October 2, 2005

World Communion Sunday

Twelve Ordinary Men

The Apostle of Small Things

John 1:40-42

Opening Words: They were not saints. They were not scholars. They were not even religious sages. Among them there were fishermen. There was a hated tax collector and a political zealot. Let me say this clearly. They were common men with an uncommon calling. They were hopelessly human and that is exactly why they speak to us! Today, you are going to hear sermon number three in a ten part sermon series I have called Twelve Ordinary Men.

This is Andrew’s day. He introduced his brother Peter to Jesus. Peter went on to be the leader of the twelve but Andrew was comfortable with ministry in the background. He did not seek to be the center of attention. He did not resent those did. He was content with the gifts and the ministry that God had bestowed upon him. However, this does not mean that his ministry was not significant. He knew the value of an individual soul. Let me call this message, The Apostle of Small things. This is my question for you today, How many disciples have you made?

Introduction

Her name was Nancy. She was in her mid-twenties and we sat in my church’s basement as she told me her story. She had just finished her hitch in The U. S. Army and had moved back home to study nursing at Cleveland State. She came to my church alone because she was alone. Her parents were practicing Roman Catholics, who didn’t approve of the United Methodist Church. She admitted the traditions of Catholicism did feed her soul. She was on a spiritual quest. In the quietness of that basement we talked about Jesus and his love for her. We talked about grace and we prayed that Jesus would come into her life. On that day the angels sang in heaven because her soul was saved. It was only then that she began to understand true discipleship. 

Body

I love this morning’s scripture text because it is so simple. It is just two brothers talking about Jesus. Don’t think of them as disciples or apostles. Think of them as two common men talking about Jesus. They are not talking about the last board meeting or the next fund raiser. They are talking about Jesus! When was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus? We shouldn’t be surprised that Andrew is in this scene. He is the master of personal evangelism. While others are consumed with the large groups of people, Andrew sees the value of the individual soul. Whenever Andrew is mentioned in the scriptures he working with just one person. In this morning’s scripture is just one example. Yet, that one person, Peter, went one to lead the early church from Jerusalem. Without Andrew, there would be no Peter. Without Peter, there was be no leadership and the early church would have been crippled in her development. Andrew reminds us that there is value in just one individual soul. How many disciples have you made?

On this World Communion Sunday we need to remember what Andrew never forgot. There is value in every soul. The worldwide church is the same as every local church. The church is in the disciple making business. That is our primary purpose. Making disciples is what Jesus has called us to do! If we stop making disciples then we really stop being the church. How many disciples have you made? The problem is we have too many churches that have substituted good works for making disciples. The church can do a good thing but miss the best thing. We are in the disciple making business! It is easy for any church to fall into that good works trap.

I say this very gently. It is true even here. Think of all the good things that are going on within our walls. We are selling pop corn to help a troop of challenged young men. That is a good thing! We are selling cookbooks to help the poor. That is a good thing! We are selling pumpkins to help pay off our new roof and help send our youth on a mission trip to help the poor in Illinois. That is a good thing! We are selling a quilt to eliminate so debt. That is a good thing! We are always doing good things but those good things are not Jesus. People are talking about cookbooks, pop corn, quilts and pumpkins. But as your pastor (a closet Baptist) do you know what I really wish you were talking about? JESUS! We in need to be more like Andrew, who was just talking to his brother about the one who changed his life. There is great value to just one individual soul. We are in the disciple making business. How many disciples have you made? The one disciple you make may change the world. It is just like playing dominos.

Conclusion

Edward Kimball was a Sunday school teacher in Boston. He didn’t like standing in the pulpit and demanding attention. He sat in his classroom and told his students about Jesus. While not a theological giant, he told them that they must accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. One day one of his students did accept Jesus. He was a shoe salesman by the name of Dwight L. Moody. He went on to be the most powerful evangelist of his day. Moody went to England to preach the Good News. One of the people that heard his message was F. B. Meyer. Moody’s words touched Meyer’s heart and his ministry began to spread. He was invited to preach in America. One of the places he preached was Furman University. Many students came to hear him. One of those students was a young man who was considering quitting the ministry and going back to secular work. That young man was evangelist R. G. Lee. When he heard Meyers he recommitted himself to his calling. Meyers continued to preach and influenced J. Wilbur Chapman, who began a successful along the east coast. At one of his meetings Chapman found a new convert to the faith. His name was Billy Sunday. He saw some promise in him and taught him how to preach. One day, he preached in Charlotte, North Carolina and got a group of business man excited about the Master. They didn’t want the revival to end, so they invited other evangelists to come. One of those evangelists was Mordecai Ham from Louisville, Kentucky. One evening he preached and gave an altar call. One of the people who came forward was Billy Graham, who went on to preach the Gospel to more people then anyone else in history. It is like dominos falling. A series of dominoes falling that ended up with millions acknowledging Jesus as their Lord and Savior. All because one fellow, Edward Kimball, won one soul to Christ! Andrew was right! There is value in every soul.

Nancy accepted Jesus in the church basement. She went on to teach Sunday school, deliver Meals on Wheels and joined every Bible study. In time she graduated from college with a degree in nursing and reenlisted as an Army nurse. She was stationed in Germany and I lost contact with her. I do not know what she is doing today, but I hope she is making disciples. I would like some spiritual grandchildren. There is value in every soul. We are in the disciple making business. Nothing else really matters. How many disciples have you made?