Andrew, the Man Who Brought Others

GOLDEN TEXT: “He brought him to Jesus.”—John 1:42

JOHN 1:37-42—Much has been said and written concerning the virtues of the great Apostle Peter, and he is worthy of it. Not so much has been said and written concerning Andrew his brother, yet John, in the few words of our Golden Text, has set before us a most salutary, yes, even a necessary qualification of every Christian when he writes of Andrew that “he brought him [Peter] to Jesus.” So it is that Andrew has won the distinction of being one who brought others to the Master. We have no record to indicate that Andrew ever preached a sermon, performed a miracle, or wrote an epistle, but he had a share in supplying the church with one of the outstanding apostles who did all these things. He brought Peter to the Master.

Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist, and when the forerunner of Jesus pointed to the Master and said, “Behold the Lamb of God,” he immediately ceased following John and associated himself with Jesus. The account does not indicate how long a time elapsed after this until he found Peter and brought him to the Master. It does state that he spent the day with Jesus, and evidently it was this day of fellowship with the “Lamb of God” that convinced Andrew that he had indeed found the Messiah foretold by the prophets.

The fact that Andrew had become a disciple of John the Baptist would indicate that John’s ministry had produced in him a desire for righteousness and a keen interest in the coming of the Messiah. His announcement to Peter, “We found the Messias,” implies that they had been looking for him and hoping for him to come.

We do not know in detail what was discussed that first day which Andrew spent with the Master, but it is a reasonable assumption that there must have been an examination of many of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and a comparing of these prophecies with the facts of Jesus’ life and ministry. In any event, Andrew’s heart rejoiced in the evidence that the Messiah had come, and his first and proper impulse was to “bring others.”

MARK 1:16-18—In this account we learn that Jesus saw Andrew and Peter casting a fish net into the sea and invited them to follow him, telling them that he would make them fishers of men. Evidently this occurred not long after Andrew introduced Peter to the Master. They had made the acquaintance of Jesus and were convinced that he was the Messiah, but could not become full time disciples without an invitation. Jesus, seeing their heart condition of faith and conviction and knowing that they were Israelites indeed in whom was no guile, gave them the invitation. “Come after me,” the Master said, “and I will make you to become fishers of men.” There was a wonderful fitness in the use of this language. It was language that he knew these two ardent Israelites would understand. As we would say today, he talked to them in their own language; and more was implied than at first appears. It implied, of course, that thenceforth their business was to be that of convincing men that Jesus was the Messiah, the central figure in the glorious Gospel of the kingdom. But it is well to remember that Andrew and Peter were securing their living from the fishing business, and now that they had been called to a “fishing business” of far greater importance, they were also, if faithful, to secure a living on a far higher plane; for, by patient endurance in this new “fishing” business, they were to “seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.”—Rom. 2:7

It is important that all true Christians seek to emulate Andrew in his characteristic of bringing others to the Lord, for we have all been made “fishers of men.” This is true on a larger scale than many have contemplated, for eventually through the church all the families of the earth are to be reconciled to God and blessed—that is, all except the incorrigibly wicked. This all-comprehensive work of reconciliation will not be accomplished by the church in the flesh—it is a future kingdom work—nevertheless, those who prove worthy of that high honor in the future must demonstrate their god-like interest in other’s even now by laying down their lives in the divinely authorized “fishing business.”

JOHN 12:20-22—In this passage we again find Andrew in the role of introducing others to Jesus. This time it was “certain Greeks that came up to worship at the feast.” They first contacted Philip and made known their desire to see the Master. Philip told Andrew. Perhaps he was not certain that it would be proper to tell Jesus of this request. But Andrew did not hesitate. Although Jesus did not grant the Greeks an audience, in his declining he gave his disciples another wonderful lesson to indicate that a time was coming when all would have an opportunity; but first, as a grain of wheat, he must fall into the ground and die. Thus “much fruit” was to be produced. We never fail to receive a blessing when we endeavor to bring others to the Lord.

QUESTIONS:

Who was Andrew, and how did he first learn about Jesus?

What did Jesus mean when he told Peter and Andrew that they were to be fishers of men?

When will all mankind be brought to the Lord and given an opportunity to believe?

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