“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John 15:16 NIV).
When I look at this verse I am struck by the fact that Jesus chose us. He chose you. He chose me. When He says that I did not choose Him, but that He chose me, at first it causes me to go into a fear mode. Fearful, because I know that I am not worthy of His attention. Then I remember that He considered me valuable enough to suffer and die on a cross for me. And if He believes I am that valuable, then let me do His will forever.
This verse reminds me that He appointed me to go and bear fruit that will last. Then the Father will give me whatever I ask in His name. I want to bear fruit that will last. But not for the reason that I will be able to obtain anything I ask the Father, in Jesus’ name. The reason I want to bear fruit that will last is that I want to do His will because that will glorify God.
It’s the attitude of obedience to bear fruit that honors Christ. Fruit that lasts. What does that mean? The first thing that comes to mind is that something that lasts forever is the salvation that we’ve been offered by Christ’s death on the cross. The promise is that we will have eternal life if we repent and believe. And now the question has come down to what exactly is my job in bearing fruit that lasts. I have accepted Christ and I have that promise for eternal life.
But if I am to bear fruit, it surely means that I have been chosen to spread the message of salvation throughout the world. And even more than spreading the message, I am to bring others to the foot of the cross so the Holy Spirit can convict them and save them. It’s too grand a mission. I don’t think believers realize the enormity of the appointment. As believers, we are called to transform lives for eternity. Our actions in this endeavor will never be forgotten.
And the truly great news revealed by this verse is that God has already equipped us with everything we need to bear fruit that will last. We do not need to ask the Father for anything before we bear fruit. Whatever tools we need to do the job, we already have. By this point in the devotional, you surely are not surprised at how God equips us for every mission. We know the truth of the gospel, God, salvation, Jesus and the debt He paid. We already have discernment, compassion, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, knowledge, truth, and many other marvelous gifts. We also have arms, legs, lips, time, energy, money, and possessions that can be used if needed to bear fruit that lasts.
God is allowing us to participate in a project with Him. He is willing to go hand in hand with little us to bring others into the Kingdom. We cannot do it without Him. We can’t save anyone. But we can bring them to the foot of the cross. God is generous and gracious, allowing us to get involved in the process. This is colossal. Working on a project with the God who breathed the universe into existence blows my mind. Not only that, He has already planned in advance what good works we will do. In other words, He is so faithful that He appointed us to bear good fruit that will last forever.
Most Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me and appointing me to go bear fruit that will last. Help me as I prepare to always be ready to share why my hope is in the gospel. Amen.
This is an excerpt from the forty-day devotional, “Attitude Matters”. Click here to order.
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