Dear friends,
In our men’s study group on Tuesday night, we looked at the life of one of the disciples of Jesus: Andrew. One thing that I learned when I read “Disciplines of a Godly Man” by R. Kent Hughes is that Andrew’s name is derived from the Greek word “andros” which means “man.” Although Andrew was not part of the inner circle of disciples – namely, Peter, James and John – he was the first of the twelve disciples (along with John) to follow Jesus. He was also eager to point people to the Lord.
Today is St. Andrew’s Day in Scotland. When I was a boy, I went to Sunday School in St. Andrew’s United Church in St. Laurent. I also attended Cubs and Scouts there, where the uniform included a scarf with an X-shaped white cross on a blue background, which is the pattern of the flag of Scotland, which was designed to honour Andrew. I didn’t realize it at the time, but there are a lot of churches named after this disciple.
How did Andrew become the patron saint of Scotland? According to R. Kent Hughes, some say that an eighth-century monk named Regulus brought some of Andrew’s body parts to what is now St. Andrews in Scotland. Those who follow the professional golf tour are familiar with this town, as it has hosted the world’s best golfers. I remember talking with a notary in Châteauguay, who considered playing on the famous golf course as one of the most special experiences in his life. Some information on the history of the celebration of St. Andrew’s Day can be found at: https://www.scotland.org/events/st-andrews-day/who-was-st-andrew.
Although no sermons by Andrew are recorded in the Bible, what is written in the gospels reveals that he was a man of spiritual integrity. In listening to Dr. Charles Price on the radio last week, one of the statements that he made about Peoples Church in Toronto was that it is possibly the most ethnically diverse congregation in the world. In recent decades, people from all over the world have moved to Toronto and Montreal, as well as many other large cities in the West, where they have the opportunity to hear the message of salvation in Christ. By God’s grace, let’s follow the example of Andrew and point our neighbours, co-workers and others to the One who loved us enough to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary.
Scripture for the weekend: “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (NASB)
Thought for the weekend: “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” – C. S. Lewis
By His grace,
Steve