Awesome God

April 27, 2020 Monday Message:

“In the beginning, God created…” Gen. 1:1a NLT

We’ve heard these words hundreds of times; they’re so familiar that they just roll off the tongue. But today I want us all to truly appreciate what God did, and to understand the colossal magnitude and magnificence of creation.

God created mankind in His image; both domestic and wild animals; birds, plants and trees; water and dry land; day and night; in short, God created our planet Earth and everything on it. Big job, but God got it done!

Our planet is one of a group that orbits around the sun. There are between 100-400 billion stars (suns) just in our Milky Way galaxy, and Lord knows how many galaxies! To work properly, everything has to be balanced, exactly the right distance from all the other bodies, and orbiting at precisely the right speed.

The universe is an incredible design. Astrophysicists try to figure out creation, and they assemble all their knowledge until they hit a brick wall. The “Big Bang Theory” is their best answer, but somebody had to set it in motion, had to know just how ‘big’ the ‘bang’ needed to be, and first create the ‘space’ into which to build all this. The best answer seems to be Intelligent Design.

Incredibly, here we all are. Humans. David asks, “Who am I that You (God) are mindful of me?” The great big God of the universe knows how many hairs are on your head, which makes it too easy for us to overlook his majesty. Listen to this: Your personal God, the One who walks through life alongside you, is incredibly intelligent, incredibly powerful, and is remarkable at keeping track of little details. Our God is an Awesome God!

This sums it up: “Before God there was nothing. After God there is everything!” And it’s the God of ‘everything’ that we worship!

God’s blessings for you and your loved ones – stay safe!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Jesus: "Do you love me?"

April 20, 2020 Monday Message:

“Simon son of John, do you love me?” John 21:17 NLT

As the disciples ate breakfast on the beach, Jesus asked this question of Simon - three times - and by now, Simon considered it ‘asked-and-answered.’ Upset, hurt and somewhat frustrated, he replied, “Lord, you know everything! You KNOW that I love you!”

And then Jesus commands, “Then feed my sheep.”

This ‘sheep’ analogy is used throughout the Bible. Taking care of all the believers is frequently referred to as ‘tending the flock.’ 2,000 years ago, people were closer to rural life than nowadays, so most people knew what was required to take care of sheep. Back then, the analogy made a lot of sense. Most people knew the job description of a good shepherd, with Jesus being the ultimate example of a Good Shepherd.

Now pretend with me that you are present at that breakfast meeting, but this time, instead of asking Simon, Jesus asks that same question of you. Go ahead; insert your own name; say it out loud: “(name), do you love me?”

And you answer, “Yes, Lord, of course I do!”

And then, just like Simon Peter, Jesus commands you to, “Feed my sheep!” Consider this a personal invitation to join the Great Commission. Jesus didn’t call only Simon to minister – He calls ALL of us to spread the Good News, to make disciples of all nations, and then baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wants to include you on the team. He wants us off the bench and in the game!

God’s blessings on you and your loved ones this Easter season!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

He is Risen!

April 13, 2020 Monday Message:

“The women went into the tomb, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus.” Luke 24:3 NLT

So let’s look at the events that lead up to this. Jesus hosted the Last Supper – the Passover meal with his followers - on Thursday. Next, Judas betrayed Jesus, pointing him out to the soldiers. Jesus was sent before Pilate, then the torture, and ultimately Jesus was crucified on Friday, died about 3pm, and was placed in a tomb. The sky went dark and there was a terrible earthquake – so all the earth knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Here’s where days-of-the-week really matter. Nowadays, we record a day-change right after midnight. But 2,000 years ago, in the Hebrew culture, the change-of-day happened at sundown, and traditionally any portion of a day counted as a full day. Therefore Jesus died on Friday, the first day. Saturday, day two, was the Sabbath, the Jewish Holy day when no work could be done.

Which brings us to Sunday, the third day. As was traditional, the women returned with special spices for burial. But they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty, just as Jesus himself prophesied: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40

The women at the tomb saw two brightly lit men, probably angels, who asked them, ““Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?” Then they remembered Jesus’ words.” from Luke 24:5-8 MSG

When Jesus died on the cross, he took the sins of the world upon himself, and put garments of white on all believers. Jesus conquered sin and death on the same day that we call Easter, which means spring, which represents new life. Some Christians call it Resurrection Sunday, which points to the born-again new life given to all believers by Jesus! Hallelujah!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Jesus' Parade of Palms!

April 6, 2020 Monday Message:

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!’” John 12:13

Yesterday was Palm Sunday and next Sunday is Easter, Resurrection Sunday. Let’s be honest – we’re all a little bit disconnected from the church calendar, because of the ‘Shelter in Place’ order stemming from the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

I love a parade, and I love the Triumphal Entry, Jesus commandeering a donkey and colt with only the explanation, “The Lord needs them.” Then people, many of whom saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the tomb, lined the street with their clothes, and cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road, shouting, “Hosanna! Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!” “Hosanna” means, “save us,” but with an urgency that implies, “Save us NOW!”

At the time, Israel was under Roman rule, but with a unique twist: As long as order was maintained in the region, the people were allowed to practice their own religion. Hence Rome ruled the land, but the Temple Priests ruled religion. Both groups were upset with the number of people following Jesus rather than the ‘organized’ religion, and calling Jesus “King of Israel” was a direct affront to Caesar.

When the parade was over, the Pharisees were disgusted. “This is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12:19

Next week, even though the crowd switches sides, Jesus goes on to conquer sin and death on the same day!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406