The First to Follow
Behold, the Lamb of God!
The wind moved through the wilderness like a whisper. The Jordan River flowed steadily nearby, carrying with it the hopes of a people waiting for God to speak again. It had been over four hundred years since the last prophet had spoken God’s words, and the people were longing for more.
Andrew was one of those waiting.
He stood among the crowds who had come to hear John the Baptist—men and women hungry for repentance, hearts yearning for restoration. Andrew listened closely as John spoke with fiery urgency, calling Israel to prepare the way of the Lord.
Then a man walked by, and John stopped preaching.
Instead, he lifted his voice and declared words Andrew would never forget:
“Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Andrew felt his heart stir. John had never spoken like that before.
Without a word, Andrew stepped away from the river and followed the man John had pointed to. Another disciple followed too. Their steps stirring up a trail of dust in their wake.
The man turned and looked at them.
“What are you looking for?” He asked.
Andrew didn’t know how to answer such a big question. So he asked a small one instead:
“Teacher,” he said, “where are you staying?”
The man replied.
“Come and you will see.”
Andrew followed and stayed with Him. And that’s when Andrew knew: his waiting was over.
We Have Found the Messiah
Hi Sojourners! Have you ever waited a long time for something exciting? Maybe a birthday, a holiday, or summer vacation. Or maybe you were waiting for a playdate with a friend, a visit from a relative, or even to meet someone really special. Waiting can feel so long sometimes, can’t it?
Andrew had been waiting for something all his life. He was waiting for the Messiah. Now, “Messiah” is a special word that means the one God promised to send to save His people. A long time before Andrew’s day, God had promised that He would send someone who could help His people—someone who could fix the things that were broken in the world and in people’s hearts. That person was the Messiah.
So when Andrew heard John say that Jesus was the Lamb of God, his heart leapt!
Now, you might wonder—why did John call Jesus a lamb? And what does that have to do with the Messiah? That might sound a little strange today, but in Bible times, people offered lambs to God when they had done something wrong. They would say, ‘I’m sorry, God,’ and the lamb would die in their place. It was a way to show that sin has a cost. God had promised that one day, the real Savior or Messiah would come—someone who could take away sin for good. The lambs were a picture of that Savior.
So when John called Jesus the Lamb of God, he was helping the people picture what Jesus would do. He was showing that Jesus was the real Savior—the one who would take away sin, once and for all. Just like the lambs were offered for sins, Jesus was going to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins.
Of course, the lambs themselves couldn’t really take away anyone’s sins, could they? They were just animals, and animals can’t make people right with God. But Jesus could take away sins—because He never did anything wrong Himself. He lived a perfect life, and when He died on the cross, He took the punishment for all the sins of everyone who believes in Him. That’s why He is the true Lamb of God.
And that’s what Andrew would have understood when he heard John proclaim, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”—that Jesus was the Messiah!
In fact, the very first thing Andrew did after realizing this was run and tell his brother, Simon Peter. “We have found the Messiah!” Andrew exclaimed, and he brought his brother Peter to Jesus.
The First Disciple
Andrew was a fisherman who worked on the water of the Sea of Galilee and had a famous brother you’ve probably heard of before named Peter. Before Andrew became one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, he was already a disciple of John the Baptist. John’s job was to tell people about Jesus—and that’s exactly what he did for Andrew. The moment Andrew understood who Jesus was, he made a choice to follow Jesus instead. He decided to trust Jesus and step into something new. And that shows us something important: sometimes following Jesus means taking a big step and making a change in our life. Sometimes that can seem a little scary and even means that we need to leave something familiar and good behind.
The Bible shows us that Andrew and another unnamed disciple were the very first disciples to follow Jesus. Being the first person to follow Jesus wasn’t easy. When Andrew asked Jesus, “Where are you staying?” he was probably wondering what life with Jesus would be like. Jesus answered, “Come and you will see.” That meant Andrew had to take the step first—to follow Jesus before knowing where he would go or what would happen next. Yet, Andrew chose to trust Jesus and follow Him, even without all the answers.
Later, Jesus explained that following Him wouldn’t always be comfortable. He said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Even animals had homes, but Jesus didn’t have a home on earth. Do you remember where Jesus was born? Yes, he was born in a manger, a feeding trough for animals.
From the very beginning, Jesus showed that He didn’t come to make a cozy home or a comfortable life on earth. He came on a mission—to do God’s work and to save people. That might sound very different from the way many people live today.
Most people try to build a comfortable life so they can be happy right now. But Jesus didn’t live that way. Why not? Because He knew that real joy doesn’t come from having nice things or living an easy life on earth. True joy comes from knowing and loving God. And God promises something even better to everyone who trusts Him: everlasting life with Him, a life without pain, sorrow, or death. Isn’t that wonderful?
And because God wants to live with us forever, He sent His Son Jesus to die for us in order to save us. When Andrew chose to follow Jesus, he was choosing a life of suffering too—it was not easy, but it was full of meaning, purpose, and true joy.
A Faithful Evangelist
Andrew wasn’t only the first disciple named to follow Jesus, he was also the first disciple mentioned to bring someone else to follow Jesus: his brother Peter. Andrew never said much, but whenever he did, it seems he brought someone to Jesus.
One day, when Jesus was teaching a huge crowd and everyone was hungry, Andrew noticed a boy with just five little loaves of bread and two small fish. It didn’t seem like much, but Andrew brought it to Jesus anyway. Do you know this story and if you do, do you remember what happened? Jesus used that tiny offering of five loaves and two fish to feed over 5,000 people! Andrew’s simple act of noticing and bringing it to Jesus became part of an amazing miracle.
Later on, some people from another country wanted to see Jesus. These people were Gentiles, which means they were not Jewish. In Jesus’ time, the Jewish people had God’s promises and laws, and many thought God’s blessings were only for them and not Gentiles.
Despite this, Andrew and another disciple Philip helped guide these Greek Gentiles to Jesus. Andrew helped them meet Jesus, showing that God’s love is for all people, no matter where they come from, what they look like, or what group they belong to. Even though they were different from him, Andrew helped them come closer to Jesus, and that’s what following Jesus is all about—sharing His love with everyone.
Every time Andrew spoke up or nudged someone toward Jesus, it mattered. He may not have said a lot in the Gospels—and he’s always mentioned second to Peter—but every time he did, someone met Jesus.
Why Andrew’ Story Still Matters Today
Even though Andrew lived over 2,000 years ago, his story still matters for us today. Why? Because Andrew shows us what it looks like to follow Jesus, notice people, and help others meet Him too.
Andrew wasn’t rich, famous, or powerful. He was just a fisherman—an ordinary guy, like so many of us. And yet he took a big step of faith as one of Jesus’ first followers. He was willing to follow Jesus and trade a safe, predictable life for a life of trust and purpose.
The Bible also shows that every time he nudged someone toward Jesus, it mattered. He brought his brother Peter, he brought the boy with five loaves and two fish, and he helped people who weren’t normally welcomed come meet Jesus. Each time, he made a difference.
Key Scripture
Matthew 8:20 – And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
This verse shows that following Jesus isn’t always easy or comfortable. Andrew chose to follow Him anyway, even when it meant stepping into the unknown. He experienced some scary and difficult things with Jesus—being in the middle of a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, witnessing angry crowds upset with Jesus, following Him to His arrest, and watching Him face the cross.
Yet, Andrew stayed faithful through it all.
Takeaway
Church history tells us that Andrew traveled far from his home in Israel to tell people about Jesus. Some stories say he preached in places like Scythia (around the Black Sea south of Russia),Greece, and Asia Minor (today’s Turkey).
Andrew loved Jesus so much that he was even willing to die for Him. Church tradition says he was crucified for his faith. When he saw the cross, he said something like this:
“O beloved cross! I have greatly longed for you. I rejoice to see you here. I come with a peaceful conscience and with cheerfulness and desire to be near you because Jesus, who I follow, hung on a cross too. The closer I am to this cross, the closer I feel to God.”
Tradition records that when Andrew saw the cross he was going to die on, he didn’t see it as just something scary or painful. The cross reminded him of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. Andrew wasn’t afraid because his heart was full of trust, love, and joy in Jesus. That’s what it means to be a Christian—we get to see things differently than the world does. Even when something seems hard or scary now, we can trust God knowing that we have a happy ending with Him in eternity.
Another tradition says Andrew was tied—not nailed—to a cross in Patras, Greece, and he asked to be crucified on an X-shaped cross, because he felt he wasn’t worthy to die on the same kind of cross as Jesus. That’s why the X-shaped cross is sometimes called Saint Andrew’s Cross today.
What small step of faith could you take this week? Maybe inviting a friend to church, helping someone in need, or just noticing someone who feels left out. Your simple ‘yes’ could start something amazing—just like Andrew’s did!
If Andrew’s story encouraged you, share this episode with a friend—you might be the nudge they need.
Also, if you want to dive deeper, you can download a free episode companion guide that includes a mini devotional, fun activities, and other topics related to Andrew. You’ll find the link below in the show notes.
And remember… big things often start with a small step of faith. Like Andrew, following Jesus might not be easy, but it’s definitely worth it!
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