Freedom & Truth!

For Saturday, July 4, 2026:

John 8:32 NLT, Jesus speaking: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Today we celebrate Independence Day in the US, the day the 13 United States decided to no longer answer to British monarchy. A foreign government could no longer influence our decisions. It involved a war, but we emerged victorious. That bought us some earthly freedom, but what about spiritual freedom?

Almost 1,800 years earlier, Jesus brought us truth. We remember the healings and miracles, and the knowledgeable preaching. An even bigger gift was Jesus, on the cross, taking the sins of the world upon himself, and taking those sins to the place of the dead, leaving mankind forgiven simply by declaring faith in the Son. But let’s not forget that every word spoken by Jesus was true. That truth is the foundation of our religion.

How spiritual leaders can get so far off track is a mystery to me. To many leaders, ceremony overtakes substance. The ritual itself becomes more important than our reason for celebrating. And tradition overcomes truth. “We’ve always done it that way” carries more weight than the reason for the action. Pharisees thought they had memorized God’s Laws, but they skipped the part about compassion, about loving their neighbor. Their actions didn’t line up with Jesus’ teaching.

There is really only one church – the church of Jesus Christ. So why do we have so many denominations? – over 45,000 worldwide, each claiming their way is the only way. Something’s off.

My advice would be to check your Bible and see what Jesus did. Then do that. Read Jesus’ advice. Then follow those instructions. Don’t adopt any new-agie whims. Stick with the basics. The main things are the plain things.

I treat “truth” as a noun, a desirable commodity we should all seek. (Spell-checker may disagree with me…) Jesus hasn’t rehearsed speaking “the truth.” In fact, he can do no other! If Jesus opens his mouth, truth comes out! There are no alternative narratives within him.

Jesus says that all true believers will know the truth, which is the origin of our spiritual freedom. Happy Freedom Day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

We Are the Church!

June 23, 2025, Monday Message:

Hebrews 3:6 NLT: “Jesus Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”

In Heaven’s pecking order, Jesus sponsors the earthly faithful. When we knock on the pearly gates, we can point and say, “I’m with that one guy over there, the man seated just to the right of God!” Picture Jesus jumping up and welcoming you with open arms!

In the Bible, Jesus’ welcoming doesn’t mention any church building. And Jesus steers clear of including a specific denomination. Heaven isn’t about man-made rules or organizations. Heaven, the House of God, is always about people, specifically those who claim Jesus as God’s Son and Lord and Savior of their lives. And a Savior will do just what the name says. He will usher the faithful into his heavenly reality.

At my Sunday church, we’re frequently challenged: “Who is the church?”

The congregation shouts back, “WE are the church!” Not the building, not a denomination, but people! Believers are the church!

Today’s scripture was written as a response to backsliders, those who might lose their fire and backslide out of the fellowship. Following the Christian path isn’t always easy, but the reward at the end makes it worth our effort!

Today is the best day to take backsliding off the table. Let’s all commit or re-commit ourselves to knowing Jesus as Lord. Ask him to live in your heart today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Cooperation!

For Friday, July 7, 2023:

Romans 1:12 NLT: “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

Paul was writing from Corinth, but his personal goal was to bring the Good News to Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire. There were some believers already in Rome, and Paul wanted to join up with them, wanted to include them in his mission of getting the Gospel in front of Roman leadership.

Evangelism always goes better when everyone cooperates. After all, we share a common goal. Jesus’ Great Commission called all believers to take the Good News to all nations, to all people.

Example: When a Billy Graham Crusade is scheduled, they start by including local churches, often up to a year in advance. We see Baptists working with Lutherans, United Methodists working with Presbyterians, with the operative word being cooperation. The goal is to make more believers, more Christians, and not to advance any one denomination.

Your denomination has a lot in common with other Christians. It is only our differences – oftentimes small – that divide us. I pray that we could agree to disagree on our differences but work together to bring salvation to more people.

I believe that’s what Jesus would want!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Denomination = Division

Nov. 18, 2013 Monday Message:

“I appeal to you, brethren, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” 1 Cor. 1:10 NLT

There are more than two hundred verifiable Christian denominational groups in the US, but depending upon how you define “denomination,” the total could exceed 1,000! The obvious question is, “Why?” Don’t we all have the same goal? Didn’t Jesus leave the same set of instructions for all of us?

You can find elaborate graphs on the internet, that look like a complex tree with many branches, showing how Christian groups divided and formed new entities. Surprisingly, if you could lump all the churches together that call themselves “nondenominational,’ they would be the 3^rd largest denomination in the US!

The denominations disagree a lot, and put a great deal of effort into establishing and maintaining distinctiveness from their brethren. Do you think that the kingdom would be better served if we’d focus on what we have in common rather than dwelling on our differences?

Next week: What we have in common.

Norton Lawellin

Each Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This Sunday, Nov. 24, Pastor Michael Pilla continues in Luke 18: Jesus talks about Pharisees, Tax Collectors and Children. C U at church!

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