Who Is This Guy?

April 27, 2026, Monday Message:

Mark 11:27-28 NLT: “Jesus and the disciples were walking through the Temple area, when the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

Those posing the question didn’t really like Jesus. They were prejudiced against him. He was a threat to their authority and income. So they asked him kind of a trick question. If Jesus said he was on his own, he wouldn’t possess the authority to demand compliance. If he said he was sent by God, they would demand proof.

Jesus answers their question with one of his own, like the storybook troll asking you to solve a riddle before crossing a bridge. “I’ll answer your question if you can answer mine. What about John the Baptist? Who gave him authority?”

The priests and teachers didn’t know how to answer. They hadn’t obeyed John, so they couldn’t admit that his words were heaven-sent. On the other hand, they didn’t want to say John was merely human, because most people thought John was a prophet. So this collection of the greatest religious minds in all of Israel finally answered, “We don’t know.” Duh!

Consequently, Jesus refused to give them an answer. To him, the answer should have been obvious. Who would know all of God’s laws, the best way for us to live? Who could heal any malady, making people as good as new? Who could raise Lazarus from the dead? Everyone may not have known that Jesus is God’s Son, but they should have been able to discern that his actions were heaven-sent.

Jesus wants us all to answer that question, “Who do you believe he is?” Read and re-read the eyewitness accounts until you get it. Jesus is the heaven-sent Son of the Most High, who was sent here to rescue mankind. His mission was successful!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Prophecy Fulfilled!

For Wednesday, April 8, 2026:

Luke 24:13 NLT: “The same day as the resurrection, two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem.”

The story of Resurrection Day wouldn’t be complete without a look at the walk to Emmaus. The two men were believers, and had traveled to Jerusalem for Passover. But the crucifixion put a damper on things, and the two decided to return home.

Their walk began as the women discovered the tomb open, and the body of Jesus missing. Where was he? Suddenly a third man began walking alongside the first two, and they struck up a conversation. The newcomer asked, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

The first two looked sad. “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about what happened the last few days; bad things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth.” Somehow, they didn’t recognize Jesus. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.”

Jesus responds by explaining scripture: “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Arriving in Emmaus, it was getting late, and the two invited Jesus to stay the night with them. He agreed. As they sat down to dinner, Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and... Voilà! Their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, who immediately disappeared from sight!

The two did a 180º and headed back to Jerusalem. They felt compelled to share this Good News with the remaining 11 apostles. Jesus is alive! He can walk and talk! He has risen from the dead, just as he said he would!

To Jesus and those who love him, death is not the end!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Love God & Neighbor!

February 23, 2026, Monday Message:

Hebrews 13:16 NLT: “Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”

If something in the Bible is extra-important, the writer may repeat those words. They’ll change the text only slightly while restating the principal. The Bible says it twice for emphasis. We get to see it twice so the words sink in!

To facilitate doing good and sharing, Moses taught this message, and Abraham led his followers with these principals. Later, John the baptist previewed these lessons before Jesus, who taught this behavior throughout his entire ministry. These thoughts were some of Jesus’ last reminders as he transitioned to the life after this life.

In the Epistles, followers of Jesus are teaching these things to the Hebrew believers and the Roman converts. Paul dispensed these instructions as he planted churches throughout Asia Minor.

Today, we are the ambassadors bringing these words to the world. “Love God and love your neighbor.” Be nice, be kind, be helpful. Look for the next way to do the right thing. Instead of only looking out for #1, put “Loving the Lord” at the top of your agenda, followed by “compassion and caring” for those on the short end of life. Any prayers for ourselves should come after those items!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Please pray for peace in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Drug kingpin “El Mencho” and eight of his cohorts were killed in a Mexican military operation, and the Cartels are responding with violence. The airport is closed, school is cancelled and the town is basically on fire. Buildings and vehicles are being burned, including busses and the giant Costco store. Most roads are closed, and people are advised to shelter in place. The violence is spreading to neighboring towns in and around Jalisco, including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, all US tourist destinations. Pray for everyone’s safety, for the violent killings to end and for the peace of the Lord to reign in the region.

My Lord!

For Saturday, July 19, 2025:

Mark 12:36 AMP: “David himself said [when inspired] by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah): Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’”

Jesus was teaching in the Temple, which in and of itself seems odd since the Temple leaders weren’t big fans of Jesus. Part of what he was doing was correcting incorrect theology put forth by the other Temple teachers. In this case, they were claiming that the Messiah was David’s son. Not so!

In Psalm 101, David himself wrote, “The Lord said to my Lord...” So the first “Lord,” God Almighty, was speaking to the other “Lord,” Jesus the Messiah. It’s a confusing generational puzzle the way it’s stated, but the Amplified Bible helps clear things up!

If you want to learn theology, choose your teacher carefully. Jesus is a safe bet. God’s Son would certainly know what’s going on with God stuff! It’s called truth, and the Bible is full of it. The “High View” of the Bible believes that every word is true, and that things happened just the way the Bible says. But be discerning. A lot of bad stuff happened in the Bible. The text documents it accurately, but we should not engage in such behavior.

Remember, the Lord (God) spoke to our Lord, and our Lord should be Jesus the Christ!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Shepherd!

For Sunday, June 23, 2024:

1 Peter 2:25 NLT: “Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.”

I like sheep. I think they’re cute animals, soft and woolly, but incredibly stupid! Sheep would forget to eat if the shepherd didn’t lead them to where new grass was growing. Sheep would forget to drink water unless the shepherd led them past the pond. Sheep can wander up a ravine, hit a dead end, and not know how to get back out!. Sheep wander away from the herd, because, just like the saying, the grass is always greener somewhere else!

Sheep need a shepherd and mankind need a solid leader. Thank God we know about Jesus the Christ! We can follow him anywhere, and he will keep us safe and well fed. When this life ends, he will prepare a place for believers in his Father’s house. Then we’ll eternally enjoy our shepherd!

What someone commits to being a Christian, their life should change – a lot! This should be a change for the better. We call it a radical transformation, the difference between someone living a sinful life and someone following their new shepherd, Jesus.

Jesus is the only way. He teaches us only truth, and the life he offers is eternal. Jesus wants to be your shepherd! You need one!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Called!

For Tuesday, May 21, 2024:

Ephesians 5:8 NLT: “Once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”

"All you have to do is change everything!” Does that sound simple to you, or quite complicated? When a person becomes a Christian, a radical transformation should take place. Rather than sin, the Christian now takes the high road. Rather than living in darkness, Christians now live in the light! An observer who knew the old person might not recognize the new person! That’s OK!

The change we see isn’t just for the sake of change. It’s a change for the better. Because our sins have been forgiven and we have an inside track to the hereafter, there should be more joy on our faces! By loving one another, everyone will know that we are Christians!

Jesus didn’t forgive you so you could mope around being earnestly pious. Jump for joy! The Bible says that we should share the Good News with everyone, that we should make disciples of all nations. In other words, teach Jesus’ redeeming truth to those who don’t look like you and don’t speak like you.

The Bible speaks of the “priesthood of all believers,” a priest simply being a religious leader or teacher. In the Old Testament, priests followed in the tradition of the tribe of Levi or the priest Melchizedek. Christians follow Jesus. You’re a priest, a Christian leader, if Jesus says you are. Churches don’t make pastors; Jesus ordains Christian leaders!

Are you called?

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

One True God!

For Friday, June 30, 2023:

1 John 5:20 NLT: “We know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.”

Mankind was made to worship. Greek and Roman societies worshiped many gods, but none of them were real. Our God, the one true God, has a history with mankind, starting even before the creation of our universe. God’s covenant with Abraham documents God’s desire for an ongoing relationship.

God sent his Son Jesus to earth to better explain what we just couldn’t ‘get.’ Jesus taught and healed, but best of all he solved mankind’s sin problem. As he was crucified and died, Jesus took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, leaving believers suitable for residency in heaven, in the presence of our Creator, for eternity!

The true God wanted us to have eternal life! He chose to include us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Heaven-sent Healing!

For Sunday, February 19, 2023:

Matthew 8:2 NLT: “Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Jesus and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’”

Those with leprosy were considered outcasts. Thinking the disease could be contagious, lepers were often ordered to live in a ‘leper colony’ until the disease eventually took their life. That this man would approach Jesus and kneel at his feet is most unusual.

In the original language, the man referred to Jesus as “Rebbe,” more than just a religious teacher (Rabbi.) A Rebbe would be the highest leader of their religious group or community. The man also called Jesus “haMoshiach,” or the Messiah. And since this leper recognized Jesus’ heaven-sent religious authority, he was optimistic for a miracle!

(v3) “Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared.”

We are saved by grace through faith. This healing was a gift because of the man’s great faith in the Son!

Gifts from above – like forgiveness of sin and life everlasting in the presence of the Father – are bestowed upon all who have faith in the Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Redeemer!

For Tuesday, June 14, 2022:

Mark 8:25-26 NLT: “Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Don’t go back into the village on your way home.’”

Yes, Jesus could heal. He could restore sight in the blind, allow the lame to walk and remove many other diseases and afflictions. The normal response would be to celebrate the healing, and perhaps throw a parade in Jesus’ honor! But Jesus told them to not tell anyone. What’s going on?

It has to do with his mission, his calling, his purpose in God’s vast eternal plan. What we need to understand is that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one sent by God to redeem mankind. Healing was good, his teaching was outstanding, but Jesus’ primary purpose – the main thing – is to be the ultimate sacrifice for ALL the sins of the world, thereby rescuing those who call on his name. He filled the world with hope where there was none!

Jesus wanted to be best-known as our Redeemer!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Apostles/Disciples

Oct. 7, 2019 Monday Message:

“You, then, are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you…” from Matt. 28:18-20 JBP

Today, “disciple” means follower of a teacher, leader or philosopher. Discussing the Bible, we tend to use ‘disciple’ and ‘apostle’ interchangeably, although the true meanings are slightly different. 2,000 years ago, “disciple” simply meant, “student.” The Greek “mathetes” is a compound word: the mental effort needed to think something through; and a leaner or student. That’s a disciple – one who learns from the teacher.

An “apostle” is the one sent to deliver those teachings to others. The apostle is a messenger, in this case, bringing the Good News (Gospel) to all nations. Just as angels bring heavenly messages, apostles spread the message of salvation to their students, their disciples.

So in Matthew 28, Jesus is empowering all the “apostles” to go forth and make more “disciples.” This is why we do what we do!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Founding Pastor Michael Pilla opens up 1 Cor. 14:1-19.

Congregation vs. Leaders

September 21, 2015 Monday Message:

Last week’s Monday Message was confusing at best. The Bible gives us a distinction between who should be in church leadership, and who is welcome to attend church, and I blurred the line. I’m sorry - I need to teach this better!

In ancient times, the “Presence of God,” the Shekinah, was believed to reside in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, in the inner sanctum. The Holy of Holies could only be entered by the high priest, the Kohen Gadol. No one else could even touch these Holy places, or they would die. Other priests performed specific religious duties, both within and outside of the Temple, similar in a way to today’s church leadership.

Note that the temple also had a very large outer court, plenty of space for the general congregation and even seekers. ALL were welcome there. This is like our congregations and those that attend our churches. ALL are welcome.

Just to be clear, EVERYONE is welcome to attend church, but not everyone can or should be part of the church leadership team. God has called specific individuals to His work, and each of us should serve as we are called.

Commentary:

The Bible says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James 3:1 NIV As I read the news nowadays, I am saddened by the number of fallen clergy, often causing their congregations to second-guess their commitment to Jesus. Beware of people who, under the cover of religion, hide unclean, impure and evil things. Beware of evil workers in the Kingdom, Priests who lie, and churches that prefer to bury the truth rather than tell the truth. God will hold these leaders to His higher standard.

May your churches be served by leaders with an intact value system, and may your congregations be filled with those who love our Lord, and with those seeking to learn about Him.

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. every Sunday in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This Sunday, Sept. 27, Paul, man of God, survives a stormy sea – a miracle! See you at church!

One of the Twelve

May 12, 2014 Monday Message:

2000 years ago, most Rabbis had some disciples, thereby training the next generation of religious teachers. They would instruct 1 or 2 people at a time, with 3 - 4 being the practical limit. No individual Rabbi had more than a half dozen disciples.

But Jesus called 12 disciples, way more than was customary. It’s as if he wanted to make a splash!

If you understand that Jesus is truth, then it all makes sense. Hearing truth right from God’s mouth holds a supernatural attraction for those of us in search of answers to first-order questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose?

When studying Jesus, we need to remember that the congregation of believers numbers way more than just the 12. In Luke 10, Jesus sent 72 other disciples, 2 by 2, as an advance team, to the towns he intended to visit. The word “other” tells me that those sent are in addition to the 12. And the Bible is only counting male-heads-of-household. But many of these people were married and had kids. And some undocumented followers were single women. It would be fair to estimate that a short while after his ministry launch, there were hundreds of people following Jesus most of the time.

By Palm Sunday, the number had increased. By now, ALL of Jerusalem had heard of Jesus - the healings, the miracles, and his claims to be the Son of God. In front of Him, they laid colorful cloth and palm branches, decorating the road for his Triumphal Entry, shouting, “Save us; save us now!” They knew that only God could truly save them.

Nowadays, the number of disciples following Jesus seems to have increased. The number in His circle now stands at over 2 billion. If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of them.

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! This week I’ll open Acts 3 – Peter heals a crippled beggar – Miracles in Jesus’ name are still possible AFTER the crucifixion! 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.