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HAVE YOU EVER STOOD,,, IN THE SHADOW OF SOMEONE ELSE? SOMEONE WHO YOU WERE ALWAYS COMPARED TO? IT DIDN’T SEEM TO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU WERE,,, OR HOW WELL YOU PERFORMED; “THEY,,,WERE ALWAYS,,, THE STAR”. THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO GET THE RECOGNITION,,, PRAISE AND THE PATS ON THE BACK.
DID YOU EVER FEEL,,, THAT YOUR “LOT IN LIFE” WOULD ALWAYS BE TO PLAY “SECOND FIDDLE” AND NEVER FIRST CHAIR?
WELL,,, YOU SHOULD FEEL RIGHT AT HOME,,, WITH OUR SCRIPTURE READINGS,,, THIS WEEKEND,,, ESPECIALLY WITH ANDREW IN THE GOSPEL.
“SECOND FIDDLES” ARE A FACT OF LIFE! I KNOW THIS,,, FROM MY OBSERVATIONS,,, AND,,, FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.
YOU SEE,,, I WAS A TWIN AND MY BROTHER PAUL,,, WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST CHAIR. HE WAS ONE MINUTE OLDER,,, AND,,, MOM AND DAD EVEN SAID,,, HE WAS SMARTER.
THERE ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE; SOMEONE JUST A BIT BETTER THAN ME. HE GOT THE FIRST CHAIR! I BECAME; THE SECOND FIDDLE.
SOME OF YOU,,, HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES THAT YOU COULD SHARE. BEING SECOND FIDDLEALL THE TIME,,, MAKES IT EASY TO GET A COMPLEX TO FEEL LESS IMPORTANT,,, TO STOP TRYING SO HARD. AFTER ALL,,, IF WE ARE GOING TO AMOUNT TO ANYTHING AT ALL,,, WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE #1,,, AREN’T WE?
LET’S FACE IT,,, HOW LONG,,, ARE SECOND PLACE FINISHERS,,, THE RUNNERS UP,,, REMEMBERED?
IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN THERE,,, TAKE HEART – THE BIBLE HASN’T FORGOTTEN US!
CONSIDER WHO,,, THE SECOND FIDDLEOF THE DISCIPLES WAS: IT WAS ANDREW! HE WAS OF EQUAL RANK WITH THE OTHER ELEVEN DISCIPLES,,, YET,,, THE BEST KNOWN FACT ABOUT HIM,,, WAS,,, THAT HE WAS SIMON PETER’S BROTHER.
EVEN IF HE’S DOING SOMETHING DISTINCTIVE OR OUTSTANDING,,, THE GOSPEL WRITERS STILL ONLY INTRODUCE HIM,,, AS SIMON PETERS BROTHER.
BROTHER PETER; WHO DENIED KNOWING JESUS,,, IS EVEN MENTIONED FIRST,,, IN THE LIST OF DISCIPLES. PETER,,, JAMES AND JOHN,,, WERE INVITED TO THE TRANSFIGURATION,,, BUT NOT ANDREW.
PETER,,, JAMES AND JOHN; WERE INVITED TO THE INNER CIRCLE,,, WHEN JESUS PRAYED IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE– BUT NOT ANDREW.
WHEN JESUS; WENT TO RAISE THE RULER JARIUS’ DAUGHTER FROM DEATH,,, HE TOOK,,, PETER,,, JAMES AND JOHN– BUT NOT ANDREW.
I WONDER,,, IF ANDREW EVER THOUGHT,,, “WHAT DOES A GUY HAVE TO DO,,, TO GET SOME RECOGNITION AROUND HERE?”
NOW I DON’T KNOW IF ANDREW EVER THOUGHT THAT,,, BUT,,, I’LL BET THAT MANY CHRISTIAN’S HAVE,,, AND SOME HAVE EVEN LEFT CHURCHES BECAUSE OF IT!
IN LIFE BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEEM TO BE BORN LEADERS,,, BUT,,, LEADERS NEED THE ESSENTIAL SUPPORT OF OTHERS WHO APPEAR,,, TO TAKE SECOND PLACE.
I’LL BET THERE WAS A TIME,,, YOU’VE EITHER APPLIED FOR A JOB,,, OR A POSITION,,, AND YOU HAD AN INTERVIEW,,, OR,,, APPEARED BEFORE A BOARD.
WELL,,, PICTURE IF YOU WILL,,, THE TWELVE DISCIPLES APPEARING BEFORE SUCH A BOARD,,, THAT WAS APPOINTED: TO CHOOSE JESUS’ CLOSEST ASSOCIATES.
PETER STOOD THERE; SMELLING OF FISH,,, UNCULTURED,,, IMPETUOUS AND IMPULSIVE.
ANDREW,,, JAMES,,, AND JOHN; ALSO REEKED OF FISH AND LACKED REFINEMENT.
PHILIP; APPEARED TO BE INDECISIVE.
THOMAS; SEEMED CYNICAL.
MATTHEW: WAS CONSIDERED A TRAITER.
SIMON; THE ZEALOT,,, WAS A DANGEROUS PATRIOT &
JUDAS; WAS A THIEF.
THE NEW TESTAMENT,,, TELLS IT,,, LIKE IT WAS! THIS WAS A GROUP,,, UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED! AND BY HUMAN STANDARDS,,, IT’S MOST LIKELY,,, THEY WOULD NOT,,, HAVE EVER BEEN CHOSEN,,, BY A SELECTION BOARD,,, BUT,,, THEY WERE CHOSEN BY JESUS,,, WHO KNOWS US AS WE ARE!
TODAY,,, LET’S STUDY THE APOSTLE ANDREW:
IN THE ENTIRE NT,,, ANDREW IS ONLY MENTIONED 12 TIMES AND IN 6 OF THOSE,,, IT MENTIONS THAT HE WAS THE BROTHER,,, OF SIMON PETER.
IT WAS ALMOST AS IF THE WRITERS WERE AFRAID,,, WE WOULDN’T KNOW WHO HE WAS AND IT’S ALMOST AS IF ANDREW WAS SECOND FIDDLE TO PETER.
YET,,, ANDREW,,, WAS THE FIRST OF THE APOSTLES TO BE CHOSEN BY JESUS,,, THE FIRST TO HAVE HIS NAME LINKED WITH THAT OF JESUS AND HE WAS THE FIRST TO PROCLAIM “WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH”.
ANDREW WASN’T AS WELL KNOWN,,, AS HIS MORE GIFTED AND FAMOUS BROTHER PETER,,, BUT,,, ONE THING THAT ANDREW DOES TEACH US,,, IS THAT THERE CAN BE HONOR,,, IN TAKING SECOND PLACE.
ANDREW WASN’T A BRILLIANT THEOLOGIAN,,, OR AN ELOQUENT SPEAKER. HE WAS JUST A FISHERMAN,,, AN ORDINARY PERSON. YET,,, JESUS CHOSE TO MAKE ANDREW,,, ONE OF HIS APOSTLES.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK,,, INTO THE LORD’S STOREHOUSE OF DIVINE TREASURES,,, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE SURPRISED AT THE INSIGNIFICANCE OF THE THINGS,,, THAT WE WOULD SEE.
WE WOULD SEE; THOSE TWO SMALL COPPER COINS ONCE BELONGING TO THE POOR WIDOW WOMAN,,, ALL THAT SHE HAD,,, BEING GIVEN AS AN OFFERING.
WE WOULD SEE;THE FIVE BARLEY LOAVES AND TWO FISH,,, IN THE LUNCH BOX,,, WHICH A PEASANT BOY DONATED TO ANDREW AND THAT WAS USED BY JESUS TO FEED THE 5000.
WE WOULD ALSO SEE;A CUP OF COLD WATER WITH THE CAPTION; “EVEN A CUP OF COLD WATER,,, GIVEN IN MY NAME,,, WILL NOT LOSE IT’S REWARD”. JESUS HAD AN INFINITY WITH ORDINARY THINGS AND ORDINARY PEOPLE,,, JUST LIKE US!
WHEN WE STUDY,,, THE LITTLE THAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT ANDREW,,, WE DISCOVER,,, THE ORDINARY THINGS HE DID,,, LED TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
A CASE COULD BE MADE,,, THAT ANDREW’S POSITION WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT AMONG THE APOSTLES.
FROM THE VERY START,,, ANDREW HAD A CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH PETER,,, JAMES AND JOHN,,, BUT FOR SOME REASON,,, ANDREW WAS LEFT OUT.
WHY ANDREW WAS LEFT OUT OF SO MANY WONDERFUL OCCASIONS,,, WE DON’T KNOW,,, BUT HERE,,, WE WITNESS THE EXTRAORDINARY SPIRIT THAT ANDREW POSESSED.
IF ANDREW EVER SUFFERED,,, EVEN ONE PANG OF ENVY,,, THERE’S NO INDICATION OF IT IN THE GOSPEL RECORDS. THERE APPEARED TO BE,,, NO ROOM FOR PETTY JEALOUSY,,, WITHIN ANDREW! HE WAS ABLE TO APPRECIATE THAT JESUS HAD THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE,,, AS HE PLEASED,,, AND ANDREW HAD THE CONFIDENCE THAT JESUS KNEW BEST!
EACH DISCIPLE WAS CHOSEN FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,,, ACCORDING TO THEIR TALENTS AND ANDREW HAD THE COURAGE TO BE HIMSELF AND TO DO HIS WORK,,, IN HIS OWN WAY.
THREE TIMES IN THE NT,,, WE SEE ANDREW IN ACTION. HE’S EITHER INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO JESUS,,, OR HELPING OUT. HE MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY LIKEABLE PERSON.
THE 1STTIMEHE’S MENTIONED,,, HE’S BRINGING HIS BROTHER SIMON AND INTRODUCING HIM TO JESUS.
THE 2NDTIME,,, HE PERSUADES A BOY TO GIVE JESUS HIS LUNCH,,, OF FISH AND BARLEY LOAVES AND,,,
THE 3RDTIME,,, WE FIND ANDREW REACHING ACROSS RACIAL BOUNDARIES TO BEFRIEND A GROUP OF GREEKS,,, WHO WANTED TO SEE JESUS.
ANDREW WAS ALWAYS DOING THE SIMPLE TASKS WITH QUIET EFFICIENCY,,, AND HE WAS HAPPY TO TAKE THE SECOND PLACE AND NOT BE IN THE LIMELIGHT.
IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE,,, WE NEED LEADERS WHO CAN INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE. BUT WE ALSO NEED THE SECOND FIDDLES,,, WITHOUT WHOM,,, THE LEADERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE.
JESUS NEEDED ANDREW’S SECOND FIDDLESKILLS,,, JUST AS MUCH AS HE NEEDED THE SKILLS OF HIS BROTHER PETER. AND WE THANK ANDREW,,, FOR TEACHING US,,, THAT THERE IS DIGNITYIN TAKING SECOND PLACE.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, ANDREW HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS AND IT WAS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FOR HIM,,, AND IT’S ALSO ONE THAT WE MUST SEEK OUT.
IT TAKES PLACE IN DIFFERENT WAYS,,, IN DIFFERENT PEOPLE,,, YET SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS GIVE US THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY,,, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO SHARE HIS LOVE AND JOY WITH OTHERS,,, LIKE ANDREW DID.
ANDREW EXPERIENCED JESUS,,, WHEN HE HEARD JOHN THE BAPTIST PROCLAIM; “BEHOLD,,, THE LAMB OF GOD” AND ANDREW DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.
JESUS TURNED TO ANDREW AND ASKED; “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?”
AND ALTHOUGH ANDREW REALLY DIDN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION VERY WELL,,, HE EXPRESSED A DEEP DESIRE TO SPEND TIME WITH JESUS,,, AND TO ENCOUNTER HIM PERSONALLY.
JESUS ASKED ANDREW TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND,,, TO PUT JESUS FIRST,,, AND NOW,,, JESUS ASKS THE SAME FROM ALL OF US.
YOU MAY NOT SEE HIM RAISE THE DEAD,,, OR FEED THE MULTITUDES,,, BUT KNOW THIS,,, JESUS IS WORKING IN YOUR LIVES AND HE’S INVITING YOU TO BE AN ACTIVE PART OF HIS KINGDOM.
NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A PETER! WE DON’T ALL HAVE HIS PERSONALITY,,, HIS GIFTS,,, OR HIS FLARE.
BUT,,, EVERYONE CAN BE AN ANDREW. EVERYONE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUSAND EVERYONE CAN ACCEPT HIS INVITATION TO FOLLOW HIM AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE LOVE AND GRACE OF JESUS.
SO,,, NOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, IT’S YOUR TURN! TO BE; AN ANDREW?
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,,, AND OF THE SON,,, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. +++ 1,454 Wds, 6 Pgs