Colossal Crowds!

For Tuesday, March 10, 2026:

Matthew 4:25 NLT: “Large crowds followed Jesus wherever he went—people from Galilee, Decapolis (10 towns), Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.”

"Hear ye, hear ye! The Great Healer is coming to your town! Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! You don’t want to miss this. Jesus Christ, in the flesh! Be there, or be left behind! Tickets available at OneNation.com.”

OK, I wrote a radio commercial for the next Jesus event. Of course they didn’t have radio back then, so this is all the result of my fertile imagination! Word-of-mouth got the job done as well as any radio station might have.

"Large crowds followed Jesus.” Imagine large crowds, much larger than you think. The Apostles were present, but also disciples, hundreds of loyal believers who showed up every time. They just weren’t part of the original 12. They were 100% convinced that Jesus was the heaven-sent Messiah. They didn’t want to miss a single word. Soon, they’d start inviting family and friends to come with them. And before you knew it, the crowd of hundreds had become thousands.

All four Gospels report the miracle of Jesus feeding 5K men, not counting women or children. But most of the men were married, so the number becomes 10K. Let’s assume families had at least two children, so now our number is 20K, quite a significant number of people traveling with Jesus. I’m glad I wasn’t in charge of logistics!

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist was dead, he wanted to be alone, so he got on a boat and headed across the lake. There was no GPS, so nautical navigation was to remain close enough to visualize the shoreline while staying far enough away to be in deep water. The disadvantage was that not only could those on board follow the coastline, but those still on the shore could easily follow the boat. So as Jesus sailed up the coast, the crowd could simply follow on land. There was no escape from the throng, at least not for very long!

Eventually, Jesus fed the 20K with five fish and two barley loaves, but that’s a different message. Today’s lesson speaks of the colossal crowd following Jesus. The key was that core believers shared the Good News with their families and friends. They invited others to join.

A friend of mine was recently voted in as pastor of a hundred-year-old church. They attract only about 60 people each week. I hope he can positively alter their trajectory. Only 60 people in 100 years? Jesus had 20K in attendance, and he preached for only three years!

See you at church! Bring your friends!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Dr. Luke!

For Thursday, November 20, 2025:

Luke 1:3-4 NLT: “Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.”

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, followed by Advent and then Christmas. So I thought is would be a good time to review Luke from the beginning. Luke was never a major disciple of Jesus, but rather a once-removed disciple of Paul, who the risen Jesus personally converted on the road to Damascus. There are records of Luke traveling with Paul and evangelizing alongside him.

Luke was also known as a healer, a physician, so we would expect him to have above-average intelligence. As Luke authored his Gospel, he quoted eyewitnesses who had seen and heard the Savior speak; eyewitnesses who had personally seen miracles play out! I look at Luke as an investigative reporter who interviewed countless people and condensed their stories into an accurate biography of Jesus’ life. He’s writing to “Theophilus,” which means, “Lover of God.” We don’t know if Theophilus is a person, a group of God lovers, or all those who love the Lord nowadays. Perhaps, “All of the above!” Luke stresses the accuracy and truthfulness of his Jesus biography. So listen up and take good notes!

So that we know our location on the timeline of history, Luke tells us that Herod was the king, and Zechariah was serving as a Temple priest. Z’s wife Elizabeth was barren, so they were without children. And Luke tells us, “They were both very old.” Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations, and yet, childless.

The odds were against anyone serving in the Temple sanctuary. It was the day for Z’s group to serve, but they chose by lot which individual would receive the honored call. Much happened while Z was serving, which we’ll cover next time. See how this plays out in God’s vast eternal plan! Hint: Elizabeth was a cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Jesus' Name!

For Saturday, October 4, 2025:

John 14:12-13 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”

When Jesus designates others to be his representatives here on earth, he tells them to do what he did. Use his name to underwrite miracles. In fact, do even greater works than Jesus did, because he’s planning to return to the Father. Someone needs to continue his earthly work, and you’re “it!” Spiritual gifts are for all believers, not just clergy!

I heard a man from Kenya speak about healing in his country. There are still those who first consult sorcerers and witch doctors. When those options yield no results, the inflicted move on to hospitals and doctors. There, they care for the infirm, but seldom do much to heal the person. Their last resort (should have been their first!) is to come to someone who knows Jesus, who knows the Good News. Jesus said we should heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. That’s most important, because Satan may be the root of many problems! Large tumors growing from arms have disappeared right before their eyes because the Pastor (the Healer) invoked Jesus’ name! The hospital can then put your sore arm in a sling, but only Jesus can remove the tumor, no surgery required! Internal bodily functions are corrected on the spot. Sight is restored, hearing is restored, and lameness is routinely corrected, all in the name of Jesus.

In some scientific and industrial ways, the US appears to be ahead of Kenya. But in knowing and trusting Jesus, they may have passed us. Our fear of trusting what we cannot see has separated us from the grace of the Almighty!

It’s time to rekindle that relationship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

One True God!

For Friday, June 30, 2023:

1 John 5:20 NLT: “We know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.”

Mankind was made to worship. Greek and Roman societies worshiped many gods, but none of them were real. Our God, the one true God, has a history with mankind, starting even before the creation of our universe. God’s covenant with Abraham documents God’s desire for an ongoing relationship.

God sent his Son Jesus to earth to better explain what we just couldn’t ‘get.’ Jesus taught and healed, but best of all he solved mankind’s sin problem. As he was crucified and died, Jesus took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, leaving believers suitable for residency in heaven, in the presence of our Creator, for eternity!

The true God wanted us to have eternal life! He chose to include us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Redeemer!

For Tuesday, June 14, 2022:

Mark 8:25-26 NLT: “Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Don’t go back into the village on your way home.’”

Yes, Jesus could heal. He could restore sight in the blind, allow the lame to walk and remove many other diseases and afflictions. The normal response would be to celebrate the healing, and perhaps throw a parade in Jesus’ honor! But Jesus told them to not tell anyone. What’s going on?

It has to do with his mission, his calling, his purpose in God’s vast eternal plan. What we need to understand is that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one sent by God to redeem mankind. Healing was good, his teaching was outstanding, but Jesus’ primary purpose – the main thing – is to be the ultimate sacrifice for ALL the sins of the world, thereby rescuing those who call on his name. He filled the world with hope where there was none!

Jesus wanted to be best-known as our Redeemer!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Faith!

For Friday, July 16, 2021

Matthew 9:21-21 NTE: “‘If I can only touch his coat,’ the woman said to herself, ‘I’ll be rescued.’ Jesus turned around and saw her. ‘Cheer up, my daughter!’ he said. ‘Your faith has rescued you.’”

We already know that Jesus is the great healer. As he traveled between Nazareth and Jerusalem, word spread of his special gifts, and people had to ask themselves, “Who is this guy?”

Simon Peter answered that question like this: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” Armed with that definition of Jesus, it makes sense to place our hope in him. We have faith in what we believe to be true.

Who do you say Jesus is?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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