He First Found His Brother - Part One

Posted 7/29/14 by Donald Barnhouse
SCRIPTURE
John 1:15-28
 
(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
LESSON
 
The moment a man becomes aware that he has been made alive in Christ, there is the urge to let someone else know about it. That urge is as natural as the cry of the newborn infant. When no such desire to witness occurs, there may be a serious question as to whether a stillbirth has taken place instead of the birth of a living healthy babe in Christ.
 
One of the most poignant stories of the New Testament is hidden in the simple words which tell how Simon Peter came to Christ. John the Baptist had been preaching in the Jordan Valley. As he stood standing with two of his disciples, Jesus Christ walked by. John said, `Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:36). "The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, 'What do you seek?' And they said to Him, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying? He said to them, 'Come and see.' They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.' (See John 1:37-39.)
 
One of those who came to Jesus Christ that afternoon was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. After he had spent time with Jesus, John records that he first found his brother, Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah!" (See John 1:41-42.)
 
Here we see Andrew witnessing to his brother, landing the big fisherman, even before the Lord Jesus told His disciples that if they would follow Him, He would make them fishers of men. (See Mark 1:16-18.) The Lord has given us this story as an indication of a field of witness that is often overlooked. Many who think they can be used in far fields have never begun where the Lord Jesus meant them to begin-right at home.
STUDY QUESTIONS
  • What is the importance of evangelism and apologetics in the Gospels? 
  • How often do you seek to reconcile the lost to Christ?