Speaking of Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, as we did yesterday with the discovery of the little boy and his lunch that Jesus used to feed the 5000 – speaking of Andrew, the Scripture doesn’t really speak much about him. He’s mentioned about 14 times in the New Testament, and most of those times he’s merely listed within the Twelve disciples whom Jesus chose.
We know one thing about him, however, he was pretty good at bringing people to Jesus. Andrew was apparently a disciple of John the Baptist. When John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the One who was to come, Andrew immediately left and followed Jesus. “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]
We know he found the little boy with his lunch of five small barley cakes and two little fish and brought him to Jesus. And we also know that when certain “Greeks” were eager to meet the Lord, he and Phillip brought them to Jesus.
The last reference to Andrew occurs when it is noted that he was present in the upper room in Acts 1 when the Spirit fell. After that, nothing. There are traditions and stories about what happened to Andrew, where he went, how he died, but the inspired Word of God does not continue with him. After Acts 1, it’s pretty much about his big brother, Peter, and a yet unknown Paul.
Andrew will, however, always be our example for one very special work of faith, that of bringing people to Jesus. Three times Scripture notes that he did so. Three times he invited someone to “come see Jesus.” Lots of people want to talk to Peter and Paul when they get to heaven, I’m heading to Andrew. “Tell me, Andrew, about all those you brought to Jesus that Scripture did not record! I know there must be many.”
