Fruit That Will Last

Good morning.

Today we’re concluding our series on the vine and the branches – Feeding from Jesus.

“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. This is my command: Love each other,” (John 15:16-17).

We often think of what we can do for the Lord, almost as if we would like to repay Him for what He has done for us. Sometimes we even consider what we could do for the church as a duty or an offering. The initiative is then ours and we can withdraw from it whenever we wish.

However, Jesus was very clear when He addressed His past and present disciples in our passage above - He chose us. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day,” (John 6:44). However, “this is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). So it is the will of God that all men be saved and in verses one and two we are encouraged to pray for people’s salvation. In 1 John 5:14-15 we read: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” Isn’t it wonderful? It is the will of the Father that people be saved and understand the truth and if we pray this will of His, people will be saved and grow in knowledge of Him.

Therefore we see that the initiative comes from Jesus. He chose us and appointed us to bear fruit that will last. Because Jesus initiated it, it is not optional. We are saved because the Father drew us and Jesus had a plan with it; the good works prepared for us in advance (Ephesians 2:10). To accomplish this fruit, these good works, we’ll need some resources from the Father and all we need to do is ask in Jesus name and He will give us what we ask for. Again these are things we need in order to obey effectively and not things we need for our own pleasure.

I can picture Jesus sitting there, pausing for a moment letting His words sink in, and then dropping the bombshell: “This is my command: Love each other." Maybe He then got up and walked to the stream to get some water whilst His words sunk to the hearts of the disciples.

People differ. Not all personalities like one another and inherently people are selfish, having their own ideas. Through the ages these differences have caused the church to become very sectional and across borders love does not come easily. We have had shocking experiences in the distant past when we invited people from our previous church to attend a private function at our then current church, and they refused to come for they would not have liked to be seen that they entered that church building.

Love is a command. We should purposely make anybody feel loved and welcome by reaching out to them. We are even commanded to love our enemies, for love is a decision to make somebody feel special and wanted for the sake of the Kingdom. I have been in churches where I purposely tested the situation and did not approach anybody during tea afterwards, seeing whether someone would come to have a chat with me. For weeks on end I would stand there alone and nobody would even enquire how I was.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-21: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

Lord, help us to love one another for the sake of your Kingdom.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.