Disciples of Jesus - Andrew

1. Disciples of Jesus: Andrew – 2nd January 2016
“Come,followme,” Jesus said, “andI will send youout to fishfor people.” 18
At once they left their
nets and followedhim.” (Mark 1:17).
Andrewwasthe brotherof Peter,anda sonof Jonas.He livedinBethsaidaandCapernaumandwasa
fishermanbeforeJesuscalledhim.Originallyhe wasadisciple of Johnthe Baptist aswe canlearnfrom
Mark 1:16-18, “AsJesus walked besidethe Sea ofGalilee,he saw Simonandhis brother Andrew
castinga net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17
“Come,followme,” Jesussaid, “andI will send
you out to fishfor people.” 18
Atonce they left their nets andfollowedhim. Andrew broughthis
brother,Peter,toJesus aswe can learnfrom John1:40, “Andrew,SimonPeter’s brother, was one of
the two who heard what Johnhad saidand whohad followedJesus.” He is the firstto have the title of
Home and ForeignMissionary.He isclaimedbythree countriesas theirPatronSaint-Russia,Scotland
and Greece.Many scholarssaythat he preachedinScythia,Greece andAsiaMinor.
AndrewintroducedotherstoJesus.Althoughcircumstancesplacedhiminapositionwhereitwould
have beeneasyforhimto become jealousandresentful,he wasoptimisticandwell contentinsecond
place.Hismainpurpose inlife wastobring otherstothe master. Accordingtotradition,itwasin Achaia,
Greece,inthe townof Patra that Andrew diedamartyr.WhenGovernorAepeas'wife washealedand
convertedtothe Christianfaith,andshortlyafterthatthe Governor'sbrotherbecame a Christian.
Aepeaswasenraged.He arrestedAndrew andcondemnedhimtodie onthe cross. Andrew,feeling
unworthytobe crucifiedonthe same-shapedcrossashisMaster, beggedthathisbe different.So,he
was crucifiedonanX-shapedcross,whichisstill calledSaintAndrew'scrossandwhichisone of his
apostolicsymbols.A symbol of twocrossedfishhasalsobeenappliedtoAndrew,becausehe was
formerlyafisherman.
The Apostle Andrewabandoned Johnthe Baptist tobecome the firstfollowerof Jesusof Nazareth,but
Johndidn'tmind.He knewhismissionwastopointpeople tothe Messiah. Like manyof us,Andrew
livedinthe shadowof hismore famoussibling,SimonPeter.Andrew ledPetertoChrist,thenstepped
intothe backgroundas hisboisterousbrotherbecame aleaderamongthe apostlesand inthe early
church. But the Gospelsdon'ttell usa great deal aboutAndrew,butwe can readbetweenthe linesand
finda personwhothirstedfortruthand founditin the livingwaterof JesusChrist. Andrew asimple
fishermandroppedhisnetsonthe shore andwentonto become a remarkable fisherof men.
The Gospels recordthree episodesinvolvingthe ApostleAndrew.He andthree otherdisciplesasked
Jesusabouthisprophecythatthe Temple wouldbe torndown asstatedin Mark 13:3-4, “ AsJesus was
sittingon the Mount ofOlivesoppositethe temple, Peter, James, Johnand Andrew askedhim
privately, 4
“Tell us, when will these thingshappen?And what will be the sign that they are all about
to be fulfilled?” Thenwe canreadwhere Andrew broughtaboy withtwofishandfive barleyloavesto
Jesus,whomultipliedthemto feed5,000 people asstatedin John6:8-9, “Anotherof his disciples,
Andrew, SimonPeter’s brother, spoke up, 9
“Here is a boywith five small barleyloaves andtwo small
fish,but howfar will they goamong somany?”.PhilipandAndrew broughtsome GreekstoJesuswho
wantedtomeethim as we can learnfrom John12:20-22, “Nowthere were some Greeks amongthose
who went up to worshipat the festival. 21
They came to Philip,whowasfrom Bethsaidain Galilee,
with a request. “Sir,” they said,“wewould liketo see Jesus.” 22
Philipwentto tell Andrew; Andrew and
Philipinturn told Jesus.”

2. Accordingto 15th Century religious historian Dorman Newman, Andrew—the brother of Peter—went to Patras in
western Greece in 69 AD, where the Roman proconsul Aegeates debated religion with him. Aegeates tried to
convinceAndrew to forsakeChristianity,so that he would not have to torture and execute him. But when that
didn’t work, apparently he decided to give Andrew the full treatment. Andrew was scourged, and then tied rather
than nailed to a cross,so that he would suffer for a longer time before dying. Andrew lived for two days,during
which he preached to passersby.
Accomplishmentsof the Apostle Andrew:Andrew broughtpeopletoJesus.After Pentecost,Andrew
became a missionary likethe otherapostlesandpreachedthe gospel.
Andrew'sStrengths:He hungeredforthe truth.He foundit,firstinJohnthe Baptist,theninJesusChrist.
The Apostle Andrewismentionedfourthinthe listof disciples,indicatinghe stayedclose to Jesus.
Andrew'sWeaknesses:Like the otherapostles,Andrew abandonedJesusduringhistrial and crucifixion.
Life Lessonsfromthe Apostle Andrew:Jesustrulyisthe Saviorof the world. Whenwe findJesus,we
findthe answerswe have beenlookingfor inlife.The ApostleAndrew made Jesusthe mostimportant
thinginhislife,andwe shouldtoo.