Title Andrew cherished man / John 1:35-42
This morning, we have our 12th sermon on the topic "People who shine like the stars." Who shines like a star? The person who testified of Jesus. The person who brought so many people to Him is the person who shines like a star. I'm going to tell you this morning about one man who brought some, but not many, to the Lord. Andrew was not a popular evangelist who, like John the Baptist, turned so many people back to right. He was a personal evangelist who brought some people back to what is right. Andrew brought some people to Jesus through personal evangelism. However, through a few people, he accomplished an amazing evangelism ministry. There was a man who brought Dr. Billy Graham to Jesus. Although he brought one man to Jesus, he brought millions to Jesus through one Billy Graham.
Public evangelism is important, but individual evangelism is more important. Personal evangelism is done through personal relationships. It is done in a personal relationship that values and likes people. It is done in a personal relationship that trusts and respects the evangelist. Deacon Myung-ju Shin of our church brought her mother-in-law Ok-hee Lee to Jesus because of the personal relationship between the two. The daughter-in-law is proud of her mother-in-law and the mother-in-law is proud of her daughter-in-law. Personal evangelism cannot be accomplished if you do not receive trust and respect from your family, relatives, or close neighbors. Andrew was a man who valued and liked people. Andrew was a man who was trusted and respected by the people. Now let me tell you about the three men Andrew brought to Jesus.
First, Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus.
Andrew was originally a disciple of John the Baptist, but when he heard the words of John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God,” he immediately followed Jesus and became a disciple of Jesus. Andrew was not an obstinate man, obsessed with self-righteousness. He was open-minded, flexible, quick-witted and adaptable. Eventually Andrew became one of the first two disciples of Jesus. If you want to believe, believe in advance, if you want to follow, be different, and if you want to obey, it is better to obey beforehand. You must have spiritual agility.
As soon as Andrew met Jesus, he brought his brother Peter to Jesus. The fact that Andrew was able to bring his brother Peter to Jesus right away shows that the personal relationship between the brothers was good. It shows that the brothers liked each other, trusted each other and respected each other. You don't know how beautiful it is. Individuals who do not value or like their brothers or relatives, or who do not receive trust or respect from their brothers or relatives, cannot conduct personal evangelism. Rather, it may block the path of evangelism. Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. In the end, Peter became a great evangelist like the rock of the early church. He became a great evangelist who brought to Jesus many Gentiles from Jerusalem, Samaria, Joppa, Caesarea, and finally Rome. How did this amazing thing happen? This amazing thing happened because of Andrew's personal evangelism. Amazing things like this can happen when you value one person and lead one to Jesus.
Second, Andrew brought a nameless child to Jesus.
Read John 6:8,9. "One of the disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Jesus, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But how much will it cost for so many people?" One day, more than 5,000 people flocked to Jesus. It was to see the miracles that Jesus performed and to hear the words of Jesus. Then Jesus told Philip to get some bread and feed the crowd. Then Philip replied that he had neither bread nor money to feed the multitude. But always open and impulsive, Andre tried to do something. Tried to get some rice cakes. They approached each other, screaming for someone who could provide bread. Then a young child cried out. "Ms. Andre, here are the rice cakes. I have five barley loaves that my mother wrapped for me to eat. And there are also two fish."
Andre must have liked children by nature. They must have valued children. It seems that the young children also liked and followed Mr. Andre. Otherwise, the child would not have willingly offered Andrew five barley loaves and two fish. Andre must have been moved by the child's innocence. In terms of money, it was of little value, but in terms of sincerity, it must have seemed so much worth. Eventually Andrew brought the little boy to Jesus. Jesus must have valued the pure devotion of a child. He received the five bowls offered by a young child and blessed it. With those five diseases, more than 5,000 people had more than enough to eat.
The case did not stop there. The incident of Oh Byung-Eye became an opportunity for many people to come to know and believe in who Jesus is. It gave me an opportunity to believe that Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven. It became an opportunity to believe that if you eat Jesus you will live, if you do not eat Jesus you will die. How did this happen? Because Annadre had brought a little boy to Jesus. When you bring a little child to Jesus, amazing things can happen. That is why Jesus said something like this. “Let little children come to me, and do not forbid them” (Mark 10:14).
Third, Andrew brought some Greeks to Jesus.
According to John 12:20, there were some Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. They wanted to meet Jesus. So some Greeks went to Philip and said they wanted to see Jesus. Philip reported this to Andrew. I think it's because Andre's relationship was smooth. I think it was because I had a deep understanding of foreign people. There are people who are exclusive and negative about foreigners, while there are people who are inclusive and positive. Andrew met some Greeks. They would have exchanged greetings in Greek. They must have talked about how much effort it took to come this far. They probably served lunch or something. They must have told you amazing stories about Jesus. Their hearts would have begun to open.
Now we close the word. Andrew was a personal evangelist who turned some back to right. Amazing things happened through those few people. How could this have happened? In Andrew's smooth personal relationship, this could happen in Andre's smooth personal relationship. Andrew's personal evangelism was possible through personal relationships that value people and love people. Andrew's personal evangelism was possible through personal relationships with people who trusted, respected, and liked the evangelist. In fact, Andrew is showing us what the Christian life should be like. It shows that a life that values and likes people should be the Christian life. It shows that a life that is trusted and respected by people should be a Christian life. How many people have you led to the Lord in the past year or 10 years? You have to value and love people. You have to earn the trust and respect of people. I hope that even three people in a year or even three people in 10 years will become the Andrew of today who leads to the Lord.