Good morning,
The Lord blessed us with an Indian Summer day yesterday. He blessed us with a beautiful Wednesday Evening gathering. Alice and I walked for almost four miles last night . It was once again a moonlit night studded with countless stars. Somebody shared in the Wednesday evening gathering that the brilliant planet appearing close to the Moon is Jupiter. Tonight is the night of the Full Moon. It is a Harvest Moon. Wherever you might be across the beautiful world our Lord has made you take time to gaze at the full moon and exclaim, "O Lord our Lord how excellent your name in all the earth". Praise the Lord for the way He calls us out of the world to be His disciples and He sends us in to the world to be His ambassadors.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer -wrote in his book, "The Cost of Discipleship", "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. These words are both powerful and challenging. When we come to Christ and surrender our lives to Him, we die to self and become alive to Jesus and live in Him alone. One of the most important marks of discipleship is that a disciple points people to Christ, or in other words, brings others to Jesus. In fact, the mission of the United Methodist Church is a simplified version of Jesus’ great commission: “to make disciples for Jesus Christ”, which simply means, we are here to do as John the Baptist, did, point others of the lamb of God, and to do as Andrew did, bring others to Jesus as it is recorded in John 1.
Andrew was Jesus’ first disciple. He was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee who lived in the village of Bethsaida. If we think about Andrew, we realize he is sometimes overlooked. He did not write a gospel and none of any sermons he might have given or letters he might have written survived. We know of no miracles attributed to him. But Andrew had the gift of bringing others to meet Jesus. He was the first evangelist. We have three accounts in John’s gospel of Andrew’s bringing others to Jesus. In John 1, we have the story of Andrew’s introducing his brother Simon to Christ. Sometimes it is hard to witness to our own family members, since they know us so well. We are afraid they won’t listen to us - which often is true. But Andrew had no qualms about it. He ran and brought his brother to Jesus. What an impact this one faithful act of discipleship had on the world.
Andrew was Jesus’ first disciple. He was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee who lived in the village of Bethsaida. If we think about Andrew, we realize he is sometimes overlooked. He did not write a gospel and none of any sermons he might have given or letters he might have written survived. We know of no miracles attributed to him. But Andrew had the gift of bringing others to meet Jesus. He was the first evangelist. We have three accounts in John’s gospel of Andrew’s bringing others to Jesus. In John 1, we have the story of Andrew’s introducing his brother Simon to Christ. Sometimes it is hard to witness to our own family members, since they know us so well. We are afraid they won’t listen to us - which often is true. But Andrew had no qualms about it. He ran and brought his brother to Jesus. What an impact this one faithful act of discipleship had on the world.
Jesus gave Simon the nick name Cephas, which is Aramaic for Peter, which means “rock”. Simon Peter became the chief of Jesus’ apostles. We think of Peter, for all his faults, as a spiritual giant. He was himself a powerful witness to Christ - On Pentecost, Peter preached and 3000 people believed on Christ. All of this took place because one ordinary man, Andrew, was faithful in bringing others to Jesus. Many shrink from even the word "evangelism". We often hesitate to share our faith with our friends and family - we don’t want to seem like religious fanatics. Too often we don’t invite people to church, even offering to bring them with us because we don’t want to bother them or don’t want to seem pushy. What if Andrew had felt like that? Think of what the Christian world would have lost, how many lives would not have been touched for Christ if Andrew had been worried about his brother thinking he’d lost it, or about being too pushy - if he had not brought his brother to Jesus? Because of Andrew’s faithfulness to God, many untold lives were touched. It became a ripple effect.
The second time we find Andrew bringing someone to Jesus in John’s gospel illustrates this ripple like effect of our faithfulness. In John 6 we have the account of Jesus’ teaching and feeding the crowd of 5000. When it was getting late and the disciples were thinking it’s time to send these folks home to eat - we can’t afford to feed them, and besides, it would take too long to go to town to buy the food anyway, it was Andrew who brought the lad with his lunch of 5 barely loaves and two fish to Jesus who multiplied them and fed his 5000 hungry listeners. Jesus’ power was shown and thousands were fed because Andrew was faithful and brought the boy to Jesus, despite the seemingly impossibility of feeding that many people with that little lunch. He believed and trusted, and then watched Jesus perform the impossible. It can be that way in our lives as well. You never know what God will do with whatever we give him, no matter how small, we never know how God will use those we bring to him - or use those who come to Christ or make a commitment to Christ or enter various ministries because of our influence.
The second time we find Andrew bringing someone to Jesus in John’s gospel illustrates this ripple like effect of our faithfulness. In John 6 we have the account of Jesus’ teaching and feeding the crowd of 5000. When it was getting late and the disciples were thinking it’s time to send these folks home to eat - we can’t afford to feed them, and besides, it would take too long to go to town to buy the food anyway, it was Andrew who brought the lad with his lunch of 5 barely loaves and two fish to Jesus who multiplied them and fed his 5000 hungry listeners. Jesus’ power was shown and thousands were fed because Andrew was faithful and brought the boy to Jesus, despite the seemingly impossibility of feeding that many people with that little lunch. He believed and trusted, and then watched Jesus perform the impossible. It can be that way in our lives as well. You never know what God will do with whatever we give him, no matter how small, we never know how God will use those we bring to him - or use those who come to Christ or make a commitment to Christ or enter various ministries because of our influence.
Andrew’s evangelism had an international nature the next time we find him bringing others to Christ. In John 12 we find the account of how, towards the end of Jesus’ ministry and life, some Greeks came wanting to meet him. Andrew arranged and interview for them. Jesus was moved at the universal appeal of the gospel. He had said, “And I , when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Andrew’s willingness to bring even those of another culture to Jesus began to open his eyes and the eyes of the other disciples to the fact that Jesus had come for all. So a disciple brings others to Jesus.
What a wonderful example of Christian discipleship Andrew set for us. Andrew knew and followed Jesus. He introduced others to the Master and was not envious of his brother or his brother’s success in ministry. It is important, as Christian disciples, that we witness to our faith and bring others to Jesus. John Wesley put it this way, “offer them Christ”. What a mandate! All of us are called to the work of evangelism. We can all tell others - not what they ought to do or be - but simply what Jesus means to us. Rest assured the Holy Spirit will do the rest (though maybe not on our time table). But you will be thrilled when you see them come to Christ, or engaging in ministry and walking with you in the journey of faith. Christ calls us all to the ministry of introduction.
What a wonderful example of Christian discipleship Andrew set for us. Andrew knew and followed Jesus. He introduced others to the Master and was not envious of his brother or his brother’s success in ministry. It is important, as Christian disciples, that we witness to our faith and bring others to Jesus. John Wesley put it this way, “offer them Christ”. What a mandate! All of us are called to the work of evangelism. We can all tell others - not what they ought to do or be - but simply what Jesus means to us. Rest assured the Holy Spirit will do the rest (though maybe not on our time table). But you will be thrilled when you see them come to Christ, or engaging in ministry and walking with you in the journey of faith. Christ calls us all to the ministry of introduction.
In Christ,
Brown
Saturday , November 12, 2011
Harvest Banquet: Traditional Turkey dinner with Home Made pies, Home Made cooking, "best in the Country". Donation $7.00
Serving at 12 noon
At Wesley United Methodist Church.
1000 Day Hollow Road, Endicott, NY 13760
Come Share Rejoice
For Information: 607-748-6329
Saturday , November 12.2011
Praise and Worship Service
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6 PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30 PM Worship
Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Dec. 6th is our planned trip to NYC to see the Radio City Christmas show. We need to confirm the bus and show tickets so must have all reservations and money into the office by Thursday, Nov. 10. You don’t want to miss this great opportunity, a bargain at $90 for transportation and the show. Call 748-6329 for more information or to confirm your reservation.
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