John 1:35-42

John 1:35-42 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Andrew won the first convert to Christ: Peter. Greatly impressed with Jesus after spending time with him, Andrew persuaded Peter to follow Jesus too. Andrew's life-changing encounter with the Lord changed his thinking processes and his plan for living. Time spent with Jesus, learning from him, has a way of dramatically altering lives forever. Usually, new Christians evidence more passion for evangelism than some more experienced believers who have let the fire of the "good news" subside to simmering coals. Newly born converts more readily reveal their strong belief that Jesus is worthy of total allegiance and deserving of their commitment to sharing his love and grace with others. Without new brothers and sisters in our midst, the message of Christ may lack vibrancy and power, for they have experienced the transforming power of the cross of Christ. One day they were lost in sin with all its pitfalls, entanglements, and false perspectives. The next day Christ envelopes their beings, convinces them of his reality, and helps them fix their hearts and minds on eternal life and spreading the gospel message. Older Christians sometimes fall short of this zeal because we have grown cold, complacent, weary, or just indifferent to the great commission to win the lost. We may spend hundreds of hours learning about Jesus and feeding at his bountiful table while forgetting his manna must be shared: We have been touched by The Lamb of God and we should want the world to know!

The modern church typically hires professionals to propagate the gospel: people paid to take care of the church and to tell others about Jesus. The extent of our gospel witness often remains within the church doors, in an enclave safe from the realities of the world Christ came to redeem. We may nurture and sustain long-term relationships with people who do not know Christ. yet never mention or even allude to our relationship with him. The people around us daily may not know or discern Christ in us: our hope of glory, constant companion, best friend, and faithful guide. They do not know because the light is not shining as brightly through us as it once did. John says, The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah (that is the Christ)." And he brought him to Jesus. Andrew's first desire and driving passion was to tell his brother about Christ: tell Peter this salvation was for him too. Do we really believe that others should know Christ as we know him and accept him as the Son of God? All of us at this breakfast table undoubtedly believe to some degree that others need the Lord. We even care enough for people to pray for them at our convenience, but do our daily choices, actions and reactions confirm those beliefs? Will the "Peter" you and I meet today want to follow us as we follow Christ?

A meal of guilt is not the answer because it will neither satisfy nor sustain us. We quickly digest the admonition that we should share our faith, then move on to the next meal without any lasting benefit. A feeling of discomfort disturbs us for a while, but we go on to the more satisfying and acceptable dining experiences the world offers to make us forget that now dim call to action. Guilt and shame are bitter fruits for our digestion and rarely motivate us to sustained action and service to Christ. A meal of love and grace that lifts up the power of the cross to change lives offers greater staying and sustaining power. When we serve love, hope, and grace (such as I attempt to put forth in these daily breakfasts) the partakers come alive in their faith and require less monitoring and fewer outward controls to remain stalwart soldiers of the cross. Perfect love brings intimacy with God and emboldens the heart while strengthening the body to action and service. We better maintain our first love as we partake of the daily bread and wine--the body of Christ. Abiding in him through the Holy Spirit strengthens us to call our brothers and sisters to follow him along with us. Nothing else will make us truly effective witnesses for Christ. After one day with Jesus, Andrew knew he would never be the same: He met the Messiah, the lover of his soul, and his mission was clear. He would never turn back. Peter saw the fire and craved its warmth: God made him a rock of faith in the living church. Praise God forever!