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

Kingdom!

For Wednesday, March 4, 2026:

John 14:3 NLT, Jesus speaking about our next life in the Kingdom: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.“

Jesus said he would prepare a place for loyal believers, and when that’s ready, he’ll meet us with open arms as we transition to the next reality. At that time, it might have seemed like a lot was going wrong around Jesus. But he’s not worried, and he doesn’t want the believers to worry either. It’s all going to work out for the best!

Think about it. If Jesus hadn’t been betrayed, he wouldn’t have been arrested. Without the arrest, there would have been no mock trial in the kangaroo court where he was found guilty and eventually crucified. We usually think of death as a bad thing, but this time Jesus took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, and mankind was given a fresh start! With our sins forgiven, we could once again seek residence in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom! You see, everything that happened was part of God’s vast eternal plan!

It all played out exactly as Jesus knew it would, a series of illogical steps in exactly the right order that allowed God’s plan to come to fruition. God knows exactly what he’s doing, wouldn’t you say?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Scripture Fulfilled!

Daily message of hope...
For Sunday, August 31, 2025:

John 13:18b, Jesus speaking: “This fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’”

Jesus is referring to Psalm 34:9. It’s one thing to claim to be the Messiah, but another to fulfill ancient prophesies! Jesus was again proving that he was heaven-sent!

Omniscient Jesus already knew who would betray him. It was one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot. We know their famous meal as the “Last Supper.”

For his last night on earth, Jesus (being God) could have done anything he wanted. But what he chose to do was to take a meal with his best friends, his church friends. Jesus instituted the bread and the cup that night, what we call Holy Communion. And Judas, who thought he was betraying Jesus, was actually fulfilling God’s vast eternal plan. Jesus needed to die to take the sins of the world to the place of the dead, his primary mission in coming to earth. In fact, everything that happened that Good Friday, including the crucifixion, brought God’s plan to fruition.

God’s way is always the right way. God’s way is always the best way! And because, in the grace of God’s plan, we are redeemed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

Rotten Apple!

For Friday, July 18, 2025:

John 12:6b NLT: “Judas Iscariot was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.”

As the New Covenant was being introduced to Israel, it was Jesus and the 12 leading the way. We accept Jesus, the heaven-sent Son of God, without question. The other 12 require a second look.

They were a diverse lot, ranging from tax collector to fishermen. To say they were religiously uneducated would be an understatement. It was on-the-job training as they ministered alongside Jesus, adopting his theology and philosophy as they taught others.

With a dozen random members on the leadership team, we would be naive to not expect one rotten apple in the barrel. Judas Iscariot was that guy. In his Gospel, John calls Judas a thief. Apparently, he stole from the group for personal gain, and apparently, this was well known within the group. Jesus must have known too, but other matters were higher up on his agenda. And if Jesus was eventually destined to give his life to atone for the sins of the world, someone would need to betray him, and that task had Judas’ name written all over it! I mean, Jesus didn’t just show up one day and say, “Kill me now!” No, fulfilling his Father’s plan turned out to be highly confrontational!

Friends, we need to always look at the big picture. Yes, Judas was a bad guy, but he was the one to fulfill God’s rescue plan for mankind! While you’re cursing Judas, remember to praise God!

No one is worthless; they can always serve as a bad example!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Vast Eternal Plan!

For Sunday, June 22, 2025:\

Luke 13:32 NLT, Jesus replying to the Pharisees: “Go tell that fox (Herod Antipas) that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose.”

Herod Antipas had threatened to kill Jesus. Jesus was disruptive to the stable world maintained by the Romans. Romans weren’t Jewish, but they tolerated religion as long as it kept the population peaceful.

But this new guy, Jesus, was rocking the boat! What should have been a continuation of the Hebrew relationship with God Almighty had turned into a kind of church split. People were leaving the Temple to follow Jesus. Tithes were leaving with the people. (Remember the words of Pastor Norton: People get squirrelly when there’s money involved. Count on it!)

Pharisees offered to kill Jesus for splitting their congregation. They claimed blasphemy, false doctrine, not understanding that the Son of God would surely know what his Father prefers!

Jesus was not afraid, even though he knew exactly what was coming. He vowed to cast out demons and heal people right up until the end. And when it was time for his earthly demise, those who opposed him would actually be fulfilling God’s plan. Jesus could then take the sins of the world to the place of the dead. It’s great that Jesus could heal, cast out demons and teach. But I believe his primary purpose was to solve mankind’s sin problem.

And everything played out just like Jesus knew that it would. After three days, he stepped out of the tomb, declaring, “Problem solved!” The gift of forgiven sin is for each of us who claims Jesus as our Savior.

Today is the accepted day to repent and return to the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Vast Eternal Plan!

April 14, 2025, Monday Message:

John 12:23 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.”

Jesus, being fully God and fully man, can see into the future. He knows the fickle crowd who shouted, “Hosanna,” will soon be chanting, “Crucify him!” His assignment is to take the sins of the world to the place of the dead. Three days later comes the resurrection, and eventually Jesus returning to the Father. If that’s God’s plan, he’s “in” for the whole distance.

Once again, Jesus uses an agricultural analogy, hoping to make it easier for the layperson to understand. You simply bury some little seeds, and they give you a big field of wheat. Like those little seeds, Jesus will die, and today we have 2.3B Christians worldwide.

Those who love the world will belong to the world in which Satan is currently running rampant. Those with their eyes on eternity will move into the next reality with Jesus, living in the presence of the Father. God WILL separate the sheep from the goats!

This whole scenario fulfills God’s vast eternal plan for the rescue of mankind, from the Triumphal Entry to Jesus’ demise to the resurrection and the New Covenant. Jesus has much to teach in the time remaining. We call it “Holy Week!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Plan!

For Thursday, October 24, 2024:

John 7:1 NLT: “Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.”

Jesus taught that God was good and the world was evil, and for this he was hated. Jesus pointed out the messed up theology of the Pharisees that was taught at the Temple, and even this early in his ministry, Jesus knew his time would be coming to an end.

But now it was time for the Festival of Shelters/Tabernacles/Sukkos/Sukkot. It celebrates creating a place of worship, and a place for God to live amongst his people. Jews were commanded to celebrate this each year, appearing before the Lord in a place he would select. By this time, the place was in Judea, in Jerusalem, at the Temple. Jesus’ companions thought he should attend. He could put his miracles on display and become famous, but Jesus wanted no part of it. “I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” All things in God’s time!

The Pharisees had not a clue that their plotting Jesus’ demise was fulfilling God’s vast eternal plan! As Jesus died on the cross, he would take the sins of the world to the place of the dead, and leave them there. Believers would have their sins not only forgiven, but there would be no record of their ever having sinned. Jesus would prepare loyal believers for eternal residence in the presence of the Almighty. He would go on to prepare their place in the hereafter!

Friends, there was indeed a master plan for the rescue of mankind, and Jesus, being omniscient, knew all the details ahead of time. Therefore he continued his ministry in Galilee. He would later return to Jerusalem for Passover, to complete God’s plan for mankind’s rescue.

Believes are the beneficiaries of God’s rescue plan!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Vast Eternal Plan!

For Friday, October 15, 2021

Isaiah 42:1 NLT: “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.”

In this scripture, Isaiah is writing God’s description of Jesus 700 years before Jesus came to earth. God’s vast eternal plan for our planet, for mankind and for our salvation has been in place for quite some time. And God is still on the throne, still in charge, and in spite of opposition, God always wins. No one can defeat heaven’s armies.

This same God doesn’t want anyone to perish. And so the plan from the beginning was for Jesus to be the propitiation for the inherent sin of mankind. On judgment day, those who trust the Lord will be rescued. Jesus has prepared a place for believers in eternity. God’s foresight is the reason we have hope!

Everything will be all right in the end, because God always wins!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Vast Eternal Plan!

For Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Galatians 1:4 NLT: “Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.”

God is omniscient – which means God knows everything. And God is not constrained by time like we are. Therefore from the very beginning of creation, God knew that mankind would let him down and that mankind would need rescuing.

Our Savior, God’s Son Jesus, was a part of God’s plan all along, and at just the right time God set his plan in motion. Jesus came to earth, taught about the Kingdom and healed many people. But I believe his final act was the main point of this mission. On the cross, Jesus became the sacrifice for mankind’s sins, giving us a chance to see heaven from the inside! He gave us an opportunity for an abundant life after this life if we choose to accept his generous offer.

God’s Vast Eternal Plan offers us hope!

Blessings to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Vast Eternal Plan!

 For Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Hebrews 1:3b NLT: “When Jesus had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”

I like the phrase, “God's Vast Eternal Plan!” God caused many things to happen in a specific order, one right after the other, the end result being our rescue. On the church calendar, we have begun the season of Advent, leading up to Christmas, the birth of Jesus. First came John the Baptist to herald the way for the Messiah Jesus, who eventually solved the problems of sin and death in the same day, so we could eventually join the Father in Heaven!

When we get to the pearly gates, we can point to Jesus and say, “I'm with that guy!” He sits just to the right of God Almighty! He'll greet us with open arms, and that Good News gives us hope!

Blessings and safety this week!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30^th Ave. S.

Minneapolis, MN 55406