GodReflection: A Brand-New Life And Have Everything To Live For.
I like Andrew. Andrew Has Good News and he can’t keep it to himself. It begins one day when Andrew, and a fellow listener went to hear the old desert prophet John preach. His sermons attract large crowds and on this day something unusual takes place.
As he speaks another visitor is walking in the distance. Immediately John recognized him, “Look, the Lamb of God!” The two young men waste no time, they follow Jesus. Likewise, Jesus has his eye on them and turns to ask, “What do you want?”
Caught a bit off guard, and obviously wanting to hear from Jesus, they too have a question, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus continues the exchange, “Come, and you will see.” Andrew full of excitement and good news after spending his day with Jesus can’t wait to find Peter his brother, Andrew Has Good News.
So, the first thing Andrew does when he finds his brother Simon is tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ) John 1:41. From this point forward our encounters with Andrew build one upon another to prepare him for his life’s mission. When Jesus returns from death to life, he will give Andrew his mission to spend the remainder of his life sharing. He has more good news and for sure Andrew and today’s disciples have A Brand-New Life And Have Everything To Live For.
Let’s backup and see what the Gospel writers can tell us about Andrew Who Has Good News. Philip, Andrew, and his brother Simon Peter live in the town of Bethsaida. It is a little village located on the north side of the Sea of Galilee near where the Jordan River flows into the sea. A quick curiosity, Philip being from the same town makes me wonder if perhaps he was the other young man who was with Andrew when they first find Jesus. We will get to know Philip later as we meet Jesus’s chosen apostles.
It was near Andrew’s village; Jesus comes walking beside the Sea of Galilee and spots the two brothers casting their fishing net into the lake. He is ready to begin his call of the Twelve. First on his list is Simon called Peter, then his brother Andrew. Andrew has a great quality that Jesus will insist of all his followers, Andrew seems to be comfortable not having to be first. Yet, like his brother Peter, Andrew is always ready to be a first responder.
Their little town of Bethsaida continues to be important in the growth of Andrew’s faith and trust in Jesus. It was there he saw Jesus restore sight to a blind man.
Remember the night Andrew witnesses Jesus as he walks on the water, quiets the wind, and calms the waves. It is one night when Andrew is trying to get home to Bethsaida.
It is also likely that the feeding of the 5,000 takes place near Bethsaida. The crowd is away from their village, and no shops are available to buy food. Jesus, questions Philip, Andrew’s friend, as recorded by John in Chapter 6 of his gospel, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
Philip sees no way it can happen. “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Andrew has a meager observation while he too doubts there is solution, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
However, Jesus proceeds to show them God is in control and will feed everyone with abundance and even give each of the twelve apprentices a basket full of extra bread because Jesus gives the crowd much more than they can eat.
Prior to Jesus’s crucifixion, we read again about Andrew. Twice more he enters the story to reinforce his faith that enables him to courageously be a man who proclaims good news after Jesus’s resurrection.
On the first occasion, most likely a day or two after Mary anoints Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume during a meal before his death, some Greeks come looking for Jesus. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be Glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds (John 12:21-24).
Shortly thereafter we find Jesus leaving the temple when one of Jesus’s disciples (I suspect Peter or Andrew, as both were always ready to talk) makes a passing observation. “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
Listen to Jesus as he responds to the observation and to what that response provokes later. “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every stone will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:1-4).
When the crucifixion takes place. Andrew, like the others, fails to stand with Jesus and in fear runs for his life. Jesus returns from death and with deep love and forgiveness appears multiple times to his chosen apostles. He eats meals with them and gives final instructions. Andrew is among them.
The faith and trust he now has transformed the very foundation of his life. Andrew Has Good News, honors his assignment from Jesus, and aggressively go out to share it for the remainder of his life. For Andrew has joined with those who have A Brand-New Life And have Everything To Live For.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Stay tuned.
Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection: Andrew Has Good News.
God Reflection 