Appointed 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 remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. – John 15.16

Jesus' farewell address is really something, isn’t it? I would dare say that it, if not part of the word of God, would be considered one to the great farewell addresses of history. Anti-Christian bias keeps it from being so recognised. In a limited number of words Jesus laid down the scope of what He wanted His people to do after He left.

In this verse Jesus gave us our appointment. We already have read many guidelines and instructions, but here are our marching orders. ‘I have chosen you,’ Jesus said, ‘and appointed (or ordained) you that you should go and bear fruit that remains. If you need anything for the task ask the Father and He will give it to you.’

Jesus has appointed us to bear fruit that remains. While I don’t deny that this very well includes our responsibility to share our faith and strive to draw folks to Christ I think it goes far deeper than that.

In fact, the word of God tells us exactly what the fruit of the Spirit is – love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. I have to think that if that is the fruit of the Spirit it must be part of our fruit-bearing.

Not only are we appointed to bear that fruit, but it must remain in us. These are the fruits on the vine of our lives that must continuously be borne.

It can be hard to be loving, joyful, peaceable, long-suffering, good, faithful, meek, and temperate all the time can’t it?

Well, Jesus has an answer for that – if you need help ask the Father and He will help you.

Like always – Jesus gives us a task, but He gives us the tools to do it. He doesn’t send us out unprepared.