"The Fruit"

"One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is being interpreted, the Christ." (John 1:40-41 KJV) 

  "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this, it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things ewe have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

  When it says, "first," I believe that it means when I came to the knowledge of who Jesus was. How soon that was, it didn't say, but many believe it was the next day, implying that they stayed with Jesus until the next day because that first day, in the evening, it became the Sabbath. 

  To be fair, I can only imagine it was the first thing that he did, as in, the things he did before going home, or back to work, or before doing anything else. Obviously, Andrew knew that his brother, Simon, was interested in and looking forward to the coming of the Messiah; so it was more pressing upon his heart to share with his brother that he had found Him. 

  We really don't need to get wrapped up in the technical reasons or motivations in Andrew's desire to share Jesus, because it is what should be part of what happens in each and every one of us. It happen in me, and it happens in almost everyone else; it is what you might call, the fruit of being Born Again! It is this new way of seeing the ability to be reconciled to God, and knowing the fellowship is real. This is really not something you can make people understand, but it is something you can share and let them know how it comes about. 

  That is not hard, as some might think there is schooling involved to make one wise enough to lead someone to Jesus; it is simply you sharing how you came to know Jesus, and then letting God do what God does best: He saves them! We can all do our part, whatever part that is that He gives us, we just do whatever it is that He has called us to do! 

  If ever there was a time to be about our Father's business, this time we are in right now is pretty ripe! Matthew Henry puts a nice little taste to what I am trying to say, by saying: "True grace hates monopolies, and loves not to eat its morsels alone." Sharing makes your fruit grow...

""They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On that day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."" (Malachi 3:17-18 NLT)