“Jesus 101: The Life of Second Fiddles”
John 1:29-42
Have you ever stood in the shadow of someone else, by whom you were always compared? It didn’t matter how good you were, or how well you performed; they were always the star, always got the solo, and always got the publicity and press notices. Did you ever begin to feel that your lot in life would always be to play second fiddle, never first chair? You should feel right at home this morning with our Scripture readings, especially with Andrew in John’s Gospel.
SECOND FIDDLES ARE A FACT OF LIFE. I know not only from observation but also PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. In high school, since my sister was older – and smarter – than I was, I was first known as ‘Shirley’s brother.’ I played the cello in the orchestra – there were only two of us but Patty was top-drawer – Junior symphony, the whole bit; I didn’t stand a chance for first chair, even if had practiced more! (I’ll have you know I did play first chair my senior year, however – because she decided not to play that year!). When I went to Central College in Pella, Iowa my roommate was from a family with a long history at the college. I was often known as ‘Paul’s roommate.’ When I went to Western Seminary the pastor of my home church taught some seminary classes – I was first known as ‘from John Tien’s church.’ When I began ministry as an associate pastor I was known as ‘Jack’s associate.’ My father was a judge in Kalamazoo County, so when I returned to my home town of Kalamazoo to serve Trinity Reformed, I was often referred to as “Judge Pikkaart’s son.” And so it goes.
Most of you have similar experiences you could share. And being second fiddle all the time IT’S EASY TO GET A COMPLEX, to feel less important, to stop trying so hard. After all, to amount to anything we’re supposed to be #1, aren’t we? Let’s face it - how long are the 2nd place finishers, the runners-up remembered? “Who lost to so-and-so in the finals of such-and-such a year?” becomes a trivia question.
If you’ve ever been there, take heart – the Bible has not forgotten us! Consider the second fiddle of THE DISCIPLES, ANDREW. He was equal in rank to the 11 other disciples. Yet the best known fact about him is that he was Simon Peter’s brother. Even if he’s doing something distinctive or outstanding, the Gospel writers introduce him as Simon Peter’s brother. The Bible dictionaries and commentaries say very little about him. Luke never mentions his name. Brother Peter, who denied knowing Jesus, is even mentioned first in the list of the disciples. Peter, James, and John were invited to the Transfiguration – not Andrew. Peter, James, and John were invited to the inner circle when Jesus prayed in Gethsemane – not Andrew. When Jesus went to raise the ruler Jairus’ daughter from death he took – you guessed it – Peter, James, and John – not Andrew. I wonder if Andrew ever thought, “What’s a guy have to do to get some recognition around here?” I don’t know if Andrew ever thought it, but I know many Christians who have. Some have even left churches because of it.
But Andrew understood his life – his story – had its own purpose, an important one. He knew that SECOND FIDDLES ARE A FORCE IN LIFE. What would an orchestra of only first chairs sound like? There would be little harmony. First chairs can’t play all the notes and cover all the music. Someone needs to provide the harmony that makes the composition glorious. In life, as in an orchestra, IT IS SECOND FIDDLES THAT BRING COMPLETENESS.
In the history of Christianity we need Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Billy Graham, David Jeremiah, Rick Warren and so many other first chairs. But they can’t do it all – they can’t reach all. Someone must minister to those they reach and someone must reach those they cannot reach. In Paul’s terminology, a body can’t be all heads, or all mouths; bodies must have brains, hands, legs, and feet to be complete.
We look again at ANDREW. He had been following John the Baptist. He had listened and learned from him – he had tuned his life by John. So when John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God Andrew followed Jesus and fulfilled his unique role. He stood in the LINE OF David the Psalmist. David wrote (Ps. 40:1-3): “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” David understood that his slimy pit was not insignificant, that God had something greater in mind, so he waited patiently. The result? “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. God delivered him. And because God delivered him, David had a new experience with God to share, A NEW SONG TO SING, A NEW STORY TO TELL. As A. P. Gibbs put it, God moved David “out of the mire, into the choir.” In verse 9 David wrote, “I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.” David’s experience with God was too great to be hoarded – it needed to be shared.
And because David shared – verse 3 - “Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Because David had a new song to sing, a new story to share, MANY WILL COME TO TRUST THE LORD his God.
Both Andrew and David had their own experiences, their own songs, their own stories; and both understood their songs needed to be sung and their stories needed to be told. So they committed their lives to sharing. To see what his looked like, let’s follow Andrew after he hooked up with Jesus. (1:40-42) “Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.” This was Andrew’s first experience with Jesus. Because of the faithfulness of John the Baptist, who predicted the coming of the one greater than himself, Andrew immediately tuned into a new frequency and BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST FOLLOWERS OF JESUS. Can you imagine the excitement of that? Finally, the one whom John the Baptist had predicted, the great Messiah, had arrived – and Andrew had the opportunity to learn from and follow him. It was the greatest moment in Andrew’s life. Wrapped up in the moment, in the excitement, it would be so easy to become self-absorbed. But notice the first thing he did as a follower of Jesus: “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).” The moment Andrew met Jesus he invited his brother. Where would Peter have been without Andrew? Second fiddles usually have contacts that first chairs do not! Andrew was so convinced of the reality and truth of Jesus, and so loved his brother, that he had to let Peter in on the experience.
We move next to John 6. You may recall the scene. Jesus had been teaching a crowd of thousands. John records (5-9): “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, (note that even though he’s the one who brought Peter to Jesus he’s known as Peter’s brother) spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Andrew ushered the boy into Christ’s presence. Always among the people Andrew, sought out someone to bring to Jesus. And you know what happened next: with the 5 loaves and two fish Jesus fed the crowds with twelve baskets left over. What would have happened to the crowd without Andrew?
Let’s check in on Andrew in John 12:20-23: “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, is the one who leads the charge to Jesus so the Greeks can meet him – he ushers even the Greeks into the presence of Christ. And when that happened Jesus knew it was time to focus on the cross. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, the second fiddle, was the first missionary and evangelist. ANDREW BECAME AN INVITER WHO USHERED OTHERS INTO THE TRANSFORMING PRESENCE OF JESUS. Always in the background and the shadow, but always there – inviting others. His one desire was to share the glory of Christ by escorting others into His presence. There is no greater service to Christ and the church than to invite others into presence of Jesus. It’s the first instinct of a new-born life, the surest sign of grace.
Most, if not all of us here today are second fiddles. And that’s a good thing! We just need to be sure we understand SECOND FIDDLES HAVE A FOCUS IN LIFE. The late Evangelist Vance Havner once said, ‘Evangelism is to Christianity what veins are to our bodies. You can cut Christianity anywhere and it’ll bleed evangelism. Evangelism is vascular, it’s our business.” (i) If you have met Jesus, you have a reason to invite others, TO USHER OTHERS INTO THE PRESENCE OF JESUS. Think about an usher – the usher invites, leads, and guides people to their proper destination. There was once an old deacon who used to lead the weekly prayer meeting. His favorite phrase was, “O Lord, touch the unsaved with thy finger.” One night, however, he paused after saying it and heard a voice say, “Thou art the finger!” It doesn’t matter if we’re second, third, or fourth fiddle – we have notes to play, songs to sing, stories to tell, people to usher, lives to touch. We must be busy at it.
Like Andrew who ran to get Peter, you have FAMILY MEMBERS OR ASSOCIATES who need to be ushered into the presence of Jesus. Like Andrew, there are RESOURCES around you just waiting for the blessing and multiplication of Jesus. Like Andrew, there are PEOPLE around you searching for Jesus, waiting to be invited. Remember, under Christ’s influence lives are transformed. And I remind you that GOD WILL NEVER ASK US TO DO ANYTHING FOR WHICH HE WILL NOT ALSO EQUIP US. He has already given us his power. (Eph. 3:20) “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” We are never alone when we share or invite. (Mt. 28:18-20) “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So WHY ARE WE SO SHY when it comes to inviting and ushering others into the presence of Jesus? Why is it we are so hesitant to share our stories? Listen to Paul’s motivation for sharing and inviting (1 Thess. 2:8): “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” COULD IT BE THAT WE LACK THE LOVE OF CHRIST? When we lived in Grand Rapids one of our neighbors moved into the house just down the street at the end the summer. You know how it is – the fall was busy and then winter set in and, well, I had good intentions to welcome him to the neighborhood – but I never did. I didn’t even learn his name. Then – at age 44 – he died, alone, in his house; he had been dead for a couple of days before anyone became aware of it. And I, the preacher, had not even introduced myself, let alone my Savior. This young man may have been a Christian – but then again, maybe not. I’ll never know. But it still haunts me. We really do hold in our voices the power of life and death, for the gospel we share is “…the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes…” And “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Unless someone tells them - unless someone loves them enough to tell them; unless some second fiddle plays his notes the music of grace will not be heard.
Thank God, Jesus loved us enough to pay it all. Thank God Jesus played His notes in the love song of life. Thank God we have heard the music of grace. May we hear it again as we share Jesus’ bread and cup. Second fiddles – let us eat and drink – so we can boldly play our notes.
(i) From Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Edited by Michael P. Green, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI 49516. © 1989 by Michael P. Green
