Our Purpose: Bring Them to Jesus

As I read this passage, I can’t help but to think of the illustration I shared over a year ago of how a nurse during the Vietnam War had been reprimanded many times, as it seems she had a tendency to drift onto the battlefield and rescue wounded soldiers. On one such occasion, she brought back not only American soldiers that had been wounded, but she also drug in Vietcong soldiers. As her commander was reprimanding her a final time, he said, “Why do you continue disobey direct orders not to go onto the battlefield?” Her response was priceless, she said, “Sir, that’s my job. My job is to go on the battlefield, find the wounded and bring them to the Physicians.” Folks, as a child of God, that’s OUR JOB. We are to go into the highways and the hedges of this world, find the broken, to find the wounded, and bring them to the Great Physician.” Let’s pray and I will share this message OUR PURPOSE: TO BRING THEM TO JESUS.

Most of us are familiar with Simon Peter, and maybe a few of us are familiar with Andrew. Andrew is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament, and in 6 of those references, he is referred to as “Simon Peter’s brother.” In fact, in verse 40 of our text, he is referred to as “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.”

So why is it that we know so much about Peter? Will, I submit to you that we know so much about Peter, because he had a brother – Andrew. In fact, had it not been for Andrew, we may never have heard anything about Peter. Andrew was saved first, but he’s really not the one that we know so much about. Andrew was simply saved through the words spoken by John the Baptist in verse 36, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

And as soon as the Living Word of God changed Andrew’s life, he immediately went to work on his brother, to introduce him to the “Lamb of God.” In fact, that would become the theme of Andrew’s life. The three major accounts of Andrew’s life in the Scriptures show him bringing somebody to Jesus. Here he brings his brother, in John chapter 6, he brings a little lad with 2 small fishes and 5 loaves of bread, and in John chapter 12, he brings a group of Gentiles.

So, you may say, Andrew was the tool, the instrument, the vehicle that God used to save Simon Peter’s life, and Peter in turn become the leader of the New Testament Church – and in fact, Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and over 3000 people were saved. But it all began when Andrew challenged his brother to “Come and see.”

One lesson I have learned in my life – there is no telling what God is going to do with or through a person that I, or you, have shared the Word of God with. I would venture to say that none of us have ever heard of a Sunday school teacher by the name Robert Kimball. But Robert Kimball led a young shoe salesman to Christ. That shoe salesman was Dwight L. Moody. D.L. Moody would shape America and England with the power of the Gospel and also began Moody Bible Institute. It is said that over his life and ministry, he probably led more than 1 million people to Christ. The day that Robert Kimball shared the Gospel with Moody, he had no idea what God would do through Moody.

On one of Moody’s trips to England, there was an English preacher by the name of FB Meyer. By his own admission, FB Meyer said that he was skeptical of Moody, as FB Meyer had lost a passion for seeing lived saved by the Gospel. But, He invited Moody to speak in his church and when he did, it transformed his life and ministry.

FB Meyer would travel to Greenville, South Carolina to speak at Furman University. While speaking at Furman, there was a young man in chapel who had decided to give up on the ministry and leave college. But the message FB Meyer shared changed his life forever. That young Man was Dr. R.G. Lee who would go on to preach one of the most well-known sermons ever preached “Pay Day Some Day.” R.G. Lee preached into his 90’s.

God used FB Meyer to ignite a fire in the soul of another preacher, J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman led a young baseball player to Christ, and carried him around with him so he could share his testimony. That young baseball player was Billy Sunday.

Billy Sunday came to Charlotte, North Carolina and preached a very successful Camp Revival. That revival was so successful, they invited another preacher to join them, that preacher was Mordecai Ham. Mordecai Ham preached one night and gave an invitation, and a young 17 year old boy walked down to the altar and gave his life to Christ. That 17-year-old boy was BILLY GRAHAM.

How did all that happen? Because one little ole Sunday School teacher named Robert Kimball shared the Gospel message with a shoe salesman name DL Moody.

What I’m trying to tell you Rally Point is that when you obey Christ and do what He tells you to do, there is no limit to what God can do!

As we consider this thought, “Bring Them to Jesus,” let me show you three things in the life of Andrew. You know, I don’t think God is as concerned about you reach the whole world as He is about you just reaching ONE MORE.

NOTICE FIRST – ANDREW’S PRIORITY (V.41a)

“He FIRST findeth his own brother Simon . . .”

Having just found Jesus himself in verse 36, he sets out to make sure his brother come to know Jesus as well. That word “FIRST” speaks of an attitude of importance. He had to do this before he did anything else.

That word “findeth” indicates he won’t stop until he finds him. It was a priority to Andrew that he get his brother to Jesus.

What does it take to stop us from telling others about Christ? Andrew wanted to share with Peter what he had experienced in Christ, and he wasn’t going to let anything stop him.

I’ll tell you, I’m glad somebody took the time to tell me about Jesus, aren’t you? “He first findeth his own brother Simon.”

SECOND, NOTICE ANDREW’S PROCLAMATION (V.41b)

“We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”

Andrew was sure that he was in the presence of the One that had been promised by the prophets. He was sure that he was in the presence of God in the flesh.

I guess my question for us is, “Are we convinced of Jesus?” “Has He changed our lives the way he changed Andrew’s life?” 

I just think that when you come to know the person of Jesus, I think it changes your life and your priorities.

When we invite people to Rally Point Biker Church, we’re not inviting them to see what our church is doing – but we want you to see what God is doing; or to get one of our T-shirts – though we want you to grab a free t-shirt; or to enjoy the coffee and donuts – although we want you to enjoy the refreshments – those are great things, but we’re inviting them to come here and meet a person – that person is JESUS. The message that we proclaim is that He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. The message that we proclaim is that we know that person!

FINALLY, NOTICE ANDREW’S PASSION (V.42)

“And he brought him to Jesus.”

The passion in Andrew’s life was getting his brother to Jesus. That word brought means “To lead by laying hold of.” That means that Andrew grabbed Peter and drug him to Jesus. Andrew was passionate about getting Peter to Jesus.

You know what Jesus said in Luke 14:23, “Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

Andrew “brought him to Jesus.”

Can I close by saying this: If we really believe Jesus is who he says He is, and if He has changed your life, I challenge every one of us to BRING SOMEBODY TO JESUS.”