January 18/19, 2014

1. January 18/19, 2014

2. Introduction • Ever watch the TV show “The Apprentice?” • The 58 year old Donald Trump hosts the show; • Where 18-20 candidates vive for the job of a life time – to manage a property of the Trump Empire; • Each week the Donald eliminates one, AKA “You’re Fired!” • The big question for the show is who will be the next apprentice?

3. Jesus’ Apprentices • In a real sense, Jesus also picked apprentices, only He called them disciples. • So, name some disciples of Jesus? • Just shout them out – okay? • Why did you mention 2,000 year old disciples? • Are we not disciples of Jesus too? • If not Jesus’ Disciples, then what are we?

4. Jesus’ Apprentices • Andrew was probably not the first disciple you thought of – RIGHT? • He’s not the most famous, like a Peter, James or John; • You probably even know more about Judas Iscariot; • Andrew’s greatest claim to fame is he was the first disciple chosen by Jesus; • We will study Andrew and ask, “What kind of Person does God choose?”

5. Who was Andrew? • Andrew’s name in the Greek means “manly.” • He came from Galilee, where he was a fisherman; • He was probably in good physical shape; • But at best, Andrew was very ordinary; • Do you know what Andrew is most famous for? His brother, Peter!

6. Who Was Andrew? • There are four lists of disciples in the New Testament and Peter is listed first every time. • It was Peter who walked on water; • It was Peter who stood to protect Jesus; • It was Peter who made that wonderful profession of faith; • It was Peter who also denied Jesus; • It was Peter who preached the first sermon and 3,000 people came to faith;

7. Who Was Andrew? • What was it like to always stand in the shadow of his brother, Peter? • Peter is mentioned countless times throughout the New Testament, while Andrew is mentioned only four times and only in the Gospels; • Peter was constantly in the spotlight, while Andrew was in the shadows; • What kind of person is comfortable in the background while his brother hogs the limelight?

8. Who Was Andrew? • We know that Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist. • He probably had heard John preach about repentance and Baptism, and may well have been baptized by John. • And when John said that there was another person coming after him, who would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire,” Andrew got thinking?

9. Who Was Andrew? • After Jesus’ Baptism and the beginning of His earthly ministry, Andrew encounters Jesus, becomes His disciple and leaves everything to follow Jesus. • What kind of person would do that? • A person whose heart is moldable; • A person who had a willingness to learn and grow;

10. What Kind of Person are You? • Are you the type of person Jesus would choose? • You don’t have to be head of the class or boardroom, a great speaker or entertainer. • God chooses ordinary people like Andrew, like you and me. • Ordinary people who have hearts that are moldable and open to learn. Are you that kind of person?

11. Could you pray… Psalm 26:2-32 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. Could you pray that?

12. How did Andrew Meet Jesus? • Being a disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew heard and saw John point to Jesus and say, “Look, the Lamb of God!” • So Andrew and another ordinary and unnamed disciple start following Jesus. • Jesus could tell His was being followed so He turned around and said, “What are you doing? What do you want.”

13. How did Andrew Meet Jesus? • What an wonderful opportunity! • The Messiah they had been waiting for is now speaking to them and asking “What do you want?” • Wow! This is Andrew’s big chance to shine, so he asks… • Uh, yeah, uh, “where are You staying?” • Isn’t that one of the all time most profound questions in the world?

14. How did Andrew Meet Jesus? • Andrew again shows us his “ordinariness” maybe even some “awkwardness” of being the in the presents of Jesus. • Jesus was okay with that. He wasn’t impressed with flowery words anyway. • Jesus meets Andrew right where he was and invites them to “Come with Me and you will see.”

15. How did Andrew Meet Jesus? • Andrew spent the whole day with Jesus, talking with Him and of course he saw where Jesus was staying. • This encounter with Jesus more than likely convinced Andrew that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah.

16. Do You Need a Fresh Encounter with Jesus? • How can we follow Jesus like Andrew? • Andrew heard John point to Jesus, and he followed Him. • Are you hearing God’s Word point to Jesus and then also follow Him? • So often we go through the motions; attend worship, do all our “churchy things, but never get to answering Jesus’ question, “What are you seeking?”

17. Do You Need a Fresh Encounter with Jesus? • Andrew did not answer that question very eloquently with his words, but he certainly did with his actions. • He spend the whole day with Jesus, getting to know Him personally. • Have we done as much? • And if not, do we need a fresh encounter with Jesus?

18. God Gives Us This Promise Jeremiah 29:12-13 12 Then you will call upon Me [says the Lord] and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

19. Andrew’s Influence? • Picture Andrew’s life: • In school, Peter probably blurted out all the answers and got all the attention; • Among the girls, I am sure Peter got many dates; Andrew not so much; • In the fishing business, Peter was the head of the business; Andrew played second fiddle;

20. Andrew’s Influence? • Now, with Andrew’s life changing encounter with Jesus: • Andrew could be first! • He could have his own identity and make a name for himself; • But that’s wasn’t the Andrew we have come to know;

21. Andrew’s Influence? • Andrew’s first thought after meeting Jesus was to “Go and Tell” his brother. • John tells us the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah, the Christ.“ • Most people today think that telling others about Jesus would be the last thing they would do. • But not Andrew!

22. Andrew’s Influence? • For Andrew, it was a natural thing to do. • He had encountered Jesus; • He had spent time with Jesus; • He could not help tell someone about it, even his big brother, Peter; • He did not stop there: John tells us, “he brought him to Jesus.”

23. Andrew’s Influence? • In John 6, we have Jesus feeding the 5,000. • Guess who brought that little boy to Jesus with his lunch of “five small barley loaves and two small fish?” • That’s right. It was • The next time we hear of Andrew, it was just after Jesus’ Triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Andrew!

24. Andrew’s Influence? • People wanted to see Jesus and came to Philip with that request. • John tells us in 12:22 “Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.” • This is the type of influence Andrew had on people.

25. What about our Influence? • You don’t have to memorize some kind of long, wordy Gospel Presentation; • You don’t need a license, an ordination or even permission; • All you need is an encounter with Jesus; • And then, tell someone about that experience; That’s what Andrew did!

26. Albert McMakin • You probably have never heard of this person. • But in 1934, this 24-year old farmer became a Christian. • He was so full of enthusiasm that he filled a truck with people and took them to a meeting to hear about Jesus. • Albert also wanted to bring a good friend of his, another farmer’s son, to the meeting.

27. Albert McMakin • But of course that farmer’s son was just too busy; • He was difficult to persuade; • He was too busy falling in and out of love with different girls; • He just didn’t seem to be interested in Christianity; • Albert did not give up!

28. Albert McMakin • Finally, Albert managed to get him to come along by asking him to drive the truck. • At the meeting, Albert’s guest found himself “spellbound” by the teaching from the Bible. • He went back each night until finally we responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to give his life to Jesus.

29. Albert McMakin • Since that day, that young truck driver has spoken to more than 250 million people about Jesus and has become the spiritual advisor to the last nine Presidents. • That young truck driver was none other than… • But it was ordinary Albert McMakin that brought him to Jesus!

30. What About You? • Yes, it is the Peters and the Billy Graham’s of this world that become household names. • They write the books and preach the sermons and bring thousands to Christ. • But it was that unknown brother, Andrew or that unknown little farmer, Albert McMakin, that Jesus used to bring them first to Him.

31. What About You? • When Jesus choose His disciples, He choose Andrew FIRST and for a very specific reason. • To bring his older brother to Jesus! How important was that? • You may not be Peter, or Billy Graham, but you can be an Andrew! “GO & TELL”