Passover – A Celebration!

For Sunday, February 2, 2025:

Exodus 12:11 NLT: Then the Lord said to Moses, “These are your instructions for eating this (Passover) meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the Lord’s Passover.”

God wants his people prepared. We’re going somewhere. Today! Be ready! Get dressed and be ready to go. Wear shoes and have your walking stick nearby. Don’t dawdle. Get right to it! God has an agenda for you today. Today is the day we’re all leaving Egypt!

By now you should have asked your Egyptian hosts for silver and gold. Surprisingly, they will be glad to finance your exit. Pharaoh is your foe, but the general Egyptian population was glad to host the Hebrew people for a time, and they will comply with your request.

This Passover miracle is so important, it is to be remembered and celebrated annually. God said so. Let us never forget all the good things He has done for us. The Passover lamb was for the Hebrew people. God’s Son served as the Passover lamb for Christian believers. He took our sin away so that we could reside in God’s forever Kingdom.

There is just one God in the entire universe, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the Hebrew God, and He is the Christian God. He is a loving and forgiving God. He is our God! Hallelujah!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Flies!

For Sunday, January 26, 2025:

Exodus 8:20b-21 NLT: “Say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them.”

Looks like the gnats grew up! Big, nasty, obnoxious flies, everywhere – except the region of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived! Yes, the Jews were exempted from plague #4, the flies.

The Lord did just as he had said. A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies!

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. That seems logical. Since Moses was the one who prophesied flies everywhere, it makes sense that he could also remove them. To accomplish this, Pharaoh agreed to let God’s people go into the wilderness to worship their God. Moses warned, “Pharaoh, don’t lie to us again and refuse to let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” So Moses prayed for plague #4 to end the next day, and sure enough, the flies disappeared.

But once again Pharaoh changed his mind, reneged on his promise to let God’s people go. His hardened heart took precedence over doing the right thing, over honoring his word.

I’ve heard a pastor challenge his congregation: “Think this through to its logical conclusion.” Pharaoh perhaps doesn’t know who he’s up against – the Creator of the Universe! He will learn soon enough! And logically, Pharaoh, as mighty as he is, will never succeed in a battle against the Lord God Almighty. Pharaoh will soon understand that it’s God’s way or the highway!

When faced with decisions in our lives, we too should understand that it’s God’s way or the highway – and that’s the highway to hell! God’s way is always the right way, and if we’re stubborn and choose to disagree, we won’t win! Think it through to its logical conclusion. God Almighty always wins, and God Almighty is always right! Believers choose to play on God’s team!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Omni-present!

For Wednesday, January 22, 2025:

Exodus 7:3 NLT, God speaking: “I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.”

It’s important for us to understand what was going on in Egypt at that time. God had been telling Pharaoh – through Moses and Aaron – to “Let my people go!” But now God says he will harden the heart of Pharaoh. Therefore Pharaoh won’t comply. On the surface, this action seems contrary to the stated goal. Seems like this could forestall the project’s completion.

But let us not forget that God can multitask, do more than one thing at the same time. The primary goal was to liberate the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery. But while God’s doing that, wouldn’t it be great to let all of Egypt know that there is indeed a God, and to let them know who it is – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – Yahweh – the creator of all things! The same miracles (plagues) God would use to change Pharaoh’s heart would also convince all of Egypt that there is indeed a God Almighty, since the only explanation for the events about to occur would be divine intervention.

So friends, sit back and relax as God does his thing. We can relax more than Moses since we already know the conclusion. Sit with the faithful, the believers. Be patient. We know that eventually we’ll see the Hebrews leave Egypt!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Covenant!

January 20, 2025, Monday Message:

Exodus 6:7 NLT, God’s words: “I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.”

By all rights, Pharaoh should have had the upper hand. The Hebrews were slaves, doing as the Egyptians ordered. And yet Pharaoh feared the foreigners living in his land. His anxiety turned into targeted vengeance, making the Israelite’s existence as miserable as possible.

An intervention was required, so God himself took control. We call this deliverance. Yahweh would deliver the Jews from their misery of living under Pharaoh’s rule.

Deliverance is still available nowadays. God can liberate you from oppression, prejudice, slavery to sin and earthly temptations. He can solve work disputes, financial difficulties and marital quarrels. He is, after all, God over everything! Post-deliverance life is far better than pre-deliverance life. Think about it like this: You have made a covenant with God, and He has made a covenant with you. It’s a good partnership. And by the way, never enter into a covenant with the devil!

The Lord said that you will be my people, and I will be your God. Sign on to the winning team, God’s team!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Bricks, Schmicks!

For Sunday, January 19, 2025:

Exodus 5:9 NLT, Pharaoh speaking: “Load the Hebrews down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”

How do you define evil? It was bad enough that Hebrew lives had been reduced to brick-making. Now they were no longer given straw for the bricks. They had to supply it themselves. But the daily brick quota remained unchanged. In other words, assign significantly more work without extending the deadline. That’s evil, cracking the whip while overseeing an impossible task.

Furthermore, the Jews had not been listening to lies. They were hearing the words and commands of God Almighty, our Creator. Our God is incapable of lying. His words are to be highly regarded and respected. Moses and Aaron were doing the right thing, following God’s instructions!

Pharaoh’s anger resulted from the first confrontation with Moses and Aaron, but he retaliated with rage against ALL the Hebrew people, who now blamed Moses for their predicament. “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

 "Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, ‘Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!’”

Moses speaks as if this was the end of the story, but we’re not done yet, and God’s not done yet! In fact, this is just the beginning of a scenario leading to the liberation of God’s people. By the end, the Egyptians will beg them to leave, and we’ll all be cheering! We’re on God’s side!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Hopelessly Confused!

For Saturday, May 11, 2024:

Ephesians 4:17 NLT: “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.”

When reading your Bibles, one of the most important things to remember is “context.” The same words can have different meanings in different situations. Paul is not condemning all Gentiles any more than he would exalt all Jews. There are, after all, good Gentiles and bad Jews!

Who Paul is condemning are those living a wild and sinful life, living only for their own pleasure, living only for the world. Do not emulate those who are hopelessly confused. We already know right from wrong, since God’s New Covenant writes God’s Laws on our hearts. God has given each of us his value system. We call it a conscience! If we stop and think for a minute, we already know when we shouldn’t do something.

Many in the world nowadays are “hopelessly confused.” Wars are being fought, and entire races of people are falling victim to genocide. As followers of Jesus, we have been given a higher standard. Live like the Lord says in his Bible!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Gentiles Included!

For Tuesday, April 9, 2024:

Colossians 1:27 NLT: “God wanted everyone to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”

Jesus came to our planet through the Jews, but he came to redeem the whole world. That includes both Jews and Gentiles. That includes me, and it most certainly includes you!

Jerusalem was the “headquarters” for the Jewish religion. In Jerusalem was the Temple. At the time, most people who lived in Jerusalem were Jews, but not so much in the countries outside of Israel. Only a few Jews were scattered in the hinterlands; most were Gentiles. My point is that “The Way,” the Christian group in Jerusalem, were most likely converted Jews. That’s where most of the disciples ministered. But in the city of Colossae, a 500 mile hike from Jerusalem, most worshipers were Gentiles, and they were Paul’s audience for this letter to the Colossians.

Paul wanted to make it abundantly clear that the Good News of Jesus included all the believers in Colossae, Gentiles who had seen the light! This is particularly Good News for most of us who are not former Jews! Yes, Jesus came for YOU, and believers have assurance of salvation, a guaranteed place in eternity as a child of the Almighty! So claim what Jesus promised!

There is no end to the good things Jesus did for us!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Chosen!

For Thursday, May 12, 2022:

Romans 9:15 NLT, God’s words to Moses: “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”

Jesus came to the world through the Jews, but he is to be the Light of the World, the whole world! God loves all of mankind! Everything he created he declared to be ‘very good!’

Therefore Gentiles have been issued an invitation to seek the Kingdom of God. God commissioned Paul to make new Christians, to plant new churches, and none of them are found in Israel! Today we ALL have an invitation to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. God’s desire is that none would perish, so say ‘yes!’ Do it today!

God has issued the invitation. We all need to RSVP!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Equals!

For Thursday, August 6, 2020.

Galatians 3:28 NLT: “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

Paul and the Holy Spirit battled over this principle with early church leaders. There was a time when ALL followers of Jesus had come out of the Jewish faith. But now the Good News was drawing Gentiles to Jesus, and early churches were full of people who knew nothing of Jewish tradition.

Paul teaches that it’s all good! Your race doesn’t matter, your previous religion doesn’t matter, your social stature doesn’t matter and your gender doesn’t matter. Paul teaches that Christ welcomes ALL believers as equals!

This is Good News! This means that EVERYONE has a shot at salvation – no exclusions! If you confess your sin and call Jesus Lord and Savior of your life, he’ll hold your reservation to spend eternity in the presence of God! Believers get to see heaven from the inside!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406