Twelve Ordinary Men, Week 6

So, what was the most notable aspect of Andrew? He respected and valued each and every person. If we look at Andrew, he brought individual people to Jesus - not groups or crowds. Interestingly, also, almost every time we hear Andrew mentioned in the gospels he is bringing someone to Jesus!

Remember last time, Andrew ran back to get Peter to bring him to Jesus. At the feeding of the 5,000, he brought a single boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Andrew was not confused on what to do when someone wanted to see Jesus.

John 12:20–22 ESV

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Why is this so important? The most effective and important aspects of evangelism usually take place on an individual, personal level. Most people do not come to Christ as an immediate response to a sermon they hear in a crowded setting. They come to Christ because of the influence of an individual.

Both Andrew and his brother Peter had evangelistic hearts, but their methods were dramatically different. Peter preached at Pentecost, and three thousand people were added to the church. Nothing in Scripture indicates that Andrew ever preached to a crowd or stirred masses of people. But remember that it was he who brought Peter to Christ. In the sovereign providence of God, Andrew’s act of faithfulness in bringing his own brother to Christ was the individual act that led to the conversion of the man who would preach that great sermon at Pentecost.

MacArthur brought out this point “God often works that way. Few have ever heard of Edward Kimball. His name is a footnote in the annals of church history. But he was the Sunday school teacher who led D. L. Moody to Christ. He went one afternoon to the Boston shoe store where the nineteen-year-old Moody was working, cornered him in the stockroom, and introduced him to Christ.

Kimball was the antithesis (opposite) of the bold evangelist. He was a timid, soft-spoken man. He went to that shoe shop frightened, trembling, and unsure of whether he had enough courage to confront this young man with the gospel. At the time, Moody was crude and obviously illiterate, but the thought of speaking to him about Christ had Kimball trembling in his boots. Kimball recalled the incident years later. Moody had begun to attend his Sunday school class. It was obvious that Moody was totally untaught and ignorant about the Bible. Kimball said,

I decided to speak to Moody about Christ and about his soul. I started down town to Holton’s shoe store. When I was nearly there I began to wonder whether I ought to go just then during business hours. And I thought maybe my mission might embarrass the boy, that when I went away the other clerks might ask who I was, and when they learned might taunt Moody and ask if I was trying to make a good boy out of him. While I was pondering over it all I passed the store without noticing it. Then, when I found I had gone by the door I determined to make a dash for it and have it over at once.

Kimball found Moody working in the stockroom, wrapping and shelving shoes. Kimball said he spoke with “limping words.” He later said, “I never could remember just what I did say: something about Christ and His love; that was all.” He admitted it was “a weak appeal.” But Moody then and there gave his heart to Christ.

Of course, D. L. Moody was used mightily by the Lord as an evangelist both in America and in England. His ministry made a massive impact on both sides of the Atlantic, spanning most of the second half of the nineteenth century. Tens of thousands testified that they came to Christ because of his ministry. Among Moody’s converts were people like C.T. Studd, the great pioneer missionary, and Wilbur Chapman, who himself became a well-known evangelist. Moody subsequently founded Moody Bible Institute, where thousands of missionaries, evangelists, and other Christian workers have been trained during the past century and sent out into all the world. All of that began when one man was faithful to introduce another individual to Christ.”

Now, that was the way we see Andrew ministering - one on one. There is an evangelistic movement called “Who’s Your One”. That is the focus of personal evangelism - who is the one - and what one meaningful interaction are we willing to engage them with? You see, it’s not that we need another style or class or method of evangelism, we need the PASSION to see people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Just Like Andrew.

Insignificant Gifts Still Valuable

Some people see the big picture more clearly just because they appreciate the value of small things.

Does the carpet color matter?

Does the pew padding matter?

Does the steeple leak matter?

Does not having indoor restrooms matter?

To us? Maybe not. But to others… Think about what impacts those have on guests visiting for the first time. Think about their thoughts. Remove yourself from this church, and place yourself in a hotel 1,000 miles from here. When you walk in, you see the 1980’s staring back at you with pastel purple, sunflower yellow, or…seafoam green and a disco ball. What would be your first impression?

Now, I have heard close to every argument known to man about this - it shouldn’t matter we are here to worship the Lord. Well, how about I change that way of thinking. We are here to HONOR the Lord, and part of that HONOR is how we present the HOUSE of the Lord to others when they visit. What our sanctuary screams is “I don’t care”. About updating the sanctuary OR not allowing these things to be a stumbling block to others. Is our sanctuary pleasing to God, and inviting to others because we should have that passion for even one. But I digress. Let’s get back to the lesson.

Jesus had gone to a mountain to try to be alone with His disciples. As often happened when He took a break from public ministry, the clamoring multitudes tracked Him down.

Suddenly a huge throng of people approached. Somehow they had discovered where Jesus was. It was nearing time to eat, and bread would be the object lesson in the message Jesus would preach to the multitude. So He made it clear that He wanted to feed the multitude. He asked Philip where they might buy bread. John adds an editorial comment to stress the fact that Christ was sovereignly in control of these circumstances:

John 6:6 ESV

6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip did a quick accounting and determined that they had only two hundred denarii in their treasury. A denarius was a day’s pay for a common laborer, so two hundred denarii would be approximately eight months’ wages. It was a significant sum, but the crowd was so large that even two hundred denarii was inadequate to buy enough food for them. Philip’s vision was overwhelmed by the size of the need. He and the other disciples were at a loss to know what to do.

Matthew, recounting this same incident, reports that the disciples said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food”.

Matthew 14:15 ESV

15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus answered, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat”).

With WHAT???

At that point, Andrew spoke up. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish”. Of course, even Andrew knew that five barley loaves and two small fish would not be enough to feed five thousand people, but (in his typical fashion) he brought the boy to Jesus anyway. Jesus had commanded the disciples to feed the people, and Andrew knew He would not issue such a command without making it possible for them to obey. So Andrew did the best he could. He identified the one food source available, and he made sure Jesus knew about it. Something in him seemed to understand that no gift is insignificant in the hands of Jesus. And what happened next is still amazing today.

John 6:10–13 ESV

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

What an amazing lesson! That so little could be used to accomplish so much was a testimony to the power of Christ. No gift is really insignificant in His hands.

Value of Hidden 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. Andrew is the very picture of all those who labor quietly and humbly.

He was not an impressive pillar like Peter, James, and John. He was a humbler stone. He was one of those rare people who is willing to take second place and to be in the place of support. He did not mind being hidden as long as the work was being done.

This is a lesson many Christians today would do well to learn. Scripture cautions against seeking roles of prominence, and it warns those who would be teachers that they face a higher standard of judgment. Jesus taught the disciples, “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). It takes a special kind of person to be a leader with a servant’s heart. Andrew was like that. As far as we know, Andrew never preached to multitudes or founded any churches. He never wrote an epistle. He isn’t mentioned in the book of Acts or any of the epistles. Andrew is more a silhouette than a portrait on the pages of Scripture. In fact, the Bible does not record what happened to Andrew after Pentecost. Whatever role he played in early church history, he remained behind the scenes.

Historically, tradition says he took the gospel north and was ultimately crucified in Achaia, which is in southern Greece, near Athens. One account says he led the wife of a provincial Roman governor to Christ, and that infuriated her husband. He demanded that his wife recant her devotion to Jesus Christ and she refused. So the governor had Andrew crucified.

By the governor’s orders, those who crucified him lashed him to his cross instead of nailing him, in order to prolong his sufferings. (Tradition says it was a saltire, or an X-shaped cross.) By most accounts, he hung on the cross for two days, exhorting passersby to turn to Christ for salvation. After a lifetime of ministry in the shadow of his more famous brother and in the service of His Lord, he met a similar fate as theirs, remaining faithful and still endeavoring to bring people to Christ, right to the end.

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.”

MacArthur, John F., Jr. 2002. Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to Do with You. Nashville, TN: W Pub. Group.

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