It took just one man.
His name was not well known. He wasn’t an author, a speaker, or someone who had a large platform.
What he did have was a small audience each Sunday morning at his local church where he taught a Sunday school class to a group of young men.
His name was Edward Kimball.
Edward was a soft-spoken, timid sort of man who got nervous telling others about Jesus. When you think of a dynamic, bold evangelist, Edward was the opposite. Yet despite what the world would say he lacked, what Edward did possess God used to change thousands – maybe even millions – of lives.
He had a desire to tell others about Jesus.
One particular day, on a busy Boston street, Edward walked nervously to the local shoe store where one of the boys in his Sunday school class worked stocking shoes. This particular boy was crude, illiterate, and knew nothing about the Bible. Yet despite all that, God placed a desire on Edward’s heart to share the gospel with him. And so he did.
“I never could remember just what I did say; something about Christ and His love; that was all.” – Edward Kimball
But that’s all it took: the plan of salvation explained in simple terms.
That day in the back room of a shoe shop in Boston, Massachusetts, D. L. Moody gave his heart to Christ and the rest is history.
D.L. Moody went on to become an amazing evangelist in the United States and in England during the second half of the 19th century. He founded Moody Bible Institute, a simply amazing contribution for a man who was once illiterate and couldn’t read the Bible. Through Moody Bible Institute thousands of missionaries, pastors, and Christian workers have been trained and sent out into the world to make an impact for Christ.
And this is all because of one man who had a desire to tell others about Jesus.
Edward Kimball was a lot like Andrew.
Right after Andrew met Jesus he went to find his brother, Simon (Peter), and introduced him to Jesus. The desire to tell others about Christ had already been ignited in Andrew’s heart.
“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah.” And he brought him to Jesus.” – John 1:41-42
Andrew offered a simple invitation.
How many times do we complicate the process by adding unnecessary pressure when all we really need to do is bring others to Jesus? Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts as we share about Christ, we mistakenly feel we need to have all the right answers or use persuasive words if we are to tell others about Jesus.
Yet we don’t see that in Andrew’s life. Andrew modeled for us the power of living a #SoldOut life for Christ and inviting others along the way.
“Peter preached at Pentecost, and three thousand people were added to the church. Nothing in Scripture indicates that Andrew ever preached to a crowd or stirred masses of people. But remember that is was he who brought Peter to Christ. In the sovereign providence of God, Andrew’s act of faithfulness in bringing his own brother to Christ was the individual act that lead to the conversion of the man who would preach that great sermon at Pentecost. All the fruit of Peter’s ministry is ultimately also the fruit of Andrew’s faithful, individual witness. – John MacArthur
Because of one man bringing his brother to Jesus, thousands of lives were changed for eternity.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of reaching out and inviting others to Christ…
It all started with Edward Kimball bringing D.L. Moody to Jesus.
Years later D.L. Moody brought J. Wilbur Chapman to Jesus.
From J. Wilbur Chapman, Billy Sunday met Jesus and from Billy Sunday a man named Mordecai Ham was introduced to Jesus.
Then in 1936, a lanky sixteen-year-old boy walked into a revival meeting with his buddy in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was at this meeting where Mordecai Ham was preaching that a young boy named Billy Graham gave his heart to Jesus Christ.
This incredible gospel ripple effect started all because of an “Andrew”-like disciple…one person bringing another person to Jesus.
And the ripple continues to this day.
Join me in praying for more “Andrews” in our generation…
Love God Greatly!