REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
John 15:16 NIV | 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.
Isaiah 55:8 NIV | “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
Colossians 1:10 NIV | so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
OBJECTIVE
To realize we are chosen and appointed by God to bear fruits.
To learn that the kind of fruit is not temporary recognition or achievements but fruits that have eternal value.
CONTENT
When we first stepped foot onto this World, God had already chosen us, to serve as a purpose for us to continuously bear fruits. But, as a Christian living within the robust world, where we have our respective daily responsibilities and works – such as our jobs, family etc, we tend to forget how we came to be chosen, what bearing fruits mean as a Christian and why we should be bearing fruits in the first place.
“I chose you and appointed you” – In the very beginning God was the one who chose you first!
- Ephesians 1:4 - “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love” From the start God has anointed us to be holy in His sight, and He has chosen us in extravagent love for us. This eternal love is evident in how God sometimes uses even the most “sinful” person, to bless many others in efforts of sharing his word.
- As the “chosen” children of God our aim to do good deeds and “bear fruits” will be to glorify the Father who has chosen us, not to garner human praises. The fact that God has chosen us first goes to show that he had a thoroughly planned out plan for each and every one of us. This would include our ability to bear fruits to further glorify His name.
“You might go and bear fruit that will last” – Our lives should have a lasting impact.
- “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” Colossians 1:10
- This verse talks about how we should walk a life bearing good fruits to glorify God’s name, not with the aim of garnering worldly assurance. God doesn’t say to bear fruits in every good work only in one part of your life, since you are chosen, you are expected to continuously bear fruits throughout your life.
- If a person’s motivation to do good deeds would be to attain worldly praises, then it would be difficult to continue doing these good deeds to bear fruits throughout your life. In this case, you would be satisfied from simply getting human praise and will stop moving from there.
“Whatever you ask in my name” – We have the authority in the name of Jesus when we pray.
- Even as Christians, we may falter when trying to do good deeds, especially since we are living in a sin packed world - one privilege that every Christian gets is an instant form of communication to God which is prayer.
- When we dread continuing to do good deeds, or are unmotivated to do it, as a Christian, we get the authority to ask God to instill his desire unto us whilst aligning God’s purpose for us into our lives. This way, we would be able to exercise these good deeds with the fullness of our heart.
- This however, is in the condition that we should be consistent and have a listening heart within our prayer lives. The stronger our bond is with God, the larger authority we get to yearn for Him to instill His fire within us.
CONCLUSION
In the very beginning, God was the one who chose us first – instilling diverse plans unto each and everyone of us, so that when each of us bear fruits, we will all bear fruits to fill into each other. Our Father has shown so much love for us, to the point where He sacrificed His only son to die on the cross for us. Thus, our mission to continue bearing fruits for other people to experience His glory should be one of the many things we should be doing for Him. To do so, we must first understand that God was the one who chose us in this mission to bear fruits, and that our only motivation should lie with the fact that God appointed us to do good deeds as a form of worship to Him, which will ultimately allow for us to continue doing these good deeds as Christians for a lifetime. Thus, this concludes the importance of having a knitted relationship with God – allows us to hear the next steps and what we’re supposed to do in a moment of feeling lost.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What does it mean to you personally that Jesus chose you, and how does this truth shape your sense of purpose or identity?
- How can we make sure the “fruit” we bear—our actions, relationships, and influence—remains lasting and honors God?
REFERENCES
- Renner, R. (2019). Chosen by God: God has chosen you for a divine assignment - will you dare to fulfill it? Harrison House Publishers.
- https://theartofgodliness.com/blog/20151017/ephesians-210-saved-unto-good-works#:~:text=Ephesians%202%3A10%20tells%20us,empowered%2C%20and%20God-superintended.