He was the first to answer the call of mission, the first to recognize the specialness, the first to tell someone else of the unique find.

30 years later he was at the mercy of the authorities and he must have known that this time his life would be taken from him.

He had traveled far from his fishing village on the Sea of Galilee. He had seen Constantinople, the natural wonders of modern countries such as Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and some even think Austria, and everywhere he went he told people about Jesus, the Messiah and planted new churches.

Andrew's story is read in the first chapter of John's Gospel:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42).

Andrew becomes one of the four disciples most closely associated with Jesus, he was a speaker on the Day of Pentecost and then he traveled, mostly by foot. Eventually, to be tortured and crucified in the city of Patras on the Peloponnese peninsula of what is now known as Greece. The X shaped cross called a Saltire has become known as "Saint Andrew's Cross."

From that time by the Sea of Galilee, Andrew saw a lifetime fulfillment of Jesus' promise to make him and Peter fishers of men. (Mark 1:17)

Have you been called and did you answer?
As exemplified in the life of Andrew, being a follower of Jesus is rough and costly, yet the outcome is never in doubt.

Have you been called and did you answer? Let's talk about that on our blog at www.hopeforlife.org or email me at bbrant@heraldoftruth.org.

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