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

Mob vs Truth!

For Thursday, February 27, 2025:

Exodus 32:4 NLT: “Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

This is “mob mentality,” things going wrong in the worst way. When this happens, common sense is thrown out the window. Let me explain.

Moses’ brother Aaron had been present when the real God, our Creator, spoke with Moses. Moses wasn’t gifted in public speaking, so Aaron was his mouthpiece. Any commands God gave to Moses were immediately passed on to Aaron, so he could educate the people. Therefore Aaron knew exactly what God wanted, and he knew what the Israelites should be doing. Aaron was privileged to know the truth, straight from God’s mouth!

But the mob grew impatient. They thought God was taking too long. So they decided to manufacture a different god. Aaron should have been smart enough to quash this rebellion before it grew into such a massive insurrection. But he fell victim to the mob mentality. The entire throng was moving in the wrong direction, and Aaron chose to join in rather than resist. It was a bad decision.

 "I will be your God, and you (Hebrews) will be my people.” When the Israelites agreed to this, it should have been a forever decision. When Christians agree to follow Jesus, it should be a forever decision. Wishy-washy doesn’t get your name into the book of life! Many theologians teach that if the Israelites abandoned God, they never fully believed in the first place.

As believers, we should first seek the truth. And remember that truth is God’s opinion on everything! And when we say that we believe God’s truth, that needs to be a forever decision!

May God bless you all, and have a great day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Teachable!

For Friday, August 11, 2023:

Psalm 25:5 NLT: “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

People in the US seem to have a problem identifying truth. It’s what actually happened. It’s what eyewitnesses would tell you. Last Sunday I was told that truth is God’s opinion on everything! That works for me!

When we become Christians, become “saved,” we don’t instantly become perfect. Yes, our sin was washed away by Jesus, but odds are we’ll step into it again. But those who claim Jesus as Lord of their lives have agreed to be teachable. Are you teachable? The God who saves us will point us in his direction, and over time we’ll bet better and better at it. Being teachable implies progress, not perfection!

The key is to never give up. David says that he counts on the Lord all day long, and to that I would add “every single day.” Walking with the Lord should be a “forever” decision!

Today is a good day to start or continue to place your hope in the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship