Convincing Evidence!

For Thursday, March 31, 2022

Matthew 14:21 NLT: “About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!”

Talk about ‘under-resourced!’ Jesus was given only five loaves and two fish, and after looking to heaven, he got food to 5,000 men and their families! Everyone who was searching for the Messiah, looking for a sign from heaven, should have found a big bunch of hope that day!

Unfortunately some still doubted; some thought his power came from Satan; some weren’t ready to commit to such an eternal decision.

But if you open your eyes and ears and consider all the evidence objectively, it should leave no doubt that Jesus was heaven-sent on a mission for mankind’s rescue.

You should open a place in your heart to include the Son of God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Decision!

For Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Matthew 14:1-2 NLT: “When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus, he said to his advisers, ‘This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.’”

Herod Antipas, known as Herod the tetrarch, was in a perilous place. He had heard Jesus speak, he knew the evidence of who Jesus was, but he concocted his own theory as to the source of Jesus’ power. Herod never made the transition to becoming a believer. Sitting on the fence, he perpetually made the incorrect decision. Unfortunately his eternal destiny rested on that decision. He’s what I call “almost-a-believer!”

Many of us have an “almost-a-believer” in our circle of friends, and Jesus calls us to give them hope. He commissioned us to take the Good News to the four corners of the earth and make disciples, believers, followers of the Son of God. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through him, so everyone needs to know about the redeeming Savior.

If we spread the Good News about Jesus, everyone will have a chance to believe and be saved. People will be offered hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Rescue & Hope!

For Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Psalm 40:13 NLT, David praying: “Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me.”

We tend to remember David as either the little shepherd boy who took down the giant Goliath, or later as the powerful king of the Hebrew people. But there was an in-between time that didn’t go so well.

As a young man, David had been anointed as the future king, but many tried to prevent that from happening. For several years, David found himself on the run dodging sharp spears! Rather than give up, he called on the Lord for help.

The message here for all of us is that when life doesn’t go so well, we too should call out to the Lord. Our Creator God is full of forgiveness and compassion. He is a God of second-chances, rescue and above all hope!

"Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” (Ps. 40:3b)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Look & Listen!

March 28, 2022 Monday Message

Matthew 13:16 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

Jesus said that not everyone is permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom. But to those who listen, to those who seek to know the truth, more understanding will be given, and that person will accumulate an abundance of knowledge!

That’s why we should continue to attend church and hear messages from an inspired leader. That’s why we should continue to read and study our Bibles. Gather all the information you can about the Father, His Son and the Kingdom. The eyes and ears of the believer are opened, and that individual is filled with hope!

"Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” (Matt. 13:9)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Holy Family Membership!

For Sunday, March 27, 2022

Matthew 12:50 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Want to be a member of the Holy Family? Want to call Jesus your brother?

As he wraps up this dissertation, Jesus is telling us that he considers believers who follow God’s will members of that Holy Family, his brothers and sisters. Those who repent, return and continue to believe have eternal hope!

This is family business, and you’re now a part of that family!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Finding Hope!

For Saturday, March 26, 2022

Matthew 12:41 NLT, Jesus speaking: “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.”

As you may recall, Nineveh was God’s destination for Jonah. His message was to be, “Repent and return to the Lord!” And that’s the key to eternal life, the key to salvation, the key to finding hope! The first step in receiving help is acknowledging that you need the help!

We know that the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The hard part is personally admitting it, knowing that each of us needs a redeemer. God’s desire is that none would perish, and he sent his Son so that all who repent, return and believe would get to see heaven from the inside!

Hope came to a manger in Bethlehem!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Jesus = Helpful!

For Friday, March 25, 2022

Matthew 12:38 NLT: “Some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, ‘Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.’”

Jesus declined their request. He wasn’t on a mission of showing off his heavenly powers. His power wasn’t a side-show; his miracles were used only for compassion. Jesus would heal the sick, cast out demons, and otherwise do what was most helpful. Show-off my powers? You’ve got the wrong guy!

Jesus further explains that just as Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days, so would he be in the grave for three days and then rise to join the living once again. As part of that mission, he would take the sin of the world to the place of the dead, and solve mankind’s problems of sin and death through the greatest miracle of all! (By the way, this confirms the story of Jonah!)

Jesus fulfilled his mission, accomplishing what the Father had sent him to do! Jesus completed what was most needed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Judgment Hope!

For Thursday, March 24, 2022

Matthew 12:36-37 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

This confirms that we need Jesus. There will be a judgment day, a day of accountability, and our own words will condemn us. Even those who tried to live a good life will find there were several shortcomings. The Bible says that none have reached the goodness goal, that all have sinned and fallen short.

But God’s desire is that none would perish, that none would be lost. That’s why Jesus took the believer’s sin upon himself, leaving them pure and clean, acceptable, ready to spend eternity in the presence of the Father.

Jesus is our hope for life after this life!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Jesus = Hope!

For Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Matthew 12:35 NLT, Jesus speaking: “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.”

Your reputation precedes you. If you’re known to be a good person, people will expect more good to come from you. If you’re known for evil, for a sour attitude, people will begin to disassociate from you. Most of us can’t tolerate any more evil coming into our lives.

The same principle applies to Jesus. He’s known for goodness and mercy, so people would follow him hoping to see more of the same. It’s the same nowadays. People still come to Jesus seeking hope, and the closer we get to Jesus, the more hope we have!

Jesus said, “Whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” (Matt. 12:34b)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Messiah!

For Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Matthew 12:23 NLT, Questions from the crowd after Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who could not hear or speak: “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

’Yes’ to all of the above! Jesus was of the line of David, which fulfilled prophesy proving that Jesus was the expected Messiah. We know him better as the Son of the Most High! But if you were in the crowd that day expecting a Messiah, and you witnessed miracles that could only be heaven-sent, wouldn’t you be filled with exuberant hope that this is the guy?

The crowd was convinced, but the Pharisees weren’t so sure. They conjectured that Jesus’ power might have come from Satan.

To Jesus, this was bad news. He was born into the family of God’s chosen people, and he wanted to strengthen his community, not cause division within it. “A Kingdom divided by civil war is doomed.”

Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Matt. 12:30)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406