Second Coming!

November 20, 2023 Monday Message:

John 4:28-29 NLT: “The woman (at the well) left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?’”

We need to be more excited! We need to show more enthusiasm! This woman left her water jar, RAN full tilt back to the village, told EVERYONE what had happened, and posed the question, “Could he possibly be the Messiah?” She caught their curiosity!

Remember that these people are Samaritans, not Jews, but they knew the scriptures promising the arrival of a Messiah. They had been watching and waiting, anticipating Jesus coming to earth. They were expecting a Savior, a Redeemer! Could this man be the one?

I heard a pastor say that he believes we are in the last days. Jesus gave the disciples many signs that would point to the end of the world as we know it. We are seeing many of those signs right now. I heard another pastor say that he believes we are in the end times of the end times! The Kingdom of God is at hand!

If the return of Jesus doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will. We should not walk but instead RUN to our friends, our relatives, our co-workers and the corners of the earth to share the Good News with everyone! Turn on the excitement! Turn up the enthusiasm! This event will be the most important thing that ever happens in your life! With each passing day, we’re one day closer to Jesus’ second coming!

More tomorrow! Blessings!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Worship in Spirit!

For Friday, May 12, 2023:

John 4:23 NLT, Jesus speaking: “The time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”

Jesus is wrapping up his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. Traditionally, Jews did not speak with “unclean” Samaritans, although they’re distant cousins who worshiped the same God. Samaritans didn’t know as much about the Lord, but nowadays we would call them “seekers,” eager to learn more. Jews, on the other hand, knew more about God, but had construed worship as obeying a series of commands. They ignored the scripture about loving the Lord and loving their neighbor. They weren’t counting on God’s extreme love for mankind, so much so that he would send his Son to personally redeem us!

Jesus further explains: “God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” We too are spirit; our human bodies are temporary. When our bodies decay, it is our soul, our eternal spirit that lives on to worship God-the-spirit. So program your spirit to worship God’s spirit!

The Samaritan woman inquires about a coming Messiah, to which Jesus responds, “I am.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

I Am!

For Tuesday, July 19, 2022:

John 4:25-26 NLT: “The woman at the well said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”

Jesus asked the Samaritan woman at the well for a drink. Traditionally, Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other. The Jews considered Samaritans impure and spiritually off track, but in fact they were cousins. Samaritans still worshiped God Almighty and were waiting for the promised Messiah, to which Jesus replied, “I am, the one speaking to you.”

Jesus pushed prejudice aside. He stayed another two days in Samaria teaching about God and the Kingdom, and many Samaritans became believers. This is Jesus proving that his forgiveness of your past and his promise of salvation are for ALL people! You and I are included!

The Savior of the world is for ALL the world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

All are Welcome

Jan. 26, 2015 Monday Message:

“Our ancestors worshiped on this (Samarian) mountain, but the Jews claim we must worship in Jerusalem.” John 4:20

Jerusalem was the capitol of southern Israel, while Samaria was the headquarters for northern Israel. At one point, they had all been Jews, brothers and sisters. But Samaria was invaded from the north, and some Samaritans had inter-married with the conquerors. Even so, they’re probably all still cousins!

So in God’s eyes, just how different are the Samaritans from the Jews, and does that difference matter? Jesus set the record straight that day. Jesus said that the day is coming when all believers will worship in Spirit and in Truth, for God is spirit. And worshiping God is always better than failing to worship God, regardless of where you are. Surprisingly, the woman at the well, in spite of her past, was still seeking the Lord, and Jesus offered her Living Water, so she would never thirst again.

That’s how Jesus did it. While the path to salvation was first shown through the Hebrew people, they are called to be a light to the world, sharing God’s Good News with all. Jesus didn’t exclude the woman at the well because she looked, spoke, acted or dressed differently. He forgave her past sins. In fact, Jesus stepped far away from tradition to make sure the woman and the people of Samaria were included.

ALL are welcome at church – that’s the way Jesus did it.

See you on Sunday!

Norton Lawellin

Special note: This Sunday, Feb. 1, we’ll be combining our worship service with Victory Christian Church, 3500 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, 55406. So our service will be in their building that week. It willl be a great day – we always go “all out” when worshiping with our Christian brothers and sisters. Mark your calendars and call your friends!

The Source is Jesus!

April 02, 2012 Monday Message:

In John 4, the woman at the well had three strikes against her.

1. The woman was a Samaritan. Even though Samaritans and Jews were cousins, they’d never openly admit it, remaining dedicated segregationists. Jesus broke these rules, thereby breaking down cultural barriers and later reinforcing the principle with his Good Samaritan parable. The Good News is for ALL people!

2. She was a woman. At that time, Jewish men would begin their morning prayers by thanking God for making them male. Rabbis wouldn’t teach the law to women, but here was Jesus - speaking spiritual truths - to a woman – a Samaritan woman! Thankfully, Christianity follows the example of our Savior.

3. She had gone through five husbands, and was now living with a potential number six. Her community considered her immoral, keeping her separate.

What does Jesus do with an immoral, ostracized Samaritan of the opposite sex? He gives her another chance, a do-over.

After sharing her water from the well, Jesus teaches that HE is the LIVING water! The woman has heard that a Messiah is coming, and Jesus replies, “I am He, the One speaking to you.” John 4:26

So ironically, this woman, a Samaritan with a questionable past, is the one person equipped by Jesus to bring the Good News to her people.

What about you? What about your church? Do you expect all the Good News to come from official channels, from organized religion? Or would you make time for the ministry of someone with a checkered past?

If the woman at the well arrived with Good News, would YOU listen? Realize that the source isn’t the woman at the well – the source is Jesus!

Norton Lawellin