FAI Central

"And just maybe, He'll make me a little less cranky."

Our prayer for ourselves this week closes this conversation on John 15:18-16:4, and what it means for the world to hate Jesus' disciples for no reason other than it hates Him. But many questions emerge in this meditation; for one thing, what is hatred? How does it contrast against love? And what planks might we have lodged in our own eyeballs that we need to dig out before we cry "wolf"? Is it possible we carry a persecution complex that we try to sanctify with passages like this one?

The Farewell Discourse offers us some of Scripture's most powerful passages to transform the water of our hearts, minds, and lives into the "better wine" produced when we "abide in the Vine." May we examine ourselves—better yet, allow Scripture to examine us—and allow these words in John's record of Jesus' final moments before His arrest wash over us, and make us better witnesses to the world around us.

"Dear Father, in heaven...."

Why is this "best blasphemy a Muslim will ever hear" our great comfort, and ultimate anchor for obedience? In John 15:9-17, Jesus uses strong yet gorgeous language to describe the friendship and family offered to us by and through the Father, Son, and Spirit—if we obey. So what is obedience? And how did it wreck the life of a man already "so well behaved," Saul of Tarsus?

Join Jeff & Steph for one of our most favorite episodes to date, Part 9 of our deep dive into the Farewell Discourse.

DURATION: 45 minutes

As we come to some of the "glorious peaks" of the Farewell Discourse, this episode brings us to some of our very favorite verses: John 15:1-8—where we get the language to "abide in the Vine."

But how do we persevere through a "long obedience in the same direction" when life is unpredictable and winds around (and within!) us rage? This week, we welcome special guest Martin Mallory to the table with Jeff. Stephanie (who is writing this caption) deliberately stepped out of the way so we could all sit and hear some fatherly wisdom.

Martin serves alongside Jeff on the FAI Board of Directors, and also shepherds the FAI family as the Director of Pastoral Care. We love and are grateful for both these dads in our family.

Grab some coffee and a copy of John's Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit minister to and strengthen you in this episode.

DURATION: 43 minutes

Have you ever wondered what the point to this age is? Why the garden? Why was the snake allowed in? Why the cross? And why are we asking these questions in the middle of John 14?

If you're following Jesus, you'll almost certainly hear Him say something like, "Arise, let us go from here" right before He leads you—very intentionally—into your own Gethsemane and Golgotha moment. We know we must "carry our cross daily," but sometimes it catches us a bit off-guard. Where is He? Why must we go there?

Paul offers us some clarity in Ephesians 3, and we lean on it in what might be our weightiest episode to date. Join Jeff & Steph for a meditation on John 14:15-31 as we continue mulling through the Farewell Discourse in the Gospel of John.

Jesus is the Way to, and the Image of, the Father. Jeff and Steph continue through John's Farewell Discourse this week in John 14:7-14. Consider His representation, and the "greater things" we are invited into.

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