“The truth is, I didn’t see anything of myself in my father, and I don’t think he saw anything of himself in me. We were just strangers who knew each other very well”.

Quote from the movie “Big Fish” by Daniel Wallace

My father would have been 78 years old this month. The relationship of fathers and sons is timeless. Each one is unique. The father is the first person the son challenges for manhood. Whether it is wrestling in the floor or running a race, the son is looking for affirmation from his father that he is a man. When I was growing up in the 1960’s, it was a different time than now. I did not have an opinion, my opinion was my father’s. The choice of music, the choice of hairstyle was that of my father. I do not want to give any impression that I did not love and respect my father. I did love him and have always had the utmost respect for him. We just did not have the same ideas when it came to life, and, since I was the son, we just went with his.

Music was my father.  He learned the guitar at a young age playing in church. I remember when I was around 6 years old, my father stood me in a metal folding chair in front of the church. My sister stood beside me. Our father played a 1942 000-28 Martin acoustic guitar. I remember as we sang I was looking around. Somehow my father touched me with his finger while playing. This let me know I was not supposed to be looking around. A light touch was all the communication I needed to start paying closer attention.

As I got older, our family traveled and sang at many churches for miles around, every week-end and sometimes twice on Sundays. My father sang and played guitar, my mother played the piano, my sister sang and played saxophone, her husband sang and played trumpet, and I sang and played trumpet. We got booking after booking from homecomings to benefit singings. We had our equipment, guitars and sound system loaded in the back camper of our Ford pickup. We would get to the church where we were singing at, my father would back up to the closest steps and we would unload and set up. We would sing, break it back down again with everyone knowing their part of what had to be done. This went on for several years.  We were told we enjoyed it.

In the early 70’s, my father told us about an appointment to sing at a church in Mobile. We were excited to travel outside our normal sphere of churches. That Sunday morning the pastor of that church (a long-time friend of my father’s) introduced our family, then added that my father would be delivering the morning message. We were shocked.  My father had not told us, but he felt God was asking him to become a minister. My father delivered a short sermon titled “Andrew for Christ.”

Recently, I talked to my sister and she said that she had found the original outline of this sermon.  My father always kept his sermons in outline form in his own handwriting . There are hundreds left from his 30 plus years of ministry.  The following is from that original outline:

“Andrew For Christ”,  Harold Gamblin

Everyone wants to do something great. It is within each person to want to achieve something in their life but not everyone can achieve greatness or be in the spotlight. We should pattern our lives after the disciple, Andrew.

Andrew was the first disciple to be called then the first thing he did was go find his brother, Simon Peter. More was written about Simon Peter than any other disciple. Peter was called the rock. He was the disciple that had the faith to get out of the boat to attempt to walk on water. Simon Peter preached on the day of Pentecost where 3,000 people were saved. He also carried the gospel to the Gentiles through Cornelius in Acts 10. Andrew stood in the shadows, but had he not went to find his brother, Simon Peter, the story could be different.

God told us to be faithful, not successful.  Mathew 25:21 states if we will be faithful over a few things, God will make us rulers over many things. The great commission tells us to go and preach.  It does not say we will win the world, or even one sinner, but we are just to go.

Andrew brought Peter and others to Christ by simply sharing what he had heard. Andrew found the boy with five small barley loves and two fish that Jesus used to feed the 5,000. How many lads in our community are willing to give small things that will turn into big things once God multiplies them? We should not underestimate the little things. In John 12:20 there are some Greeks that want to see Jesus, Philip goes to Andrew who then facilitates the visit.  We should all be like Andrew, knowing how to find Jesus.

The widow gave her mite. The lad gave his lunch.  We all have something we can give.

The commission has been given. We must put forth the effort, and the mission will be accomplished. A lot of the works of God started out small. He uses our weakness for His strength. Every cross-tie on the railroad was once a tree, but each one laid in the ground comes together to create the foundation for tracks that cross the world.

Andrew went from a fishermen to Christ’s apostle just by being there and finding small resources. President Lincoln went from humble beginnings, being born in Kentucky, to leading the nation during one of the worst times in history and he saved the union.

The Pearl of Great Price is a story about a small pearl that has great value.

D. L. Moody, founder of Moody Bible Institute, was led to accept salvation in a shoe store by his Sunday school teacher.  Fanny Crosby, blinded at a very young age, took what she had and wrote over 8,000 church hymns.

Being an “Andrew For Christ” is taking the small things we have and letting God use them for a mighty purpose.

Looking back on my father’s life, he was truly an “Andrew For Christ”  He was one of the few people I know that heard the call of God, sold everything he had, and followed that call wherever it lead. There will be a Holy Host of people wake up in heaven because of the Gospel that went forth from his words and actions. I believe my father lived everything he taught. I count myself truly blessed to be raised by a great man of God.

A quiet man of music

Denied a simpler fate

He tried to be a soldier once

But his music wouldn’t wait

He earned his love through discipline

A thundering, velvet hand

His gentle means of sculpting souls

Took me years to understand

 The leader of the band is tired

And his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through my instrument And his song is in my soul My life has been a poor attempt To imitate the man I’m just a living legacy To the leader of the band.

Dan Fogelberg “Leader Of The Band”