August 25 I Saturday

Psalms 119:1-88

1 Corinthians 7:20-40

“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.”  —John 1:41-42

Andrew did not write a Gospel or an epistle that comprises part of the Bible, and Scripture does not follow his trail in the birth of the church as it does several other apostles. Andrew seems to be relegated to the shadow of his more robust, outspoken brother, Simon Peter. But Andrew is actually the keen one, the quiet observer, always on the lookout.

Andrew quickly realizes that everything John was saying about Jesus pointed to Him as the Messiah. The few times Andrew appears in Scripture he is bringing people to Jesus. After his initial meeting with Jesus, he immediately finds his brother, Peter, and brings him to Jesus. Andrew’s witness for Christ was a simple but effective model of discipleship. He forsakes the old, follows Christ and finds others to do the same.

The next time Andrew makes a splash is when Jesus asked His disciples where they could buy food for a multitude of over 5,000 people. A boy came to Andrew with five barley loaves and two small fish. How this meagre portion of food was going to feed such a crowd, Andrew did not know, but he took the opportunity to bring the boy to Jesus. Jesus accepted the food, gave thanks and miraculously fed the crowd to overflowing. The third time Andrew appears is before the Passover when some Greeks came to Philip looking for Jesus. John tells us, “Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus” (John 12:22). It was as if Andrew was saying to Philip, “Don’t tell me! Let’s bring them to Jesus.”

Sadly, much of evangelism today depends on systematic techniques and programs that are dead because they have become detached from Jesus. What saves people is encountering the living Christ for themselves. To be an Andrew is to be so excited by our experience of Jesus that we are eager for others to meet Him. Taking every opportunity to bring people to Jesus may seem incidental, but it is essential to the calling of every Christian.

Christians are meant to be disciples, and it is by introducing others to Christ that we bear fruit for Him. In a committed relationship with Jesus, we grow sensitive to His voice and alert to opportunities. In fact, the time comes when, like Andrew, we are always on the lookout, because we know the end of the story is not our salvation but how we have become a blessing to others. We will discover the greatest blessing of all is in being the vessel God has used to save another soul. This is the heart of a true disciple! This was Andrew… always on the lookout! 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the people who have brought me to You. Grant me the courage and opportunities to do the same for others.