Tag: John 15
Appointed to go and bear fruit
Scripture reading for April 25: John 15
“”This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He may give it to you.”” John 15:12-16
Following Jesus is not something that we dream up for ourselves. Jesus taught that no matter how sinful or how noble our lives may have been, coming to Jesus is because of the Father’s mercy in choosing us and drawing us to repentance through His goodness. The ultimate goodness of God is found in His sending of His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us and then to willingly offer His own life, body and blood, for us. This is the greatest act of love ever demonstrated to us as self-centered sinners.
Not only did God appoint us to salvation through His Son Jesus, He also sent us out (“go into all the world”) to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and nations. (Matthew 28:18-20) This is how we are to ‘bear fruit’ that will remain. These souls will be our ‘treasure’ in heaven. When someone is ‘born again’, they become new creatures in Christ and then possess the gift of eternal life. One of the greatest gifts to His followers is the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray and intercede for those needing salvation. The Holy Spirit directs the gifts needed to produce the fruit that remains–saved souls! The Holy Spirit gives each believer spiritual power to be a witness of Christ. Full joy awaits the believer!
Have you responded to the call of Jesus to inherit eternal life? Has God’s choice of you brought you to repentance and receiving of His Holy Spirit in new birth? Are you obedient to His appointment to go into your world with the precious message of God’s love for each person? Fruit that abides awaits!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for choosing me and desiring all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. I receive Your appointment to go daily into my world and pray for fruit that will remain, souls awakened to eternal life! Your joy is in me as I rejoice in these new eternal believers! Amen.
No Servant is Greater than His Master
Scripture reading for April 26th: John 15
Key Scriptures for over-comers: John 15:18-20 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also.”
Jesus chose His disciples out of the world system of religion and self-exaltation. He called them to follow His own example of servanthood. He went about doing good, casting out devils, and healing the sick and oppressed and calling men and women to repentance and a new life. For this, He was persecuted and ultimately crucified. Some obeyed His teaching and followed Him. Jesus emphasized the need for servant leadership and that persecution would follow those who followed Him. The world system and people in that system would hate them!
Observations for over-comers: We are called out of the world system into the kingdom of God. We no longer belong to that dead system and it will hate and persecute us. We must remember these words of our Master Jesus! “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.” (Psalm 2:1-2)
Chosen by Jesus to bear fruit!
Scripture reading for April 27th: John 15
Grapes are one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world. There are many varieties and all require some care and tending to make them fruitful and keep them healthy. They provide food, juice, and wine. The branches are good for little because they are weak and bend easily. Jesus used this plant as an example for His disciples of how they must stay attached and produce fruit.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:1-4)
Jesus told them that He was the true vine and that they were the branches that were to produce the fruit. The Father was the gardener that pruned the branches that did not bear fruit. These branches were good for nothing but burning in the fire. (vs. 6) The branches that produced would also be pruned to make them even more fruitful. Branches must not think that they can produce fruit on their own. They must abide in the vine to draw the needed nutrients. Even so, disciples must stay attached to Jesus in order to produce fruit. They must submit to pruning to increase their yield. Not producing fruit is a bad option that yields being cut off! “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)