Jesus Messiah!

May 18, 2026, Monday Message:

Luke 4:35 NLT: “Jesus reprimanded the demon. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.”

The Synagogue’s congregation was listening to Jesus’ teaching, and they were amazed. Jesus’ knowledge seemed unique. They’d never heard anything like this, and they liked what they heard.

Suddenly, a demon-possessed man started creating a ruckus, disrupting everything. The demon speaks: “Leave us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are; the Holy One of God!” Interestingly, demons of the spirit realm knew exactly who Jesus was. The demon instantly identified Jesus as his foe. Demons are organized by Satan, while Jesus represents God on Earth.

Jesus commanded, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And that’s what happened. After one last effort, the demon gave up, came out of the man and abandoned the project. Then as now, a demon of Satan is no match for the Son of the Most High!

The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region. His conquest over the supernatural established his credibility. People were becoming dedicated believers in Jesus the Messiah. Their eyes did not lie!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Children Included!

For Thursday, August 21, 2025:

Luke 18:15 NLT: “One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.”

Little children don’t know much yet, because they’re so young. Their existence is centered on trust and faith. They believe that mom, dad and other big people will protect them, keep them safe and only want what’s best for them.

Jesus wants all of us to have an attitude of trust like these children. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” God Almighty and his Son only want what’s best for us. God will protect us and keep us safe if we trust in him. Faith is a valuable commodity when dealing with the Lord!

On a more basic level, Jesus is teaching that we should bring children to church, and that our activities should include them. If children are taught the ways of the Lord, they will grow up with those beliefs and their souls will be redeemed. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.”

Translating the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek into today’s English is always challenging. If viewed as a command, it could read, “Cause the children to come to me. Make it so! See that it happens!”

Church is for families. It would be awesome if we could see your family at church this Sunday. It would be more awesome if your family invited another family!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Lost Sheep!

For Saturday, July 12, 2025:

Luke 15:4 MSG: “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it?”

Jesus is teaching the mixed crowd – tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees and teachers of religious law – the parable of the lost sheep. Livestock are valuable, well worth going after if one strays. Sheep share a philosophy that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, so they’re always wandering off, straying, doing the wrong thing, just like many humans! God figures that human souls are worth going after if they stray. That’s why Jesus came to earth, to redeem mankind! Note the ratio, 1 out of 100 missing. We’d check every nook and cranny of the pasture. The search wouldn’t be over until the missing sheep was accounted for!

In real life, something far more valuable than a sheep had gone missing. In this parable, the lost sheep represents a wandering sinner. Heaven patiently waits for each one of us to repent and return, and heaven won’t abandon us until we have had adequate opportunities to reconcile with our Creator. God’s desire is that none would be lost, and that all would repent and return!

When the animal is returned to the flock, the shepherd invites his neighbors in to celebrate the victory. “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep!”

Jesus summarizes his teaching: “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Tax Collectors and Sinners!

For Friday, July 11, 2025:

Luke 15:1 NLT: “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.”

Tax collectors were considered the worst of the sinners, so much so that the Bible often speaks of “tax collectors and sinners,” giving them their own distinct category. Sinners had simply done something wrong, but tax collectors were working for the opposition, the bad guys! They were working FOR Rome, against the Hebrew people. Tax collectors were also known for taxing a little bit extra to line their own pockets. They were skimming, taking more from their Hebrew brothers than Rome required. Needless to say, tax collectors had abandoned their heritage in favor of the almighty dollar. (OK, denarius.)

Tax collectors knew they weren’t welcome in Synagogues, but many were still interested in God and religion, the way they had been raised. So when Jesus taught, they would stop and listen. Their presence angered the Pharisees. Even though Jesus wasn’t “their guy,” they wanted to maintain a certain majesty at religious gatherings, and including tax collectors wasn’t on the Pharisee agenda.

Jesus had previously stated, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Therefore, tax collectors and sinners needed to hear what the Pharisees should have already known! (Mark 2:17)

This raises some tough questions. Does your Sunday church cater to those who already believe, or to the notorious sinners in your community? Look around; see who’s there. Hopefully you’ll see some from each group! Those hosting the meeting need to be welcoming to those just checking things out. We can gently make a case that following Jesus is the better way to live. Let everyone know that being a Christian can be exciting and fun. Tell your face! Love your neighbor, even if they don’t yet have Christian ethics. That’s what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Oral Tradition!

For Friday, December 20, 2024:

2 Thessalonians 2:5 NLT: “Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?”

This is one believer counseling other believers in the same way that Jesus counseled disciples when he walked alongside mankind. Even before there was written language, people learned in this way. It’s called ‘oral tradition,’ one believer sharing with others what he had been taught.

The older teaching is still valid. God’s value system is not about to change. If God said something was wrong 2k years ago, it’s still wrong today. And if God assigned us a task or established a principle, we should still follow those instructions nowadays.

Jesus is the only one to alter a few things. We call his way the “New Covenant.” A couple of examples: 1. We no longer have animal sacrifices because Jesus himself was the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. 2. We celebrate Holy Communion because Jesus said to do this “in remembrance of me.” That’s being obedient!

We still use oral tradition nowadays. Each Sunday your pastor should research a topic and give the congregation the ‘inside scoop’ on that topic. Week by week we increase our knowledge of God, our Savior and the Holy Spirit!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Expectations!

October 28, 2024 Monday Message:

John 7:28-29 NLT: “While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.”

What were you expecting? When the prophets said a Messiah was on the way, most people expected a humongous warrior with awesome superpowers, not a baby in a manger. They were hoping to be liberated from the Roman government and the Roman army. After all, God’s chosen people deserve freedom and autonomy.

But Jesus’ mission was far different. He was to inspire people and re-teach God’s commands. Along the way he would heal people of any sickness or disease. But his primary mission was to rid the world of its sin problem. He would take the sins of the world to the place of the dead, and leave believers prepared for eternal life as members of God’s Kingdom. No greater gift could be bestowed on mankind!

God doesn’t always give you what you’re expecting; he gives you what you most need!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Son of God!

For Friday, October 25, 2024:

John 7:10 NLT: “After his brothers left for the Festival (of Shelters), Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.”

It turns out that Jesus reconsidered attending the festival. Perhaps the Father tapped him on the shoulder, and Jesus, always obedient, proceeded to Jerusalem.

It turned out that Jesus was the hot topic at that year’s festival. While the evil Jewish leaders searched for him, the public was divided. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” But no one had the courage to stand up to the Jewish leaders.

Then surprisingly, midway through the festival, Jesus went to the Temple and began to teach. People were amazed! Q: “How does this untrained man have so much knowledge?” A: “Because he’s the Son of God!”

We know that now, but back then people were just figuring it out, getting used to the idea that God’s Son could walk on earth alongside mankind. But it’s the same reason that we should listen to Jesus and live our lives according to his directions, because he’s the Son of God who only wants what’s best for us!

So friends, love God and love your neighbor. That’s what Jesus said. That’s what our Bibles say!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Jesus' Teachings!

September 16, 2024 Monday Message:

James 2:1 NLT: “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”

James writes in order to encourage his readers to live consistently with what they have learned from Jesus. Surprisingly, many who know Jesus’ teaching – guidelines for living our lives – don’t put his instructions into action. When Jesus said, “Love your neighbors,” he meant ALL of them!

Jesus came to the earth through the Jews, but he came FOR people of all races, all countries and all colors. Believers who know the Good News have been designated “teachers” – evangelists challenged to make disciples of ALL nations. Jesus said so!

As a nation, the US has a cloudy past in this area. Over 150 years ago, a civil war was fought and won on the principle that all men (people) are created equal. The law says that everyone in the US should have the same opportunities. Everyone has the same right to be included. Exclusion based on someone’s race or color is now illegal.

In 150 years, we have learned that we can change laws, but it’s a lot more challenging to change hearts. If Jesus was still among us, he’d say that there’s still a lot of work to do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Live like Jesus!

For Thursday, April 25, 2024:

Philippians 2:5 NLT: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

Paul is attuned to Jesus’ mind and attitude. It all happened on the road to Damascus. I jokingly say that Jesus had to slap Paul “upside the head” to get his attention! The truth is that Paul was struck blind until Jesus said otherwise. That got his attention, flipped the script, and turned Paul’s life around 180º!

Paul opened this letter with a series of questions, hoping the reader would “get it.” He states that believers should be like he is, since it was Jesus who personally made a believer out of Paul. But perhaps that’s still too oblique. So Paul points the Philippians directly to the source: “Let the mind of Jesus live in you!” Or in simple words, “Be like Jesus!”

Paul gives this conclusion first, and then goes on to detail several examples of living one’s life like Jesus. This is a text-book teaching method, still being taught nowadays. “State what you’re going to teach, then teach it, and finally summarize what you just taught.” Same thing, three times, three different ways. You don’t want anyone to miss the point of your message!

We all need to know a certain amount about teaching. Jesus commissioned all believers to make disciples of all nations, so we all need the skills to do a good job. Accept the commission and do your best!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Redemption!

For Wednesday, January 3, 2024:

Mark 3:8b NLT: “The news about Jesus’ miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.”

With no newspapers, no radio or television, and no internet, how did so many people so quickly know about Jesus? It’s a “God thing!” Life was much simpler then, and word of the miracles and the healings traveled from person to person, not gossipy but informationally. People had heard good things about Jesus, so they wanted to tell everyone. But if they only talked about the miracles, they didn’t know half or what Jesus was about!

Jesus left his home in Nazareth, and went out to the lake. We call it the Sea of Galilee. It’s kind of like Minnesotans going up North for the weekend! A large crowd could gather at the lake, and voices carry well around bodies of water. Jesus arranged for a boat to take him a short distance from the shore, and spoke from there.

What’s amazing is that the assembled crowd came from all over: Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. As I said, word about Jesus spread quickly and no one wanted to miss any of the action!

It was a memorable day! Sick people tried to touch Jesus, and he healed them all. Evil spirits were cast out of the possessed, saying, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus commanded the evil ones to not reveal who he was. Jesus was heaven-sent on a mission trip. It’s great that Jesus could cure both physical and mental illnesses and lecture in depth about the Torah. But his primary purpose, his mission statement, was to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world, thereby rescuing mankind! Healing wasn’t his goal, but redemption was!

It’s like Jesus was passing out tickets to heaven for all who believed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship