Observing St. Andrew the Apostle
Good morning and grace and peace-- fellow St. Androids (I love saying
that!), extended family, neighbors and
friends. Always a fun day in the life of
this congregation—and the wider neighborhood, as folks up the block and around
the corner put down the Sunday paper and come out on the porch to see what all
the fuss is. Bagpipes and drums and
smiles and greetings. And a cookie table!
A special welcome and word of thanks again as for so many years our
friends of the Syria Highlanders have blessed us by joining in the
celebration. And as we are reminded by
your presence to include in our thoughts and prayers the important work of the
Shriners’ Hospitals for Children, which you all continue to serve as your
fundraising mission. It’s an honor for
us to have the opportunity to share in that work with you.
Our St. Andrew’s ancestors were sent out on a missionary endeavor in
the winter and spring of 1837, to lay the foundations of a second Episcopal
Church to serve Pittsburgh’s growing population. Must have been an exciting time for
them. Energized with a vision for
Christian witness, the proclamation of the gospel in a new place and in new
ways. For them in a fresh and new way
the echoing invitation and commission of our Lord to our St. Andrew and his
brother Peter, from St. Matthew’s Gospel this morning: Come follow me, and fish for people! The Parish of St. Andrew the Apostle.
St. Andrew: Called by Jesus. Taught by Jesus. Sent out into the wide world by Jesus to
share the Good News, to invite people into fellowship under his Cross, to be
his hands and in his service as he builds his holy Church.
I love that very simple description in the Book of The Acts of the
Apostles, at the end of the second chapter, describing the days following the
great outpouring of Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. “And day by day,” St. Luke writes at the
beginning of verse 46 . . . “and day by
day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they
partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added
to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
All about sharing prayer and worship, the Holy Communion of the Bread
and Cup. About living wholesome and attractive lives in their neighborhoods,
so that everyone commended them. About
generosity, expansive generosity. I love that description, “they partook of food
with glad and generous hearts.” Sounds like St. Andrew’s to me! And day by day, the Lord working in the lives
of new friends, drawing them into this fellowship, turning hearts and changing
lives.
Of course our St. Andrew was in that apostolic crowd that we read about
in the second chapter of Acts. In John’s
gospel we have several wonderful
glimpses of him. One very
familiar, in John 6, when the crowds had followed Jesus out into the
wilderness, and the miracle of the Feeding of the Multitudes. The disciples had no idea how in the world
they were going to figure out how to deal with this day—beyond the skills of
even the most skillful event planner.
And then the little boy shows up, with his lunch, five small rolls, two
fish. And he is seen first by
Andrew--who is keeping an eye out, confident I think that when we’re about the
Lord’s business the Lord will provide--and Andrew immediately knows what to do,
and brings him to Jesus.
And then later, in John 12, on the afternoon of Palm Sunday, as the
story is headed towards its dramatic turn, when strangers who have come to
Jerusalem from distant lands to celebrate the Passover festival, Greek speaking
Jews--they come searching for the famous Rabbi, the one everyone is talking
about, who made such a stir in the streets earlier in the day. And the Spirit stirs up a curiosity in their
hearts. They come to Andrew and say,
“Sir, we would see Jesus.” And immediately
he brings them to him. (The great 18th
and 19th Century Church of England priest and preacher Charles Simeon
had those words carved into the lectern on the pulpit of Holy Trinity Church in
Cambridge, where he was rector for 54 years.
It all reminds me of the prayer that is said daily in observance of St.
Benedict in every Benedictine monastic community. The prayer that through God’s action the
community may grow “in number and holiness.”
Those two things together.
Catching a glimpse of that in John 6 and 12, in Acts 2, and in our
gospel reading this morning, the very beginning of the ministry of Jesus, in this conversation by the lake, as Jesus
comes across these old followers of John the Baptist, now back at home and back
at work, and invites them to come in a new direction, for a new work, with him. And they follow: Peter and Andrew, James and John. The Lord adds to the fellowship day by day
those who are being saved.
People still come looking for him, and some Andrew or other makes the
introduction. Could be you, could be
me. Any of us. And it doesn’t really take special skill or
training. Just a willing heart, we might
say. Since it’s God himself, Holy
Spirit, who is going to work through us to do whatever it is that will be done.
A simple way of describing “apostolic witness. ” And
of course ever encounter is unique.
Every conversation fresh and new.
Every story is different. A bit
later in the Acts story Peter and John are going to meet a begger at the Temple
gate. Philip is going to meet an
Ethiopian official returning home from a diplomatic visit to Jerusalem. Paths cross.
It’s like at a wedding, when you
might ask someone you don’t know, “so, how are you connected to the bride and
groom?” We could go around the church
this morning to ask that question, as we did a bit at our Coffee and
Conversation hour this morning. “How
did you get here?” What’s your story? Who was it who introduced you to the
Bridegroom?
And we would find in telling those stories again and again versions of some
story about meeting St. Andrew. Or one
of his spiritual offspring, generation after generation. Greeting you at the door, or out in the
street, or over the back fence, or at work, or at school. “I’m glad to meet you. And there’s
someone else I think you’d like to meet.
I know anyway he’d like to meet
you. In fact, he’s expecting you! Please allow me to introduce you.”
The spirit of St. Andrew, our patron, whom we remember today, whose
continuing and inspiring work would shape all our lives—and let’s pray that it
will continue to do so, that we will be built up as worthy successors to him,
his legacy--so that we would know that deep down all Christian people are St.
Andreans. It’s a bustling crowd and a
good bunch, and we can be proud to march together under his banner.
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