(John 1:40)
�One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter�s brother.�
Today is Easter Sunday. What a day of rejoicing this should be. It is today that we celebrate the fact that death could not hold Jesus. There are many instances in the Scriptural record which give accounts of people being raised from the dead. Each of these persons was raised through the ministry of one commissioned by God to serve as the vessel of the power of God.
All.
Except Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead on His Own volition as the Son of God.
In raising Himself from the dead Jesus displayed the majesty of His divinity.
But, we could ask, what was the purpose of this event? Why the empty tomb? Satan was a defeated foe from the act of Calvary.
The resurrection of Jesus stands as a proof to the disciples, including us as followers of the Lord, that Jesus was just Who He said He was. He is the Son of God, and God, the son.
The resurrection is also the guarantee of our own salvation. When Paul wrote, �O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?� (I Corinthians 15:55), he was speaking of the glory of the resurrection of Jesus and it�s implications toward us. Death, both physical and spiritual, is a result of the fall of Adam. In Christ, and His victory over Satan at the Cross, the effects of sin are banished.
Jesus had to raise from the dead because He had defeated the curse which caused death. Without the curse of sin, death is no longer part of the equation of human existence. In the resurrection of Jesus we are allowed a glimpse of that which will be ours.
Linda and I had an old car at one time. The �emergency brake� needed repair. For a while we carried a large rock with us in the trunk. Whenever we needed to use the emergency brake we would place that large rock under the tire, on the downside of the hill. The rock kept the car from rolling.
Sin was the rock that kept us from living as God had intended for us to live. The fall had been a large rock placed under the tire of our lives. At the Cross Jesus removed that rock. We could now follow the natural spiritual laws of God and live for Him. There is no longer an impediment to us.
We no longer need to act as though that rock still kept us from living the full life that God has for us. We no longer need to fear the grave. If the Lord tarries, the grave will be our friend. It will usher us into eternal life rather than eternal slumber!
We slumber now, it seems. But, on that day we will awake to the glories that are ours in our Lord.
The resurrection of Jesus is a miracle, yes. But, it is also a simple equation. When sin is defeated, the love and power of God will shine forth!
Today�s text has much to do with the story of the risen Savior. As a matter of fact, that is the purpose of this verse. We need to do as is suggested in this verse; we need to take the message of the risen Savior out into the world with which we interact on a daily basis.
A missionary is not simply someone who gets on a boat, or an airplane, and travels to a distant land. A missionary is a Christian who tells the age old story that Jesus Christ died in time so that we might live in eternity. A �religious professional,� even if he be living on a foreign shore, is not a missionary unless he relates this story to those with whom he comes in contact.
Now, I realize that this verse speaks of two men who became followers of Jesus. But, for the sake of comparison, I�d like to consider these two men as opposites. I�m going to consider Andrew as a true convert to Jesus, while considering the other as a follower but not a partaker of the Salvation of Christ.
I remember, about ten years ago, when my son was seriously �into� skateboarding. He took up the sport with a vengeance. During this time he spoke about one boy who was often with the group that Ethan skated with. Ethan said, �He just likes hanging out with us. He�s a �poser.� He doesn�t skate. He just carries his board around with him.�
Many people are like that. They are �posers� when it comes to the Christian life. They don�t really take part in what the Christian life is all about. They just hang out with the group. I call these �cultural Christians.� They might look the part; but they are not taking part.
With that in mind we look at this verse and realize that many will hear the Words of the Lord�s story. �One of the two which heard John speak��
First of all, we need to understand that not all will respect the message of the Gospel. We have a weekly newspaper here in town. I know the editor and have met several of the regular columnists. They are all good people. But, the paper does not merely present a view which is opposed to Christianity. They paper is actively, and - especially in the �letter�s to the editor� section - violently opposed to any vestige of Christianity left within the world.
It would be easy to get upset with this continual harangue about Christianity. This is especially so when one considers that these writers often complain about the incivility of Christians while exceeding the Christian verbiage to a great extent. They tend to complain in a most intolerant manner about the intolerance of the Christian.
I could argue that the Christian, at least, has a belief system which postulates an eternal Hell for those who have not accepted Christ. It is the compassion of the Christian which causes him to speak out against the sins of the day.
I could argue this. But, I see far too many Christians who have an attitude of smug superiority about their arguments. We must remember that an argument never convinced anyone to accept Christ. Only the truth of the Gospel, presented with the backing of prayer for the Holy Spirit�s convicting power, will lead one to accept the love of the Savior.
By the way, that word I used was �presented,� not �pounded.� We need to be Christ-like. That is not a call for tolerance for sin. It is a call for understanding that Jesus never attacked anyone in the New Testament except those religious leaders who would have kept people from acceptance of the Gospel.
May our actions and words never make us one who would keep people from the acceptance of the Gospel message.
We say that we love the sinner and only hate his sin. But, we say this while lining up the cross-hairs of our rifles of vindictive speech toward any who would disagree with us. Let us remember that the world at large is under the influence of Satan. �But, they hate us and our message.� Well, what did you expect?
Try honest love. Try compassion. Try presenting the Gospel rather than demanding acceptance. Most importantly, try prayer. The love of the Savior, shinning through our lives, will do more than our best - or our angriest, argument.
Remember, also, that not all will respond to the message of the Gospel. Does this mean we quit trying? Of course not. This means that we go back to our knees. We will never �win� anyone. But, the Spirit of God, working through our yielded lives, will win some to the Christ Who died that we might live.
Don�t tell me how evil is this present age. I don�t think that this is a surprise to God. He might already know about it. But, the fact is that the Gospel message is the power of God.
Romans 1:16 says, �For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chirst: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth��
The power of God lies not in ecstatic utterances or flashy presentations on a stage, uh� pulpit. The power of God is that some will repent at the message of the Gospel. Our Christian duty is not to change the world�s social systems. Our Christian duty is not to change the political scene of our nation. Our Christian duty is not even to defeat anyone who would disagree with us or our Christian lifestyle. Our Christian duty is to spread the Gospel message with the prayer of perseverance.
We need to love the sinner so much that we will present the Gospel message that Christ died in time so that we might live in eternity. That is not to argue with the sinner. That is not to belittle the sinner. That is not to berate the sinner for failing to live up to a standard he can not attain without the help of the Savior. That is to love the sinner so much that we will present the Gospel message that Christ died in time so that we might live in eternity.
We must realize that some will hearken. ��and followed him��
Not everyone will accept Jesus as Savior. But, some will follow Him.
There are many who will walk the walk.
I was driving down the street several years ago when I came upon a group of cars that were running the red lights. A whole group of �em! Now, I shouldn�t admit this, but I got into the group and followed along as long as I could.
I wasn�t part of this funeral procession, but to any looking on I certainly appeared to be. I was ready to run a red light with the rest of the group when my better sense took hold and I stopped.
Do you understand what I am saying? Any onlooker would have naturally thought that I was part of the group. I was driving the same direction. I was following the same path. I even turned my headlights on so I would �let my light shine.� But, I wasn�t part of the group.
We have many like that in our churches. Somehow they have never got around to accepting the Lord as their Savior. They may look like us. They may argue for our goals. They may even act like us - in some instances that is a bad thing! But, the Lord knows that they are not one of us.
What about you? Can you look back to a time in your life when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have your sins been forgiven? I�m not asking if you tithe, or go to Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. I�m asking if you have ever, really, accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior.
You can act all you want. You can even fool yourself. But, unless there is a time in your life when you have repented of your sins and accepted Jesus as Savior, you are lost and on your way to a Christless eternity.
That�s one of the reasons why we try to preach the Gospel message so often. Everyone, even some we might not suspect, needs to know that they�ve accepted Christ as their Savior. No one is too good to need the Savior. No one is too bad to be refused by the Savior.
Sadly, there are some in the way who will not walk.
When Linda and I were married we were stupid. Really. We had no business getting married when I was a PFC in the army. We couldn�t afford it! A couple in her church loaned us their car so we could go on our honeymoon.
A few years ago the lady who had loaned us the car died. I missed her funeral. I wasn�t aware that she had passed on. I felt terrible about this. I began to read the obituaries every day so this would never happen again.
A few months after this her husband passed on. I had the flu. I had a temperature. I was sick. I went to his visitation anyway. I tried to avoid everyone so I wouldn�t infect them!. I signed the guest book and stumbled back out to my car and went home and went back to bed.
Why did I do this? Because I didn�t want to dishonor the family by missing both the mother�s and the father�s funeral. I just wasn�t going to allow this to happen.
Too many Christians treat the Lord with the simple disrespect of refusing to honor Him with their presence in His house and His work. They may be honestly saved; but they act as though they have no time for prayer, for reading of the Scripture, for warning others of the need to repent, for attending the services of the church. They may be Christian, but they are carnal.
They remind me of a bicycle I used to have. The chain kept coming off. It was still a bicycle; but it was useless because it had no power. It didn�t matter how hard I �pumped� the pedals; there was no connection between my motions and the machinery.
Christian, is the chain of your life hooked up to the machinery of the Lord? Are you useable to Him? Or, is your only intention to use Him as a fire escape from Hell? Don�t misunderstand. The Lord is gracious. He will save your soul if you have truly repented. But, couldn�t you show Him a little respect along the way?
And, there are also those who will walk the way. They not only have a relationship with the Lord. They not only have a respect for the Lord. They not only recognize Him as Lord. They also follow Him as Lord.
These are the workers which God will bless. They don�t work for themselves. They don�t even work for the souls of those to whom they witness, and for whom they pray. They work out of loyalty and love for the Lord Who has saved their soul.
It is to this that we must not simply aspire. It is to this that we must attain. Our love for our Lord demands this. Our loyalty to our fellow human demands this. And, lastly, our own souls health will benefit from this.
We also understand that a few will hustle. ��was Andrew, Simon Peter�s brother.�
When I was a kid, playing basketball, I was always told that I didn�t have enough �hustle� in my game. That meant that I spent too much time just standing around and not enough time working to get open, or to position myself for a rebound.
Do you have enough �hustle� in your game for the Lord?
D. L. Moody is venerated as a great soul winner. C. H. Spurgeon is celebrated as a master preacher. The Wesley brother�s are lauded as persons who have greatly enriched the spiritual life of multitudes. But, consider how important was that person, rarely spoken about in literature or classroom, who led these persons to the Lord.
That person who led these people to the Lord had �hustle� in his game. History may not have memorialized this person. But, you may be sure that God has taken note!
Andrew brought Peter to the Lord.
The truth is, however, that some will run the race with brevity.
The church I grew up in had a very solid youth group. There were, probably, fifty of us in this youth group. That is about the total weekly, weakly?, attendance of that entire church now.
What happened to all those kids? Some moved on. Some have passed on. But, most have simply �dropped out.� They were there for the parties, the fellowship, the good times.
There are many who will join with us for a time. They will seem �live wires.� But, when the winds of life blow upon their souls, they will drop out. Why?
For some, the novelty has worn off. They came for a thrill and it just hasn�t materialized. They may have made a profession. But, their profession was to be part of the group. They wanted to believe in something higher than themselves.
But, they never really accepted the Lord. They were �posers.� They may not have even understood this. That is why part of the Great Commission is to teach. �Rip Roaring� sermons are fine. They tend to get everyone excited. But, while we�re �ripping and roaring,� let�s keep our focus on the Words which God has inspired and preserved. Let�s teach the Scripture.
It is the Scripture, with the Holy Spirit, which will convict and convert. It is the Lord�s Word, hid in our hearts, which will draw us to service and true salvation.
�Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.� (Psalm 119:11)
Some just left because they were bored. Some will run the race with batteries.
I have two flashlights. One of them I�ve had for several years. It is a very good flashlight as long as I keep new batteries in it. Otherwise, it is an effective paperweight.
The other flashlight my daughter got for me a couple of weeks ago. It doesn�t use batteries. It contains a mechanism that will generate static electricity when I shake it. I don�t have to worry about keeping batteries in it.
Some Christians (most?) seem to run the race of the Christian life with batteries. They will do pretty good if they are in the mood. If things are going well for them, they are fine. But, let a little adversity come into their lives and they are mad at God. They will just slide away from any real Christian service.
Some Christians, however, are like that other flashlight. They don�t need the batteries. But, they still have to get roused to action. Find a cause and they�ll be on fire for a few weeks. Then they let their light grow dim because they are no longer emotionally involved.
But, some will run the race with brotherhood in mind. They are part of the body of believers and they have a desire to fulfill their place. They don�t need any outside incentive because they see the need in the world about them. They don�t need any outside incentive because they are cognizant of the Lord within them.
They are active because that is their new nature in Christ. They are the ones who are living up to their true, spiritual potential.
And, they are the ones who are least likely to boast to others about what they have done for the Lord. They understand their place in the Lord. They know that they are sinners who were saved by grace. They are only offering their reasonable service.
Which kind of Christian are you?
By the way, are you a Christian? Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? I�m not asking about your good works, or your life style, or even your dedication to your church. Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior?
If you can�t name the time you received the Lord as your own Savior, why not do so right now? This is the first step in the walk of faith.
Being one of the group doesn�t take you to Heaven. Being one of Christ�s�, now that is what is needed.
Accept Him today!