John 15:16
February 20, 2012 Leave a comment
Good morning friends,
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.
When Jesus choose his disciples, it was not that they did not exercise their will to follow him, surely they did. It was that the first initiative or saving choice that Jesus speaks of here. He has not chosen based on their abilities or notoriety, He chose based on His good pleasure. Had Jesus not chosen them no doubt they would not have followed to the degree they did. We have seen that following Jesus was not easy – even to the point of taking laying down their own lives and taking up their own cross. While we are dealing specifically with the choosing of the 12, this is a principle of God’s sovereign grace that applies across the board concerning salvation. In conjunction with the choosing is the sovereign act of appointing. God chooses with purpose. God appoints that we should go and bear fruit. This is the direction of Christian service. While this “go” may include mission (usually our first thought), more importantly it indicates activity on the part of the Christian. We are appointed to be active in bearing fruit. We are not museum pieces placed on a shelf to collect dust; we are to be active to have an impact on a world that is not sure what end is up. We are called to produce “fruit” should abide. The fruit we bear will have eternal significance.
Bill
Heidelberg Catechism
Q. 32. But why art thou called a Christian? (a)
A. Because I am a member of Christ by faith, (b) and thus am partaker of his anointing; (c) that so I may confess his name, (d) and present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to him: (e) and also that with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and Satan in this life (f) and afterwards I reign with him eternally, over all creatures. (g) (a) Acts 11:26. (b) 1 Cor.6:15. (c) 1 John 2:27; Acts 2:17. (d) Matt.10:32; Rom.10:10; Mark 8:38. (e) Rom.12:1; 1 Pet.2:5,9; Rev.5:8,10; Rev.1:6. (f) 1 Pet.2:11; Rom.6:12,13; Gal.5:16,17; Eph.6:11; 1 Tim.1:18,19. (g) 2 Tim.2:12; Matt.25:34.
