Andrew: a disciple eager to bring people to Jesus

Andrew is the brother of Simon Peter and very little is known about him. He was a fisherman with his brother. He was called by Jesus to follow him. Despite being an early follower of Jesus, Andrew is only mentioned by name twelve times and four of those are in the list of the disciples. In Catholicism, Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen, singers and the patron saint for the countries of Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Patras. Tradition holds that Andrew died by crucifixion around 60 AD and he didn’t seem himself worthy to die as Jesus did. He was bound, not nailed, to a X and not a T. This is what the Saint Andrew’s Cross flag is an X. Who was Andrew? What is special about him? And what is the key lesson we can take from Andrew? 

Andrew was a special man. He seems to be the opposite of his brother. As Simon was rash and impulsive, Andrew might have been quiet and reflective. The gospels do not record much of Andrew’s words, mostly likely because he didn’t have much to say. He may have been more focused on listening and learning. He could be seen as the silent partner but still essential; in building the church and bringing people to Jesus. Andrew accepted John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus and told his brother and friends about it (John 1:35-42). He was one of the men that Jesus would say he would be a fisher of men. When the large crowd needed to be fed, Andrew brought forward the boy with the five small barley loaves and two small fish (John 6:8-9). Even when he questioned how such a small amount would feed the large crowd, he still brought it to Jesus’s attention. 

Andrew was eager to bring people to Jesus. When he heard John the Baptist call Jesus the Lamb of God, he immediately ran to tell his brother (John 1:35-42). Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist. He knew without question that Jesus was the Messiah. I can imagine a very excited Andrew rushing to tell Simon and even may have been a bit incoherent in his excitement. Think about it. Remember a time when you were so excited to tell someone good or exciting news that the words just flowed out and you had to be told to take a deep breath and slow down? That is how I imagine Andrew as he rushed to inform Simon about Jesus. He, along with Philip, informed Jesus that a few Greeks wanted to speak with him (John 12:20-22). In verse 22, Andrew and Philip told Jesus about the Greeks request to see Jesus. They didn’t question if they deserved to even ask, as some of the other disciples may have, because they were Greeks. I think at this point, Andrew had seen Jesus preach to, heal and forgive so many people, Jews and Gentiles alike, that he knew Jesus was here for all who seek him.

 That is the key lesson from Andrew’s life is Christians are to be willing to tell other people about Jesus. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations. Talking to others about Jesus can come easily to some and for others, it is a daunting task. Some people can easily talk with just about anyone and others speak more easily with people they know/ Simon Peter was most likely an extroverted person who could easily preach and outreach among large crowds as recorded in Acts. This thought of speaking like this to an introverted person, like myself, makes them feel anxiety. It is important to draw on your strengths. If you are great at speaking to large crowds, that’s great. You can do that to talk about Jesus to others. If you are better at one-on-one personal, intimate conversations, you can still talk to others about Jesus. The size of the crowd is not the requirement. 

In conclusion, while information about Andrew is limited, what we do know is amazing. Considering he was not in the forefront as his brother, Andrew may have more reserved, humble, and patience with the willingness to listen and learn. He is an example of enthusiasm and passion for Jesus and His message. He did not delay in his belief in Jesus and he demonstrated great faith and confidence. When he heard the good news of Jesus, he could not contain himself and told his brother. He also left his entire life to follow Jesus and continued to follow him even when he saw what it meant to truly follow him. He served Jesus in any way he could, including bringing people who wanted to know Jesus more. This attitude speaks volumes as much as a fiery speech or sermon. 

Simon Peter: the man who is an example of God's forgiveness and restoration

The first words Jesus said to the fisherman, Simon, were “Come, Follow me” (Mark 1:17) and his last words were “You must follow me” (John 21:22). Simon had heard Jesus speak before this invitation as his brother, Andrew, would bring him to listen to speak. While Simon would stumble, he never failed to follow. He was an ordinary fisherman going about his ordinary day when his life and world would drastically change. He would become a new person with a new vision and a new purpose. However, he would be far from perfect. We may wonder what Jesus saw in Simon, and I’m sure even Simon wondered what he saw in him as Jesus would rename him Peter, the rock. Simon was hotheaded and impulsive, far from the steady rock he was supposed to be. His impulsivity would become boldness as he preached Jesus and his gospel. 

The Sea of Galilee was a large lake with approximately 30 fishing towns along its shores, Capernaum was the largest. As a fisherman, Simon didn’t shy away from hard work and long days. Along with his brother, Andrew and their friends, John and James, son of Zebedee, he spent hours on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, casting large nets in order to gather large amounts of fish. He was a strong man with many accomplishments as one of Jesus’s chosen twelve. He became a recognized leader among the disciples and one of the inner three with John and James. Simon Peter would be there to witness the Transfiguration and get a glimpse of the glorified Jesus. He was the great voice of the gospel before, during and after Pentecost. He may have given Mark the information he needed to write his gospel. He was also flawed and the gospels are filled with his weaknesses and shortcomings. Simon Peter often spoke rashly, brashly and without thinking. He would deny Jesus three times as Jesus predicted, despite Simon Peter’s adamant statements that he never would. He also had a hard time accepting that Jesus’s message was for all: Jews and Gentiles alike. Traditions hold that Peter was crucified upside down as he felt unworthy to die as his Lord did. 

While tradition holds that Peter gave John Mark, a fellow follower of Jesus, his account in order to write the Gospel of Mark, Peter did write his own letters to believers. 1 Peter is a letter to encourage those Christians who were suffering. He had known suffering. Peter had been persecuted, brought in front of Sanhedrin and imprisoned by the Romans for preaching the gospel. He wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed where his glory is revealed.” 2 Peter was a warning against false prophecies and false teachers. False teachers will tell people anything for money (2 Peter 2:3). It is a warning that believers today need to heed as many false teachers have profited off believers’ faith and reverence for teachers. False teachers will “introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1) and will exploit believers for their greed (2 Peter 2:3).

There are lessons we can learn from Simon Peter’s life. First, enthusiasm for the gospel has to be backed by faith and understanding. It is not enough to believe in the gospel and have faith in it; we need to know it, by reading it and studying it. Second, God’s faithfulness can compensate for our moments of great unfaithfulness. Peter had one of the greatest moment of unfaithfulness when he denied knowing Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-62, and John 18:17,25-27) after swearing that he would never deny him (Matthew 26:33.35 and Mark 14:29,31). When Jesus appeared after the resurrection, He would offer forgiveness by having Peter profess his love three times (John 21:15:17). By professing his love three times, Peter is forgiven and restored. Third, it is better to be a follower who fails and gets back up than one who fails to follow at all. Peter is a follower who failed many times. He was often rebuked for speaking rashly. He started to sink in the water as he took his eyes off of Jesus. But he was a follower who got back up after each failure and became a revered figure. Jesus doesn’t need us to be perfect. He needs us to believe and follow. 

As a disciple, Simon Peter is considered a saint and therefore perfect. He was far from perfect. He was a flawed man, a working man, chosen by Jesus and his impulsivity became boldness for the gospel, becoming a great leader of the early church. However, it is important for us to remember he wasn’t perfect, even as he walked with Jesus, he was ruled by his emotions, spoke his mind even when he should have been listening and often acted before he should have. Remember, God doesn’t want perfection. He wants us to love Him with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our minds (Matthew 22:37). Simon Peter is an example for us that when we fail, God is there to forgive and restore us when we repent. We will make mistakes, but what is important is to turn to God when we do. 

I highly recommend You Will Be Peter by Jerry Lathan with Steven Manchester. It is a great emotional account of who Simon Peter was and how he became the Bible figure we know today. It is available in hardcover and eBook