Prejudice!

May 4, 2026, Monday Message:

Luke 4:22 NLT: “Everyone spoke well of Jesus and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘How can this be?’ they asked. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’”

Prejudice. It’s a practical word that has taken on a bad connotation. Nowadays, when we think of prejudice, we think of people from one country disliking those of another, simply because they’re from that other country. Racial prejudice is hate based only on skin color. And a number of people always seem to hate the Jews, but I’m never quite sure why.

Prejudice simply means “to pre-judge.” Prejudice could be based on logical assumptions, and not necessarily hateful in nature. In human terms, Jesus was the son of Joseph, so everyone assumed that Jesus would have learned from his father, who was a tektōn, a builder or craftsman. Given the lack of trees in the region and the amount of stone available, it’s more likely that Joseph was a stone mason rather than a carpenter.

But the people are amazed when Jesus reads scripture and speaks in the Synagogue. They hadn’t seen this coming! If he could artfully cut stone, that would have fit their prejudice. But to discover that Jesus could not only read scripture, truly understand scripture, and clearly explain it to others didn’t fit their pre-judged model. Jesus’ gracious words were contrary to what was normal for the time, looking out only for oneself. Again, it wasn’t what they expected.

Jesus is setting the stage for what bystanders around him should expect to see in the future. Friends, prepare yourselves. Expect the unexpected. Watch for problems to be supernaturally resolved. Miracles will be brought to fruition right before your eyes. You can watch it all happen, and wonder, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Don’t allow your prejudice to overturn what your eyes can see!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship
The Father’s House
Truth and Freedom Church

Tall, Tall Trees!

For Wednesday, February 11, 2026:

Luke 3:9 NLT, John the Baptist speaking: “Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

John’s audience is Hebrew people, Jewish people, people who think they are planted in God’s orchard because they were born into it. Not necessarily! John is about to set the record straight!

Listen to this: God will not import worthless trees into his Kingdom! Every tree expecting to be with the Lord must bear good fruit. It must be furthering God’s agenda, not standing idly by. By now you probably know that this analogy is about people, not trees.

Here’s another one. If you’re hot, you’re with the Lord. Let’s get to work! If you’re cold, you’re the enemy. At least I know where we stand, and I can fight for what’s right! But lukewarm??? Wishy-washy? God says lukewarm is worthless to both of us.

God is not going to just stand around waiting. There will come a day of decision, a day of judgment when he will pick up his ax, chop down the worthless trees and cast them into the fire, to be absent from his presence forever.

Friends, this is serious. Believers all need to have Jesus in their hearts, a Bible in their hands and the Gospel on their lips. Let the world know that you’re playing for the Lord’s team. Let the world know that you’re not wishy-washy!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Escape from Egypt!

For Wednesday, February 5, 2025:

Exodus 13:18 NLT: “God led the Israelites in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.”

God is providing visionary leadership. He knows human nature better than anyone. He knew that Pharaoh would have second thoughts about letting the Israelites go. He knew that Pharaoh would send his army to retrieve the Jews. That army would have expected to find the Hebrews on the most direct path to Israel. So to buy them a little extra time, God aimed the Israelites toward the Red Sea, the Sea of Reeds.

Coming up against this body of water may at first look like a problem, but it was actually a solution. God had more in mind. He allowed Moses to part the water, allowing the Hebrews to escape to the other side. Then, as the Egyptian army pursued them, Moses closed up the sea, drowning the Egyptian army.

(Sidebar: This incident is dramatized in the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille classic, ‘The Ten Commandments.’ Just remember that Moses was probably a short, ruddy-looking Jew, not tall and handsome like Charlton Heston!)

The goal in all of this was to return the Hebrew people to Israel. All the plagues, all the meetings with Pharaoh and the colossal exodus march were stepping stones toward that goal. God will be with them all the way as the trek continues. The job won’t be finished until the Israelites are back home.

Both God and his Son Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Count on it! If God is “in” your mission, he’s “in” for the entire duration until your goal is achieved! God is good – very good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Christians First!

For Tuesday, April 30, 2024:

Philippians 3:3 NLV: “The act of becoming a Jew has nothing to do with us becoming Christians. We worship God through His Spirit and are proud of Jesus Christ. We have no faith in what we ourselves can do.”

At the time the resurrected Jesus ascended back to the Father, there was no New Testament. It hadn’t been written yet. Those who ministered with Jesus eventually documented what He said and what we should do. But that comes much later.

At that time, those who ministered with Jesus were all Jews who became followers of Christ, hence “Christians.” When they shared the Good News with their friends, those friends were converted Jews as well. So the mistaken notion developed that one needed to first become a Jew to eventually become a Christian. Not so fast!

It was Jesus himself who personally called Paul to itinerant ministry all over Asia Minor. Paul was put in charge of sharing the Good News with Gentiles, the non-Jews. Paul told everyone he met about Jesus – right away! There was no middle step of becoming a Jew first. After considerable prayer and consulting with the Jerusalem elders, the matter was settled. You did NOT have to first become a Jew in order to become a Christian!

God wants people who worship in truth and in spirit. The truth part is obvious, but our spirit needs to also connect with the Lord’s spirit. Each of us needs to accept the free gift offered by Jesus, eternal salvation in the presence of the Father.

By ourselves, no salvation is accomplished; but with God and his Son, everything is possible!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Second Coming!

November 20, 2023 Monday Message:

John 4:28-29 NLT: “The woman (at the well) left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?’”

We need to be more excited! We need to show more enthusiasm! This woman left her water jar, RAN full tilt back to the village, told EVERYONE what had happened, and posed the question, “Could he possibly be the Messiah?” She caught their curiosity!

Remember that these people are Samaritans, not Jews, but they knew the scriptures promising the arrival of a Messiah. They had been watching and waiting, anticipating Jesus coming to earth. They were expecting a Savior, a Redeemer! Could this man be the one?

I heard a pastor say that he believes we are in the last days. Jesus gave the disciples many signs that would point to the end of the world as we know it. We are seeing many of those signs right now. I heard another pastor say that he believes we are in the end times of the end times! The Kingdom of God is at hand!

If the return of Jesus doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will. We should not walk but instead RUN to our friends, our relatives, our co-workers and the corners of the earth to share the Good News with everyone! Turn on the excitement! Turn up the enthusiasm! This event will be the most important thing that ever happens in your life! With each passing day, we’re one day closer to Jesus’ second coming!

More tomorrow! Blessings!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Jesus said...

For Friday, November 10, 2023:

Matthew 24:7 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.”

Jesus said that he and the Father are one, so if he’s describing the end times, I’d listen up! Jesus said that wars and fighting would be one sign of the end times. For the last year or so, North Korea and China have been funneling munitions through Russia from the east, while the US and NATO countries are bolstering Ukraine from the west. This worldwide battle is being played out on Ukrainian soil, so it appears smaller and less significant than it really is!

About a month ago, in the dark of night, Hamas attacked Israel killing 1,400 Israelites and taking 241 hostages. This Holy War has stolen headlines from the Ukrainian conflict. The Bible predicted a mass return of Jews to Israel. Almost 10 million have accepted that invitation. That has happened in our lifetimes, since the country didn’t exist until after WWII. The Bible says to expect a worldwide persecution of Israel. Surrounded by Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, it would seem that Israel doesn’t have a fighting chance. God will intervene!

Knowledge of the end times is a gift from God. He wants his loyal followers to know the truth, to not be taken off guard by activities in this world. God wants believers to recognize the signs, and be ready to join Jesus in heaven! He’s already preparing your place!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Everyone's Included!

For Friday, October 28, 2022:

Ephesians 2:18 NLT: “Now all of us – both Jew and Gentile – can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”

Christianity got its start with Jews in Jerusalem. But the itinerant evangelist Paul brought Jesus to the Gentiles in Asia Minor. Here, Paul is counseling the Gentile Christians in Ephesus, saying that they should not regard themselves as “second-class citizens” in God’s kingdom in any regard. They are not only full citizens, but also full and equal members of God’s household.

So race doesn’t matter, and your country of origin doesn’t matter either. Even your past doesn’t matter if you have now decided to follow Jesus. We are given a fresh start with a clean slate! Everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” is a “Child of God,” fully accepted as a member of the Holy Family.

Everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” is included in the forever Kingdom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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