Note: This is a study from the book 12 Ordinary Men by John McArthur an excellent book. There is also a fill in the blank outline from Adult Bible Fellowships of First Baptist Church Orion that I have posted in the series. This is not original but worth posting for study.
Twelve Ordinary Men
Chapter Three: the Apostle of Small Things
One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
- John 1:40-42
Introduction
Last week we took a look at the life of Peter. In Peter we learned that God takes us through life experiences so that we can learn to be effective in ministry. Peter was a man who was bold and courious in his actions the Lord was not trying to take this away from him but to temper it and mold him in the right direction.
Tonight we will look at his brother Andrew.
I. Andrew’s Background
a. He is the least-known member of the most dominant group.
b. This is a bit odd in light of the fact that he was the first to be called by Jesus. (John 1:35-40)
Joh 1:35-40 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. (36) And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (37) The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. (38) Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" (39) He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). (40) One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
c. He and Peter were lifelong companions and business partners with the Zebedee brothers (these are the next two characters that we will be looking at James and John, sons of thunder). Together these men were the leaders of the Twelve.
d. It appears that the fisherman brothers and the Zebedee brothers had taken a sabbatical from their fishing business and were following John the Baptist when Jesus first called them (John 1:35-42).
All four in the group obliviously wanted to be leaders. This is why they sometimes had those shameful arguments over who was the greatest. This eagerness to lead may have caused many clashes but it became invaluable as they went their separate ways. We see them becoming major leaders in the New Testament church.
As we will see it is Andrews who was the most conspicuous of the four. He seemed to live in the background.
II. Andrew’s Introduction to Jesus
a. He met Jesus the day after John the Baptist introduced Jesus and proclaimed Him to be the “Lamb of God.”- “who takes away the sin of the world”
b. When John the Baptist pointed Jesus out again, Andrew and John got the hint and went to meet Him. They spent the evening at His place in conversation, probably about the Messiah.
c. Based on this initial conversation with Jesus, Andrew believed that He was the Messiah
and immediately found Peter and brought him to Jesus.
John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
III. Andrew’s Character
a. He lived his life in the shadow of his better-known brother.
b. Apparently he did not resent this fact.
This is a hard place to be. We are taught so much that leadership is being out front and leading the pack. But not all can lead some have to follow. Some have to lead behind the leaders. I love the way John Maxwell describes the 360 leader. Lead up, lead across and lead down.
Yet this does not make him feeble or wimpy. As one says “meekness is not weakness”. The name Andrew means “manly”. He was manly but in a way that he didn’t have to be in the limelight.
He was bold, decisive, and deliberate.
c. He had the right heart for effective ministry.
d. He was the least known of the first four apostles and also the most quiet.
IV. Andrew saw the value of individual people.
“Almost every time we see him in the Gospel accounts, he is bringing someone to Jesus.”
a. He brought Peter to Jesus (John 1:42).
b. He brought the boy with the fish and bread to Jesus (John 6:9).
c. He brought a group of Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-22). This makes Andrew the first foreign missionary.
It is interesting that Phillip took these men to Andrew who introduced them to Jesus. Why? Maybe Phillip was timid, maybe he didn’t know the proper protocol, or maybe he was flustered. Most importantly Andrew knew what to do.
d. Andrew’s willingness to evangelize in the streets is similar to the way that Edward Kimball had an impact for Christ.
He was the one who won D.L. Moody to the Lord. He was a shy man but felt the Lord wanted him to meet DL Moody on his job, as a shoe salesman, to tell him about the Lord. He said that he was stumbling over his words yet we know that the Lord was already working on DL Moody’s heart as he broke down and gave his heart to the Lord.
He became a great evangelists and the founder of the Moody Institute.
“Too many Christians think that because they can’t speak in front of groups or because they don’t’ have leadership gifts, they aren’t responsible to evangelize.” – John McArthur
V. Andrew saw the value of insignificant gifts.
When the other disciples were at a loss for how to feed 5,000 hungry people, Andrew simply brought the little boy’s gift to Jesus. As it turns out this was more than enough.
Joh 6:1-11 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. (2) Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. (3) And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. (4) Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. (5) Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (6) But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. (7) Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." (8) One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, (9) "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" (10) Then Jesus said, "Make the people 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 them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
What an amazing lesson, no gift is significant in Jesus’ hands. We often miss the gift of the boy when we are so focused on the miracle.
VI. Andrew saw the value of inconspicuous service.
Some people won’t play in the band unless they can hit the big drum. James and John had that tendency. So did Peter. But not Andrew. He is never named as a participant in the big debates. He was more concerned about bringing people to Jesus than about who got the credit or who was in charge. This is a lesson many leaders today would do well to learn.
Eph 6:6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
Jas 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
Mar 9:35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
We do not read about Andrew in the book of Acts. Church tradition says that he took the gospel north (which is why he is the patron saint of Russia and Scotland). He was ultimately crucified in Achaia, which is in southern Greece near Athens. By most accounts he hung on his cross for two days, exhorting
passersby to turn to Christ for salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (28) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, (29) that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Was Andrew slighted? No. He was privileged. He was the first to hear that Jesus was the Lamb of God. He was the first to follow Christ. His name will be inscribed, along with the names of the other apostles, on the foundations of the eternal city – the New Jerusalem. Best of all, he had a whole lifetime of doing what he loved best: introducing individuals to Jesus.
Thank God for people like Andrew. They’re the quiet individuals, laboring faithfully but inconspicuously, giving insignificant, sacrificial gifts, who accomplish the most for the Lord. They don’t receive much recognition, but they don’t seek it. They only want to hear the Lord say, “Well, done.”
