Good News for All!

For Thursday, July 31, 2025:

Mark 13:10 NLT, Jesus teaching his disciples about the end times: “The Good News must first be preached to all nations.”

How long will this age last? When do the “end times” begin – and end! Good questions! The disciples in the Bible certainly had an interest in knowing the answers, as do we!

Jesus says that the Gospel or Good News must first be preached to all people everywhere. All of mankind deserve an opportunity to repent and return. Everyone gets a chance to express repentance, receive forgiveness and claim the right to join Jesus in the hereafter. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for all who believe.

 “All nations” implies that new believers may not look like you. New believers may speak a different language. Realize that there is really only one race, the human race, and Jesus awards everyone a chance to be included in the Kingdom. This is why so many churches support international missionaries.

It’s important to prayerfully consider your call. Years ago, God sent me to the inner city of Minneapolis. There’s drugs, crime, far too many single parents and sometimes no parents. I call that the lost generation, missing parents while grandma tries to hold the family together. Fortunately, grandma is usually carrying a Bible, so there’s hope! That’s my mission field. Where’s yours?

Mankind is made to worship, and most people are seeking spiritual answers. They’ll listen if we’re willing to teach. But non-believers won’t accidentally attend our churches. That’s why we must leave our buildings and carry the Gospel to the people we’re called to reach. That’s why every place on earth can be a ministry opportunity.

Always be prepared to share the Good News!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Impossible!

Daily message of hope...
For Wednesday, July 30, 2025:

Hebrews 6:4-6a NLT: “It is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—and who then turn away from God.”

About this scripture, Spurgeon wrote: “We come to this passage ourselves with the intention to read it with the simplicity of a child, and whatever we find therein to state it; and if it may not seem to agree with something we have hitherto held, we are prepared to cast away every doctrine of our own, rather than one passage of Scripture.” He’s saying that we need to properly translate and obey Holy Scripture, not bend the text to fit our preconceived ideas.

A few years ago, a man asked if he could meet with me. He had many questions about the Bible. We did that for quite some time. But one day we read about God favoring life, and he said, “I’ve never believed that part.”

And I said, “Well, I guess we’re done!” If you believe the Bible is truth, the unerring Word of God, then I’m willing to teach it. But I must ask, if you don’t believe the Bible is true, why would you want to learn more about it?

God doesn’t like wishy-washy. If you are convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, great! Sign up! Get on the bandwagon! But don’t think you can jump off and cast our beliefs aside, and then jump back on when it suits you. God says he understands hot and cold. (He’d prefer hot!) But lukewarm has no place in the worship of our God.

Paul was famous for persecuting Christians. Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and he was immediately baptized. Went from cold to hot! He never looked back! He became the point person evangelizing all of Asia Minor.

Just my opinion: More than a commandment or ordinance, I believe this scripture is God letting us know what’s possible. If someone could so easily turn their back on the goodness of God, they probably weren’t 100% convinced to begin with. We can’t count on them, and God can’t count on them if they have a habit of coming and going. When you sign on with Jesus, that’s a forever deal! And he wants us all to accept his offer of forgiveness and eternal life! Are you “IN?”

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

Beginning of the End!

For Tuesday, July 29, 2025:

John 12:23 NLT: “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.”

In this Gospel, the Palm Parade is behind us, and the cross is in the future. Answering questions, Jesus predicts his death.

A terrible time is coming. Betrayal, false arrest, kangaroo court, whippings and finally crucifixion lay in Jesus’ future. Sounds terrible, and it was. But if Jesus is to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world, his death is part of God’s vast eternal plan! Like many things in life, this too will pass, and things will be much better when it does. Jesus’ life will be better as he is resurrected and eventually returns to heaven. Our lives will be better as the penalty has been prepaid for our sins. Jesus made it possible for mankind to spend eternity with Almighty God in His Kingdom.

All those who serve Jesus, those who call him Savior, are holding heavenly tickets. We will join Jesus in the hereafter. Remember that God’s desire is that none would perish; that all would repent and return. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. No need to pack. Everything will be provided. God is good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Rich Man and Lazarus!

July 28, 2025, Monday Message:

Luke 16:22-23 NLT, Jesus telling the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.”

Just so you know, this is not the same Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary, who was a close friend of Jesus. Jesus just used this name for a character in a story he was telling.

This poor Lazarus lived alongside the dogs just outside the main gate to a rich man’s mansion. There he begged as the wealthy came and went, transacting their business. As Jesus tells it, Lazarus was sickly and had sores all over himself. Lack of resources had finally taken its toll on his body. Lazarus died, and angels carried him to heaven. The rich man also died and was delivered to the place of the dead, Hades. Here’s where the story gets interesting!

From his place of torment, the rich man caught a glimpse of Lazarus sitting beside Abraham. He pleaded, “Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.”

Well brother rich man, you made your bed, and now you have to lie in it! “No can do! During your lifetime, you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.” The first will be last, and the last will be first! “Besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.”

Q: Is it possible that part of hell’s punishment is being able to visualize just how great heaven is? Are people in hell confronted daily with their bad decision, having turned their backs on Jesus? They had a chance, but turned down a golden opportunity. The Bible doesn’t say for sure, but Jesus seems to imply that scenario. He also teaches that accepting salvation is a forever decision. Once we reach the next reality, there’s no changing our minds. The chasm is too wide, and no one can cross over in either direction. Repent and return only works in this life!

Today is the accepted day to commit or re-commit our souls to the service of God’s Son. We never know when tomorrow will come, and we must be prepared to embark on the best journey of our lives. Jesus will meet you with open arms!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

End Times Signs!

For Sunday, July 27, 2025:

Mark 13:4 NLT: “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

We can identify with these disciples who had questions about the end times. Most of us have similar questions. Let’s have a look at Jesus’ answers.

Beware of false leaders who lie. Many will come claiming to be the Messiah or the Christ or his representative. They are not. Don’t be fooled. Only Jesus is the real deal! Only the Son of God deserves your loyalty.

There will be many wars and even more rumors of war. There are currently over 40 conflicts in our world where people are shooting real bullets at each other. Real bombs are being dropped, and real rockets and drones are being sent into the air. We should pray for peace, which will certainly come when Jesus returns. He is, after all, the prince of peace! We probably won’t see worldwide peace until then. Our prayer for peace should be, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

There are nearly 200 countries on our planet, lines drawn on maps by imperfect humans. I hate to say this, but most of them really don’t matter. Most countries are too small and/or lack the resources for worldwide influence. Keep your eye on China and Xi Jinping, with the world’s largest army; Russia and Vladimir Putin, who never ended their Cold War dislike for the US; the US and Donald Trump, home of the free; and Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, who seem to be running the show in the Middle East. Much will happen in the Middle East in the end times scenario, as Israel and Jerusalem function as God’s headquarters.

In a recent sermon, the pastor preached that we’re currently in the end times of the end times! Possibly! Are you ready to go, to move to the next reality? Have you repented and given up the world to return to the Father and His Son? The time to do this is now. Each of us can sign up for the Jesus team before the end times, and we would be wise to do so. If we wait until Judgment Day, it will be too late, a missed opportunity with eternal ramifications. Don’t be left on the outside!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

For Saturday, July 26, 2025:

Hebrews 6:2 NLT: “You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”

Or do you? The first time I was asked to preach was at an Interdenominational church. Leaders from different backgrounds had agreed to set aside minor theological differences and focus on the Good News. In the congregation was a retired AG preacher, two Baptist clergy and a Catholic-turned-Lutheran pastor. I was facing all those years of ministry experience! Yikes! But it was also a recovery church. So the bulk of the congregation was people from treatment facilities, only recently introduced to Jesus. Two weeks ago some of them were sleeping under bridges! How can you possibly prepare a message that fits this diverse gathering?

That’s why I believe every pulpit message should at least summarize the basics of redemption. Testimonies and living examples are better than babbling scripture at those who don’t yet ‘get’ it. There should be an opportunity to accept Jesus into our hearts, for those who have not yet done so. Stress the truth of the Bible. Gospels are eyewitness accounts of those who lived with and walked with and took their meals alongside Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension are real, as are all of his healings and miracles. And remember, the power he left with believers is now ours to utilize. We would be shirking our duty if we didn’t put his commands into action!

So get out there and heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons. The priesthood of all believers has your name on it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

Parade Day!

For Friday, July 25, 2025:

John 12:13 AMP: “A large crowd of Passover visitors took branches of palm trees [in homage to Jesus as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting “Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

This scripture describes Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Christians celebrate it on Palm Sunday. Jesus’ popularity with the populous had been increasing, and this day marked the pinnacle of his ministry. The crowd shouted, “Hosanna,” which means, “save us.” Save us from hell, save us from the lake of fire and grant us a place in your Kingdom. Shouting hosanna also implies an urgency. “Save us, save us now!” Stop and think – you’d only ask someone to save you, to redeem you, if you believed they could fulfill that request!

Jesus rode a borrowed donkey that day, fulfilling scripture. Donkeys were valuable in that they could transport a heavy load from point A to point B. Imagine someone saying, “I’m going to take your F-150 pickup. The Lord has need of it!” Probably wouldn’t happen, but God was showing off his Son that day, and He may have had a hand in it! God has a hand in most everything! This was parade day, and Jesus was the celebrated Grand Marshall!

On the street, people were still talking about how Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. That’s why so many flocked out to meet him. They had heard of that miracle. It was starting to look like Jesus could be the promised Messiah. Let’s all go and check it out!

So friends, let’s try this: When everyone is praising the Lord at church, try shouting out, “Hosanna!” Save me, save me now. Picture Jesus riding through the congregation on a borrowed donkey. Picture a parade right up the center aisle. Tell Jesus you love him. Assure him that you’re not like the fickle ones who abandoned him. True believers are in this until the end!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Love of Money

For Thursday, July 24, 2025:

Luke 16:13 NLT, Jesus speaking: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

In the audience listening to Jesus’ teaching that day were Pharisees, who dearly loved their money. Jesus is challenging them to love God more than their money, to always put God first. Let me summarize this for us: Money – you can’t take it with you. But the love of God can be an eternal part of your life, and even the life after this life! Jesus is counseling us to pick one!

When the subject of money comes up, I’m always reminded of one of my go-to sayings: “People get squirrelly about money!” That’s not good, but it’s my observation. Regular people, nice guys and gals, sometimes turn possessive and narcissistic when money is involved. It’s like something within them changed when the topic turned to money. Irrational statements are made, and irrational decisions come forth all because of money. Squirrelly.

We need money and we need God, but they’re two separate things. Money is never to be worshiped; God is! It’s that same God who gives us money so that we can help widows, orphans and the poor among us. So be generous and love your neighbor! If you run short, God can always give you more!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Sacrificial Giving!

For Wednesday, July 23, 2025:

Mark 12:44 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Most gave a tiny part of their surplus, but this widow, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

How much should we donate to our home church? The Old Testament teaches that the first 10% of everything already belongs to the Lord. That’s a good starting point.

The New Testament teaches us about sacrificial giving. People sold their land or their animals and donated the proceeds to the church. On the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 new believers came on board. Most were from out of town and would require food and housing right from the start. The first church, The Way, took care of them. Jesus and many others taught that the Kingdom was at hand; heaven was quite close. And those living in God’s Kingdom would have no need for worldly assets.

So what does God want? Many Christians are blessed with abundance, enabling them to help others. God wants each of us to be successful. Prospective Christians should be able to look at the flock and say, “They’re doin’ OK. They’re having fun. Life for them seems to be good. I want to become part of it!”

It’s good to save for when you can no longer work, and it’s good to have a rainy day fund. But it’s bad to hoard money, to become a miser. A delicate balance is required. It would be easy to prioritize money over God, and that would be wrong.

My advice is to pray about the matter, and then follow through with what God puts on your conscience!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Solid Food!

For Tuesday, July 22, 2025:

Hebrews 5:11 NLT: “There is much more we would like to say about Christian theology, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.”

Talk about a harsh chastisement! The writer of Hebrews is telling his audience that, for the length of time they’ve been following Jesus, they should be farther along. They should know more. They should have grown into leadership and be teaching others, not just taking up space in a pew!

I call this the “Christian Stall.” Typically, people get saved, but don’t jump right in to evangelism. It’s like they need to “settle in,” to get comfortable with their personal decision before sharing the Good News with others. But this hesitation gives Satan an opportunity to derail the whole operation. That’s why it’s important for us to remain plugged in with our Christian brothers and sisters. It’s important for us to keep growing, advancing in our Christian walk. Just like a rolling stone gathers no moss, so a forward-moving Christian is a poor target for Satan!

Hebrews calls these stalled believers “Christian Infants,” still on a milk diet after all these years! They should have graduated to solid food by now. They should have matured, instinctively discerning right from wrong. After all, according to the New Covenant, God’s Laws are written on believers’ hearts!

Ask yourself, should I put more solid food into my life? Is it time to move on from my milk diet? The answer is “yes!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Jesus Messiah!

July 21, 2025, Monday Message:

John 12:10-11 AMP: “The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [from the teaching and traditions of the Jewish leaders] and believing in Jesus [following Him as Savior and Messiah].”

Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. You may recall that Lazarus became quite ill and eventually died. It was Jesus, Son of God, who brought him back to life four days later! Jesus was intentional about waiting four days to arrive, so that observers could be certain of the miracle and glorify God Almighty! This same Jesus would eventually hold all power over sin and death.

2,000 years ago, there was no radio, TV or internet. So when someone returned home and asked, “What’s been happening,” they expected detailed information. “Tell me everything!” Lazarus being brought back to life was #1 on the local buzz. People couldn’t stop talking about it, and many perceived Jesus to be the prophesied heaven-sent Messiah. Many shifted their allegiance from the Jewish priests to Jesus. Nowadays, we’d call it a Church Split.

Sidebar, just my opinion: I believe that faith in God’s Son, Christianity, was never intended to be a separate religion. It should have been just Judaism Chapter 2, a continuation of God’s relationship with Earth’s people. Jesus was raised Jewish, and observed and taught the centuries-old commandments and traditions. Replacing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant should have been a continuation, not a complete break and a restart. Count on humans to get it wrong!

The Chief Priests first plotted to kill Jesus, and now they’re planning the demise of Lazarus. When your religious leadership has murder on its agenda, you know for certain that it’s time to make a switch. Clearly the train had gone off the tracks.

God always favors life. First, he created everything from scratch, and then he commanded all creation to, “Go forth and multiply!” Reproduce your own kind. Make more like yourself, and fill the earth! God never said, “Figure out who to kill, and make a few animals extinct. There are far too many _____.” (snails, tortoises, dolphins, birds – you pick!)

One more thing. Last Friday, I was at the Rice County Fair in Faribault, MN. A couple had brought their newborn baby, and everyone wanted to take a look. A young girl, all smiles, told me excitedly, “He’s not even a week old!” By the time I backed off, at least 35 people had gathered to see God’s creation! They were ignoring the cows, chickens, goats and horses on display and focusing on the infant! The parents should have been awarded a blue ribbon for their exhibit! Moments like this make God smile!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Job Search Ended!

For Sunday, July 20, 2025:

Luke 16:11 NLT: “If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?”

In the parable of the shrewd manager, Jesus was setting a high bar for his followers. You may recall that the shrewd manager was making gifts of his master’s wealth, thinking that when he got fired he could call in favors from those he had gifted. Jesus acknowledged the man’s skill in providing for himself, but could never condone the thievery it required.

Jesus has appointed each believer to be the manager of their personal evangelical efforts. You’ve been ‘hired’ whether or not you realize it. New believers quickly transition into seasoned recruiters and teachers. It’s all intentional, God’s plan for growth and expansion. Christian leadership didn’t just fall off of the turnip truck! (Which means it’s no accident!)

Many believers have a not-so-nice past, a time before they met Jesus. This isn’t unusual since Jesus is in the rescue business, and many good Christians really needed divine intervention to separate them from their past iniquities.

Consider the Apostle Paul, who was known for persecuting Christians. It took a personal visit from the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus to convert Paul. But he also had to sojourn to Jerusalem to convince Christian leadership that they were all on the same team. It was a tough sell. That time could have been invested in evangelism rather than in cleaning up Paul’s mess. Nonetheless, given his situation, it was necessary.

So from now on, you are the hired manager and Jesus is your master. Let’s all get to work! Be good stewards of the time, talent and resources he has bestowed upon you. Be more honest than the shrewd manager in the parable. See if you can make Jesus smile today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

My Lord!

For Saturday, July 19, 2025:

Mark 12:36 AMP: “David himself said [when inspired] by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah): Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’”

Jesus was teaching in the Temple, which in and of itself seems odd since the Temple leaders weren’t big fans of Jesus. Part of what he was doing was correcting incorrect theology put forth by the other Temple teachers. In this case, they were claiming that the Messiah was David’s son. Not so!

In Psalm 101, David himself wrote, “The Lord said to my Lord...” So the first “Lord,” God Almighty, was speaking to the other “Lord,” Jesus the Messiah. It’s a confusing generational puzzle the way it’s stated, but the Amplified Bible helps clear things up!

If you want to learn theology, choose your teacher carefully. Jesus is a safe bet. God’s Son would certainly know what’s going on with God stuff! It’s called truth, and the Bible is full of it. The “High View” of the Bible believes that every word is true, and that things happened just the way the Bible says. But be discerning. A lot of bad stuff happened in the Bible. The text documents it accurately, but we should not engage in such behavior.

Remember, the Lord (God) spoke to our Lord, and our Lord should be Jesus the Christ!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship