On this, the feast of St. Andrew

I have been negligent in posting... and I'd continue the trend, but instead, here is the sermon I preached on St. Andrew... It'll have to do for now!

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In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew. Part of the oral tradition that surrounds the life of Andrew is remarkably similar to his brother Peter. Both were persecuted for their outspoken portrayal of the Gospel – for proclaiming the love of God – for continuing to live out and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ after his death, resurrection and ascension. Both Peter and Andrew were crucified in their death, both telling their executioners that they were not worthy to be crucified on the same cross style as Jesus, and persuaded them to alter the shape. Peter was hung upside down; Andrew is believed to have been crucified on an X-shaped cross. And about 300 years later it was thought that St. Andrew's bones were moved from Greece to "the ends of the earth" - Scotland… To commemorate the saint, Scotlands flag is in the shape of an X shaped cross.

But truly very little is actually known about St. Andrew. We do know that he was one of the twelve. In all the stories where disciples were named, Andrew was among them. Andrew was there for the teachings of Jesus, the miracles of bringing hurting people to a state of wholeness, the lessons of love and compassion that pervaded every encounter.

He is our witness to the incarnate love of God in Jesus Christ.

Andrew is mentioned by name only 12 times in the New Testament. Each Gospel has an account like the reading today where Jesus calls the first disciples - so that is four. Each Gospel also has a list of who all of the disciples are when they have all been called - that's another 4. The Book of Acts names him as being there in the upper room when the disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas. That's nine of the 12 leaving just three other accounts of St. Andrew - but each of these accounts has something in common with the next and they all come from the Gospel according to St. John.

There is the parable that describes a number of Greeks who wish to speak with Jesus, they approach Philip, who tells Andrew, and the two of them tell Jesus. Also, according to the Gospel of St. John, Andrew is also responsible for bringing Simon Peter to meet the one whom he calls the messiah – to meet Jesus. And then finally before Jesus feeds the Five Thousand, it is Andrew who says, "Here is a kid with five barley loaves and two fish."

Andrew brings the Greeks to Jesus, he brings Simon Peter to Jesus and he brings the young boy to Jesus. On each occasion when he is mentioned as an individual, it is because he is instrumental in bringing others to meet Jesus. He is bringing other people into the loving presence of the incarnate God. Isn't that what we are all asked to do? Through our words and actions, show forth the love and compassion of the crucified, risen and ascended Lord? We are to bring the love of God to everyone we meet and to share the story of faith so that people feel comfortable exploring the great questions in life.

Now, I can't think of anytime in my life that I've been sought out by a teacher to study with them. On the contrary, I have had to fill out applications and go for interviews – all things that I initiated. But other students are quick to tell you who to study with! Teachers don't seem to seek out students –but that is what Jesus did. The great teacher, the Rabbi from Nazareth, seeks out and calls his disciples to him. And as we heard today, Jesus issues both a command and a promise. The command to "Follow Me" is fairly straight forward.

But I think we do a great disservice to this story if we look at it merely in terms of fishing metaphors and desires to go out and convert people. One of the truly remarkable parts of the story is not only the promise to make them fishers of people, but the simple fact that these men, these fully employed, middle class men saw something so remarkable in Jesus of Nazareth, that they were willing to drop everything that they were doing to follow him. They were willing to let go of their possessions to follow this call from God. If you remember in the story, Andrew, Peter, James and John never actually say anything. They don't ask "where are we going" or "what do you want us to do" they simply get up and go. Jesus engendered such an incredible trust and hope that these men knew by faith that this is what they had to do. The next years of their lives are filled with everyday moments that became extraordinary through the teachings of Jesus. The miracles of wholeness; of trust; and of faith that they were witnesses to, and took part in.

This is how we honour the memory of the apostle named Andrew: by remembering his name as we tell the story of Jesus, the One who called both Andrew... AND US into the Jesus story and the never-ending love of God.

Amen