For me, the journey towards the cross and the empty tomb of Jesus involves humility. Why? Because he acts on our behalf. Jesus does something for us that we can’t do for ourselves. I can’t absolve myself of sin without the death and resurrection of Jesus. I need what he so graciously did for me. That causes me to be a little more introspective and little more humble.

Ego and self-importance is a great way to short circuit your relationship with Jesus. Remember: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

If we go back to the time of Daniel the prophet, long before the time of Jesus, we see what happens when arrogance is out of control. We pick up the story with the son of King Nebuchadnezzar’s son who is now king. His kingdom is in decline and he is oblivious.

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Daniel 5:1-2

Yes, he is partying hard and he calls for the sacred vessels from the temple of Jerusalem to drink from as if to say he is “large and in charge” without a care in the world. He is very much thumbing his nose at God.

As you read earlier, there is no better way to get God’s attention than to be prideful and arrogant. Well, King Belshazzar has God’s full attention.

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way. Daniel 5:5-6

A sign! But it’s not a good message. Belshazzar’s arrogance and careless living is coming to an end. More than that, had he not been so wrapped up in himself he would have seen the signs without the hand of God spelling it out for him.

The queen tells her husband to call the prophet Daniel (from Israel originally) to interpret this message from God. They think they will find relief once they know what the message means. Spoiler alert: they won’t.

Daniel is summoned and is promised gifts and a promotion if he can interpret the sign. Daniel says, “Keep it.” Daniel then interprets the “handwriting on the wall.”

“This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 5:26-28

This is the end for King Belshazzar. This is the end of his arrogant and prideful ways.

As the Proverbs say: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

It is still true today. Pride and arrogance doesn’t serve you or the people around you. We are called to something better in Jesus. Humility!

There is great comfort in pointing to and leaning on the One who is greater than all of us!

Humility helps us find our place in the created order and it reminds us that we will never be perfect or even God.

Lent is a perfect time to humble yourself and look to Jesus for all things. Surrender your ego and embrace kindness.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Yesterday, we began the season of Lent. Lent is Latin for the word “spring.” As you may have guessed, the name has nothing to do with the actual church season.

Lent is a time to prepare our hearts for the greatest miracle in human history: The Resurrection of Jesus. Lent can also be a time of introspection and soul searching. Personally,  I use Lent to return to the inescapable truth that I need a Savior. I need Jesus who will save me from my sinful self.

As the prophet Joel once wrote, Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13

It is not about the outward signs of showing remorse (rending your garments), Lent is about opening our hearts to Jesus so that he can mend them back together.

Jesus accomplishes this on the cross when he died for our sins. Simply, He takes our place. As Paul wrote, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

I want to be ready to remember that great gift on Good Friday and that is why I spend Lent getting ready to receive the undeserved gift given to us at Jesus’ death.

Even then, death doesn’t have the final word. Jesus conquered death AND he forgave our sins. That is a double win!

Isaiah reminds us that our King is perfect and wants the best for us!

In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it— one from the house of David— one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. Isaiah 16:5

Jesus was coronated King of kings and Lord of lords on Easter morning!

Take some time to look inward over the next 5 weeks. It is good for you.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Let’s reflect on the Kingdom of God for a moment. Not the kingdom of humanity or governments or corporations or even small organizations. 

When Jesus the Son of God began his earthly ministry, he proclaimed, “The Kingdom of God is near.” Mark 1:15

Of course this makes sense, wherever the Son of God is, the Kingdom is also present. Throughout his ministry Jesus refers to the rule of God and what life is like under God’s leadership.

Needless to say, the kingdom of God is vastly different than any human  controlled fiefdom.

Let’s take a moment to look through the scriptures to get a glimpse of what the kingdom of God is like.

• After a non-Jewish person was accepted by God,  “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts people from every nation who fear him and do what is right. Acts 10:34

• For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11

• Jesus healed the Roman Centurion’s servant. Matthew 8:5-13

• Jesus healed theSyrophoenician Woman’s daughter. Mark 7:24-30

• Jesus talking about his believers, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:16

• Saint Paul writing about the Church, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

• Jesus said, “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:31-32 (There’s room for everyone.)

• Philip the Deacon baptized an Ethiopian Eunuch after studying the prophet Isaiah. Acts 8:26-40

•  “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” Luke 18:16

I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the Kingdom of God is diverse and inclusive because God is good. Let’s continue on…

• Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Leviticus 19:15

• Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4

• Jesus said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

• God describing the future messiah to Isaiah, “He shall sense the truth by his reverence for the Lord: He shall not judge by what his eyes behold, Nor decide by what his ears perceive. Thus he shall judge the poor with equity And decide with justice for the lowly of the land.  Isaiah 11:3-4a

I have come to a second inescapable conclusion regarding the Kingdom of God. Jesus values equity for all in this life and it is the rule in the Kingdom of God.

Just remember what we pray we every week…

 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Early this week, someone aligned with the current administration but not an employee of the federal government posted this on social media…

“Now it’s the ‘Lutheran’ faith (this use of ‘religion’ as a money laundering operation must end):

Lutheran Family Services and affiliated organizations receive massive amounts of taxpayer dollars…”

This was amplified by another person who is connected to the administration (but not a government employee) when they reposted the original comment about with their own on social media…

“The @DOGE team is rapidly shutting down these illegal payments”

(This post has been deleted. There is a screenshot of it at the bottom of the article.)

This is a lie. There is nothing illegal in block grants and there is no money laundering.

If you think the above is truthful, a civics lesson might be useful.

Civics 101

City, county, state and the federal government all fund programs through their budgeting process.

For many years, governments at all levels fund programs that they themselves do not want to administrate. It is more efficient to give grants to organizations that are already doing the specific work they want accomplished. This happens a lot and is not limited to work in the social service sector.

None of this funding can happen without it passing through the various governmental bodies that pass budgets for their respective constituencies. No money can be spent or granted without budget approval from these various government agencies.

There are no illegal payments.

There may be disagreements among political parties about what should be funded and what should be cut, but there is nothing illegal about funding programs that help those in need.

Moreover, grants at every level of government have very specific funding guidelines that must be met by the organization to receive reimbursement for those programs or funding in future years. There is a secure level of accountability for this funding and never just handed out.

Secondly, non-profit organizations that receive such funding must file an IRS 990 form that is public to everyone so that even the general public can see what these organizations do with their funding.

If there was an illegal use of grants or other funding, that organization would be caught and found liable. That is not the case for these Lutheran organizations.

Money Laundering

The accusation made regarding our Lutheran organizations laundering money is beyond absurd.

The definition of money laundering is when ill-gotten gains are funneled through a legitimate business or organization (often called a front) so that when those funds are dispersed or taken from that business they are viewed as legitimate or clean.

Even the use the of the term is wrong. If anything, the accusation would be “reverse money laundering.” But even that accusation is false.

Personal Reflection

We may disagree on how the government (at all levels) spends money. But it is up to those individual governmental bodies to budget funds. We may have influence over how those resources are allocated as citizens but ultimately it is up to those governmental bodies to pass a budget.

Once a budget is passed, it is law. There is no cutting off funds/payments until the next budget is passed or that spending line item is reversed in the respective legislative body.

To slander the para-church ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is wrong. It is sinful and it is harmful. Defaming something as illegal just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it the truth.

As a pastor of the ELCA and a church council member of the ELCA, I am appalled and saddened at such careless statements.  These statements are polarizing, unhelpful and dishonest.

If you wrongly believe these Lutheran organizations are laundering money, I suggest that the Evangelical Lutheran Church is not the church for you.

Biblical Reflection

God said…

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,

who turn darkness to light and light to darkness,

who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

and clever in their own sight. Isaiah 5:20-21

God said…

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

God said…

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. Deuteronomy 15:11

God said…

Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. Exodus 22:22-23

God said…

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. Deuteronomy 10:17-20

Jesus the Son of God told a story about the final judgment…

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:44-46

Jesus the Son of God said…

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40