Today is the accepted Day!

Aug. 26, 2013 Monday Message:

Last week we started looking at the most-asked Bible/Christianity questions. Remember the #1 question is, “Can we really know for sure that we’re going to heaven?”

“Yes,” but that answer didn’t come from my reasoning. It’s the answer we received from Jesus. This whole heaven-deal was set-up by Jesus, who told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” The thief didn’t have to go to Sunday school, take communion, get baptized, or participate in any other Christian tradition. Rather, he simply placed his faith, hope and trust in Jesus the Christ. And Jesus delivered.

John writes about this in his Gospel: “I have written these things so that you may know that you have eternal life!”

If someone asks if you are married, you know the answer for sure – yes or no – but either way, you’re quite certain. Simple. But if someone asks about your eternal destiny, a lot of church-goers hem and haw, “Well, I said a prayer one time – I think I did – yeah, I might be OK.”

Why would you go into eternity not knowing, when with Jesus, you can be completely assured of your destiny? Today is the accepted day to cement your relationship with Jesus.

Next week – “Do” religions vs. “Done” religion.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Sept. 01, Pastor Daisy teaches us to choose the narrow door. And in heaven, there’s a new order: “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” Open up Luke Ch. 13 and join us!

NL

Going to Heaven?

Aug. 19, 2013 Monday Message:

We’ll be looking at the most-asked Bible/Christianity questions for the next several weeks. And the #1 question is, (survey says:) “Can we really know for sure that we’re going to heaven?”

The answer is clearly “yes.” Does that sound arrogant? It might if we were “earning” our way into heaven, stocking-up heaven-points toward admission. But that’s not how heaven works.

Eternal life is a gift, given to us by the grace of God and his Son Jesus Christ. It’s not what we do, not our “works.” Rather, it’s what Jesus did FOR us. If we humble ourselves to accept His free gift, it’s not arrogant to say that we have it. It’s simply acknowledging that Jesus did a good job, a perfect job, when he ransomed us, rescuing us from our human condition, snatching us from certain death in the lake of fire.

Some people have a “Life Verse” from the Bible, and mine is 1 John 5:11-12 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal live, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has God’s Son has eternal live; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” It doesn’t get any more straightforward than that. This is what we call Blessed Assurance! We can, and should, sing about this Good News!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Aug. 25, Pastor Pilla catches Jesus healing on the Sabbath! Yikes! Open up Luke Ch. 13 and join us!

NL

Make Disciples of ALL Nations

Aug. 12, 2013 Monday Message:

"God had given all authority in heaven and earth to his Son. So Jesus commanded, 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.'” (Matt. 23:19a)

But let’s look at history: In spite of this Great Commission, the disciples – and therefore Christianity - remained in Jerusalem. The disciples continued to teach at the temple from time to time, and in Acts 2 baptized 3000 people in one awesome day. But they did NOT take Christianity to “all nations.”

So Jesus recruited (coerced, usurped, kidnapped – you pick the word) a new leader, Saul of Tarsus. We know him as St. Paul. Paul’s world was turned upside-down when Jesus himself struck Paul blind on the road to Damascus, and spoke directly to him. It was Paul who planted churches in other cities and wrote half of the New Testament. Paul became the itinerant preacher that Jesus called him to be.

So the lesson here is that if your church stalls, it may be time to call up a new leader, fresh blood, with new ideas, exuberance and enthusiasm. Get a “Paul.”

The old leaders weren’t bad. In fact, they grew a healthy church in Jerusalem and maintained connections with their Jewish heritage while establishing new traditions.

But it was Paul who carried the Good News to ALL nations.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Aug. 18, Pastor Van opens up Luke Ch. 13: Jesus calls people to repent and return to the Lord. See you at church!

NL

God's Plan

Aug. 05, 2013 Monday Message:

“God said, “Let us make human beings.” (Gen 1:26a)

When God made animals, he saw to it that they could produce offspring of the same kind. (Gen. 1:24-25)

Now it was time to make human beings, and God created them in His image. (Gen. 1:27) The first human was Adam – Adam means soil or earth, so call him dirt-boy. God breathed life into the dirt.

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone – I will make him a helper who is just right for him.” (Gen 2:18)

The helper God created was Chava, which means life. Today we call her Eve.

“Life” is a good name for Adam’s perfect mate, because now, just like the animals, they could produce offspring – new life, made in God’s image. That was God’s plan.

Then God looked over all that he had made, and saw that it was very good! (Gen. 1:31a)

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Aug. 11, Jesus talks about the Lord’s coming, and how following Jesus can cause division. Pastor Michael Pilla returns to the pulpit with Luke 12:35-59. We welcome our guests from New Hope Center this week! See U @ church!

NL