Jesus = Hope!

Dec. 30, 2019 Monday Message:

Jesus speaking: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b NIV

When you become a Christian, all your problems won’t instantly disappear. In fact, Jesus tells us to expect some trouble in this life. We live in a fallen world, and we have to interact with other people who may not know Jesus like we do. Or they might be good people who made mistakes and bad decisions, leaving problems in their wake.

What Jesus offers us is a light at the end of the tunnel. The problems we’re experiencing are in THIS world, NOT the NEXT world! In our ‘life-after-this-life,’ Jesus offers us the free gift of eternal life in the presence of God! He offers a solution to our tribulation, to our problems. Jesus offers us hope!

Sometimes life is hard – the world can be tough. But rejoice because Jesus has overcome the world!

Happy New Year!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Young Jesus visits the Temple – for 3 days! Luke 2:41-52

The LORD Saves!

Dec. 23, 2019 Monday Message:

Angel to Joseph: “Mary will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21 NLT

That’s quite a statement! And being entrusted to nurture God’s Son is quite a responsibility! But to name him Jesus – that raises to mission to an even higher level. Names used to have meanings, and the name “Jesus” means “the Lord saves.”

Matthew further explains that the birth of Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” We get to walk on the same earth where God walked! Matt. 1:23

Mankind couldn’t get in front of its sinful ways, so God decided to intervene, to solve the problem himself. Jesus was destined to rescue us from eternal damnation by paying the price for the sins of the world. After all, God’s desire is that none would perish!

This gift of eternal life through faith in the Son is a free gift. Think of it as your Christmas present. Merry Christmas!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 4pm for the Children’s Christmas Program, and then next Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. We’ll look at Jesus growing up! Luke 2:21-40

Shepherds

Dec. 16, 2019 Monday Message:

“The night of Jesus’ birth, there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.” Luke 2:8 NLT

Do you wish you could have been a shepherd back at the time of Jesus’ birth? Probably not! It was tough work. Think of roughing it, camping outdoors perpetually. The sheep were constantly being moved to fresh pasture. So the shepherds didn’t have a house, and often not even a tent. They just lived and slept out in the open. It was dusty and dirty, there were no showers and sanitation was a myth. It got cold at night, and sometimes the best solution was to huddle-in with the sheep. After all, sheep are already wearing a wool blanket! But then soon, the shepherds would smell just like their sheep, which explains why they were social outcasts when they ventured into town. No one wanted to be around them. And since they were known for their barbarism and shenanigans, shepherds could not even be called as witnesses.

But for some reason that only God knows, angels appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of the Son of God: “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12

The shepherds decided to go into town and check it out. And sure enough, there was baby Jesus, lying in the manger! The shepherds told everyone about the angels. They were all amazed, and Mary treasured all that had happened. Everything turned out just as the angels foretold!

We know now that God was breaking into our world to rescue mankind from our sin problem. And amazingly, the shepherds found themselves in the same room with their Creator! Now do you wish you could have been a shepherd that night?

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Founding Pastor Michael Pilla teaches from Luke 2 - the birth of Jesus.

God Never Fails

Dec. 9, 2019 Monday Message:

“No word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:37 NIV

God sent his messenger, the angel Gabriel, to lay the groundwork for two unusual births.

First, Gabriel told Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth, well past child bearing years, would give birth to a son, who was to herald the way for the coming Messiah. Their son told everyone to repent and return to the Lord, for the Kingdom of God was at hand. We know that man as John the Baptist.

Next, Gabriel told a young virgin, Mary, that she would give birth to the Son of God himself. Mary was confused. She was engaged, but had not yet consummated her marriage to Joseph. But this is a divinely inspired birth. We know this child to be Jesus, Son of God, lying in a manger. Wouldn’t you love to have been there?

If God, the Creator of all things, lays out a prediction for you, you can take that to the bank. Understand that God is the #1 Creator, and everything in this world and in the spiritual world was created BY him. It only stands to reason that in the end, the Creator will win! No word from God will ever fail. Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it’s not the end!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. We welcome guests from the New Hope tour. Founding Pastor Michael Pilla continues our Advent journey.

Prophecy

Dec. 2, 2019 Monday Message:

“Prophecy”

Traditionally, how you determine if it’s the Lord speaking through a prophet is if what he/she predicts actually comes to fruition. In much the same way, if a prophet of God foretells an event, and that event actually happens, it also proves that God is in it; that God is real.

About 2,000 years ago, the birth of two babies was foretold by angels. The first was shown to Zechariah and his wife, both beyond childbearing years. They were given a son, the person we know as John the Baptist. He was the prophet counseling people to repent and return to the Lord; he was preparing the way for the Messiah.

The second of course is baby Jesus, given to Mary and Joseph who had not yet consummated their marriage. The Holy Spirit seems to be in charge of unconventional conception.

The shepherds came to witness the event, and they reported: “Everything turned out exactly the way they’d been told!” Luke 2:20b Msg

Prophecy fulfilled!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Founding Pastor Michael Pilla continues our Advent journey.