Savior of the World!

For Wednesday, May 31, 2023:

1 John 4:14 NLT: “We have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”

John had traveled with Jesus, took meals with him and heard the Good News straight from the teacher’s mouth. He is a prime example of an eyewitness, and there is no better testimony than that of an eyewitness, someone who was right there when it all happened!

In one sentence, John sums up Christian theology: “The Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” God would not have sent a Savior unless we needed saving! That God would send his Son to rescue mankind shows his extreme love for us.

Before Jesus, John-the-Baptist declared that the Day of the Lord was at hand. He counseled people to repent and return to the Lord. Today is the best day to repent and return to the Lord!

Those who humbly repent, return and place their faith hope and trust in Jesus receive the gift of salvation, eternity in the presence of the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Jesus vs the World!

For Tuesday, May 30, 2023:

Matthew 18:7 NLT, Jesus speaking: “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.”

Jesus simplified being a believer. Group A: Christian believers follow the teachings of Jesus and his Father in heaven. Group B: The “world,” people living in sin and tempting others to sin.

There are only two groups. On judgement day, Jesus will place everyone in the proper group, just like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Therefore if someone sins against us, we don’t need to seek revenge. We can let go and let God. At the end times, the world’s judge will settle all matters.

Believers line up with the other sheep following Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Pray for Peace!

May 29, 2023 Monday Message:

Psalm 46:9 NLT: “God causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire.”

Today is “Memorial Day” in the United States. It’s a day to honor those who gave their lives to defend our country. And since our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, they died defending God’s values, and that is indeed a high calling!

Surprisingly there are still hundreds of little wars in the world, resulting in lives being lost. Right now the big war is in Ukraine. It’s on your TV every night. The war is about which government controls a small piece of real estate. To God this is just silliness, since they’re not fighting over anything of substance, anything of eternal value. The Lord says, v10: “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

So make no mistake: “Be still” isn’t about meditating. “Be still” means stop the fighting. Stop the loss of lives. Stop your foolishness and focus on your destination in the life after this life. Pray for peace in the world.

The Bible says there will be wars and rumors of wars until Jesus returns, so also pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Just have Faith!

For Sunday, May 28, 2023:

Mark 5:5 NLT: “Messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

"It ain't over 'til it's over." The NY Mets were trailing the Cubs by 9-1/2 games, but somehow rallied to win the NL East. Baseball great Yogi Berra explained, "It ain't over 'til it's over."

Christians have a similar lesson: “It’s not over until you’ve given the situation to Jesus.” Jarius, the synagogue leader, was told that his sick daughter finally died. There seemed to be no point in asking for Jesus’ help now. Not true! Jesus has power over evil spirits, sickness and disease. Jesus has power over life and death. With Jesus on your side, “"It ain't over 'til it's over!"

Jesus told the little girl who had died to get up. He took her by the hand and helped her do just that! She stood and walked around! Jesus told them to get her something to eat.

Jesus told the girl’s father, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Baby Christians!

For Saturday, May 27, 2023:

1 Corinthians 3:3 TLB, Paul writing to the church in Corinth: “For you are still only baby Christians, controlled by your own desires, not God’s. When you are jealous of one another and divide up into quarreling groups, doesn’t that prove you are still babies, wanting your own way? In fact, you are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord at all.”

Most seekers were living in the world, where people sin freely. Then they learn the Good News of salvation through Jesus, become a part of it, but haven’t yet abandoned the ways of the world. Baby Christians.

Paul is looking for what I call a Radical Transformation, a 180º turn-around of a person’s value system. When new believers have God on their mind, Jesus in their heart and the Holy Spirit’s protection, they become a new person, born again.

Believers have been given a fresh start, and it should show!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Unconditional Love!

For Friday, May 26, 2023:

1 John 4:10 GNT: “This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.”

Jesus talked about “love” so much that John continues expositing the subject(s). In the English language, we’re limited by having only one “love” word. “I love my job; I love my friends at church; I love my new car; I love my wife” – same word, but completely different meanings. But in the original language, there are different words for each kind of love.

Yesterday we talked about brotherly love, but today’s scripture shifts to unconditional love, what the Bible calls “agápē” love, where someone is loved no matter what! A parent loves their children unconditionally. We may not approve of their behavior from time to time, but they can always come back home. It’s been said that home is where when you go there, they always let you in!

Believers are adopted into God’s Holy Family. And since we’re Children of God, our Heavenly Father loves us without reservation. In spite of our propensity to sin, God is loving and forgiving and welcomes us with open arms.

How much does our Father love us? “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Philadelphia - Love for One's Fellows!

For Thursday, May 25, 2023:

1 John 4:7-8 NLT: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

As Acts 2 ends, we learn that this new group of believers, ‘The Way,’ devoted themselves to fellowship. They shared possessions, took meals together and worshiped God together. This love for others, a principle first taught by Jesus, was being put into motion by the believers. Others liked what they saw and wanted to become a member too. They were baptized and brought into the fellowship.

To be clear, this love is not the unconditional love, like how God loves us. It’s reciprocal, treating others the way we’d like to be treated. This is not romantic or erotic love, but instead what the Bible calls ‘Brotherly Love.’ That includes ‘Sisterly Love’ too!

Christians should be nice people, friendly, helpful to one another and ready to serve. If group of believers, a church, isn’t welcoming and loving, something’s a little off.

Looking after our fellows should be as important as looking after ourselves.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Greatest!

For Wednesday, May 24, 2023:

1 John 4:4 NLT: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them (the evil spirits of the Antichrist,) because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

If I asked you to number every living thing in the world from greatest to least powerful, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit would be 1-2-3. Surprisingly, evil spirits wouldn’t be at the bottom of the list. They have power to deceive mankind, to disrupt our spiritual paths and to wreak havoc in our lives. But believers are blessed to have Jesus living in our hearts, a power much greater than the evil in the world. We are both protected and redeemed!

Jesus said that we will experience tribulation in this world, but to take heart because he has overcome the world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Childlike Innocence!

For Tuesday, May 23, 2023:

Matthew 18:5 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf (in my name) is welcoming me.”

Like the song says, Jesus loves the little children. Their innocence and naïveté leave them malleable, open to the word of the Lord.

We all need to keep our minds open to the teachings of Jesus, regardless of our age. A man once asked me if I’d be willing to meet with him to answer questions about the Bible. I agreed; we met several times, and agreed on many biblical principles. But then we hit a roadblock. I read a passage straight out of the Bible, and he responded, “I’ve never believed that part!” Big problem! The foundation of our religion is knowing the truth of scripture and the inerrancy of God’s word.

After about three of these roadblocks, we eventually stopped meeting, because obviously we were not on the same page. We’re still friends, and when he’s ready to open his mind to Jesus’ word, I’m still ready to teach.

Each day I read the Bible and see a fact I hadn’t noticed before, or discover a new way of looking at a situation. The Bible is full of surprises, good surprises, and it’s always right!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship