B Cycle – 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Jn. 1:35-42

How many times have we heard this gospel and never paid attention to the identification of Andre as a disciple of John the Baptist.  He was a fisherman as was his brother and yet he was following John the Baptist.  This means he heard John’s message of repentance and not only repented but joined John in his ministry proclaiming the Messiah was coming.  This would mean Andrew shared his experiences as a disciple with his brother Simon.   

Did Simon listen or did Simon just assume John was another iterant preacher or prophet who loved to captivate the people with their words.  At that time, there were far too many of them roaming the countryside.  People had grown used to their rants and crazy visions. But it is most likely Simon had something stir within him and privately wonder about the Messiah, the fulfillment of all the promises of God. 

The Messiah was going to redeem His chosen people. Restore the covenant He made with Abraham and confirmed to Moses.  The Kingdom of David would be restored, and all oppressors would be removed.  The truth is we have no way of knowing but Andrew’s presence as a disciple of John on that day when Jesus walks by is critical for us today.

You may ask why that single fact is important to us.  It is a small detail but crucial detail in this gospel.  His presence gives us new insights Andrew’s next encounter with Jesus as he sat with his brother and James and John. That encounter on the shores of Lake Galilee seems to indicate Jesus never had prior contact with them as He invites them to follow Him. But by then Andrew had become a believer in the message and a disciple of John the Baptist.  We now know he spent time with Jesus. Andrew as a disciple of the Baptist, would have facilitated the encounters between the people and the message of John the Baptist.  Andrew had a growing desire to encounter this One who is to come, the One John the Baptist was preparing the way for. 

Andrew would have known who walked by when John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God.”  All Jews knew, the Lamb of God was the sacrificial lamb who carried away all the sins of all the Israelites as they were laid on its head by the priest during their Feast of Atonement (Lev.16:21-22).  That image of the lamb having sins placed on it was a visual image etched on the minds of all the Israelites.  The difference was the person John the Baptist was pointing to was not a lamb but was identified as the Lamb of God.  This was the first indication that the Messiah would not be a warrior sent to free them.  This Lamb of God was to restore their identity as God’s own and would restore their lost glory of being the image of God. 

It is no wonder Anrew immediately left the Baptist and went to Jesus.  Andrew’s desire for a deeper understanding of who the Messiah was suddenly changes into a deep need to begin a journey to encounter the living God.  His question when he catches up to Jesus was direct – “where are you staying.”  Keep in mind a disciple stayed with their teacher.  Andrew’s belief was fueled by His belief in the message being proclaimed by the Baptist.  He wanted what was being promised so much that when the Baptist points to Jesus, Andrew realized a spiritual truth – what he wanted would never be fulfilled by just desiring it. 

There is a lesson in this encounter for us. It is one we avoid but need to experience if we are going to experience the presence of God wrapping His arms around us in an embrace.  If we are ever going to experience the joy of hearing Him speak to our hearts. If we are ever to experience the awesome presence of the Spirit changing our hearts, we need to learn what Andrew learned that day. 

We will never experience what we want from our faith until we make the decision to use what we know to go deeper.  To experience the miracle Andrew experienced when Jesus said to him and the others, “cast your nets into the deep.’   

Andrew’s question, “where do you live” has a meaning much deeper than the question implied. When he went off with Jesus that day, how long was he with Jesus. 
We are not sure.  Was it all that day and night? Does it matter because we are told with God one day is like a thousand.  What is important is Andrew was so changed by the encounter He immediately begins to tell everyone that he “has found the Messiah.”  His brother Simon was the first person he reveals that truth to.  But Andrew would have told him more about his experience for his heart would have been burning within him.   

Why John did not record Andrew’s reaction to his time with Jesus is unknown. What is known is that encounter changed him and prepared Simon to respond to Jesus. This is lesson two for us.  We cannot stand on the sideline and just be observers, we must become story tellers.

Because Andrew responded to message of John the Baptist, he hungered and longed for the promises of God to be fulfilled in his life and to witness the coming of the Messiah.

We have heard those same promises being proclaimed to us in the gospels.  We have been schooled in our faith. We know Jesus came to remove the barrier of sin separating us from God. The real question for us is how we are going to respond. Andrew shows us a response which abandons what he knew for the unknown to follow Christ.  Are we going to be as bold as Andrew and seek an encounter Christ.