Way, Truth, Life!

For Friday, September 26, 2025:

John 14:6 NLT: Jesus told Thomas and the others, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Everything Jesus ever said was true. Everything he prophesied came to be. Why would this statement be any different? Jesus is a walking example of truth!

I’ve had people tell me that choice of religion doesn’t matter. They’re wrong! Many religions seem similar, encouraging their congregants to lead good lives, be helpful and kind, to be the ‘right’ kind of people. They think that most everybody will wind up in heaven, but that’s not what Jesus said.

Good behavior alone won’t get people into heaven. The hereafter isn’t something that people can earn or buy. Life-after-this-life is grace, a free gift, given to those who call Jesus “Lord.” Think of it as the inclusion of family members. Jesus is God’s Son, and believers are his disciples. Christians show love and kindness out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us, not to earn heaven-points! You can’t work your way into heaven!

This fact differentiates Christianity from all the false religions of the world. Many hate us because of our preaching that Jesus is the only way. Jesus also prophesied that the world would hate us because of this, and again, he’s right!

Jesus is the only ‘way’ to afterlife in God’s Kingdom. ‘Truth’ is his middle name. And ‘life’ refers to eternal life, only possible with the Son. “No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Cock-a-doodle-doo!!!

For Thursday, September 18, 2025:

John 13:36 NLT: “Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”

Jesus gave Peter an answer, but the answer didn’t fit the question. In this exchange, Jesus never said where he was going. Jesus wisely avoided topics that most people wouldn’t understand. Remember that at that time, there was debate over life-after-this-life. Pharisees thought it was possible, but didn’t know much about it. Sadducees didn’t believe in a hereafter, so it was a dead topic with them. Jesus knew exactly what was to happen, but the true scenario would seem impossible to most people. Dying, going to the place of the dead, back to life in 3 days – doesn’t seem logical. Doesn’t seem possible!

Jesus challenges Peter with a prophecy: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Simon Peter – I call him Mr. Impulsive – shouts out, “Not me, Lord! I would never forsake you. I would be willing to die for you!” Dying in support of Jesus would be good, but dying unnecessarily would be bad.

In the courtyard: “Didn’t I see you with Jesus earlier today?”

Peter: “Nah, couldn’t have been me. You got the wrong guy!”

In the courtyard: “I think I recognize you. Aren’t you one of the 12?”

Peter: “You’re thinking of someone else. I’m from out of town!”

In the courtyard: “You were talking to Jesus earlier, over by the fire.”

Peter: “You keep talking about Jesus. I’ve never even met the guy!”

Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo!!!

Some folks call Peter a coward or say that he abandoned Jesus. Yes, he saved his own skin, but I prefer to line that up with God’s vast eternal plan. You see, God had already earmarked Peter to lead the disciples following the resurrection. He was the point-person for the first Christian church, The Way. Peter needed to stay alive to do the work God had given him to do! God gave Peter purpose.

If you’re not dead, you’re not done! Peter lived to fulfill God’s purpose for his existence. We all live to fulfill God’s purpose for us. We can love our neighbors, serve others, love our Lord and encourage others to love him too. That’s our mission; that’s our assignment.

Without purpose, it may be our time to leave the planet. (Just my opinion.)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Forgiveness!

For Friday, April 25, 2025:

Luke 24:47b NLT, Jesus speaking: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.”

Since Jesus offers forgiveness, we should repent and return to the Lord. Repent and return – those words should just roll off our tongues. Say it with me: “Repent and return!” When sins can be forgiven, that changes everything. Forgiveness of sin is a good starting place, but now let’s consider what’s possible following that.

For one thing, if you are without sin, you can live in the presence of the Lord. Sin is disobedience or disrespect for God. Therefore, sin and God never exist in the same place. But if your sins are not just forgiven, but blotted out as if they’d never occurred, you would be deemed suitable for heavenly residence, for a life after this life in the Kingdom! It’s either that or the lake of fire – pick one!

In my mind (and only in my mind), our afterlife unfolds like this. We approach the pearly gates, and they’re surprised to see us! “You lived on earth, where scripture says that ALL have sinned. What could you be thinking?”

I ask them to check the Book of Life one more time, and voilà, there’s my name! Now go across to the column marked ‘sin.’ Surprisingly, it’s completely blank! Nothing erased, no scratch-outs, just blank white space! Turns out that I qualify! Jesus personally paid the penalty for my iniquities. I’ve been redeemed! Meet me inside the pearly gates!

Yes, forgiveness changes everything – for the better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

No Ghosts!

For Thursday, April 24, 2025:

Luke 24:36 NLT: “Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among the disciples. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said.”

The disciples and those gathered with them thought they were seeing a ghost! In a way, they were right, a ghost supposedly being a dead person appearing to the living. But Jesus had not returned to haunt or frighten the faithful. His appearance was proving God’s scriptures to be correct!

Jesus told them, “Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” Ghosts are pictured as wispy aberrations, whereas Jesus stood before them with a complete body. “Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me.”

After the crucifixion, Jesus was called to teach one more Godly principle: that death is not the end. It can be the beginning of an exceptional eternal afterlife in the presence of the Father. We call it Heaven or God’s Kingdom.

Growing up, we all sang, “Jesus loves me.” God loves mankind so much that he wants us to spend eternity with him. God could have chosen anything, but he settled on mankind to be his companions. Believers will have been spared the pain and suffering of hell!

Thank you to God and his Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Lies!

For Wednesday, March 20, 2024:

Mark 14:56 NLT: “Many false witnesses spoke against Jesus, but they contradicted each other.”

The trial of Jesus was bogus. The outcome had been decided before the trial began! The ministry of Jesus had been a thorn in the side of the Sanhedrin, who wanted to put an end to this matter.

The leading priests, religious teachers and high council of the temple didn’t know as much about God, heaven and the Torah as Jesus. It made them appear inadequate. Large crowds would gather to hear Jesus teach truths they’d never heard before, and quite a number believed him! Before Jesus, the pecking order at the Temple was set in stone, but now Jesus was disrupting everything. Temple loyalty was being divided. “But,” thought the Temple leaders, “if Jesus was eliminated, it would be easy to once again rein in the populous!”

The only good thing to come of all this is that it was fulfilling Jesus’ mission on earth. It was completing God’s vast eternal plan. At the end, from the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” His mission was finished; his task completed; his goal accomplished. Jesus would take the sins of the world to the place of the dead, leaving those who repent and return forgiven, acceptable for an afterlife in the presence of their creator.

That’s why it’s called, “Good Friday!” It’s the day mankind was given a second chance! It’s the day mankind was rescued!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Winners!

For Sunday, April 25, 2021

2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

As believers, we have a great deal of confidence in the life after this life, when our spirit (our essence, our soul) goes to live with the Lord. Everything will be different, but it will be awesome!

When your address is “Heaven,” there is no sickness, no disease, no pain and no suffering. Satan cannot gain a stronghold in the presence of the Lord! We know who wins! For a time, Satan will try to do business on earth, but those days are coming to an end. You have a Bible – flip to the end and see who wins!

Stick with the winning team!

Blessings and safety this Sunday!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Hope for All!

For Thursday, November 5, 2020 

Romans 5:2 GNT: “Jesus has brought us by faith into this experience of God's grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God's glory!”

When we made our decision to call Jesus our Savior, we were adopted into God’s Holy Family. We became like sisters and brothers of Jesus. We acquired this free gift through our faith in Jesus. 

Since we have been saved by grace through faith, we also have hope. Jesus assured us of a glorious life after this life in the presence of the Lord, and it doesn’t get any better than that!

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus! And he told us to share that Good News with everyone, so they could have hope too! 

Blessings and safety to you all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Hope!

For Friday, July 31, 2020.

John 6:69 NLT – Simon Peter speaking: “We believe, and we know you (Jesus) are the Holy One, Son of God.”

You’ve probably heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” meaning that when conditions become difficult, strong people take action.

Unfortunately, the opposite oftentimes occurs. When the going gets tough, a lot of people jump ship! Only the truly dedicated, the true believers remain loyal to the end.

Jesus, fully God and fully man, became frustrated with the crowd who followed only to see the miracles. Jesus needed to be known for who he was, not just what he did. He was teaching about the Kingdom and eternal life, things of substance, whereas the crowd shouted for one more chapter in the miracle show, something immediately helpful but with no eternal significance.

But as many others were forsaking Jesus, the Holy Spirit gave Simon Peter the right answer. “You (Jesus) are the Messiah, the Christ, Son of the Living God!” I believe God put that in the Bible so that we ALL could know the right answer and have the same assurance of salvation Peter knew. We not only have hope in this life – we have hope for the life after this life!

Blessings and safety to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Tuesday July 7

For Tuesday, July 7, 2020.

Hebrews 10:23 CEV: “We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us.”

We are saved by grace through faith, and the result is hope. The same God that rescued us – granted us eternal life in the presence of the Father – is also the author of hope!

So the eternal question isn’t, “Will I live forever?”

The real question should be, “Where will you be spending your time?” Will you be in the presence of God, or separated from God?

Jesus said that he would go ahead and prepare a place for each of the believers. I put my faith and hope for the future in him. We can trust the one who made the agreement with us. There is no one better!

Blessings and protection for everyone!

Pastor Norton

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

The Good Shepherd

Sept. 17, 2018 Monday Message:

“I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Psalms 73:3 NIV

Sometimes it seems like life isn’t fair. Sometimes evil prospers and good people have a rough go of it. That seems backwards. Asaph, in Psalm 73, says he almost slipped and lost his foothold when he became envious of the wicked. Here’s what the wicked looked like: “Always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.” Sounds enticing, right?

But our accounts with God are not settled here on earth. When we die, we move on to the next reality. We come to a time of judgment, and here God evens things out. He will separate the sheep from the goats. The goats go into the lake of fire, and the (Christian) sheep get to go with the Good Shepherd, Jesus.

The Bible says that those who narcissisticly cling to their earthly amassings have already received their reward. Typically life ends in fewer than 100 years. But Christians receive a much better heavenly blessing – living in the presence of the Father - which lasts forever and ever!

God always wins!

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. We’ll be checking out the minor prophet Amos. See you at church!

Psalms 139 - God the Creator

April 30, 2018 Monday Message:

“Lord, see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:24 NIV

It seems that as people get older, they become more concerned with things eternal. God, formerly on the back burner, suddenly becomes the hot topic of the day.

But God isn’t just there for you in your final days; He’s been there from your beginning. “You, God, created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Ps. 139:13

Did God do a good job? Yes! “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Ps. 139:14

God wants you to walk with him 24/7, from before your birth until after your death.

And get ready - there IS life after this life – Jesus said so! He personally conquered sin and death on the same day!

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, May 6, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM, when I’ll begin our sermon series in Hebrews. See you at church.

Married in Heaven?

Oct. 28, 2013 Monday Message:

We’re getting close to the end of the top 10 questions about Christianity/heaven. #9 asks, “Will I be married in heaven? Will I recognize my spouse?”

People seem to have strong feeling about this. I think it depends upon which answer they are seeking!

When the Sadducees were trying to trick Jesus, they asked, “If a guy has 6 or 7 wives and dies and goes to heaven, which one is he married to?” (Deep down they know that having only one wife is preferable.)

Jesus replied: “You are mistaken not knowing the scriptures or the power of God. For in the resurrection, for eternity, heaven, they neither marry or are given in marriage…” (Matt. 22:29) So while Jesus says that there are no NEW marriages in heaven, what he’s really saying is, “You guys just don’t get it – you don’t have a clue how heaven operates!”

As God shuts down heaven and earth to make the NEW Heaven and the NEW Earth, the old-earth model will become obsolete. Paul counsels the Corinthians: “The time that remains is very short. Do not become attached to the things (ways) of the world, for the world as we know it will soon pass away.” (1 Cor. 7:29b, 31)

Therefore ALL the human things, our ways of operating in the human systems, are not going to be part of heaven. We can’t pile up a bunch of things that won’t be needed where we’re going.

So while marriage isn’t necessarily obsolete in heaven, it appears that marriage will no longer occupy such a high place on our agenda, because earthly needs for marriage will not exist. Man will not need a helper. Woman will not need a protector. There’s no procreation; no new people are born in heaven.

Now, a marriage that’s working well is a beautiful thing. The relationship between the man and the woman is special – even extra-special – and you should be able to relate to your spouse in unique ways, better than with anyone else on earth.

And here’s the new deal – in the next life, ALL relationships will be perfect, just like marriage, only better. Everyone has the same agenda – to worship and serve the Lord. Everyone is honest and trustworthy. All of a sudden, everyone is on the same page, going in a good direction, and really, really happy about it. You’ll meet your spouse in heaven, you’ll know him or her, but the things of heaven will be just as captivating as a wonderful marriage relationship is here on earth.

We’ll ALL be infatuated – not so much with each other – but with being in the presence of God! After all, the church is the bride of Christ, and that’s the wedding we all want to celebrate!

Norton Lawellin

Join us as Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This Sunday, Nov. 03, we learn that Jesus healed 10, but only one returned to say thanks. What’s with the other 9? (Luke 17:11-19)

See you at church!

NL