One-on-One Evangelism

ANDREW AND SIMON

 

Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah," (which means "Christ"). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. JOHN 1:41-42 (NLT)

 

A man in his late twenties knew that his good friend and fishing buddy needed to come to Jesus Christ for salvation. Without being preachy or badgering his friend, the man began to talk about his own life-changing experiences with God.

 

Eventually, the man's friend wanted to know more.

 

The young man, excited and confident, talked about how he had come to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and how much he wanted his friend to know him also.

 

Ultimately, the man's friend came to Christ, and neither of them ever forgot how their friendship changed his life and his eternal destination.

 

Not everyone gets to preach to mass audiences as Billy Graham and Luis Palau do, but everyone can make an eternal difference in the lives of people around them.

 

That's exactly how the apostle Andrew got his start.

 

If you're looking through the book of Acts to see which of the apostles first brought an outsider into the fold, you need to back up one book and look at the first chapter of John's Gospel. There you will see that the apostle-to-be Andrew introduced his brother Simon, whom Jesus called Peter, to Jesus.

 

When Andrew first met Jesus and realized his identity, he couldn't contain his excitement. He had to tell someone, and that someone was his own brother. Andrew and Peter had grown up together, played together, and worked together as adults.

 

 

Andrew's one simple act of personal evangelism—inviting his brother to come and see the Messiah-altered the course of Peter's life forever. Peter, in turn, influenced the lives of millions who would come to faith in Jesus Christ through his work as an apostle.

 

You may not have the mass appeal of Billy Graham, but you can still make a difference in the eternal life of someone close to you. It isn't about training or credentials; it's about telling your friends and loved ones that you have found the Messiah!

 

Taken from “The One Year Men of the Bible” by James Stuart Bell June 18