Resurrection Sunday – Easter!

For Resurrection Sunday, April 5, 2026:

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Matthew 28:6 NLT, an Angel speaking: “Jesus isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.”

According to Jewish tradition of that time, women would prepare a body for its final resting place. So it’s logical that Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons, would be the first to show up, along with the other Mary, mother of James and Joseph. They had been frightened by a sound like an earthquake, made by this gigantic angel descending to earth and rolling away the humongous stone from the tomb. The angel sat on the stone, as if to make a point!

By this time, most believers had given up. Jesus died three days ago. We saw the spear in his side. We watched as his limp body was placed in the tomb. No one person could move the stone sealing the burial place. Besides, it was being guarded by Pilate’s soldiers.

When the women arrived to tend to the body, they were confronted by the angel sitting on the stone that no one could move. “Don’t be afraid!” he said, always an angel’s first words. You should know that angels aren’t those cute little figurines that you see at Hallmark. ‘Angel Army of Heaven’ would be a better way to put it. Big, hairy audacious angels. (I don’t know if they’re hairy; it just sounded cool…) “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.” Mark this down as one more time that prophecy turned out to be true, that Jesus’ words were synonymous truth!

The angel further instructs the women: “Now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.”

The women took off immediately, but suddenly encountered Jesus along the way. “Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

Jesus conquered sin and death with the same event! Repentant believers are snatched from Satan’s hand and granted eternal life in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom. And death is not the end. Believers are born again!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Believe the Eyewitnesses!

For Thursday, February 5, 2026:

Mark 16:14 NLT: “Jesus later appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.”

That Jesus would appear to the remaining 11 disciples. This should have removed all doubt concerning his resurrection. They could all see him and hear him speak. Unfortunately, he spoke a chastisement for their previous unbelief!

Jesus previously told them that he had to leave, but would come back for them. Prophets long ago had said that the Messiah would be persecuted, suffer and die. God saw to it that the disciples knew everything in advance. They were warned! But when it actually happened – when Jesus was crucified – they didn’t believe they’d ever see him again. They could not fathom their spiritual mentor dying a human death. And in their experience, once someone died, that was final.

But not for Jesus! He took another 40 days before ascending to God’s heavenly Kingdom. In that length of time, hundreds could have seen the risen Jesus! By then, life after this life should be known by all. “Should be...” The reality is that most didn’t understand what was taking place and tended to dismiss what they had seen with their own two eyes! It’s hard to convince people of conclusions that differ from their personal experiences!

Evangelists fight this same battle daily, trying to coax faith from unbelievers. Remember that Jesus said, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” So believe! Be blessed by the Messiah!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Risen!

     For Tuesday, February 3, 2026:

Mark 16:9, 11 NLT: “After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. But when she told the disciples that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.”

Thus begins the longer ending of this Gospel. I suspect some writers assumed that once the tomb was empty, the story was complete. Not quite! There will be another 40 days to document. As Paul Harvey used to say, “the r-r-r-rest of the story.” Yes, the tomb was empty, but even more important is the fact that Jesus was alive! People could see him, hear him and follow him around. He proved that there is life after this life.

Before Jesus, Mary Magdalene was a tough case. After all, she was occupied by seven demons. But once freed from Satan’s influence, she quickly assumed the role of “most loyal to Jesus,” sort of a female equivalent of Simon Peter. It actually makes sense that she would be the first to see the risen Christ.

Notice the order in which Jesus did things. Before healing, teaching or including her in the group, he cast out her demons, all seven of them. Wow! She must have been a mess! But Satan’s minions have no power over the name of Jesus. We should learn from what Jesus did. He said believers should use his name!

Humans tend to believe what we expect to see. Our minds fulfill our expectations. In this case, the disciples had watched as Jesus died on the cross, was pierced with a spear, and then laid in a grave. So when Magdalene said she saw Jesus alive, she was doubted.

But it turned out that she was right. When Jesus called out, “Mary,” she knew his voice. Are you familiar enough with Jesus that if he called out your name, you’d recognize His voice?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Eyewitnesses!

For Tuesday, April 29, 2025:

Mark 16:9 longer ending, NLT: “After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Did you ever notice that Jesus often casts out demons as he restores a person? Their healing will proceed better and faster if demons aren’t standing in the way. Demons are the devil’s workers, sent to disrupt our lives and divert our attention from the Lord. Indwelt by seven demons, Mary Magdalene must have been a mess! But with the demons out of the way, she became a loyal disciple of Jesus.

So after the crucifixion, it makes perfect sense that Mary Magdalene would be among the first group visiting the tomb, to prepare the body for long-term burial. We know how the story unfolds. When the women arrived, they found the stone rolled away and Jesus’ body missing. In fact, he had been resurrected, risen from the dead. Jesus had told everyone that things would play out this way, but never having seen this before, the disciples didn’t understand.

Mary lingered behind in the garden outside Jesus’ tomb. She assumed the man there was the gardener until he spoke, “Mary.” She answered, “Rabboni,” which means teacher. Mary ran straightaway back to where they had all been staying, and told the men what had happened, that Jesus was alive. As a group they didn’t believe her, but the ever-curious Simon Peter had to see for himself. John joined in and eventually won the footrace to the tomb. They saw for themselves what the women had experienced – stone rolled away and body missing! The risen Jesus would later visit the disciples who would come to believe.

What happened that day was so unusual that at first even the disciples didn’t believe the eyewitnesses. They eventually believed, especially after Jesus visited them! As the disciples evangelized, it was a difficult story for unbelievers to swallow, but it’s a major plank in our theology platform. It must be taught convincingly. Our eyewitnesses are from 2,000 years ago!

The world thinks death is the end. Believers know it’s the beginning of eternal life in God’s Kingdom!

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

He is Risen!

Happy Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025:

John 20:8-9 NLT: “The disciple (John) who had reached the tomb before Simon Peter also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.”

To the Jews – even those who had been with Jesus – this “rising from the dead” was something new. They’d heard talk about it, but it was sort of like a fable or a fairy tale. No one had actually been an eyewitness to a well-known public figure having a second life. That’s about to change!

Mary Magdalene, first to arrive at Jesus’ tomb Sunday morning, noticed the stone had been rolled away. Simon Peter and John began a foot race to get to the tomb. John arrived next and saw the linen wrappings lying there, empty. Then Simon Peter then entered and saw the head wrapping, folded up neatly, separate from the other grave clothes. No doubt about it – Jesus had gone missing!

Mary then encountered two white-robed angels at the head and foot of where the body had once lain. “They have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him.”

Now Mary knew Jesus as well as anyone, but when a voice in the garden addressed her, she didn’t recognize him. After all, the last time she saw him, he was certified dead. But it turns out this was Jesus, now risen from the dead! “Mary,” verbalized the gardener, and then she knew.

“Rabboni!” she cried out, which means “Teacher.”

Jesus appeared to more than 500 people total, on at least 12 different occasions, including Apostles, disciples and other believers. These are the eyewitnesses who would go on to testify that in fact the once dead Jesus had risen again! They could communicate that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Son of the Living God! They could perpetuate the truth that Jesus had conquered sin and death, benefiting all mankind!

Help them share the Good News!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Resurrection Sunday!

For Resurrection Sunday, April 9, 2023:

Mark 16:6 NLT: “The angel (sitting in Jesus’ tomb) said, ‘Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!’”

Some call it Easter, but I prefer Resurrection Sunday. That clearly states what happened on that wonderful day. It was day three, and just as prophesied, Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus always spoke the truth, and this is no exception. He proved to us that there is life after this life, and through faith in Jesus, that life is available to all who believe, and that’s Good News!

I love what the angel said: “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Didn’t he tell you?” The resurrection is always stated in present tense: He IS risen, not he WAS risen. Jesus is still alive today!

Women would traditionally anoint a body with spices for burial, which is why the women were the first to learn of the resurrection. They told the disciples, and Simon Peter immediately took off running to see for himself. Jesus promised to meet everyone in Galilee.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Resurrection!

For Thursday, September 29, 2022:

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT: “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

Never underestimate the power of God Almighty! Never impose human limitations on your understanding of God.

God can overturn death; no human can do that! The Bible tells us of several people who were resurrected. It’s well documented.

The most well-known resurrection was God’s own Son, Jesus, who left the tomb after three days. Hundreds of people saw him up, out, walking around and speaking! Finally a crowd of believers watched Jesus ascend into heaven, to sit at God’s right hand.

None of this is surprising once we realize that God-the-creator made the whole earth and everything in it. And all who believe will be included in a miracle when Jesus welcomes us into the Kingdom with open arms!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Hope Eternal!

For Tuesday, September 13, 2022:

Mark 16:6 NLT: “But the angel said, ‘Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.’”

On the cross, Jesus took the sin of the world upon himself. Past sin, present sin, future sin – he took it all to the place of the dead, offering forgiveness and eternal salvation to all who would believe.

Though Jesus was crucified, declared dead by the Roman Centurions, three days later the tomb was empty. An angel told the women, “Jesus is not here! He is risen from the dead!” So with that one act, Jesus solved mankind’s problems of both sin and death.

As Jesus ascended, he left us with hope eternal!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Come Again?

For Sunday, June 12, 2022:

James 5:7-8 NLT: “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

Everything Jesus predicted came true. The most incredible event was Jesus dying, going to the grave, and three days later rising, walking around where people could see him and speaking so people could hear him! Later he was taken up into the sky to be with the Father. It all happened just as Jesus said it would.

Therefore if Jesus says he’s coming again, I have to believe him. Early believers hoped it would be in a few weeks, or perhaps a few months, which turned into years. The truth is the exact date of Jesus’ return is not ours to know, but rest assured the event is still on God’s agenda.

We need to be perpetually ready, because we don’t know exactly when!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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