The feast of St. Andrew is a feast that inhabits somewhat of a “liminal space” between the end of the Liturgical year and its beginning. Some years, its in the last week of the year. Some years, its in the first week of the year. But every year, its witness, its content, and its purpose is the same. To point us back toward Evangelization. To show us again, what gospel witness looks like. And to remind us at all times that the key things and the chief thing, in all things, is always the beholding and the proclaiming of the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world. That this gospel be proclaimed God has called for Himself proclaimers of that gospel.
God has called prophets, He has called apostles, and He has called preachers to go out into the world and proclaim His message, both Law and Gospel, that they might turn from their sin and walk in righteousness, but also to be resurrected from death and risen to new life by the hope of the Gospel. Andrew was one such man. Called by Christ to be an apostle, one of the 12. Brother of Peter (the leader of the apostles). And in fact, he was the one who first preached to Peter. Yet, before he preached to Peter, John Preached to him. John, cousin of Jesus who was himself prophesied from birth to be a prophet of the most high God. To make the salvation of God’s people known to them BY THE FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS. And so he did, and so he was. He went before the Messiah, just as he was prophesied so to do, preparing his way, declaring that now was the time, and that the hour had drawn nigh for all to repent and make straight their ways before the Lord, – to turn away from their sin and to bear fruit worthy of repentance. Call all indeed to receive the Baptism of repentance FOR the forgiveness of their sins.
And of course, in his doing of this, those who had not heard about the prophecy of Zechariah asked him, “why do you baptize? Are you the Messiah? Are you Elijah? Are you the prophet? No, no, and no. Who then are you, they asked. I, John said, I am the voice crying out in the wilderness to proclaim the coming of the messiah and make known that God’s salvation has come (to paraphrase). For I baptize you (meaning to wash you), with water. But one who is more powerful than me is coming, who is after me, and yet who comes before me, who’s shoes I’m not even worthy to tie, and He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. John says that not even HE KNEW WHO THIS WAS. He has no idea it would be his cousin Jesus. But being a Prophet, the Holy Spirit spoke to him and told him to go and to baptize with water, calling all to repent that their sins might be forgiven, IN ORDER THAT (as John says) He might be revealed to Israel. In fact the Holy Spirit spoke to John (he tells us) and said to him that he was to go and Baptize with water, and that the man on whom John would see the Spirit descend was the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. And so, as John is out in the wilderness Baptizing, low and behold his younger cousin Jesus, who came after him, and yet was before Him (and before all things), came forward to be baptized – and thus John saw the Spirit descend upon Him, and the heavens split in two and immediately John knew, and immediately he cried out to all who were gathered (which was a massive crowd at this point by the way) LOOK – HERE IS THE LAMB OF God, who takes a way the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said one is coming who is greeater than me who will baptize with a baptism greater than mine and preach a message greater than mine, here is He of whom I was sent to go before. Here is He for whom I was sent to prepare the way. Here before you is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! I myself have seen and testify that this is the very Son of God!
And among this crowd, was lowly Andrew. Hearing all of this, hearing that it was Jesus who would do these things. And upon hearing John’s proclamation, Andrew set out to follow Jesus. And when I say follow Jesus, I mean, like “is this guy stalking me” kind of follow. This was the kind of following whereby simply turning around, Jesus was looking directly at him, and doing so Jesus asked him, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?”
It’s all to tempting to assume that Jesus said this in an annoyed way, or a creeped out way. I mean, after all Andrew WAS stalking him. But if we look closer, this quesiton is profoiund, You are following me, what do you want? Not who do you think I am, or, why are you following, but what do you, fundamentally at your very core WANT. What do you seek? What are you seeking in following me? Propserity? Fame? Want to see some miracles? What do you want? What do you seek?
But instead of actually answering the question , the ask him a qwuestion of their own. Rabbi, they said, where are you staying? “Come and See”
And coming and seeing, they then left Jesus, to go and find others. And going to find Andrews brother Peter, Andrew said, simon, WE AHVE FOUND THE MESSIAH. And they brought him the Messiah, and there, Jesus placed upon him a new name.
And this is really a picture, not only of Romans 10 but of the whole mission of the church. We ourselves are those who have heard the gospel preached to us, who have not so much as found God as those who have been found by God, invited to come and to see more of Him, and to share in Him, to sit under Him and by Him, and to dwell with Him, only to be sent out again to go and proclaim that we too have found the Messiah, and to bring people to Him,
That’s what evangelism is.
We look at our world today and despair because there is no faith. But how does faith come? We look at our world today and despair because there are no preachers, but how are preachers made? Faith comes by hearing, it really is that simple (but not mundane or mechanical – its miraculous). But what is less miraculous, and much more mechanical, is that Hearing comes by speaking, it really is that simple. Speaking comes from sending. It really is that simple. So now I ask you, do you believe that? If you do, it’s because you heard it. If so, then I call you, to come and SEE THAT. And you will see that, when you begin to go out into the world around you (family, friends, coworkers) and actually SPEAK THAT. For faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. So speak that Word.
