Lost Son!

July 14, 2025, Monday Message:

Luke 15:11 NLT: “To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.”

Saturday, we talked about the lost sheep. Sunday was the lost coin. Did you guess that today would be about the lost son? If a fact in the Bible is very important, it will often be included twice, perhaps reworded just a bit, but restated for additional emphasis – so that we can “get” it. The sheep and the coin parables are about returning, about something being put back where it belonged. The lost son includes a factor not in the other stories – willful disobedience. Both repent and return were on Jesus’ agenda as he put forth this scenario.

We know this kid as the “Prodigal Son,” wastefully extravagant and quite full of himself. Growing up, he must have been a piece of work for the poor father. I doubt this was the first time he acted out his vainglorious tendencies.

In Hebrew tradition, if a father passed away, his eldest son would become the new patriarch, the one in charge of family business. Therefore, he would inherit everything. He would also shoulder the responsibility of caring for his siblings. That may not seem fair, but this was an agricultural economy. If the family farm was chopped up into little pieces, no one would have enough to survive. But together, they could all continue enjoying the success they’d known when dad was alive.

So when the younger son demanded, “I want my share of your estate now before you die,” he was totally out of line. He might as well have said, “Dad, I wish you were dead!” ‘A’, That’s a terrible thing to wish on your father, and ‘B’, He really didn’t have anything coming. His older brother would have been next in line.

Nonetheless, the father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons, which is why I call him the Prodigal Father – wastefully making bad decisions. The kid talked him into something that never should have happened.

This is getting long, so we’ll continue with Jesus’ parable tomorrow. Just remember that in the end, the Prodigal Son gives us a clear example of repent and return. The Bible says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. So just like the Prodigal Son, we all need to repent and return. It’s our only path to salvation!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Father's Day!

For Sunday, June 15, 2025:

Luke 15:20 NLT, Jesus speaking: “He (the Prodigal Son) returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

It’s not easy being a dad. The role of family patriarch requires love, forgiveness and patience. To say that this prodigal son was at odds with his father would be a huge understatement. He demanded his inheritance while good ol’ dad was still alive, which is like saying, “I wish you were dead!” When papa finally gave in, the son took off for the wine, women and song of the big city, hoping never to see his family again.

It didn’t work out so well. He was soon broke, and the country was experiencing a famine. No money and no food. This Jewish boy found himself accepting employment caring for pigs, unclean, non-kosher animals. He was so hungry that pig food started to look appetizing. The only solution would be to return home with his tail between his legs, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

Surprisingly, the father had been watching out the window, praying that the prodigal would come to his senses. This is where love, forgiveness and a bucketload of patience were required. The son was learning about repentance, while the father was practicing forgiveness. They were both working on reconciliation. It’s said that blood is thicker than water, and this son and his father both desired to rebuild their relationship. It wouldn’t have worked if both weren’t willing!

In many countries, today is Fathers’ Day, where we honor the patriarchs from all our families. Patriarchs put up with the prodigals. They never stop loving their wayward sons and daughters, praying that they all will repent and return.

Jesus said to think of God as our “Father” in heaven. We honor him with our worship. God watches out the window, hoping that each of his children will repent and return. He’s a patient God, offering forgiveness to all who will come home.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Fathers!

For Saturday, June 15, 2024:

Luke 15:23b-24 NLT, Father, upon the return of the prodigal son: “We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ And so the party began.”

Perhaps our Bibles title this section incorrectly. We know it as the Prodigal Son, the one who rebelled and ran away from home. But there is an older son, insanely jealous of all the prodigal had been given. He had no love for his brother, and any love he once had for his father was fading. Maybe he’s the one who needs to change! We could also rightfully title this The Loving, Compassionate and Forgiving Father. Let’s dig in to this.

Tomorrow is Father’s Day in the US, when we honor all those who are called Daddy! Remember that the Lord conceived our family system, a father and a mother who then procreate. They leave their parents to create this new family. There is a place for and specific necessary job descriptions for a father. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing a father absence crisis in the US.

Believe it or not, 1 in 4 US children live in a household without any kind of a father, without a patriarch to lead the way. Having no father in the home leads to more poverty, behavioral problems, teen pregnancy, abuse and neglect in the family, abuse of drugs and alcohol, and much more likely to drop out of school. Children with a missing parent are more susceptible to being led into crime, and stand an 82% chance of incarceration during their lifetime.

Bad fathering is hereditary. If your father came up short, then your fathering will likely mirror his actions. If our country is to survive, we need to break this cycle. Both children and their fathers need to return to their families. Families need to read their Bibles and return to church. Our nation needs to raise up the Lord to his rightful place of being central in our lives.

The sooner the better!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Prodigal Nation

Monday Message – July 6, 2020.

Luke 15:20 NLT, Jesus teaching the Prodigal Son parable: “The son returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

You’ve all probably heard the parable of the Prodigal Son, who asked for his inheritance ahead of schedule, then squandered it in foolish lifestyle, and finally returned home with his tail between his legs. In our story, the “father” is a metaphor for “God,” and the “prodigal son” could be any sinner wishing to repent and return.

But pretend with me that the “prodigal son” could be a metaphor for an entire nation, a country founded upon Godly principles, but that now had fallen into secularism, putting God on the back burner. God, of course being a loving and forgiving Father, desires that none would perish. He would want the entire nation to repent and return. And God would welcome them back with open arms!

Perhaps it’s time to re-prioritize God in our nation. That’s why we tell our friends about Jesus; that’s why we invite new people to our churches – to increase God’s presence! We’re trying to give God his rightful place on the throne of our nation!

Blessings as we begin this new week!

Pastor Norton

Jesus in the City Fellowship

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

Prodigal Father

June 15, 2020 Monday Message:

Jesus speaking, concluding the parable of the Prodigal Son: “He returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 NLT

The ultimate “repent and return” story has to be the Prodigal Son. This foolish son disrespected his father by asking for his share of the inheritance while the father was still alive. Then he abandoned the family business, went to the big city and squandered a fortune on wine, women and song.

When the money ran out, he was forced to accept employment tending pigs, unclean, un-kosher animals. He had reached his ‘bottom,’ realizing that the staff back home lived far better than he. Perhaps if he confessed his errant ways, his father would allow him to return as one of the servants.

The son returned home to do just that - and surprise! – the father saw him while he was still a long way off! Apparently the father had been watching for him, waiting for him, hoping against all odds that the son would come to his senses and return. The father never gave up on this rebellious, wayward kid. He wrapped him in a fine robe, put the family crest back on his finger, and invited everyone. “Let’s have a bar-b-cue and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found!”

This parable is about “repent and return,” but it’s every bit as much about the unconditional agape love the father has for each of his children. There is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven, and God is in the ‘second-chance’ business. He wants to include everyone!

I’ll be teaching Jesus calming the storm, Luke 8:22-25 on our Facebook Live Stream Wednesday 7pm. See you there!

God’s blessings on you - stay safe!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

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

The Father's Love

Sept. 2, 2019 Monday Message:

“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20b

Monday Message comes on Tuesday this week, as I was traveling back from the South Dakota State Fair, where on Sunday morning at 11am we led a Gospel Concert for about 400 people, and I got to deliver the message! We talked about the Prodigal Son parable, but this time the emphasis was on the Father – specifically the great love the Father had for his lost son.

The Bible says, “While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him…” which tells me the father had been watching, waiting and praying for the lost son. The father never gave up on this son. And as the repentant son was making his way back home, the father ran out of the house to meet him, put a fine robe around him, and once again give him the family ring, which was a seal allowing the son to buy, sell and otherwise do business in the family name.

“Bring the fattened calf and kill it – Let’s have a feast and celebrate! For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”

Of course in this parable, the father is Our Father in Heaven, and the Prodigal could be any one of us who backslides from time to time. The point is that the Father will always welcome you back with open arms. He has SO much love for us! In the Hebrew, it’s “khesed.” The Greeks called it “agapé love” – you may have heard of that – and the King James sometimes translates it as “everlasting lovingkindness.” We don’t really have an adequate word in our language to describe just how big God’s love is for us.

So no matter what’s gone wrong in your life, it’s not only OK to come back home, but it’s the right thing to do. The Father has been watching out the window, knowing that someday you’ll be coming up that road. He’s been expecting you!

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. This week’s message is all about Communion – see you at church!

Everyone Matters to God

Feb. 17, 2014 Monday Message:

Luke 15 is filled with 3 similar parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. Let’s look at the parallels.

In the Lost Sheep parable, the shepherd is God, and the lost sheep is us. In the Lost Coin, the woman represents God, and we are the lost coin. In the final story, the father is God, and you and I are the lost son.

Notice that what was missing in each story was something of great value. The shepherd, the woman and the father never stopped looking until what was lost was found again.

When the shepherd recovers the lost sheep, he calls his friends and neighbors to celebrate.

When the woman finds her lost coin, she calls her friends, saying, “Rejoice with me!”

When the father greets his wayward son, he orders the fatted calf butchered and the celebrating to begin. “This son of mine was dead and now has returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found!”

When what is lost becomes found, Jesus says it’s worthy of a celebration. One sinner repenting and returning puts heaven in party-mode. The Message says, “Count on it – that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” (Luke 15:10)

So you can see the trend: People far from God really matter to God.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, the Temple leaders question Jesus’ authority to teach. Pastor Michael Pilla moves us into Luke 20:1-8. See you at church!

Prodigal's Father

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Feb. 10, 2014 Monday Message:

 

“Filled with love and compassion, the father ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20b NLT)

We all know the prodigal son. He demanded his share of the inheritance while his father was still alive, wasted it all on wild living, and then eventually returned home hoping to become a servant for his father.

The story is an analogy; the people are not real, and none of this actually happened. Jesus uses this illustration to teach us. In the story, the prodigal son represents mankind. Like the prodigal son, all of us have fallen short of ideal living. The father in the story represents Father-God.

When he heard the prodigal was returning, the father could have just stayed in his house, waiting for the son to come to him, to apologize and humble himself. But that’s not how it happened.

The father, who loved his son and showed compassion on him, didn’t just walk, but RAN to him, hugged him, kissed him, put new shoes on his bare feet, a ring on his finger, and a suitable robe on his back. “Kill the fatted calf and call the neighbors – it’s time for a celebration!”

The Good News is that when you’re far from God, if you change your direction and take a step towards God, He won’t just sit there waiting. God will come running after you, give you a hug, and say, “Welcome back home!” And the angels will say, “Let’s celebrate!” each time a sinner returns.

Norton Lawellin

Join us for worship - Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week Jesus clears the Temple, as Pastor Michael Pilla continues our study in Luke 19. See you at church!

Closer to God

August 06, 2012 Monday Message:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!.” 1 John 3:1a TNIV

In the Hebrew tradition, a person’s spiritual walk is described as their position relative to God. If a person is living a wild life of sin, they are said to be “far from God.” But if that person repents, prays and worships, they are thought to be “closer to God.”

Does God love you more when you’re closer than when you’re farther away? No, God calls all followers of Jesus his children, and it’s unconditional, agape love that he has for them. God’s children may sometimes disappoint, but God-the-Father never stops loving.

If you’ve fallen away, become “far from God,” you don’t need to earn back God’s love – it never left! Just repent and return, and the Father who always loves you will welcome you back with open arms.

He may even throw a “welcome home” party in your honor, you prodigal.

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, Aug. 12, Jesus in the City Fellowship worships in the Oliver Ministry building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am. Pastor Michael continues our journey with Dr. Luke.