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)
Wouldn’t it be well said of all of us what is said about Andrew in the sacred writings, “He brought him to Jesus”? Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, is sometimes referred to as one of the “anonymous” disciples because, for the most part, he lived his life in Peter’s shadow. Beyond the Gospel of John, and a one-verse introduction in Matthew and Mark, Andrew is only mentioned in the lists of the apostles.
Like most of the disciples of Jesus throughout the last 2,000 years, Andrew is not well-known, almost anonymous. But what he is known for is the most important thing any of us can and should be known for: leading others to our Lord. After Andrew heard the proclamation of John the Baptist that Jesus was the Lamb of God, who had come to take away the sins of the world, he immediately went to find his brother Peter, who would go on to become one of the most influential of Jesus’ apostles.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, we will all leave a legacy. The question is, what sort of legacy are we leaving behind? Some people leave behind legacies that are positive; some leave behind legacies that are negative. And some leave the most important legacy of all: that of leading others to the Savior.
You might remember John’s account of the Feeding of the 5,000. Here again, you see that Andrew brought someone to our Lord Jesus Christ, saying, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9).
After a long day of teaching, the people were hungry, and Jesus would use this as another opportunity to demonstrate He was the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God. Andrew spotted a boy with a few fish and loaves and brought him to Jesus. So now this boy was standing in the presence of God incarnate, and he watched in awe as Jesus multiplied his meager meal to feed as many as 15,000 – 20,000 people. We never hear about this boy again, but it may very well be that he went on to be just like Andrew—anonymous in the service of the Almighty, leaving a legacy of leading others to Jesus.
So . . . if today were your last day on this earth, what kind of legacy would you leave? What would those closest to you say about you? When was the last time you brought someone to your Lord? As I said in Wednesday’s article, I am well aware that witnessing for Jesus is a frightening idea for some people, but it doesn’t need to be. One of the best ways to start is to simply invite a friend or neighbor to visit your church or attend a church event.
Remember, Jesus has left us behind to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). And because of this truth, we can count on Him to give us all we need to live a life like Andrew—leading others to our Lord so that they too may be filled to the measure of all His fullness.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 