Arise and Go: How One Ordinary Person Can Change Everything

You don't have to reach everybody. But you can help reach somebody. That simple truth is at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus and share your faith with others. The story of Andrew and Peter in John chapter 1 shows us that evangelism doesn't require a polished presentation or a theology degree. It just requires a willing heart and one person in mind.

What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?

In John 1:35-42, John the Baptist points two of his disciples toward Jesus. They begin following Him down the road, and Jesus turns and asks them a question that cuts straight to the heart: "What do you seek?" (John 1:38, NKJV).

That question still matters today. What are you really looking for in life? What do you think will finally satisfy you?

Jesus isn't interested in becoming one small addition to your life. He expects to become the center of it. And His invitation to those two men was simple: "Come and see" (John 1:39, NKJV).

That's still His invitation. Come and see. You don't have to have everything figured out. Discipleship doesn't begin with knowing everything. It begins with coming to Jesus and following Him.

What Is Discipleship, Really?

Discipleship is learning to think, live, and love like Jesus while helping others do the same.

Notice both halves of that definition. First, you are moving toward Jesus. You are learning to think like Him, live like Him, and love others like Him. But then something happens. As you follow Jesus, you start thinking about somebody else who needs to meet Him too.

That's exactly what Andrew did.

People Who Meet Jesus Start Moving Toward Others

Andrew met Jesus and almost immediately started thinking about someone else who needed to meet Him. He didn't wait until he had all the answers. He didn't wait until he felt ready. He went and found his brother Simon.

Andrew never preached a famous sermon. He never became the spokesperson for the apostles. He was rarely the center of attention in Scripture. But Andrew did something that changed history. He brought Peter to Jesus.

That's encouraging because most of us aren't trying to become famous Christians. We're trying to become faithful ones.

Is Evangelism Really That Complicated?

Why We Overcomplicate Sharing Our Faith

Many Christians believe they need to know everything before they can share their faith. They think they need to be able to answer every objection, have a polished presentation, and know exactly what to say. But that's not what Andrew did.

He simply told his brother what he knew: "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41, NKJV). And then John 1:42 gives us one of the clearest statements in all of Scripture: "And he brought him to Jesus" (NKJV).

That's it. He brought him to Jesus.

A Simple Definition of Evangelism

Evangelism is partnering with God to share the message of Jesus Christ and then trusting God with the results.

You are not responsible for changing someone's heart. The Holy Spirit draws. Jesus saves. The Gospel transforms. Your responsibility is to faithfully move toward others and help them move toward Jesus.

What Does Sharing Your Faith Actually Look Like?

It doesn't always look like a formal gospel presentation. Sometimes it sounds like this:

• "Hey, come sit with me this Sunday."
• "How can I pray for you today?"
• "Would you read this verse? It's really meant something in my life."
• "Would you like to meet for coffee next week?"

Sometimes it looks like asking your server at a restaurant if there's anything you can pray for before your meal. Sometimes it looks like being generous in a way that reflects the generosity of Jesus. Sometimes it looks like sitting across a table from someone you love and just letting them know they matter.

You don't argue someone into the kingdom. You love them into listening.

Who Is Your One?

Your One May Already Be in Your Life

Andrew didn't go looking for a stranger. He first found his own brother. Sometimes we pray for God to give us some great opportunity to reach others while we overlook the people He has already placed around us.

Your one might be your son or daughter. A sibling. A coworker. A neighbor. A friend at the gym. A teammate. Someone who already sits at your table.

You may not need God to introduce you to somebody new. You may need Him to help you see someone differently who is already there.

Sometimes Going After Your One Means Moving

In 1876, a 27-year-old Scottish woman named Mary Slessor sailed to what is now Nigeria as a missionary. She learned the language, lived among the people, and went into places others were afraid to go. She rescued abandoned twin babies who were left to die because of local superstition.

One of those rescued twins, a girl named Janie, grew up in Mary's care. Years later, when word came that twins had been born 12 miles away in the bush and the mother was desperately ill, Mary looked at the approaching storm and the darkening sky and said, "Come along, Janie. We will go."

They got lost in the rainforest. Night fell. But by God's grace, they found their way back. And when they did, Janie, the girl someone had once gone after, was carrying a rescued baby in her arms.

The little girl someone once went after had grown up and was now going after somebody else. That is what disciples of Jesus do.

Never Underestimate What Jesus Can Do With Your One

Jesus Sees People Differently Than We Do

When Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, Jesus looked at Him and said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (John 1:42, NKJV). Cephas means rock.

Peter didn't look much like a rock. He was impulsive, rash, and unstable. He promised he would never leave Jesus and then denied Him three times that same night. But Jesus saw what grace had in store.

Jesus sees people not only as they are, but as what they will become after they are redeemed.

Don't Write People Off

Maybe there is someone in your life you have quietly stopped believing could ever change. Their heart seems too hard. They love the world too much. They seem too far gone.

Don't confuse what you can see right now with what Jesus can do next.

Andrew had no idea that Peter would preach on the day of Pentecost and thousands would respond. He didn't know Peter would help lead the early church or that generations of Christians would read letters in the Bible bearing Peter's name. Andrew just brought his brother to Jesus.

Andrew's responsibility was to bring Peter. Jesus' responsibility was to transform Peter.

You see a difficult coworker. Jesus may see a future missionary. You see a teenager who seems completely disinterested in God. Jesus may see someone whose life will one day point hundreds of others to Him.

We cannot know what hangs in the balance of one invitation, one text message, one lunch, one saved seat at church.

History Remembers Peter's Sermons. Heaven Remembers Andrew's Invitation.

Andrew never became as famous as his brother. But heaven keeps records differently than earth does. One ordinary believer decided one other person mattered, and the kingdom kept multiplying from there.

Somebody went after you. Now, who is your one?

Life Application

This week, write down the name of your one. Not a list of everyone you know who needs Jesus. Just one person. Someone God has already placed in your life whose name comes to mind when you hear the words "your one."

Then take one step toward them. Send a text. Invite them to coffee. Ask how you can pray for them. Offer them a seat next Sunday. You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to go.

Ask yourself these questions as you reflect on this message:

• Who is the one person God has placed in my life who needs to meet Jesus?
• Have I been waiting to feel ready before I reach out, and what would it look like to take one small step this week instead?
• Is there someone I have quietly written off as too far gone, and am I willing to trust Jesus with what He might do in their life?
• Am I moving toward Jesus in a way that naturally leads me to think about others who need Him too?

 

 

 

Join us this Sunday at Great Commission Church for a welcoming and uplifting worship experience. If you’ve been searching for a church near you, you’ll discover a warm, authentic church family ready to help you grow in faith.

We are a family-friendly, non-denominational Christian church in Olive Branch, serving individuals and families throughout DeSoto County and the greater Mid-South. People looking for Christian churches in Olive Branch often discover a vibrant community where faith comes alive and lives are transformed through the Gospel.

Whether you’re new to faith or have followed Christ for years, you’ll find welcoming Sunday services, practical Bible teaching, and a place to belong. We are more than a congregation — we are a church family united by a mission to follow Jesus and live out the Great Commission.

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Families searching for a church with strong children’s programs love our engaging Kids Ministry and safe, caring environments. Students can connect through our Youth Ministry, and adults of every stage can find community through groups, prayer, and discipleship opportunities. As a multi-generational church, we love seeing every age grow in faith together.

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Join us this Sunday at Great Commission Church — where faith, love, and community come together and lives are changed by Jesus.