NMC Audio Podcast

In the Upper Room, Jesus is preparing his disciples for life after His death and resurrection when suddenly, He breaks into prayer. Jesus welcomes us today into this divine, intimate conversation He has with the Father. Not only are we invited into the conversation, but Jesus prays specifically for the future Church (us). His plea to the Father? Complete unity.

Jesus gives some instruction to His disciples and prays for them in John 14-17, which is often referred to as the Farewell Discourse. He is preparing them for what life will look like after He is resurrected and ascended. What if those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior were to look at this section of Scripture and consider how it is reflecting our current faith journey?

History is loaded with pivotal moments. For Americans, it’s the American Revolution and the Civil War. In the world, it’s the invention of Gutenburg’s printing press. These are moments that forever changed the course of history. In Peter’s life, there’s a pivotal moment that’s often overlooked. His moment described in Acts 10 impacts every believer’s life. It’s the moment that opened the door for most of us to become followers of Christ. That pivotal moment is loaded with great lessons for us.

Before and after pictures are amazing! Oftentimes, it’s hard to believe it’s the same person. Over time, people change. More than physical changes, when the Holy Spirit fills a person, there are radical spiritual and behavioral changes. The man called Peter in the Gospels is transformed into a fearless warrior in the book of Acts. What God did for Peter, He can do for you!

How do you come back from failure? How can you move forward after direct disobedience to God? Peter’s Here to There journey no longer looks the same. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times after he boldly proclaimed that he would never abandon Jesus. How do you come back from that? Will God use the unfaithful to fulfill His plans? John 21 gives us insight into how God restores His disciple, Peter, and how we, too, may be restored in our Here to There journey.

It is the low point in Peter’s Here to There journey. Jesus told Peter it was going to happen. Peter told Jesus there was no way it would happen. As we examine this low point where Peter denies Christ three times, there is challenge and guidance we can apply to our own Here to There journey.

Can you imagine what it would have been like to walk with Jesus? At this point in Peter’s Here to There journey, he has seen Jesus heal people, seen Jesus cast out demons, and he himself has walked on water! In Matthew 16, Peter and the disciples are put on the spot when Jesus asks them, “Who do you say I am?” Jesus is still asking His followers today, “Who do you say I am?”

It’s easy to become satisfied and complacent. Doing the same old thing everyday can become an easy but unwilling routine. Yet there’s something more that God has for us. There’s a stirring in our souls and a hunger in our hearts that can only be met by fulfilling God’s mission for our lives. It’s time to move from here to there!

The call for peace is universal. It’s the deepest desire of most every heart. Yet, it remains elusive. Conflict marks human history. From the first two brothers to today's world, peace seems distant and unattainable. But when Jesus enters the picture, everything changes. He is the Prince of Peace. True peace comes only through Jesus.

What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you hear the word "father"? Everyone has had a father. The mere mention of that word evokes memories: some enjoyable, while others painful. It's that word—father—that Isaiah uses to describe Jesus, our perfect Father.