God with us!

For Sunday, August 14, 2022:

Matthew 1:23 NLT: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

800 years before Jesus was Isaiah, a prophet who told us what God had told him. This prophesy is so important that Matthew includes it in the story of Jesus’ birth.

While the virgin birth is extraordinary, the best miracle is that God would be walking along side us on earth! Christians believe in only one God, a triune God known to us in three distinct forms – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All parts are equal. All are of the same mind, or as we say, ‘on the same page,’ or ‘pulling in the same direction.’ There is really only one God!

The best way to stay far from sin is to get closer to God. Today we rely on faith and grace for forgiveness. But 2,000 years ago, we could have walked with our Savior, followed him from place to place, heard the wisdom straight from his mouth and maybe even had a personal conversation with our Redeemer!

After all, God was with us! And today the Holy Spirit is still with us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

God with Us!

For Sunday, December 19, 2021

Matthew 1:23 NLT, God speaking through the prophet Isaiah: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Christmas will be upon us in less than a week, when we celebrate the arrival of baby Jesus. The Israelites had been waiting quite a while for this miracle. Isaiah’s prophesy occurred about 800 years before Jesus came to earth!

God, speaking through his prophet, said that we’ll easily identify this Son of God, the only baby ever born of a virgin! Think of him as “God with us.” So the Good News now is that God is not absent from us. God is not far away. God deeply cares about mankind, His creations, and He wants only good things for us. He wants us to know that sins can be forgiven, reconciliation is possible and heaven is an attainable goal through Jesus. We were given hope!

This Christmas, tell someone of the hope you have through Jesus!

Blessings and Merry Christmas!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Prepare the Way - #2

Dec. 08, 2014 Monday Message:

Last week we talked about John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry, and the value of advance preparation.

Mary too had been prepared for what was about to take place. The angel Gabriel told her that she would have a son named Jesus who will be called, “Son of the Most High, and like David he will reign as King of Israel, and his kingdom will never end.” Wow! from Luke 1:31-33 CEV

Mary was somewhat confused: “How can this happen? I am not married!”

Gabriel explained God’s power, the power of the Holy Spirit, and told her that her child will be called the Holy Son of God!

Mary agreed, saying, “I am here to serve the Lord.” She was now prepared for all that would happen, and therefore played her role perfectly when it was time.

This is a great story, but I have to ask: What if she had NOT been properly prepared? What if she just turned up pregnant one day?

An unwed pregnant woman would be an embarrassment to her family, estranged from her fiancé, and could be stoned by her community.

But Mary had been prepared – she knew the inside story of what was about to happen. It took another angel to bring Joseph around. But then Mary and Joseph in turn prepared their close family and friends for what was about to take place, as the prophesy of Isaiah was being fulfilled: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel – God is with us!” Isaiah 7:14b NIV

“Jesus” means “The Lord saves!”

Norton Lawellin

Every Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, Dec. 14, we welcome all as Pastor Michael Pilla continues our Advent journey.