Jesus had chosen the disciples and not the other way around.  They were under His Royal Appointment.  They had not arrived in the Upper Room to share the Last Supper because they thought it was a good idea, but because they had responded obediently to Christ’s call on their lives.  Having already dismissed the traitor, Judas Iscariot, to do his evil work (John 13:26-30), the Lord then focussed on those who would be the apostolic leaders of the Church. ‘… go and bear fruit – fruit that will last’.

This instruction is still in the context of Jesus being the Vine and the disciples being the branches.  Their purpose was to bear eternal fruit (John 3:16).  That fruit would be everything that showed that Jesus was Lord of their lives.  The fruit of the gospel would be seen in thousands and then millions of new believers.  They would become the growing church which would proclaim Jesus all over the world.   

Every person who is born again by the Spirit is ‘lasting fruit’; they will never perish and neither will anybody take them away from Jesus (John 10:28).  But how would it all happen?  Love!  The disciples would receive the self-sacrificial love of Jesus and learn to love Him by selfless obedience.  Then they were to love each other in the same way; encouraging and strengthening each other to persist in telling the Gospel message in love.
 
It should be the same today.  The church is always only one generation from collapse.  But it does not collapse!  Instead, the Lord keeps building His church as His people love each other, demonstrate a culture that the world cannot imitate or understand, and courageously proclaim the way of salvation through Jesus alone.  That way of life is not just for the Apostles; they died many years ago.  It is also for every generation, and therefore for us in today’s church.  The same principles which Jesus gave to His disciples are the only way the church will grow with lasting fruit to God’s glory.  If you are in His church, you are a part of this great mission.  Your life is designed to be glorifyingly fruitful for Him, which is why He saved you.  Every other plan must take a lesser priority if you are to fulfil your God-appointed purpose.