”You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last - and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
John 15:16New International Version (NIV)
John 15:16 Devotional
Chosen to bear fruit
John 15:16 can be summarised as Chosen to bear fruit, which is the purpose for which Jesus chose His twelve disciples – at this point, Judas had walked away. These disciples had been with Him since the beginning of His ministry.
Consequently, they had thus become “friends”. And as friends, they had developed a connection or a bond.
Remain in Jesus
Therefore, Jesus used the imagery of a vine and branches to symbolize the bond or friendship that they had developed (John 15:5a). And He emphasized the need for His disciples to remain in Him (John 15:4-6). That is, He emphasized the need for His disciples to not cut themselves off from Him.
Jesus’ words should remain in you
In addition, Jesus told His disciples that His words had to remain in them. For if this would be the case, they could ask for anything they wished for and it would be done for them (John 15:7). And this was still part of being fruitful because others would be able to see fruits in answered prayers.
Therefore, Jesus’ words in John 15:16 come right after He has urged his disciples to remain in Him. Because if they would remain in Him, they would definitely bear fruit (John 15:4). And not only fruit but much fruit for this matter (John 15:5b).
Consequently, fruitfulness and much fruitfulness will end up glorifying God and showing that they were His disciples (John 15:8). And this applies to us too.
Remain in the love of Jesus
Finally, Jesus told His disciples that He had loved them as God had loved Him (John 15:9a). Therefore, He commanded them to remain in His love (John 15:9b). And in John 15:10, Jesus revealed to them that if they kept His commands, they would remain in His love.
Additionally, they would be His friends if they would keep His commands (John 15:14). For friends, as opposed to servants, know their master’s business (John 15:15). That is, friends know what God has taught them – what God wants them to know.
Jesus had chosen them to bear fruit
Nevertheless, in verse 16, Jesus told His disciples that He had chosen and appointed them to go and bear fruit that will last. And He would answer their prayers whenever they would make the same to Him.
Similarly, when you get saved, God has chosen you so that you can bear fruit. Therefore, the goal of the Christian life is to bear fruit. This is why Jesus Christ chose and appointed you and me. He chose and appointed us to bear lasting fruit for Him.
Remember, Jesus chose the twelve disciples to serve, thus, bear fruit. And their apprenticeship was coming to an end, He revealed to them why He had chosen them. And for three years they had learned from Him.
But at that point in time, His ministry was going to be in their hands. Therefore, they were to go out and produce fruit.
Consequently, your choice of Him is based on His (sacrificial) choice of you, in love for, His purpose (John 6:70). God chooses you based on the good works that you are to engage in and that He prepared in advance of your being chosen by Him (Ephesians 2:10).
The end result is the bearing of fruit. Fruitfulness is the conspicuous mark of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
The bearing of fruit is also an expectation. Therefore, if you don’t bear fruit, then you don’t abide in the vine. And the result will be that you get snapped off and thrown in the fire (John 15:6).
Prayer
Lord, I thank You for preparing fruitful work for me in advance. As a branch, I pray to remain in You, the vine, so that I may bear much and lasting fruit. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Blessing
May you go and bear fruit. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Jeremiah 32-33 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
