Jesus Our Advocate!

For Thursday, March 16, 2023:

1 John 2:1-2 Phillips: “I write these things to you (may I call you “my children”—for that’s how I think of you), to help you to avoid sin. But if a person should sin, remember that our advocate before the Father is Jesus Christ the righteous, the one who made personal atonement for our sins (and for those of the rest of the world as well).”

Early Christians did life together. They hung out as a group, as a community. They would take meals together and worship together. The leader, perhaps someone who had known Jesus personally, would be thought of as ‘leader’ or ‘shepherd’ or ‘father,’ one who watched out for those in the flock.

The goal, of course, was to make everyone aware of what Jesus taught. Ideally the entire group would meet Jesus’ standards. But we’re all flawed humans, so that never happened. Therefore the next reminder needed to be that Jesus is our advocate, the intercessor between mankind and our Father in Heaven. Jesus’ mission was forgiveness and redemption, with the goal of returning more of the flock to eternity in God’s presence.

This is such Good News that we willingly welcome new believers and share Jesus’ message with the world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Restoration!

For Wednesday, November 3, 2021

2 Peter 3:13 Phillips: “The Day of the Lord will mean that the heavens will disappear in fire and the elements disintegrate in fearful heat, but our hopes are set not on these but on the new Heaven and the new earth which God has promised us, and in which nothing but good shall live.”

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and if he did that once, he can certainly do it again.

We live once, die, and come to a place of judgment. After that everything will be way, way better or far, far worse – your choice! It’s not a question of sin – we’re ALL sinners! It comes down to your relationship with Jesus. He stands ready to be your intercessor, the one who will absorb your sin-penalty, take your hand and lead you into paradise!

And it won’t be the old, broken, sinful earth. The new home for believers will be fully restored, put back the way God intended, like the Garden of Eden when it was new, before mankind sinned. We are promised a New Heaven and a New Earth, and God’s promises are always good!

All-powerful God can restore anything – the heaven, the earth, even mankind! Faith in this God gives us hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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