Last Day!

 For Friday, November 15, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 3:13 NLT: “May the Lord make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.”

Is Jesus coming again? Paul says ‘yes,’ and Jesus spoke to him personally, post-resurrection! We are accountable to Jesus, the one who died to forgive our sins, so this should end well! Paul is inviting all believers – those in the churches he founded, and in all the other churches – to stand together on the last day. The sheep will be separated from the goats, and we get to stand with the sheep, led by the Lamb of God!

May your strong heart love the Lord as together we stand blameless and holy before our Father, preparing to enter his eternal kingdom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Decision?

April 24, 2023 Monday Message:

1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT: “You know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”

Have you ever seen Pawn Stars, the TV show? I don’t intentionally watch it, but have seen a few episodes by accident! On the show, they haggle over the worth of items, keeping an eye out for treasure within the secondhand merchandise. When the owner wants to take their treasure home again, a price must be paid to redeem the item.

Now pretend with me that all of mankind had been left at the Pawn shop. A hefty price would have to be paid to redeem all those made in the image of God. God and his Son had the resources to do it. A pure, perfect spotless lamb would be enough to pay the price to redeem mankind. HIs name is Jesus!

Never forget that God’s desire is for all to repent and return, but he gave mankind the freedom to make that decision, to choose to accept Jesus or not. God’s desire is that none would be lost, but the final decision is ours to make.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Today is the best day to make (or reaffirm) your decision to follow Jesus. He will lead believers into the hereafter, eternal life in the presence of God himself! In the Bible, Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father except through him. No one!

Choose wisely!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God and the Lamb!

For Wednesday, November 16, 2022:

Revelation 22:3 NLT: “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.”

Currently Satan is working his evil on earth. But when God re-makes the New Earth, Satan and his minions will be retired to the lake of fire. God and Jesus will live here with the believers, and evil cannot exist in the presence of the Lord! Those who worship the Lord will also serve him! All curses will also be retired. There is no room for any bad will on the New Earth!

On the New Earth, everything fill be pure. Everything will be fixed, repaired or remade to God’s specifications, and those who put their faith, hope and trust in Jesus get to live in that Holy City – forever! Make a decision today to add your name to the Book of Life. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!

Believers can look forward to a magnificent eternity!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Lamb of God!

For Sunday, January 9, 2022

John 1:36 NKJV: “Looking at Jesus as He walked, John-the-Baptist said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’”

As Jesus was baptized, no one pictured a cross in his future. The heavens opened; the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and filled Jesus; and the voice of God boomed from the sky: “This is my dearly beloved Son, who brings me great joy!” It was a glorious day!

Back then, names had meaning. The name ‘Jesus’ means, “The Lord saves.” Rather than offering animal sacrifices, John is pointing out, “Here – right in front of our eyes – THIS is the Lamb of God that can take away your sins – forever!” That was good enough for two of John’s disciples, who immediately became followers of Jesus.

Jesus is still offering hope to all who follow him!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Light of the World!

For Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Luke 2:29-32 NLT: “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Simeon was in the last years of his life, but the Holy Spirit told him that he would not pass until he had seen the Messiah. That’s when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, and Simeon knew he had seen the Lamb of God! Simeon, this stranger they had just met, took the baby in his arms and praised God. He had been shown that he was holding the hope of the world!

Simeon blessed the Holy Family and prophesied to Mary that some things would go well; others would not. Jesus would cause some to fall, but others to rise! He would face stiff opposition at times, but Jesus was a true sign from above!

Since we now know Jesus rose from the dead, he still IS heaven’s hope for the world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Lamb of God!

For Friday, December 17, 2021

John 1:29 NLT: “John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John announced to the world Jesus’ true identity. That’s important. The Laws were given to Moses by God, and since they’re God’s Laws, God’s value system, only God can forgive sins. So by saying that Jesus would “take away the sin of the world,” he’s effectively identifying Jesus as God. Jesus is a God who walks alongside mankind on a mission of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

"The Lamb” is a reference to the sacrificial lambs used in the Temple. It seems odd nowadays, but people would sacrifice a perfect lamb to the Lord when asking for forgiveness. The people around John-the-Baptist would have understood this analogy.

John-the-Baptist preached, “Repent of your sins, and return to the Lord to be forgiven.” We repent by turning to Jesus, and we find hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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