Christian Service
J. Cynddylan Jones, D. D. John 1:40-41 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.… I. Andrew FINDING Peter. 1. Andrew sought his brother at once. (1) John and Andrew set out to find their brothers. Andrew was the first to find his. (2) Andrew found his brother first and others subsequently. 2. Andrew was not specially gifted; but what gift he had he used for Christ. 3. Andrew was not specially commissioned to go and convert others. The authorization was given later on. II. Andrew SPEAKING TO Simon. 1. Andrew did not preach or argue; he simply talked to him. 2. He talked earnestly. You have no fine language, or polished phrases, or balanced periods, but a few brief words coming hot from the heart. Intense earnestness has no leisure to indulge in the luxury of elocutionary flourishes. 3. His conversation was inspired by brotherly love. "His own brother," indicative of close, warm friendship. 4. His announcement was marked by incompleteness. Had he been asked to explain he would have been embarrassed. But imperfect teaching is often blessed. If you cannot speak the whole truth, speak half of it. Potato planters are never afraid of splitting the seed if they can only secure an eye in each half. See that your fragment of truth has an eye in it. 5. His talk was characterized by much assurance. "We have found," not, I think, or I hope. Religious dogmatism is much deprecated in certain quarters. You may dogmatize as much as you like against theology, but you are warned under heavy penalties not to dogmatize in its favour. But the dogmatists are the successful evangelists after all. III. Andrew BRINGING Simon to Christ. 1. Our chief aim should be to lead men to Christ, not to any particular sect. Proselytization is not conversion. 2. Creeds and theologies should be subordinated to Christ. Men should be brought to Christ, not to our own system of divinity. If creeds stand in the way of Christ, then away with creeds. They are for edification, not conversion. 3. Christ should be placed above the Bible itself. It is possible for men to read it diligently and yet stop with it, instead of making their way to the interior court to contemplate the inner radiance. There is not a town or house in Great Britain but there is a way from it to London; so there is not a subject named in the Bible but it is directly or indirectly connected with Jesus. IV. Christ RECEIVING Simon. 1. Jesus beheld him, took stock of him, formed a correct estimate of him; looked, as the word implies, with the eyes of the mind as much as with the eyes of the body. 2. Christ saw that possibilities of good lay in Simon; doubtless the possibilities of evil also. But the Saviour estimates character not by the evil but by the good. God singles out every grain of virtue that may be hid in our deepest nature. (J. Cynddylan Jones, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. WEB: One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.