MARKS OF A DISCIPLE
Have you ever had occasion to introduce two people to each other, and they just hit it off, and establish a great business partnership, or friendship, or even more, they wind up married? If so, you know how good that feels to know you have had a role in bringing those two people together. That’s one of the things we want to talk about today, in a way- introducing people not to one another, but to Jesus.
In our scripture today, John was baptizing people, urging them to repent and prepare for the coming of the Messiah. As a teacher, he had disciples who followed him, learned from him and helped him with his ministry. When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him at the River Jordan, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” John pointed people to Jesus, the lamb of God, who is our redeemer and Savoir. Letting people know that this was the one they had waited and longed for. The next day, when John again said, “Behold the lamb of God!” two of his disciples decided to follow Jesus. One of those was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew would prove to be a model for Christian discipleship. He demonstrated some important truths for us as followers of Christ. We want to look at 2 of those this morning.
First of all, one of the most important marks of discipleship is that a disciple points people to Christ, or in other words, brings others to Jesus. We know that. In fact, the mission of the UMC is a simplified version of Jesus’ great commission: “to make disciples for Jesus Christ”, which simply means, we are here to do as John the B. did, point others of the lamb of God, and to do as Andrew did, bring others to Jesus.
Andrew was Jesus’ first disciple. He was a fisherman on the sea of Galilee who lived in the village of Bethsaida. If we think about Andrew, we realize he is sometimes overlooked. He did not write a gospel and none of any sermons he might have given or letters he might have written survived. We know of no miracles attributed to him. But Andrew had the gift of bringing others to meet Jesus. He was the first evangelist, if you will. We have three accounts in John’s gospel of Andrew’s bringing others to Jesus. In John 1, we have the story of Andrew’s introducing his brother Simon to Christ. Sometimes it is hard to witness to our own family members, since they know us so well. We are afraid they won’t listen to us - which often is true. But Andrew had no qualms about it. He ran and brought his brother to Jesus. And what an impact this one we faithful act of discipleship had on the world. Jesus gave Simon the nick name Cephas, which is Aramaic for Peter, which means “rock”. Simon Peter became the chief of Jesus’ apostles. We think of Peter, for all his faults, as a spiritual giant. He was himself a powerful witness to Christ - On Pentecost, Peter preached and 3000 people believed on Christ. All because one ordinary man, Andrew, was faithful in bringing others to Jesus. See, we shrink from even the word evangelism. We often hesitate to share our faith with our friends and family - we don’t want to seem like religious fanatics. Too often we don’t invite people to church, even offering to bring them with us because we don’t want to bother them or don’t want to seem pushy. But what if Andrew had felt like that? Think of what the Christian world would have lost, how many lives would not have been touched for Christ if Andrew had been worried about his brother thinking he’d lost it, or about being too pushy - if he had not brought his brother to Jesus? Because of Andrew’s faithfulness to God, many untold lives were touched. It became like a ripple effect.
The second time we find Andrew bringing someone to Jesus in John’s gospel illustrates this ripple like effect of our faithfulness. In John 6 we have the account of Jesus’ teaching and feeding the crowd of 5000. When it was getting late and the disciples were thinking it’s time to send these folks home to eat - we can’t afford to feed them, and besides, it would take too long to go to town to buy the food anyway, it was Andrew who brought the lad with his lunch of 5 barely loaves and two fish to Jesus who multiplied them and fed his 5000 hungry listeners. Jesus’ power was shown and thousands were fed because Andrew was faithful and brought the boy to Jesus, despite the seemingly impossibility of feeding that many people with that little lunch. He believed and trusted, and then watched Jesus perform the impossible. It can be that way in our lives as well. You never know what God will do with whatever we give him, no matter how small, we never know how God will use those we bring to him - or use those who come to Christ or make a commitment to Christ or enter various ministries because of our influence. In Boston in 1856 a young man was working in a shoe store. One day his Sunday school teacher asked him, “Dwight, don’t you think it’s about time you gave your heart and life to the Lord?” One simple, yet folks would say, very bold question. But the young man took it seriously and responded and Dwight L. Moody gave his life to Christ and became a world famous evangelist to his generation. This Sunday School teacher influenced tens of thousands for Christ by sharing the Lord with young moody. Remember that, you Sunday school teachers- when you are most discouraged, and that should keep you going. You never know where your influence will go when you share Christ with someone.
Andrew’s evangelism had an international flair to it the next time we find him bringing others to Christ. In John 12 we find the account of how, towards the end of Jesus’ ministry and life, some Greeks came wanting to meet him. Andrew arranged and interview for them. Jesus was moved at the universal appeal of the gospel. He had said, “And I , when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Andrew’s willingness to bring even those of another culture to Jesus began to open his eyes and the eyes of the other disciples to the fact that Jesus had come for all. So a disciple brings others to Jesus.
The second mark of discipleship seen in Andrew is that a disciple of Jesus gracefully takes second place. John the Baptist was a great prophet, the one chosen to be the forerunner/announcer of the Messiah. He had a following of disciples who learned from him and assisted him in the ministry. Yet, he knew his role, he knew he was there not for his own sake or his own glory, but to prepare the people for Christ. So that when he saw Jesus coming, instead of feeling threatened by the presence of this one who was greater than he, he loudly announced, “Behold the lamb of God!” He continued to point people to Christ. He even told the, “he must increase, I must decrease” because he knew his purposes were being fulfilled. By the same token, he was not threatened or jealous when 2 of his disciples decided to leave him to go check out this lamb of God. See, it’s not all about us. John had a humility that is necessary as Christian disciples. And so did Andrew. Though Andrew was Jesus’ first disciple, the Gospel writer remembered him as “Simon Peter’s brother.” Andrew was not a member of the disciples’ inner circle, composed of Peter, James, and John. Yet we have no indication of resentment on his part. He does not let his ego get involved with his ministry. Let’s face it. We all like to be recognized. We want others to know the positive contribution we have made. When someone or something we have had a hand in is effective - especially in furthering the kingdom of God - we want people to know that we had even some small part in that (even subconsciously). I remember a couple of years ago when I was installing the officers for the MCH auxiliary, we were in conversation in small groups and one of the ladies from Gretna put her arm around me and said to those around us, “I was on the PPR committee that sent her into ministry.” And last month I was at a New Year’s eve service, and the format of the service is that usually there are 3 preachers who speak for 5 min. or so each. One young man who spoke used to be in my Sunday School class when he was a little boy. And as he preached from the word, I could feel myself beaming with pride. And I said to several folks afterwards, putting my arm around him, “this is my Sunday School boy.” It makes us feel good to know that we have contributed in some way to someone’s ministry. That is natural, human nature. But we don’t see Andrew (at least in the written record) whispering to his neighbor when Peter preached and led the 3000 to Christ, or when Peter healed the blind man by the side of the road, “I brought Peter to Jesus.” Nor do we see him, like some of the other disciples did- jockeying for position…and since he was the first called, one could have understood had he entered the dispute about who was the greatest. Like John the Baptist, Andrew had a humble spirit. He too, knew the truth that it’s not about him. He was not jealous or resentful of his brother Simon, but worked joyfully where he was placed for the good go the kingdom.
What a wonderful example of Christian discipleship Andrew set for us. Andrew knew and followed Jesus. He introduced others to the Master and was not envious of his brother or his brother’s success in ministry. It is important, as Christian disciples, that we witness to our faith and bring others to Jesus. John Wesley put it this way, “offer them Christ”. What a mandate. All of us are called to the work of evangelism. We can all tell others - not what they aught to do or be - but simply what Jesus means to us. Rest assured the Holy Spirit will do the rest (though maybe not on our time table). But you will be thrilled when you see them come to Christ, or engaging in ministry and walking with you in the journey of faith. Christ calls us all to the ministry of introduction. So in keeping with that, I want to challenge us all in this coming week. Think of someone you know who is not attending church anywhere, and invite them to church with you next week (offer to pick them up if possible). Who knows, that might be the first step on their journey to faith. Or, call up someone who has not been in church in a month or more and let them know you miss them, and ask them to come to church next week. Also share your faith with someone this week (it might be as simple as letting them know you and your church are praying for their particular need, or telling them how God answered your prayers). Share your faith this week! You never know how many lives you may touch by one act of faithfulness.
