Conspiracy Theory!

For Thursday, May 21, 2026:

John 15:18 NLT, Jesus speaking: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”

That scripture tells us that the world somehow got turned around, 180º from where it should have been. After all, Jesus was always kind, nice and helpful. He would give of his own time to heal anyone who needed healing, and there seemed to be no end to this gift of healing. Every word he spoke was the truth, and he was religious, teaching from both the Prophets and Torah. What’s not to like about this guy?

Those against Jesus were cursed with greed and the desire for power. Although Rome ruled the country, the citizens were allowed to practice their ancestors’ religion, as long as they didn’t disrupt the Roman government. No riots, no rallies, no protests. Just follow your ethnic religion – quietly!

This left the Pharisees at the top of the pecking order. They were the ones trying to maintain power and resources. If worshipers went with this radical Jesus cult, they were NOT at the Temple! Furthermore, they probably took their tithes with them! So both influence and shekels going to Jesus threatened the Pharisees’ way of life. Jesus, you understand, was just doing what pleased his Father. But Pharisees initiated a conspiracy to have Jesus killed, to take him out permanently. He was that much of a threat to them that they would violate their own religious commandments!

Hatred for Jesus started as a conspiracy by the Pharisees. Israelites were accustomed to looking up to Pharisees for direction and advice. They were the religious leaders to be followed. When Pharisees spoke ill of Jesus, there was an implied obligation that people should follow their thinking. They convinced the surrounding world to hate the Messiah, which is unfortunate. The crowds changed their mantra from “Hosanna,” save us now, to, “Crucify him!, in less than a week.

I’ve said before that I believe Christianity should have been Judaism, the next chapter. It should have been a continuation of the life believers already knew, following God-the-Creator, God who brought them out of Egypt, God who delivered them to the Promised Land, and now God who sent them the Messiah as a redeemer for the sins of the world. Like Paul Harvey would have said, “The r-r-rest of the story!”

We’re presently living in the rest of the story. Jesus was here for us and promised that he’ll be back. Should we die first, he promised to prepare a place for us in his Father’s eternal heavenly Kingdom! Secure your spot today! All it takes is faith!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Love!

For Saturday, February 14, 2026:

John 13:34-35 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

"They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.” We’ve all heard the song. Loving one another seems like a good idea, but did you realize that this is a command issued by the one who saves us?

2K years ago, the prevailing attitude was to look out for #1. But the followers of Jesus were different. They looked out for each other. They were kind to their neighbors, even to those who weren’t following the Messiah. This command of Jesus was a new and innovative way of living. It was more gentle and helpful to others. It was doing the next right thing. People liked what they saw and wanted to join. This helped the early church grow through attraction.

The government at the time was the Roman Empire. Rome did nothing to help the people. Citizens had to help each other. The Roman army had two things on its agenda: keeping peace in the region and loyalty to Caesar. Christians were pretty quiet about their dislike for Caesar, and exceeded expectations for keeping peace. So for the most part, the army left Christians alone. Their love for one another meant that they did not fuel conflict in Israel.

So do what Jesus did. Be nice, be kind, be helpful and do the next right thing. These aren’t just good ideas. These are commands from the mouth of Jesus. Out of love for what Jesus did for mankind, we should obey, keeping his commands high on our agenda. In the end, it works out better for everyone. If we love our neighbors, they’re more likely to love us in return!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Messiah = Rescuer!

January 12, 2026, Monday Message:

Luke 2:25-26 NLT: “There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him, and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.”

On the eighth day, Jesus was presented in the Temple. There, the Holy Family encountered Simeon, who was filled with the Holy Spirit. He believed that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. At that point, most of Israel had been watching and waiting for a Messiah. Angels verified Jesus’ identity to the shepherds. Gabriel confirmed Jesus’ mission for his earthly parents. And now the Holy Spirit helps Simeon identify the Son of God. There should be no doubt concerning Jesus’ true identity and his mission in coming to Earth.

At that time, Rome had captured Israel. The police keeping order were Roman soldiers. The Hebrew people were not happy about this, and the popular thinking was that God’s Messiah would rescue them from Roman oppression. They were only half right. Jesus would rescue them all right, but from their sin penalty, not from the Roman government.

Let’s keep this simple. Before Jesus, Israel was in disarray. After Jesus, everything got better. If he had fixed Israel, it would have benefitted mankind only for their lifetimes, perhaps 50-100 years. Instead, he fixed mankind’s eternal sin problem, ensuring us a safe life in God’s forever Heavenly kingdom.

Jesus gave mankind not what they asked for, but rather the gift with the greatest long-term benefit. Stick with Jesus, and in the end, everything will be OK! Jesus and his Father are always looking out for us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Your Sins are Forgiven!

For Thursday, December 18, 2025:

Luke 2:16 NLT: “The shepherds hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.”

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were in town, staying at the stable where Jesus had been born. The shepherds were out in the countryside tending their sheep. Angel(s) told them about the birth of the Messiah, in that nearby town, in a stable. Expect to find the baby in a manger amongst the hay.

God gave mankind insatiable curiosity, so the shepherds just had to check this out! The Messiah, an anointed rescuer, had been prophesied for centuries. Also, think of the angel’s words as prophecy. The shepherds would find the newborn Savior not in a castle or a palace. Rather, he’d be among the common folk, seeking shelter in the stable alongside animals.

At that time, the Promised Land had been occupied by the Roman Army. So the Jewish prayers were, “Liberate us from the Romans!”

Jesus would grow up to say, “Your sins are forgiven!” He had the best answer. The Hebrews just hadn’t asked the right question!

Jesus completed his entire ministry while Rome occupied the land intended for the Chosen People. It turns out that who’s running the country isn’t nearly as important as having your sins forgiven. Make sure you’re asking the right question!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Life and Death!

April 29, 2024 Monday Message:

Philippians 2:30 NLT: “Epaphroditus risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.”

Life was different 2k years ago. Nowadays, if there’s a problem with someone, you call 911 or the police department. Back then, there were no police. People who disagreed would pull out a sword or knife and go after whomever offended them. Violent retribution was the custom of the day.

I mention this because if someone was involved in politics, religion or philosophy, there was a good chance that they might not come home tonight! Paul was writing this message from a prison cell, detained for preaching the Good News. Paul talked about a God, and Jesus, the Son of God. Rome, who policed the world at the time, claimed deity for the current Caesar. They considered Paul’s testimony sacrilege. So even though we know Paul was right, he was jailed for being wrong!

If you’re doing the work of Jesus, it may cost you popularity. That’s OK. I’d rather please God than please pagans. Friends, we can’t be all things to all people. There’s right, and there’s wrong, and we need to choose. God is not wishy-washy about separating the sheep from the goats. Our value system should line up with God’s value system. Those who disagree with God’s value system are on the other side, the wrong side.

We can still love our neighbors, being kind and helpful, even when we disagree. They will know we are Christians by our love!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Cooperation!

For Friday, July 7, 2023:

Romans 1:12 NLT: “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

Paul was writing from Corinth, but his personal goal was to bring the Good News to Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire. There were some believers already in Rome, and Paul wanted to join up with them, wanted to include them in his mission of getting the Gospel in front of Roman leadership.

Evangelism always goes better when everyone cooperates. After all, we share a common goal. Jesus’ Great Commission called all believers to take the Good News to all nations, to all people.

Example: When a Billy Graham Crusade is scheduled, they start by including local churches, often up to a year in advance. We see Baptists working with Lutherans, United Methodists working with Presbyterians, with the operative word being cooperation. The goal is to make more believers, more Christians, and not to advance any one denomination.

Your denomination has a lot in common with other Christians. It is only our differences – oftentimes small – that divide us. I pray that we could agree to disagree on our differences but work together to bring salvation to more people.

I believe that’s what Jesus would want!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Messiah?

For Saturday, April 15, 2023:

Matthew 16:20 NLT: “Then Jesus sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”

The Hebrew nation had been occupied by Rome for quite some time, and the Jews weren’t happy about it. God had promised to send a Messiah, and they fully expected this Messiah to lead their country and its people to freedom. When Jesus would perform a miracle such as a healing, it was suggested that he could be their King. But political freedom wasn’t Jesus’ mission in coming to earth!

Strange as it might seem, Jesus was to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world. His primary purpose was to be the Redeemer of mankind, making it possible – in fact, even probable – that men and women would join their creator in the hereafter. Always obedient, Jesus set his sights on the Father’s plan, not on any earthly goal.

People living in Jesus’ time might only know of the one incident they had witnessed. But nowadays, with Bible in hand, we can see everything Jesus accomplished. We can get the big picture. We can read about the entire body of work over his lifetime.

This was God’s plan to include us in the Kingdom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Palms Away!

March 30, 2015 Monday Message:

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’” John 12:13 NIV

Last Sunday, most of our churches celebrated Palm Sunday. Let’s take a second look at the first Palm Sunday.

In 538BC, the Jews were allowed to return and rebuild the Temple. They used palm branches in the rededication, and the palm became a symbol, a type of logo, for the Hebrew people, the Jewish religion and the Temple.

Minted coins were to feature the image of Caesar, but twice, during wars against Rome, Israel minted coins featuring palms. Waving a palm branch at a Centurion was highly confrontational, and would surely get you arrested.

God had promised the Israelites a Messiah for quite some time, and many believed that Jesus was the anointed one. But they were expecting a Messiah who would liberate them from Rome. They hadn’t considered that the Messiah would rescue them from sin and open the doors of heaven.

So on that day, Jesus rode in to Jerusalem, and out came the palm branches and bright clothes to line the street, as would be done for a king. The crowd shouted, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” They honored Jesus, not Caesar, as King of the Jews.

Some things are not Caesar’s.

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, April 5, Pastor Michael Pilla teaches about the empty tomb.