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

Immediately!

For Saturday, February 21, 2026:

Matthew 4:21-22 NLT: “A little farther up the shore, Jesus saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”

Jesus was continuing his ministry around the Sea of Galilee. Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew were now walking with Jesus, his first two disciples. I’m sure all the fishermen on this body of water knew each other, so as Jesus said the names James and John, Simon called out, “We have found the Messiah!”

Most of the Hebrew nation had been waiting for the moment God would send a rescuer to his people, and if this was it, James and John didn’t want to be left out. An emissary from God could certainly counter the grief they experienced dealing with the Roman government and army. They immediately took a leave of absence from the family business and joined up with Simon, Andrew and Jesus on their trek around the lake.

The key word here is “immediately.” No hesitation, no hemming and hawing, just go with Jesus when he calls you. Pretend you’re the kicker on a football team, it’s fourth down, and the coach says, “Now! Get in the game. We need you to kick that field goal!” You don’t dawdle. You don’t waste any time. You go running onto the field, eager to serve!

Each of us has been given unique spiritual gifts, and the time will come when your gifts are exactly what the Lord needs. He’ll tap you on the shoulder and say, “Now! Get in the game. We need you!” The quicker you respond, the better!

We all need to be walking with the Lord, just like Simon, Andrew, James and John. If you’re closer to Jesus, it’s easier for him to tap you on the shoulder!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Messiah!

For Thursday, January 22, 2026:

Luke 2:28-29 NLT: “Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.’”

It had been prophesied to Simeon that he would not die until the Lord’s Messiah had been revealed to him. And now he’s personally lifting baby Jesus in his arms! Voilà! The Messiah had arrived!

God always makes good on his promises! He promised to send a Savior, a Rescuer, a Messiah for his people. As it turns out, God’s gift was much more important than what the people were expecting. They were frustrated with Roman occupation of their land. They would have been happy just to be free of the Roman Army. God’s almighty gift was forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness opens the door to eternal life and residence in God’s forever heavenly Kingdom! BTW, there is no Roman army in God’s Kingdom! Mission accomplished and then some!

Don’t expect to understand supernatural events. Just accept the results. The Holy Spirit brought Jesus and Simeon together that day in the Temple, and Simeon identified Jesus to the world. This was only eight days into Jesus’ life. So everyone would have known right from the beginning that Jesus was heaven-sent.

His promise to forgive the sins of all who repent and return is as good today as it was 2k years ago. And God’s desire is that ALL would repent and return. His desire is that none would be lost. You can sign up for that program for free. Just acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life and repent of past sins. Draw a line in the sand, before Jesus and after Jesus. The after Jesus side of the line will be clean and fresh. Garbage will be left on the other side of the line. It’s easy to make the right decision. The sun will be shining on Jesus’ side of the line. See you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Death Is Not the End!

September 1, 2025, Monday Message:

Luke 18:31-33 NLT: “Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, ‘Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.’”

The “going up to Jerusalem” would be the Triumphal Entry, what we celebrate as Palm Sunday. Following that, things would quickly go downhill. The Pharisees had been plotting to kill Jesus for quite some time, and this time they would get their wish. Judas-the-traitor would betray our Savior, who would be arrested, mocked, beaten and spit upon. On the following Friday, he would be nailed to a cross. Crucifixion always ended in death. The Romans were diligent about their evil task.

On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus had lived an innocent life, but at that point, I believe the sins of the world were heaped upon him. Since he really died, Jesus visited the place of the dead, and there he left the sins of the world, separating sin from believers as far as the east is from the west, as far as the ocean is deep.

Three days later Jesus went missing from the tomb. Everyone he encountered could see him, talk to him and hear him speak. Jesus continued to teach, and I suspect the main message was that death is not the end! Jesus was a walking, talking example of resurrection! In the life after this life, the sheep are separated from the goats, and Jesus will prepare a place for his flock in the Eternal Kingdom

Jesus was fulfilling prophesy after prophesy, proving him to be beyond a shadow of a doubt the expected Messiah. God’s plan was that mankind’s sins could be forgiven through faith in the Son. Jesus’ obedience made it possible for us to see heaven from the inside. God’s desire is that none would perish, but that all would repent and return. Have you made arrangements to join Jesus in the hereafter?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship