Sharecroppers for the Kingdom!

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Feb. 24, 2014 Monday Message:

Luke 20:9-19, the Parable of the Evil Farmers, is a story about sharecroppers. Let me encourage you to take a minute and read it. I’ll be speaking on this text next Sunday. Sharecropping is one of the best analogies for our relationship with God in His Kingdom, so let’s dig in with a short, “Cliff’s Notes,” version.

God owns all the land, all the earth. We are only tenants for a brief time. No matter how hard we work, we will not get to own the land, which is to say, we will not become equals with God. God allows us to plant and harvest, but we need to give back a portion to the Kingdom. The evil farmers in the parable were reluctant to do that. We should strive to do better.

We also have shares, as in “sharecropper,” in God’s eternal Kingdom. God has given us knowledge of himself through His Word, the Bible, and through His Son Jesus, who walked on earth with us, and we are to plant seeds of faith into those who are far from God, so that they can come to know God more and more. If you’re working WITH God on this, He will truly fill your agenda with those He has chosen.

So the Kingdom is God’s “land,” we’re the workers, and we’ll all receive our portion when God says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt. 25:21)

Isn’t it great being a sharecropper-worker when your Kingdom-land owner is God Almighty?

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week we’ll learn all about being “Sharecroppers for the Kingdom!” See you at church!

Everyone Matters to God

Feb. 17, 2014 Monday Message:

Luke 15 is filled with 3 similar parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. Let’s look at the parallels.

In the Lost Sheep parable, the shepherd is God, and the lost sheep is us. In the Lost Coin, the woman represents God, and we are the lost coin. In the final story, the father is God, and you and I are the lost son.

Notice that what was missing in each story was something of great value. The shepherd, the woman and the father never stopped looking until what was lost was found again.

When the shepherd recovers the lost sheep, he calls his friends and neighbors to celebrate.

When the woman finds her lost coin, she calls her friends, saying, “Rejoice with me!”

When the father greets his wayward son, he orders the fatted calf butchered and the celebrating to begin. “This son of mine was dead and now has returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found!”

When what is lost becomes found, Jesus says it’s worthy of a celebration. One sinner repenting and returning puts heaven in party-mode. The Message says, “Count on it – that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” (Luke 15:10)

So you can see the trend: People far from God really matter to God.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, the Temple leaders question Jesus’ authority to teach. Pastor Michael Pilla moves us into Luke 20:1-8. See you at church!

Prodigal's Father

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Feb. 10, 2014 Monday Message:

 

“Filled with love and compassion, the father ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20b NLT)

We all know the prodigal son. He demanded his share of the inheritance while his father was still alive, wasted it all on wild living, and then eventually returned home hoping to become a servant for his father.

The story is an analogy; the people are not real, and none of this actually happened. Jesus uses this illustration to teach us. In the story, the prodigal son represents mankind. Like the prodigal son, all of us have fallen short of ideal living. The father in the story represents Father-God.

When he heard the prodigal was returning, the father could have just stayed in his house, waiting for the son to come to him, to apologize and humble himself. But that’s not how it happened.

The father, who loved his son and showed compassion on him, didn’t just walk, but RAN to him, hugged him, kissed him, put new shoes on his bare feet, a ring on his finger, and a suitable robe on his back. “Kill the fatted calf and call the neighbors – it’s time for a celebration!”

The Good News is that when you’re far from God, if you change your direction and take a step towards God, He won’t just sit there waiting. God will come running after you, give you a hug, and say, “Welcome back home!” And the angels will say, “Let’s celebrate!” each time a sinner returns.

Norton Lawellin

Join us for worship - Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week Jesus clears the Temple, as Pastor Michael Pilla continues our study in Luke 19. See you at church!

Spiritual Blindness

Feb. 03, 2014 Monday Message:

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38 NLT)

There is physical blindness – what we all think of when we hear the word, “blind.” There is also spiritual blindness.

The blind beggar on the road to Jericho didn’t cry out, “Heal me,” or “Open my eyes.” Rather, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” You see, he already knew that Jesus was the one who could forgive his sin and restore his relationship with the father. The man may have been physically blind, but his spiritual eyes were already open.

Sometimes though, even with 20/20 vision, people are “spiritually blind.” When John Newton penned the lyrics to “Amazing Grace,” he describes in the first-person how he was “lost,” but now is “found.” He was “blind,” but now he can “see.” God had shown him the error of his previous path in life, and now the correct path was made clear. His spiritual eyes had been opened.

If you’re reading this, your spiritual eyes are probably open. Those suffering from spiritual blindness wouldn’t be interested in such a topic. We can pray for them, that their eyes would be opened.

Norton Lawellin

Join us for worship - Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week Jesus joins Zacchaeus for dinner, and salvation comes to his house that day. Pastor Michael Pilla continues our study in Luke 19. See you at church!