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

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 For Friday, March 17, 2023:

Matthew 28:19 NLT: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! It’s a feast day on the Christian calendar of many denominations, added in the 17^th century, although Patrick lived around 400AD. Much of what we know about him is based on legend, not fact. For example, he is said to have driven the snakes out of Ireland, but there never were many snakes in Ireland! His father was a deacon and his grandfather a priest, so it follows that Patrick would eventually become a bishop in Ireland.

At 16, Patrick was kidnapped and worked as a shepherd for six years in Gaelic Ireland, where he bonded with the Lord. He escaped, became a priest, and then remarkably, returned to Ireland to share the Good News. He’s use the shamrock – a young 3-leafed clover – to teach about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The ‘Declaration,’ allegedly written by Patrick himself, says he spent many years evangelizing in the northern half of Ireland and converted thousands.

And that’s what we’re all to do: Share the Good News, thereby making disciples of all nations. St. Patrick evangelizing Northern Ireland is a good reason to remember St. Patrick’s Day! Erin go bragh!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship