During the season of Epiphany we are exploring baptism. There are eight steps in the baptismal liturgy. The first is to present yourself to God, as the Magi did to the Christ child. The second is to profess faith in God, as St. Peter did. The third we learn today from St. Andrew, it is to Give Thanks for Baptism by noticing God’s abundance.

Under Appreciated

St. Andrew is under appreciated in the New Testament. His name is rarely mentioned in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).  He was Simon Peter’s brother. Some say Andrew followed Simon Peter around like a shadow. But that didn’t mean Andrew was a “shady figure”! Andrew was an introvert. He goes unnoticed by others because he is busy doing the noticing. Perhaps in your life you have felt overlooked or unnoticed too. If so, you are in good company with St. Andrew.

Jesus Notices

Andrew was noticed by Jesus. In our reading this morning from the gospel according to John we hear a variation on the baptism of Jesus and the call of the first disciples. Jesus walks past John who professes, “Behold the Lamb of God!” At this two of John’s disciples begin to follow Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." John 1:38-39

Andrew was one of those two disciples. He went and told his brother Simon to come and meet Jesus too. 

It’s interesting that when Jesus asks them what they are looking for, they say, “Rabbi.” They were looking for a teacher.  Speaking of Rabbis. Did you hear the joke about the Rabbi that walked into a bar? He was a Rabbi that looked very Jewish: yarmulke, long beard, the works. But he was carrying a frog under his arm. The bartender looks at him and says, “where’d you find him?” The frog says, “In Brooklyn” there’s lots of them there! 

What are you noticing in the world around you? Do you feel that you go unnoticed? Well the good news is that Jesus notices you and invites you to be with him, just like he invited Andrew. Jesus can be your rabbi! Even though Andrew didn’t make a big splash in the pages of the New Testament, he went on to have an outsized impact in Christian history.

Constantinople, the Eastern seat of the Roman Empire claims Andrew as the Apostolic head of their patriarchy. Legend has it that Andrew traveled as far north and east as Kiev in Ukraine preaching the gospel. He is respected still throughout Russia and Ukraine. Even the modern Scottish flag is based off of St. Andrew’s cross. The white “X” shape on a blue background. Did you know that there are three sizes in Scotland? “Wee, not so wee, and freaking huge!” It would appear that Andrew’s impact on the church went from, “wee to … freaking huge!”

Notice Abundance