAL OF SOMETHING SMALL OR SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT IT WAS ANDREW.
ANDREW
PETER BROTHER
ALTHOUGH HE LED PETER TO CHRIST . . .SHADOW OF PETER
PETER – NOTORIETY
ANDREW – OBSCURITY
PETER – GRAND STAGE – PENTECOST – 3000 SOULS . . .
ANDREW – AS A FORMER FISHERMAN EXPERIENCED IN CATCHING FISH ONE AT A TIME, SPECIALTY WAS ONE ON ONE WITNESSING . . .
ANDREW
ALTHOUGH HE RAN WITH PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN HE WAS THE LEAST KNOWN. IN FACT IN PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN’S DISCUSSION OF WHOM AMONG THEM WAS THE GREATEST DID NOT EVEN CONSIDER ANDREW AS A CANDIDATE.
ANDREW
MENTIONED NINE TIMES – N.T. – PASSING/AFTERTHOUGHT WAY
BACKGROUND PERSON
HE DID NOT SEEK TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
NEITHER DID HE RESENT THOSE WHO LABORED FOR THE LIMELIGHT
HE WAS PLEASED WITH AND IN HIS ROLE
REJOICED OVER THE GIFTS THAT OTHERS POSSESSED
AS A LEADER, ANDREW WAS NOT CONTENTIOUS, BUT WAS BOLD, DECISIVE, AND DELIBERATE . . .
ANDREW AS ONE WHO WAS NOT USE TO NOR REQUIRED THE LIMELIGHT UNDERSTOOD THE GREATNESS OF SMALL THINGS. YES, ANDREW UNDERSTOOD:
A) THE VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE
B) THE VALUE OF INSIGNIFICANT GIFTS
C) THE VALUE OF IN-CON-SPI-CU-OUS SERVICE
ALLOW ME TO UNPACK THIS PACKAGE.
ANDREW UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.
TEXT – IN THE MIDST OF A CROWD . . . ANDREW SPOTTED A YOUNG LAD WHO HAD SOMETHING TO GIVE . . .
ANDREW SPOTTED A YOUNG LAD – OVERLOOKED, DISCREDITED, IGNORED. . .
RELATIONSHIP – POTENTIAL IN EVERYONE.
REACH ONE SOMEBODY . . .
DON’T DISCREDIT THE WORK GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO
HE SAW THE VALUE OF INSIGNIFICANT GIFTS
TEXT . . .
PHILLIP – WE DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY AND THERE’S TOO MANY PEOPLE. BESIDES “THIS IS A DESERTED PLACE, AND THE HOUR IS ALREADY LATE. SEND THE MULTITUDES AWAY, THAT THEY MAY GO INTO THE VILLAGES AND BUY THEMSELVES FOOD.”
ANDREW – 5 LOAVES, 2 FISHES . . .
NOT MUCH IN MAN’S HAND . . . GOD’S HAND . . .
HE SAW THE VALUE OF INCONSPICUOUS SERVICE
ALTHOUGH THE BIBLE NEVER DEPICTS ANDREW PREACHING TO MULTITUDES, WHILE HISTORY DOES NOT TELL US THAT HE FOUNDED ANY CHURCH, WHILE HE’S NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, WHILE HE DID NOT AUTHOR ANY EPISTLES, ANDREW HAD A HEART FOR SERVICE AND A DISCERNING SPIRIT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO BE USED . . .
