Miracle Babies!

For Saturday, November 22, 2025:

Luke 1:26 NLT: “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary.”

God was about to deliver a son to Zechariah and Elizabeth, a most unlikely situation. He openly admits that he’s quite old, and she’s well past childbearing years. Only God! As Gabriel instructed, they’ll name him John. We know him as John-the-Baptist.

In a separate, seemingly unrelated event, Gabriel is sent to visit Mary in Nazareth. Yes, our Mary! She was married to Joseph, but marriage was different back then. The husband would leave to arrange a place to live and find a job or start a business. The wife would begin gathering (or making) domestic things the new family would need: clothing, cooking supplies, household items. When everything was in order, the husband would return for his wife, and the two would begin their new life together. Mary and Joseph were still in that “prep” stage; they had not yet come together.

As usual, the angel says, “Be not afraid! You are favored by God!” He further explains, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asks, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God!”

Then Gabriel drops this bombshell, which ties the events together: “Your cousin Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. The word of God will never fail!”

Remember, Mary’s husband wasn’t living with her yet. So she decided to stay with her relative for a time. They could help each other through their pregnancies and share dreams for their new babies, both under God’s watchful eye!

Some of the most eventful times in Christian history are about to unfold. Christmas is coming!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Sadducee Errors!

For Friday, October 10, 2025:

Luke 20:27 NLT: “Next, Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead.”

Apparently, the Sadducees were taking their queue from the Pharisees, trying to coerce Jesus into making a statement that would dethrone him. It’s safe to say that at that time, no one in religious authority had anything good to say about Jesus. They had religion all worked out in their minds. There was orderliness to their sacrificial system, and Jesus was rocking the boat with this New Covenant idea. But trying to trap him was futile. Jesus knew all the right answers!

The Sadducees (who didn’t believe in an afterlife) presented Jesus the following scenario: If a husband died, the custom was for his brother to marry the widow and father a son with her to carry on the deceased brother’s line. In their example, the men kept dying. There were seven brothers in all, so their question was, “In the afterlife, whose wife would she be?” After all, she was legitimately married to all seven, but at different times.

Jesus clarified what things would be like in the life after this life. “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” And one more thing: “They will never die again. In this respect, they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.”

Jesus wanted the Sadducees to realign their thinking. Believe not what you’ve decided – believe only the truth Jesus taught, truth from the Bible. Christians should already be aligned with their Savior! Christians are God’s children. Jesus said so!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Family!

For Sunday, December 15, 2024:

Deuteronomy 5:18 NKJV, God’s words: “You shall not commit adultery.”

God joins one woman and one man. Together, they form a new family unit. “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (separate).” Mark 10:9

Historically, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so he created woman. It’s worked out well. A special bond between the couple makes life better for each. We can now have children to perpetuate the human race and give us “families.”

Women and men are remarkably similar and yet distinctly different. They are not interchangeable. God’s way is the best way to live our lives!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Marriage!

For Wednesday, April 24, 2024:

Colossians 3:18-19 NLT: “18: Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. 19: Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.”

In my experience, these two verses take the #1 spot for creating angst in the reader. Usually the problem is lifting one verse out of context without considering the other. But just like a marriage requires two people, these two verses describing a Christian marriage are designed to fit together.

Let’s get one thing straight: Submission doesn’t imply slavery. Submission means you are part of a group, part of a team. Both husband and wife have agreed to play on the family team. So if the family is a team, the husband is the “designated leader” of the team, but only because the wife grants him that position. The wife has her place alongside the “leader,” and the children have their place in relation to the leader and the wife.

The wife enjoys being on the team because she is loved by her husband who treats her well, who respects her. The Christian husband puts his wife up on a pedestal, and seeing her there brings him joy! The two love one another “as is fitting in the Lord.”

God invented this partnership, so we know that it works!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Lord Saves!

For Sunday, December 4, 2022:

Matthew 1:21 NLT, Angel speaking to Joseph: “Mary will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Two thousand years ago, when a man and woman started a new marriage, the groom went away and made plans to add a wife into his life. He’d need a place for them to live, furniture and a way to make a living. The bride went away to gather household items – clothing, dishes and cooking utensils. They had not yet consummated the marriage. When all was prepared, the groom would return to take his wife to their new home.

During this time of separation, Mary became pregnant. Any man would be suspicious at this point, but the angel reassured Joseph: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ‘Jesus’ means ‘the Lord saves!’ This event was foretold in Isaiah, saying the baby would also be known as “Immanuel,” which means ‘God with us!’

Jesus coming to earth set in motion God’s plan for mankind’s redemption. His desire is that none would perish. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

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