John 1:35-42

³⁵ The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. ³⁶ As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”³⁷ When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”³⁹ “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. ⁴¹ Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).⁴² Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”

Not only did Andrew seek, speak, spend time with and share the Savior but through:

6. Serving others, he got to See what the Savior Saw.

When Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus it doesn’t say that Jesus said good job Andrew instead Jesus spoke and said “You are Simon son of John.” When we introduce others to Christ it’s not about us but them and Jesus. So often we see sharing Jesus as somehow benefiting us, but it’s about benefitting others. The blessing for Andrew was that he got to see what the Savior saw. Jesus saw Peter he knew who he was BUT then Jesus says: “You shall be called Cephas”. Jesus not only knew who Simon was, Jesus also knew who Simon could be. Jesus didn’t focus on his past but on his potential. Jesus saw the potential within Peter and Jesus gave Simon a new name that reflected what Jesus saw as Peter’s inner quality. Imagine for a moment that I am holding a $50 bill. Each $50 bill has some characteristics that are unique to every new $50 bill. It features subtle background colors of blue and red and includes an embedded security thread that glows yellow when illuminated by UV light. Unlike the $20 bill which features subtle background colors of green and peach with an embedded security thread that glows green when illuminated by UV light.When you hold the $50 bill to light you will see a portrait watermark of President Grant that is visible from both sides of the note. The note includes a color-shifting numeral 50 in the lower right corner of the note.Like you it has some unique characteristics. Now imagine if I were to offer this to you, who would want this $50 bill? Let’s say I were to do crumple the bill into a tight ball would you still want it? What if I did threw it on the floor and stomp on it? Would you would still want it? Of course, you would still want this $50, because you understand that no matter what it’s condition it still has worth. You know the truth that its value doesn’t depend on how it looks. You know that its value is more than appearance because it has real worth. Jesus sees your real worth and to Him you are valuable. Your value is not based on your condition but on the cross. Do you know this truth about your value? Are you living out this truth or are you living based on a lie? If you know the true source of your value, then who else do you know that needs to know what Jesus thinks of them? Studies have revealed that 75 % of people came to church because a friend or relative invited them to come. Yet those same studies reveal that 75% don’t invite anyone, so why would Andrew do this while many Christians don’t?  Because Andrew believed that Jesus was worth knowing. Of the four original disciples – Peter, Andrew, James & John it is Peter James and John who are invited into the inner circle of Jesus time and time again. Where is Andrew? How would you have responded? That depends on whether it is about self or servant hood. Success is found in the Savior and being His servant not in being recognized. You may feel as though no one knows who you are and that you will never be noticed or important, but we don’t serve for that recognition we serve because we have found the Savior. In 1934, Albert McMakin, a 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. There was a good-looking farmer’s son who Albert especially wanted to get to the meeting, but this young man was difficult to persuade, he didn’t seem too interested in Christianity. Albert persuade him to come by asking him to drive the truck. When they arrived, Albert’s guest decided to go in and found himself “spellbound” by the teaching from the Bible. He began to have thoughts he had never known before. He went back each night to the meetings to hear more until one night he went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Since that day that young man has spoken to at least 250 million people about Jesus, he was the spiritual advisor to at least nine US Presidents. The young truck driver was of course, Billy Graham. We might not remember Albert McMakin living in the shadow of Billy Graham but God remembers. No matter who you are, you are not insignificant. Are you willing to be an Andrew and introduce people to Jesus?