Keep On Truckin - Producing Good Fruit

 

Continuing the theme of good fruit, I continue reading from John 15:9-17 NIV:

[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. [12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. [16] 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. [17] This is my command: Love each other.”

Verse 16 grabbed my attention this morning, especially since I was reflecting on good fruit yesterday.  I will take some license with this statement of Jesus and apply it to me, for I believe that He does offer each of us the same invitation to be in relationship with Him and represent Him to the world, which was the call of the Apostles, to whom He was speaking in this chapter.  

The idea that Jesus chose them specifically, and then appointed them to go bear good fruit, must have been a huge point of motivation for the remainder of their life!  Jesus was depending on them and had chosen them specifically! 

In the same way, I believe the opportunity and invitation to follow Jesus is there for each of us!  I have certainly responded to the call to follow Him. There have been times where I specifically felt appointed to certain ministerial roles, and know for sure that I am called to represent Jesus to those around me.  I do feel that I have produced some good fruit, but probably not anywhere near as much as I could, and that for me is the invitation to do better.

I do not dwell on past missed opportunities, but rather look forward and try to do better, to produce better fruit, to better represent Jesus!  I am reminded once again of Paul’s statements from his letter to the Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:

[12] “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I am reminded of a saying form the 1970’s when “keep on truckin” was a theme one often saw on t-shirts.  I must forget what is behind and keep on trucking, working to produce good fruit through my representation of Jesus.  His command is simple, “love each other as I have loved you” (Verse 12 above) and the good fruit must be produced through this love!

My prayer is that I might bear much good fruit!  That I might represent the Love of Christ to each one that I meet, and that I keep on producing good fruit for the remainder of my life.  I want to continue to press on toward that goal!

Amen!