40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Message: Jesus Meets Simon
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: John announces that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Two disciples hear him say this and begin to follow Jesus. One of those disciples is Andrew we find out today in verse 40. Andrew immediately tells his brother Simon that the Messiah has been found. He goes and gets Simon to bring him to Jesus. And Jesus knows Simon and gives him a new name - Cephas, which translated means Peter.
It is fascinating that Peter is only significant because of Andrew his brother an yet no one remembers Andrew but instead Peter, for Peter played a more prominent role in scripture.
As Tabletalk mentions:
He would be essential for laying the foundation of the church by preaching on Pentecost, by being the instrument through whom God worked to convert the first Gentiles to Christ, and by writing parts of the New Testament (Acts 2; 10; 1 and 2 Peter).
Summary: Andrew introduces his brother Simon to Jesus who gives him a new name of Cephas/Peter.
Promise: God has gifted the body of Christ with many different people who have many different gifts, experiences, and levels of knowledge.
Prayer: Lord, thank you showing me that I never know how he might use a person that I introduce to You.
Maybe I’m off-base on this, but whenever people introduce their “beautiful wife” I realize on one level they feel they are complimenting their wife. But on another level, it feels like a way of self-congratulating themselves in public. Seems similar to saying, “My very intelligent / tall husband,” “my athletic child. “ etc. It’s fine to appreciate those qualities, but perhaps it would be better done privately. Let others draw their own conclusions. Consider how others likely feel whose spouse or child does not have those qualities or is even markedly deficient?
ReplyDeleteA better way might be to focus on the inner qualities that most all people have control over - things like effort, perseverance and consideration of others. I find hearing about those qualities in others can inspire me, without leaving many listeners feeling lesser by comparison.
Just something to think about.
Thank you Holy Spirit, for the gifts you bestow on us and Your Guidance. Please forgive us the many times we squelch Your Voice. Thank You for not giving up on us.
Hello Anonymous - thank you for taking the time to reach out to me and speaking to me about this. A hearty amen to your prayer. For me, right now, I don't have any unrest or lack peace on this matter. This is a way for me to express "Husbands, Love your wives." This is my perspective of my wife only, as it is coming from me. Personally, for each man that is married, I would hope he would say the same thing about his wife. And I will say, that our society definitely first defines beauty by personal appearance, but for me when I use this word and tell my wife and others that my wife is beautiful, I am thinking of that inner beauty as well and inner qualities that you mention. Like it speaks of in I Peter 3:3-4, "the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality/beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." The beauty of Philippians 4:8 and even how she has been made in all of her ways (outward, inner) fearfully and wonderfully from Psalm 139:14. Even the image of God we are made in. But you are right, in our society, beauty is thought of as who wins Miss America and society places a great emphasis on this and yes her appearance to me is part of that, but actually a very small part of that. I have been married now 31 years and every day my wife becomes more beautiful in every way and perhaps maybe because the way I define her beauty is the way God shows me each day what true beauty is. So no matter how my wife may look to you or others or me from the outside or how society might grade her appearance, she will always, till the day I die, be the most beautiful woman in the world (although my mom is an extremely close second). Thank you God for the gifts you bestow on us. We don't deserve any of them, but we thank you for the way you value each of us. Train each of us to see ourselves and one another the way you see us. And yet, in all of these gifts God, you get all the glory.
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