The World vs Jesus!

For Wednesday, April 9, 2025:

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

For simplicity, let’s separate all the people on earth into two groups: those destined for heaven who love God and his Son, and those who have rejected Jesus and his Father. The Bible refers to those non-believers as “the world.” Remember that Satan currently occupies the world and will take every opportunity to throw sand in the gears.

It’s not always smooth sailing for believers. The same world that hated Jesus may cause trouble for you too. Satan will put demons in your path. That’s why our beliefs need to be locked in, nonnegotiable. Sometimes we have to help our brothers and sisters cast out demons. That’s what Jesus did.

True believers are sanctified, set apart from the world. But we must integrate with the world if we are to share the Good News, something Jesus commissioned us to do. It’s kind of a balancing act, sharing the Gospel while remaining set apart. Backsliding should be nowhere on our agenda!

If the world hates you because it hated Jesus, rejoice! You’re linked with other believers! You’re OK! It’s the demons who should beware of the name Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Priests!

March 17, 2025, Monday Message:

Leviticus 21:1 NLT: The Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.”

Under the Old Covenant, Priests were go-betweens. The general population was separated from God Almighty in the Tabernacle. On the people’s behalf, the Priests would offer sacrifices, sometimes to atone for someone’s sin, and other times just because that tithe belonged to the Lord. Priests were set apart from other Jews. They were considered special, sanctified.

In the New Testament, Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven...” So we no longer need a go-between, someone to speak with God on our behalf. Jesus said that any believer, you and I, can pray directly to God himself.

When Jesus died and took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, believers were purified. Our sins were blotted out, taken away, and now being without sin, we can speak directly with the Lord. The curtain separating the most holy place was torn from top to bottom, so it was God doing the tearing. People whose sins are forgiven no longer need to be separated from God.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Although he wasn’t born in Ireland, legend has it that Patrick did much to evangelize the region. And any day you can make new Christians is a good day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Sanctified!

For Wednesday, June 12, 2024:

1 Peter 2:9 NLT: “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

Followers of Jesus are different. They were hand-selected by God, sanctified, set apart from the general population. If you’re a part of that group, God has something special in mind for you. You have a purpose in his vast eternal plan!

Friends, our lives should be an example of living in the goodness of God. We should be doing our best to love the Lord and to love our neighbors. That’s an uncommon way for most people to live. But by living God’s way, we can teach others the goodness of God. We can lead by example! Christianity can grow through attraction!

Talk about being blessed! If you’re a believer, God called you out of the darkness (a sinful world) and into the light, a perfect world hosted by Jesus the Christ. God only wants the best for you, and he has great plans for you!

Remember to say ‘yes’ when God taps you on the shoulder!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Dogs and Pigs!

 For Thursday, February 9, 2023:

Matthew 7:6 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”

Gifts from God are holy, sanctified. The original language tells us to not to share holy things with dogs! Gifts from God are to be treasured, retained for a special use or purpose.

This scripture tells us that though believers are not to be judgmental of others, we should still be discerning. Christians need to clearly know good from bad and right from wrong. We should be able to spot evil from a mile away, not to criticize or judge, but to identify and thereby avoid the problem!

Our ‘pearls’ are the Good News or Gospel. Jesus uses a little humor here to make a point. It’s futile if we attempt to spread the Gospel among those with hardened hearts. Those pigs will trample our pearls and then attack us! Discerning evangelists look for prepared hearts that are ready to receive, knowing that God has already been working, paving the way for our efforts!

'Dogs and pigs’ are understood to be those hostile to the kingdom, so steer clear of them!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

This is my Son!

For Saturday, July 03, 2021

Matthew 3:17 NIV: “A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

People saw Jesus, heard his teaching and liked what they heard. They watched him heal, and returned to see him again and again. But the question remained: Who is this man who can do these great things? At Jesus’ baptism, God himself provided the answer.

When the voice of the Father rang out from heaven, everyone knew that Jesus was not just another man being baptized. Jesus had been identified as the perfect Son of God. And now everyone knew that Jesus was sanctified, set apart, different; Jesus was special.

A dove descending upon Jesus lets us know that the Holy Spirit was upon Jesus, empowering him as his public ministry begins. With Jesus, mankind now had hope.

Blessings to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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