Pentecost!

June 2, 2025, Monday Message:

Acts 2:1 NLT: “On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place.”

The Jewish Pentecost, 50 days after Passover or Pesach, celebrated the upcoming harvest. Also known as the Festival of Weeks, it occurred seven weeks after Passover. Most Christian churches celebrate Pentecost this coming Sunday, so let’s have a look!

The first Christian Community, known as The Way, were a tight-knit bunch. They had all been eyewitnesses to the many healings and other miracles performed by Jesus. They had watched him die on the cross, and yet rise from the grave three days later. Their eyes did not lie; they were 100% committed to the fact that Jesus was God’s Heaven-sent Son.

Opposing The Way were the Roman government and Jewish leadership. Caesar claimed to be god and didn’t like any competition. He taxed all who lived there. The Temple priests and Pharisees led religious matters in the region, and they intended to keep that power. Tithes were brought to the Temple or a local Synagogue, and those leaders didn’t like the idea of tithes going anywhere else. In both cases, it was all about power and money!

So believers met privately in secret places that only they knew. They lived in fear of both opposing groups. This “togetherness” gave them fellowship and a sense of community and safety. When God decided it was time to make his move, he found the believers all together in one place, their minds on the same page, all willing to pull in the same direction. This seemingly residual team would be the start of something big – the birthday of the church! What an exciting day! Don’t you wish you could have been there?

Each of us can help with church growth nowadays. Just invite someone to come to church with you. Offer to pick them up! That’s what Jesus said we should do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Trick Question!

For Thursday, February 15, 2024:

Mark 12:13 NLT: “They sent to Him (Jesus) some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.”

Public opinion favored Jesus. People had seen the miracles and witnessed the healings. His popularity was unquestioned, which angered the Pharisees, the muckety-mucks of the Jewish religion, and the Herodians, the muckety-mucks of the government. These two groups formed an unlikely alliance for the sole purpose of quashing Jesus’ progress. They questioned Jesus, hoping for a slip of the tongue that would convict him either of blasphemy or disloyalty to Herod. The test question was, “Shall we pay, or shall we not pay taxes to Caesar?”

Jesus examined a denarius and inquired as to the image on the coin. It was Caesar. He answered. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The critics marveled at Jesus’ answer!

Jesus is saying that it takes both. There are practical needs for life on earth like roads, police and armies – things totally separate from any religious obligation. And our tithing to God is separate from any government, as it should be.

Trying to catch Jesus in a misstatement is always a bad idea. He always has a perfect answer!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Freedom!

For Tuesday, July 4, 2023:

Galatians 5:1 GNT: “Freedom is what we have—Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again.”

Jesus taking away mankind’s sins freed us from living under God’s Laws. Understand that there was nothing wrong with God’s Laws. But instead of loving God, loving our neighbor and being joyful, religion had become rules and regulations. And the Pharisees were concerned only with enforcement of their rules, some Godly and some man-made. Jesus threw out that old system and showed us grace, the free gift of eternal salvation because of our faith. Nothing we can do earns our salvation; Jesus did all the work!

Today we celebrate freedom in our country, July 4^th, when the colonies declared their independence from England. But the 13 colonies were forming their own alliance which would come with its own rules and obligations. Now 50 states united and with a 23 trillion dollar economy, our free country has become more complex. At least our representative government holds elections. We don’t have a king or a dictator for life.

Even Jesus knew the necessity and value of a central government, telling us to give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s. But friends, separate your earthly life from your eternal life. This life will soon be over, but we have been given the opportunity to choose Jesus as our eternal Lord and savior.

Thank God we have the freedom to choose Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Psalms 72 - Pray for Our Leaders

November 28, 2016 Monday Message:

“Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son.” Psalms 72:1 NLT

This ancient prayer for a country’s leader and the country’s next leader is as relevant today as it was for King David and his son Solomon 3,000 years ago.

Without regard for political affiliations, we should always pray that God’s value system would be the moral compass guiding our leaders. We need honest, truthful leaders, who live out their lives as if Jesus was watching – because he is watching! God has no time for those who cannot be honest, who cannot tell the truth.

God will also test the compassion of his leaders, wanting them to love their country and its residents just as Jesus loved everyone. Heaven wants leaders to love all their neighbors without constantly asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus already answered that, by saying that your neighbor may not look like you or speak like you or dress like you. Jesus said to be nice to pretty much everybody, unless they give you reason to do otherwise.

Because the out-going and the in-coming administrations in the US are so different, is perhaps the best reason to pray for God’s hand on all of this.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets at the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30am. This Sunday, Advent 2, Dec. 4, 2016, Pastor Pilla teaches about the birth of Jesus foretold.

Psalm 51 - Happy Independence Day!

July 04, 2016 Monday Message:

“Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalms 51:2 NIV

Happy Independence Day!

The early settlers in Plymouth, MA, both Pilgrims and Puritans, left their homeland to worship “their” way, and were quite rigid in their beliefs.

But in 1635, Plymouth banished dissident Roger Williams, who eventually settled in Providence, RI, and this is where “Freedom of Religion” first manifested itself in the US.

One of the best forms of government is the Benevolent Dictatorship, the key being “benevolent.” King David was such a leader for Israel. But even the best, handpicked leaders can mess up sometimes, and David really messed up with the Bathsheba incident. Nathan the prophet held David accountable for his actions, and Psalm 51 is thought to be David’s confession before the Lord.

Nowadays our political leaders mess up all the time – not a good situation. This will be a most interesting year as the US selects a new leader for our next four years.

Here’s the situation: Some in Washington are trying their best to indict Hillary Clinton over her email fiasco. Meanwhile, every time Donald Trump opens his mouth, he seems to stick his foot in it! Perhaps a third-party candidate will emerge, hopefully one carrying no baggage. Pray that whoever rises to the top will turn to the Lord.

In spite of its faults, thank God that we are living in the greatest nation ever! God bless the USA!

“Create in my a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10

Norton Lawellin

Come worship with us! This Sunday, July 10, 2016, Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) worships in our new location, the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30am. We continue our study in Romans 13.