The 12 Apostles
Week 1 – Andrew
Dr. Rik B. Wadge, Ph.D.
It’s around 26 or 27AD. Jesus is 30 years old. He’s just about to begin his public ministry. John’s been calling for repentance and then baptizing the people in the Jordan river in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus can now be seen approaching the Jordan, right where John and all the towns people are located... there’s hope in the air. The people can’t help but sense that God’s silence over the past 400 years has finally been interrupted by this wild looking prophet calling for God’s people to publicly repent.
Let’s look at the scene from Luke’s gospel.
Luke 3:15-18
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.
Jesus is then baptized which commemorates the start of his ministry.
Now, what’s important for our study is who these men were that Jesus would place around him, disciple, call into leadership, and live with for the next 3 years (the most important years) of his life.
1.What I want to know as we come through this study is who were they before they met Christ?
2.Who did they become and what did they accomplish after they walked with Christ?
3. And then, how can I take what I learn from these 12 individuals and apply their life lessons directly in my own life?
The Calling of Andrew.
John 1:29-40
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
The Lists:
No matter who gives the list of the disciples, it’s always 3 groups of 4.
Two ways to look at this group, either from the best known to the least known, or starting with Peter who was at the head of the church, working backward to judas who was at the foot of the church or the bottom of the church.
FIRST GROUP
Simon Peter
Andrew . . . . Peter’s brother.
James and John . . . . Sons of Zebedee, and sons of thunder.
SECOND GROUP
Philip
Bartholomew, or Nathanael
Thomas
Matthew . . . . The publican (so called by himself only).
THIRD GROUP
James (the son) of Alphæus . . . . (James the Less? Mark xv. 40.)
Lebbæus, Thaddæus, Judas of James, . . . . The three-named disciple.
Simon . . . . The Zealot.
Judas, the man of Kerioth . . . . The Traitor
Today we’re going to focus on the first of the 12.... Andrew.
Andrew’s name gives us a little background into who he was before He met Christ.
His name in Greek means: Manly. He’s the man’s man. He came from the Galilee, where he was a fisherman. We also know that He was a follower of John the Baptist.
These two facts tell me that he was the kind of man that most women would want.
1st, He was a man’s man. He was probably in good shape, worked hard at fishing... but no matter how hard his body was... his heart was soft. That’s number 2. He followed after John the Baptist. John wasn’t the kind of preacher that told the people what they wanted to hear....
John told the people the way it was. Most churches today wouldn’t hire a John the Baptist. Most churches today couldn’t handle a John the Baptist. And Most people today wouldn’t follow a John the Baptist. But, Andrew did.
There’s a lot of interesting conclusions you draw when you study Andrew, but you have to read between the lines and look at the early historians. You, see part of the thing that makes Andrew.... Andrew. Is that He has only four main occurrences throughout all four gospels.
Let’s look at each of these and see what we can learn from them.
The 1st One. In John chapter 1 (which we just looked at) Andrew is the first of the Apostles to follow Jesus.
He went from being a man’s man, with an already moldable heart, to following the greatest man that ever lived, and ever molded hearts.
Let me ask you a question: How moldable is your heart? Because that was the characteristic of Andrew. He was moldable. Usable.
David said, Psalm 26:2-3 2 Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.
Number #1: Andrew was moldable.
The Second passage...
John 1:41-42
41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 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 1st thing he does is tell someone else about Jesus. Today’s trend in the church is to make it the last thing that we do as Christians. With Andrew evangelism was the most natural thing he could do. He had found the messiah, and he didn’t want his flesh and blood to miss out. Today, evangelism in the church seems to be the most unnatural, scary thing that a person could do.
(Indyanna Jones – Indy’s just about to die. Shortround his little friend has just tripped a boobytrap and the ceiling is coming down to crush or hero. So, he cries out to his girlfriend to help him. The trick is, in order for her to save Indy, she has to put her hand in to a hole to pull a lever.... but the entire hole is covered in crawley bugs and icky worms, and slimy stuff. She gets this horrible look on her face.
This is the same look that most Christians give when you talk about evangelism. Like it’s some gut wrenching experience that will mar their lives forever. It’s the same look I would give my wife when she would ask me to change our kids poopy diapers.
Dealing with people is messy.... but you need to be willing.
Number #1: Andrew was Moldable.
Number #2: Andrew was Willing.
Our 3rd scripture.
John 6:8-9
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
You know what’s going on their looking for food to feed the 1,000’s and Jesus is just about to do a great miracle with the fish and the bread.
But, what I find interesting is that this is the second time we see Andrew after he started following after Christ and he’s doing the same thing each time... bringing someone to Jesus.
Most Scholars see these scriptures as portraying a lifestyle. Andrew the evangelist.
Who was he before Christ? He was a manly man. Who was ready for God to mold. He comes to Christ and immediately gets it.... this is too good to keep to myself!!!!!
I’ve got to share it. It’s that book that everyone should read. It’s that movie that everyone should see, this is the song everyone should hear.... we don’t hesitate to share the things we love.... but then why do we hesitate to share Jesus?
But not Andrew. Andrew comes to Jesus, brings someone else to Jesus, and then purposefully makes it a habit.
Number #1: Andrew was Moldable.
Number #2: Andrew was Willing.
Number #3: Andrew was purposeful.
But, it doesn’t end here....
Our final passage.
John 12:20-22
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Notice, that Philip doesn’t take them to Jesus, He goes and gets Andrew.... Who once again brings someone to Jesus.
Philip is like most of us isn’t he? When it comes to talking to someone about Jesus we’re hoping that someone else has the gift so we don’t mess it up.
Illustration:
There’s a story told about a guy who prayed this same prayer every morning: "Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is." One day he found himself on a bus when a big, burly man sat next to him. The bus was nearly empty but this guy sat next to our praying friend. The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. But before he could get very nervous about the man next to him, the big guy burst into tears and began to weep. He then cried out with a loud voice, "I need to be saved. I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?" He turned to the Christian and pleaded, "Can you show me how to be saved?" The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, "Lord, is this a sign?"
Are you looking for a "sign" to start witnessing? What we learn from Andrew is that God’s already given us a sign (point to the cross). It’s the good news... all you have to do is pass it on, with at least the same intensity you would with your favorite book, your favorite movie, your favorite song, your favorite restraunt....
Telling someone about Jesus doesn’t require being a used car salesman. Jesus isn’t some broken down guy we have to force on people...because he’s tough to be around.
When you tell your friends about Jesus.... you’re giving them a chance to meet Jesus, and have eternal life.
What we’ve been given is a sure thing.
Historians tell us that Andrew went on to tell people about Jesus in Russia and then in Greece.
At the end of his life Andrew was killed for what he believed. He lived his life telling people about the cross and then ended his life having been hung on one.
What can we learn from Andrew? Everyone deserves to hear about Jesus. Regardless of your relationship with them, regardless of their age, regardless of their nationality.
