[367 words]
In Acts 21, Paul is returning to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey. On his way back, he runs into brethren at Tyre. Interestingly, we are not told how the church there got started. Since none of Paul’s other missionary journeys went that way, we must speculate. One strong likelihood is that there were some from Tyre (or the neighboring area) in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when Peter preached that powerful gospel sermon and converted about 3,000 (cf. Acts 2:8-11). Regardless, we do know that Peter was directly responsible for the conversion of thousands of souls to Christ.
Now, here’s the interesting part. Do you know how Peter came to Christ? It was due to a personal invitation from his brother Andrew. Hearing Jesus speak one day, Andrew just couldn’t keep it to himself and John 1:41 says that “He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’”
Now, let’s note how all of this happened. Andrew first found Jesus (John 1:35-40). Then he immediately went and found one other (his brother, Peter). Then, in time, Peter converted thousands. How many others were converted by those converted by Peter, I wonder? And how many have been converted by them? The number could easily go into the hundreds of thousands when extended to today. All because Andrew took the time to take the message to one person.
Dear friend, we never know what good may come by our first coming to Jesus and then bringing one soul at a time to Him! The account in Acts 8 of Philip leaving a successful ministry in Samaria to preach to one man (the Ethopian treasurer) shows the value of one soul to God.
When we look at the lost masses of society, we sometimes get overwhelmed. But if we break it down to one soul at a time, it becomes manageable and possible. Who can you try to reach with the saving gospel of Christ today?
“Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:20).
Edd Sterchi
Campbellsville, KY