This morning we celebrated St. Andrew the Apostle.  Almost everyone remembers Andrew as Peter’s brother, but today at our mid-week communion service we took a bit deeper look at his life and who God might be calling us to be in response to our brother Andrew.

First, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ calling Simon and Andrew makes it clear that Andrew was obedient. ”While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matt 4:18-20).  Immediately they left their nets.  Imagine Andrew and Peter dropping their nets, their very livelihood and identity to follow this rabbi.  This faithful response is a clear sign of obedience to Jesus.

Second, John’s account of Andrew and Peter meeting Jesus is a bit different.  Here we see that Andrew is not only obedient, but he is a missionary.  Andrew is one of John the Baptist’s disciples, and it is in Andrew’s hearing that John proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36).  It says later, “One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42).  That Andrew knew Jesus was the messiah of God demonstrates his attentiveness to the Scriptures and to his own rabbi John the Baptist.  What is more, Andrew goes to his brother in jubilation – “We have found the Messiah.”  And, Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.  Andrew was the first of the disciples to be a missionary.  This missionary action didn’t necessitate going to a different culture or location.  Andrew simply responded to God and acted in his own surroundings.  His simple act of bringing Peter to Jesus would change the history of the world as the Holy Spirit later poured out in glory would empower and guide the young Church in the continuing expansion of the kingdom of God.

Andrew demonstrates a similar sensitivity to his surroundings where he brings the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus in order to feed the multitude.  Again, Andrew responds to God in simple faith.  In fact, it seems that Andrew is able to see things that others don’t see. Remarkably, Andrew’s ability to envision God’s work is close to the biblical definition of faith.  ”Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).  As the eleventh chapter of Hebrews rolls on, words related to seeing and vision keep showing up.  Andrew’s obedience as a disciple and his missionary heart were rooted in faith, in his God-given ability to see what was not yet, and come into line with God’s gracious move.

God’s call on our lives is similar.  He is moving in our midst lovingly, constantly, even without our approval or petition.  Like the word of God that emanates from creation day after day, night after night, pouring forth speech, so too God’s impetus of love is pouring forth.  Our task is simply to drop our nets and join in.  I believe we see this in St Andrew’s life, and it is a posture worth emulating.

So, today we remember our brother Andrew who most of us know as Peter’s brother.  But, much greater than this, we know him for his obedience, his missionary action, his eyes of faith, and above all, we know him as a man who brought others to Jesus.  If all we are known for in this life is being the person who brought others to Jesus, like St Andrew, then we should be overjoyed with the fruit of our lives having offered ourselves willingly, obediently, in faithfulness to God.

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