Palm Sunday!

For Sunday, March 29, 2026:

John 12:12b-13 NLT: “A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet Jesus. They shouted, ‘Praise God! [Hosanna!] Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!’”

Today is Palm Sunday, when Christians everywhere celebrate Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus had recently healed Lazarus and brought him back to life. A large crowd had been present for that event, and there was much anticipation when word got out that Jesus was coming back into town. They lined the streets as if a parade were about to take place.

Meanwhile, Jesus sent two disciples to borrow a donkey, who were told to say, “The Lord has need of it.” The donkey had never been ridden, and I look at this like asking to borrow a new Buick off the showroom floor. It fulfills the prophecy, “Look, your king is coming to you,... riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.”

As Jesus entered the city, the crowd waved palm branches in the air and lined the streets with brightly colored cloth, shouting, “Hosanna,” which means, “Save us; save us now!” I suspect that the crowd knew mankind had a sin problem, and the only solution was an alliance with the man who could raise someone from the dead. They wouldn’t have asked Jesus to save them, to rescue them, unless they believed it to be possible.

Shouts rang out, “Hail to the King of Israel!” Recall John (the baptist) saying, “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” as he introduced Jesus to the world. Only a King has a Kingdom, and Jesus is the one King! This upset the Roman Government, which thought Herod was their king. It also upset the Pharisees. “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

So this is all about money and power. Pharisees didn’t like worshipers leaving to follow Jesus, and they didn’t like tithes going to the Jesus team rather than the Temple. Furthermore, the Roman government already had a king and didn’t want another, and certainly not a Jew! Jesus’ demise seemed certain, and he predicted his own death.

People are fickle. In just a few days, they went from “Save us now!” to “Crucify him!” No one understood that Jesus would take the sins of the world to the place of the dead, and that mankind could be forgiven and have a shot at eternity! Those railing against Jesus were actually fulfilling God’s vast eternal plan!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

God Intervenes!

For Saturday, March 21, 2026:

1 Samuel 16:1 NLT: Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

God no longer favored Saul as Israel’s king (a problem of Saul’s own making.) It was time for a change of regime. God wanted to anoint a new king, and he had someone specific in mind. He sent Samuel, a Holy man and Prophet, to do the anointing.

Samuel hesitates. “If Saul finds out, he’ll kill me!”

As you might expect, God has a plan to keep everyone safe. “Bring a heifer, and tell everyone you’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and go home with him. One of his sons is to be the next king! I’ll show you which son to anoint.” God’s not against deception and a little white lie if it keeps everyone safe and furthers his cause!

Our God, omniscient and omnipresent, always knows what’s going on. He knew all of Saul’s deceptions and schemes. He knew when it was time to set things right.

God still has those same perceptive powers nowadays. He knows what Russia is doing to Ukraine. He knows what China is doing to Taiwan. He knows what Iran is doing to its neighbors, a false god retaliating against our Creator God. I pray that God would step up and settle these matters, but only He knows the best time.

We’d be better off having God anoint leaders for our world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Off to Egypt!

February 9, 2026, Monday Message:

Matthew 2:13b NLT: “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said to Joseph. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Fortunately, Joseph and Mary had experience with angels. They had experienced heavenly sightings previously, and everything the angel had told them always came true. A trust relationship had been established.

So when this angel told them to flee to Egypt, they quickly packed and got going. Their child was said to be the “King of the Jews.” And the problem was that Herod believed he was king! And Herod doesn’t want any competition for first place!

This all happened right after the Magi’s visit, so the holy family had adequate resources to sustain a trip to a foreign land. The Wise Men outfoxed Herod and returned home via a different route without ever reporting back to him. This angered Herod, and when he couldn’t locate Jesus, he ordered ALL the male children under two years of age to be killed. There was much wailing and sorrow in that part of Israel, all because of one sanctimonious narcissist.

Believers should rejoice that Jesus and family could seek asylum in a nearby foreign country. Nonresident aliens aren’t welcomed everywhere, and Jesus needed to reach adulthood before his ministry could begin. His primary mission was to take away the sins of the world, allowing mankind to mend our relationship with God Almighty, and we’ve seen that!

Thank you, Father God, for ensuring the completion of your Son’s mission. Thank you, Father, for providing your Son for the rescue of all believers. Thank you for Assurance of Salvation!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Deceivers!

 

For Saturday, January 10, 2026:

Matthew 24:4-5 NLT: Jesus told his disciples, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.”

Jesus said that no one will know the exact day and hour of his return. Only the Father knows. For believers, that’s the End Times. We have been told signs, things for which to watch, things to keep us on our toes so that when Jesus shows up, we can be prepared. Some theologians believe that we’re in the end times of the End Times. Most think we’re well past the halfway mark of the time until Jesus returns!

Who wants to be King of the World? Probably not you, and certainly not me! But many powerful, money-hungry people think that position was created for them. But those narcissists are only out for themselves. They are not heaven-sent individuals. When the Messiah returns, he won’t have to announce who he is. People will know. He’ll be doing Messiah stuff, things unattainable by any false prophet.

So keep your eyes peeled for the great deceivers. Discerning is more difficult than it first appears, since Jesus says that “many” will try to claim his status, and “many” will be liars. By the time Jesus returns, the world will likely be one big mess! We’ll no longer live securely in the land of the free and home of the brave. There is such division in our country that there may be another civil war.

Believers have confidence that Jesus will return to escort us into the hereafter, a far better place. He said he’d be back, and his word is always good. People will love the Lord, love each other and live in harmony. Life in God’s heavenly kingdom will be the way God intended for us to live from the beginning. There is sunshine on the horizon!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Leadership!

November 4, 2024 Monday Message:

1 Samuel 16:1 NLT: “Now the Lord said to Samuel, … ‘Find a man named Jesse, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.’”

The favored son turned out to be David, the shepherd-boy who eventually conquered Goliath and rose to prominence in Israel. God planned the whole thing!

David was not perfect. You see, God must choose our leaders from the mankind-pool, a flawed, sinful supply! But God will often choose someone who is redeemable, someone who will repent and return to the Lord. You can read about David repenting in Psalm 51.

Tomorrow is election day in the US, and my prayer is that God will have his hand on the election. Compare the candidates with how Jesus lived his life and with God’s commands in the Bible. Don’t vote on just a single issue. Rather consider the entire scenario, the big picture. Whoever is the best fit should get your vote. Ultimately, God will have his way.

Realize that corrupt, immoral leaders can be a judgment on an imperfect nation! Yikes!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Wise Men Arriving!

For Sunday, December 26, 2021

Matthew 2:2 NLT: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose in the east, and we have come to worship him.”

Variously called “Wise Men,” “Magi” or “men who studied the stars,” we know that these were seekers of truth. It was well known that God had gone to bat for the Hebrew people rescuing them from Egypt, and that the Hebrew religion was “Jewish.”

These men from the East had been told there was a new king of these Jews, and they wanted to meet him in the flesh! Their request was quite specific – not the Pharaoh of Egypt, not the Emperor of Rome, but the “newborn king of the Jews.” They carried three valuable gifts for the new king – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

As it turns out, Jesus wasn’t just “King of the Jews.” In fact, Jesus told his followers to “make disciples of ALL nations!” The Messiah came to us through the Jews, but his mission was to redeem the world, to redeem all who would believe!

Think of Jesus as “King of the World!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Psalms 99 - Lord Over All!

June 26, 2017 Monday Message:

“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble.” Psalms 99:1a NIV

Remember always that God is still on his throne; God is still in charge of everything.

Psalm 99 is the last of six Royal Psalms, royal meaning that our God is the mightiest of all kings, ruling over the entire universe.

Psalms were written in Hebrew, but about 200 years before Jesus, they were translated into Greek because many Jews living in Egypt spoke Greek. The Hebrew Bible does not say who wrote this psalm, but the Greek Bible credits David.

Jews had been in exile in Babylon, and when they returned to Israel, they discovered that the Temple had been desecrated. Now victorious, they rebuilt the temple, and sang worship songs about God being higher than any earthly king.

“Everything will be all right in the end; if it’s not all right, it’s not the end.” I heard this saying a few years ago, and I believe it summarizes the feelings of the Jews 2,200 years ago. When things end well – even if it takes a while – it proves that God still rules everything. He’s still on the throne, he’s still in charge.

“For the Lord our God is holy.” Ps. 99:9b

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship gathers Sunday, July 2, 2017, at the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Pastor Pilla brings the message – “I am the vine – you are the branches.”

Psalm 2

June 08, 2015 Monday Message:

“Why do the nations plot, … make useless plans?” from Psalm 2:1 CEV

Psalm 2 tells us that “the world” is in a perpetual struggle against

God. Kings of this world think they would be better off without God. They want to cut the ropes and free themselves.

God just laughs at them, but his laughter soon turns to anger. God has made his Son Jesus King over all believers, and the nations are to worship the Son. God has given Jesus the authority to smash them with an iron rod and shatter them like dishes of clay if they don’t comply.

Those who pay close attention to these warnings, those who serve and honor the Lord are said to be smart, said to be wise. We are to show respect for the Son. Otherwise the Lord could become furious with us, and destroy us.

But Psalm 2 ends on a very positive note: “God blesses and protects all those who seek him.” Psalm 2:12b

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. every Sunday in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, June 14, Pastor Michael Pilla teaches from Acts, and it’s our special Pot Luck Sunday – we’ll have food for everyone following worship!

Land of the Free!

July 02, 2012 Monday Message:

“…the land of the free!” Francis Scott Key from the Star Spangled banner, 1814.

When the Lord brought the Hebrew people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, they were delivered from slavery. There was no more enforced compromise on their lives; they were free to practice their religion, free to worship their God, the creator.

But a harsh reality soon reared its ugly head: God’s people were not perfect, and with no leaders, there was no one to adjudicate conflicts. And there was no system in place to provide for their common defense.

So the Jews went to the Lord and begged, “Please, please, please can we have a king?”

In my mind, I picture God saying, “Those crazy Jews! After raising up Moses, demanding ‘Let my people go,’ all the plagues, Passover, parting of the Red Sea, wandering 40 years in the desert, I have finally assured their complete and total freedom. And now, after all that, it’s a king they want!”

Kings are not without their own issues. Saul started well but finished poorly. David started and ended well, but experienced a train wreck in the middle of his reign. Solomon is thought to be wise in some things, but not in his selection of 700 wives, including non-Jews who would tempt him away from God and lead to his downfall.

God knew the pros and cons of living under a king, but ultimately the good must have outweighed the bad, because God granted them a king.

This beings us to the concept of benevolent leadership, whereby the king, president or prime minister uses his political clout only for the benefit of the entire nation. In other words, there are no political agendas – just doing what’s best for the people.

As we celebrate July 4^th, our country’s birthday and the freedoms the U.S.A. represents, remember to include God. Thank him for the freedoms we enjoy, and pray for benevolent leaders here in the “land of the free!”

Norton Lawellin

This Sunday I’ll be teaching Galatians 3:26-4:11 (God sent his Son that we might be adopted…) - at Jesus in the City – the old location – lower level of Trinity First, 1115 E. 19^th St., Mpls., 11am.

We’re looking forward to July 29 – when Jesus in the City Sunday worship moves to the Oliver Ministry Center, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue. Note the new service time: 10:30am. Please pray for this huge new opportunity as God enlarges our territory!

The Kingdom is at Hand!

November 28, 2011 Monday Message:

“Thy Kingdom come…” Matthew 6:10a

John the Baptist said the Kingdom of God was near; but Jesus sent his apostles to preach, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Are you watching for the Malkuth, the Kingdom of God? Good news – it’s here – right now! Jesus said so!

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He was reigning when the world was formed. He was reigning 2000 years ago as he walked the earth. As Jesus now prepares a place for us, remember that he never abdicated the throne. This is HIS kingdom; we just get to live in it.

Things realign when we realize this. For one thing, it can no longer be MY Kingdom; it’s THY kingdom. Are you ready to step out of the driver’s seat, relinquish all control? Are you ready to have Jesus be King?

Things to think about this week:
What would be different it Jesus stepped into our world today? If Jesus were CEO of your company – how would you do business differently? If Jesus ran your school – what would be different for the staff? …and for the students? What if – instead of answering to Washington, D.C. - everyone in our country answered to Jesus?

Welcome to Advent, a Christian time of preparation for the arrival of baby Jesus!

Norton Lawellin