Sabbath!

For Thursday, December 12, 2024:

Deuteronomy 5:12 NLT, God’s words: “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.”

God knows that we all need a break from our regular work. We need time to recharge our batteries, so to speak. So instead of just goofing off, let’s make it the Lord’s day, the Sabbath day. Dual purpose! God walks with us for six days, and we dedicate the seventh to him! Not really. God should always be included as we live out our lives, and he’s never far away from us. But the Sabbath is different; the Sabbath is special!

Hebrew tradition places the Sabbath from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. Christians worship on Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead. I don’t don’t think God is as concerned with which day you set aside for him, as long as one day out off seven becomes his. (Just my opinion…)

After worship, the Sabbath should become time for family and community. Gather the children and honor their grandparents. If your fellow Christians need a hand, this would be a good time to love your neighbor. And as we’re fulfilling the right things for the right reasons, keep your Creator front-of-mind. By serving others, we’re being obedient to the Father and fulfilling the teachings of the Son!

We should look forward to God’s Sabbath with joy, excitement and anticipation. It’s not, “I have to go to church,” but rather, “I GET to go to church!” God has your name on a chair at his place of worship. See you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Serenity!

For Friday, March 18, 2022

Matthew 11:28 CJB, Jesus speaking: “Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Life can be hard. The KJV calls it, “labor and heavy laden.” The Book of Common Prayer calls it, “travail,” which means working to the point of pain, arduous toil, agony. None of us can live like that for very long.

Jesus offers a simple solution: “Come to me. I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” You will find hope! You will find peace!

When life’s out of control, the “Jesus” solution sounds really, really good! We should all give it a try! We should trust in the Lord, because life will go better that way.

Get out of the rat race, and accept Jesus’ offer of serenity!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Overflowing Agenda!

For Friday, October 22, 2021

Matthew 11:28 NLT: Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

It’s really hard to tell someone ‘no!’ Christians aren’t very good at it! Many people tend to over-promise and under-deliver. They’re probably not bad people; simply over-burdened. Their agenda is overflowing. They’d like to be a super-hero at work, for their spouse and for their kids, but there are only 24 hours in a day. Burning the candle at both ends just makes things worse.

Jesus has a better way. The Message translates it like this, Jesus speaking: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

There’s the wrong way, and then there’s Jesus’ way. His way is always better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Take a Break!

For Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Psalm 127:2 TLB: “It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.”

Ahead of his time and full of wisdom, Solomon shares this knowledge given to him by the Lord. It’s about achieving balance in life. Yes, we need to work, but God also wants us to take time off.

God provides work to give us sustenance resources. But time spent NOT working is when we can rest in God’s arms, when we can increase our relationship with Him and when we can pray.

Time with the Lord increases our reservoir of hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Respite!

September 6, 2021 Labor Day Monday Message:

Mark 6:31a NLT: “Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’”

Jesus knew that we sometimes need to get out of the rat race, the intense agenda of our daily lives. It’s good to step back, recharge our batteries so-to-speak, and return refreshed, ready to once again pursue our tasks.

Labor Day is a national holiday in the US, intended to not only give us an extra day of rest, but also to honor the contributions and achievements of American workers. Enjoy!

Jesus was fully God and fully man, and the ‘man’ part knew when it would prove beneficial to hit ‘pause.’ Tell yourself, “If it was good for Jesus, then it’s good for me too!”

Happy Labor Day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Respite!

For Sunday, August 15, 2021

Mark 6:32 NLT: “Jesus and his apostles left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.”

Ministry can be all-consuming, 24/7. It can be hard work. Jesus and the apostles needed a little break to recharge their batteries, so-to-speak. They thought leaving on a boat and going to the other side of the lake would give them that respite.

But the people would have none of it. They had heard His teaching. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles, and they wanted more! In those days, boats would sail close enough to visualize the shoreline - in deep-enough water to accommodate the boat, but able to see the shore so nobody got lost! Therefore the throng could easily track Jesus’ progress from the sideline, follow, and be there to meet them on the other side. The crowd weren’t taking “no” for an answer!

And what about us nowadays? Are we so all-consumed with our Savior that we’d drop everything and follow him along the shore; follow him wherever he goes? Do we accept “no” for an answer, or do we want more?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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