God's Creation is Good!

April 29, 2019 Monday Message

“God saw that it was good (tov).” from Genesis 1

God created the heavens and the earth, the light and the darkness, the oceans and the dry land, the plants and animals – and at the end of each creation day, He declared that it was “good.” In the original language, the word is “tov,” which can also be translated as “complete” or “finished.”

Apparently the earth and the plants and animals were complete in their creation, and would require no further attention from God.

Humankind is a little different. We are a work in progress, and our time on earth is often described as “progress, not perfection.” We learn to walk hand-in-hand with God, and that’s good and necessary. With God, we are tov, complete. Without God, our lives are vacuous, empty.

I’m reminded of the “Footprints in the Sand” poem. We are walking with the Lord. But when there was only one set of footprints, the Lord said, “That’s when I was carrying you.” That’s when our lives are tov, complete; when we are with God. Apparently that’s God’s plan for humankind – for us to walk WITH Him.

God summarizes all creation at the end of day six: “God saw EVERYTHING that he had made, and, behold, it was tov me’od (very good.)

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets May 5, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. Pastor Pilla begins our journey through 1^st Corinthians.

Easter Monday

April 22, 2019 Monday Message

Happy Easter Monday!

Yesterday was Easter or Resurrection Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus conquering both death and sin through his self-sacrifice, thereby fulfilling God’s plan for our redemption.

While at church, we sing fun songs and shake hands with our friends, and it would be easy to be quite casual about this church-thing. But the way Jesus tells it, this should be serious business.

Jesus taught a little about heaven, but talked about hell 3 times as much. Hell is a torturous place you want to avoid. It’s way too hot and there’s no freedom. But the worst thing about hell is the separation from God.

While there is no Biblical basis for my description, I picture heaven and hell separated by a giant gorge with the people in hell on one side and the people in heaven on the other. The heaven side is bright, people are singing and worshiping joyfully, and all is good. The people in hell are suffering from overwork and from the heat, but most of all suffering because, in my vision, they can see the edge of heaven. The people living with Satan can see all the full-of-joy heaven-folk, and hell is knowing that they can never go there. They are eternally separated from God; that is Hell.

Fortunately, Jesus has taken the sin of the world upon himself, and clothed us in his righteousness. That’s “Assurance of Salvation,” available to all who confess their sins and claim Jesus as their Savior. That’s why we worship Jesus and celebrate his resurrection! See you at church – and in heaven!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, April 28, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. The risen Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus and to the Disciples.

Save Us NOW!

April 15, 2019 Monday Message

“Hosanna to the Son of David!” from Matt. 21:9

“Hosanna” is a Hebrew word meaning “to save, or save us.” There’s also an implied imperative, an urgency, so it becomes, “Save us NOW!”

The Israelites wanted to be saved from Roman domination. But the people of God also needed rescuing from repeatedly falling into sin, and that’s why Jesus was there!

God’s value system – His laws – had been largely ignored for some time, and Jesus came to rescue God’s people from their sin. For all the good that Jesus did when he walked with us – the healings, the teaching, the miracles – I believe that his PRIMARY purpose was the Great Exchange – where Jesus took the sin of the world upon himself, and clothed believers in garments of white.

We celebrate his completion of that mission next Sunday, Easter or Resurrection Sunday. See you at church!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets Palm Sunday, April 21, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. Pastor Pilla celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.

Good News!

April 8, 2019 Monday Message

Followers of Jesus have been blessed with the Good News of eternal salvation in the presence of Father God. Jesus said that we are to share that Good News by making disciples of all nations. In other words, don’t keep the Good News to yourself — share it with everybody!

At the beginning of Christianity, the believers kept “The Way” alive, but mostly in the city of Jerusalem. It was their standard mode of operation. After all, Pharisees had been hoarding the Torah in the Temple for years.

Finally, the Apostle Paul followed Jesus’ instructions, taking the Gospel to several Gentile nations. He was making believers out of people who formerly had no interest in religion. And isn’t that what we’re all called to do?

Since this coming Sunday is Palm Sunday and the following one is Easter Sunday, this is the perfect time of year to bring someone with you to your place of worship. We’ll never get to make disciples of all nations if we don’t invite them.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. This week Pastor Pilla teaches about Jesus’ Triumphant Entry.

Radical Transformation!

April 1, 2019 Monday Message

Last Sunday we investigated Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector in Jericho. Curious about this Nazarene, our vertically-challenged individual climbed a sycamore-fig tree to get a better view of Jesus, who wound up inviting himself over for dinner.

Zacchaeus had been looking for a way out of the evil tax-collection industry, and Jesus invited him to turn his life around. “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Luke 19:8

After putting his faith, hope and trust in Jesus, salvation was immediate. There was not trial period, no probationary period. When Zacchaeus repented and returned, Jesus handed him a ticket to heaven – eternity in the presence of God himself!

Jesus seems to be all about the radical transformation of lives. He oftentimes takes the worst of the worst and leads them back home. In His words, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mark 2:17

There’s nothing better than to have your life radically transformed by Jesus.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. This week Pastor Pilla returns and continues our study in Luke 19:11-27 “The 10 Minas.”