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

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Before the creation of the universe, there was God. Before the creation of the world, there was a spiritual realm. Everything we see and experience was first imagined in the heavenly realms.

The permanent dwelling place of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is more real and more enduring than the physical universe we live in. Everything we know, originates from that spiritual dimension.

Many miss this fundamental truth that spirit precedes the physical. Not only that but the spiritual realm is closer than we can imagine even if we can’t sense it.

We are even told that some our abilities are a gift from that very place. Paul tells the Christian family that, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:7

We are so loved by God, that he breaks through the proverbial wall between the earthly realm and the spiritual realm to give his family (us) gifts and talents to encourage one another in faith.

We are loved because “God is love.” 1John 4:8b. The spiritual realm, heaven, The Kingdom of God contains one overriding principal and feeling: love.

The more we love, the closer we are to our destiny and open to a deeper spiritual connection to that realm. The love we foster now prepares us for our future and creates deeper connection today.

One of the things Jesus did by dying on the cross, was to purge hate from our lives. Hate is a form of sin. Hate also gives birth to sin. Jesus’ death can remove hate from our lives if we are open to his graceful love.

As I reflect on Jesus’ death, I also see his willingness to give up his physical life because his spiritual life continues on and it is greater and more wonderful than life here in this realm. In a quiet way, Jesus’ death and resurrection reminds us to not be afraid of “moving on.”

To emphasize this, Jesus told us quite clearly, “I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3

One day, we will go to be with God… to a place where the universe began: the spiritual realm. A place of love.

I will do all I can to strengthen my love for others and for Jesus so that I can strengthen my connection to Jesus and the place I will eventually call my forever home.

It is easy to be distracted by earthly things like hate and anger. Those things only serve to pull us away from the source of life. Animosity and irritation sever the connection with Jesus and the Communion of Saints who are cheering us on in love even as you read this!

Keep focused on what is already surrounding us even if you can’t see it. Stay attentive to the love that is available to you right now from all corners of heaven including friends and loved ones who have gone before you.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Last week we entered 2025. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations are a part of our secular culture. Some (not me) stay up to welcome the new year and all the possibilities it may bring.

Although we can’t predict what may come, I pray it is a good year for you and our church family.

Although most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar (us included) and celebrate the new year on January 1^st (thanks to Julius Ceasar) did you know new year celebrations predate our current calendar?

Our Jewish brothers and sisters have been celebrating Rosh Hashanah longer than western world!

Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year.” As early as the book of Numbers (from the Time of Moses) we hear the instruction from God to the people of Israel.

On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, prepare a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. Numbers 29:1-2

Although there is no mention of it being “New Year’s Day” in the Bible, this is where the holiday finds its beginning. A day of noise! The sounding of trumpets! It is also a day of sacrifice to receive forgiveness from God.

The blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn) is a call to action! A call to wake up from a person’s spiritual slumber and be ready for God! Rosh Hashanah is a moment to look back on the year that has passed, to seek forgiveness for any wrongdoings, and to focus on how to better oneself in the year to come.

According to Jewish tradition, on this day, God sits in judgment over the world, reviewing each person’s deeds over the past year and determining their fate for the year ahead. That might cause some to fear but for most it is a day for joy.

This new year’s celebration begins 10 days of introspection that culminates on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

If you have read this far, you might be wondering why I am writing about the Jewish New Year? Because there are things we can learn from our Jewish brothers and sisters as we enter 2025.

As Christian’s we too can approach the new year as a time to reflect on the previous year and even let go of attitudes and behaviors that don’t correspond to our walk with Jesus.

We too can use the New Year to shake off the spiritual malaise and laziness of our lives and recommit ourselves to the purposes of Christ and His will!

This coming year (like every year) will be what we make of it as individuals, families and the church. If we depend upon others and positive events to make a year good, we will be disappointed. We are the ones who will make 2025 great!

Happy New Year and may God bless your lives, your mindsets and your actions!

Pr. Ben

As Christmas approaches, let me encourage you to be like Jesus by taking the first step towards another person.

What do I mean by this? Let me explain…

We understand that God took a step towards us when he came down to us (from heaven) in the person of Jesus. We call that the “incarnation.” God became human and took a step toward us to show us that we are loved.

Later, Jesus told the women at the tomb on Easter morning  to “go and tell” the disciples he had risen. After that, Jesus to the disciples to “go” and be witnesses to the love of Jesus.

Yet, we hesitate to “go” to others and show that love. Even at church.

Why?

In my sermon last week, I talked about the fact that we in the United States live in a “service-based economy.” In other words, we are accustomed to people catering to our wants and needs. We expect people to take care of us. From wait staff, to salespeople, to the person who rings up our groceries.

We are so used to people catering to us, we are surprised that doesn’t automatically happen at church. Suddenly, the church is labeled unfriendly because someone wasn’t treated like royalty.

Don’t get me wrong, hospitality is important, and it is something we value in our core value of “welcome.” The issue is not just welcoming others, the issue is “one sided hospitality.”

When an individual expects other people to do all the work but does not extend the same courtesy, it all falls apart.

We all should take a step toward each other. We all should take the time to greet and welcome people we don’t know. We have all the opportunity and choice to be like Jesus this Christmas and take a step towards others.

Oh and smile!

Merry Christmas and God bless you,

Pastor Ben

Yes, we are now in the unknown season of Advent. Most of the world is already in the season of Christmas but not us!

Most of the mainline Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church get ready for Christmas by entering into the season of Advent.

Advent literally means the “arrival of an important person or event.”

This is the time to prepare ourselves for the return of our King. We acknowledge in our creeds that Jesus will return one day. Advent is the time to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christ’s return.

We “practice waiting” for Christ’s return by preparing for Christmas.

As we await for the arrival (the advent) of Jesus, what else are you waiting for?

Beyond more money in your bank account, I would guess that you might be waiting for more: hope, peace, joy and love in your life.

I know it may be hard to believe, but you don’t have to wait for those things! They are available to you right now.

The issue might be where you are looking for those very things. If you are looking for hope, peace, joy and love in the world, you might come to the conclusion that those things are nowhere to be found. Maybe you are looking in the wrong place. Would you go to McDonalds for a ribeye steak dinner? Probably not.

What we are looking for is found in Christ. Hope, peace, joy and love are given by the Holy Spirit and available to you right now. Maybe it’s time to stop looking for these things externally and start looking upward (towards heaven) and inward (our souls).

Surround yourself with people who want the same thing and walk away from the negativity of others and even the media. In other words, draw close to Jesus and other faithful people as we await his return.

The next time you are in worship, take a moment to look at the Advent wreath in the chapel or sanctuary. The entire wreath has meaning.

• The circular shape: Represents eternity and God’s infinite love .

• The greenery: Symbolizes everlasting life and hope. 
• The candles: Represent the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
• The wreath as a whole: Reminds us of the immortality of our souls and God’s promise of everlasting life.

God bless you,
Pastor Ben

If you are a member of Community Lutheran Church, you know that I am a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s church council. Our church is a part of the ELCA.

I was appointed by our bishop over a year ago serve on our church’s national board. It is a great honor to represent CLC and our synod at the national level.

Every gathering consists of four days of meetings. I never knew there was such a thing as a four-day church council meeting before this!

I wanted to give you a snap-shot of the agenda items discussed and acted upon.

• We began by gathering in worship and celebrated Communion together!
• Update from the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church
  • This commission has been looking at how the church operates based on the constitution of the ELCA and other formational documents. They are bringing proposals for potential change to those documents.
• Reports from our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, our Vice-President Imran Siddiqui, the Secretary of the ELCA, Sue Rothmeyer and the Conference of Bishops of the ELCA.
• A presentation of gender and racial inequality
• I sit on the Service and Justice committee where we heard the following reports:
  • World Hunger
  • Lutheran Disaster Response
  • Young Adult in Global Mission
  • Our ecumenical partnerships
  • Specialized ministries
  • Budget concerns
• Legal and constitutional review (revising and updating the constitution where needed)
• Information about the upcoming 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly of which I will attend as an ELCA church council member. After that event, I roll off the council.
• There will be a Presiding Bishop Election at the Churchwide Assembly in 2025
• Report from the treasurer of the ELCA
• Approved the 2025 budget for the churchwide organization
• Adopted a financial compliance policy for payments and re-payments.
• Report from the Vision Team that is shaping our future to be:
  • A Welcoming Church
• • A Thriving Church
  • A Connected and Sustainable Church
    
• Finally we heard reports from every committee and department within the ELCA.

A lot happens in four days! If you are curious about anything, just ask me!

We are a part of a great church body that cares about people and how we live out of the love of Jesus.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

My two previous blogposts express the importance of integrity and truth. I want to add another character trait that Jesus lifts up as important for every child of God.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

Meek? Really? We don’t use this word very often and it only shows up in the Bible a total of four times. How significant is this characteristic of the Kingdom of God? Very.

Before, I share with you the importance of incorporating meekness into your life, let me define the word for you.

Meekness relates to gentleness or having a mild disposition. Being meek towards God means to surrender and submit to God’s will without grumbling or complaining.

In a lot of ways, meekness is a polar opposite of self-interest and arrogance.

Jesus said that God’s favor rests on those who are gentle and fully submitted to God. People who possess that trait will be leaders in God’s Kingdom.

This reflects what King David wrote about in Psalm 37. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. Psalm 37:11

There is a promise associated with meekness. That those who are gentle and perceived to be weak by the self-interested and arrogant will one day be “calling the shots.”

I don’t know about you, but I have very little time or energy for those who think they are more important than others and are loudly arrogant about their superiority.

I am weary of those who need to brag and think they are the smartest people in the room. When I think about the words of Jesus, I realize people like that are far from God. It’s more than their spiritual distance from God, they have no interest in a true abiding relationship with Jesus.

Remember what Jesus said about such people, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21

Jesus knows that there are people who claim to be Christian and use that title to influence others. Ultimately, they are not in relationship with Jesus, and it is evident by their “fruit” (see Matthew 7:16) i.e., their actions and attitude.

If being meek was not on your “radar” this week, it’s time to incorporate gentleness into your character. It is time to seek out the gentle people in your life and spend time with them.

Why? Because they are blessed by God. We can learn from them.

God bless,
Pr. Ben

Did you see the story about the “recently” discovered painting by Pablo Picasso?

Here is a part of the story…

A painting discovered by a junk dealer in the basement of an Italian villa six decades ago is actually the work of Pablo Picasso and could sell for millions, according to experts.

Luigi Lo Rosso used to spend his days combing abandoned houses and landfills in search of treasure to sell in the family’s pawn shop in Pompeii, Italy.

In 1962, he found a rolled-up canvas with an asymmetrical painting of a woman in the basement of the villa on the nearby island of Capri.

Luigi’s wife wasn’t impressed by the painting. He put the painting in an old frame and gave it to her anyway.

She didn’t think it was pretty enough to sell, so it hung in the family home for about 50 years and later in a restaurant they owned.

She simply didn’t pay any attention to the artists name scribbled in the corner.

40 years ago, Luigi’s daughter contacted the authorities about the painting and the journey began to authenticate this mini masterpiece. Just last month, the verdict finally came. It is an authentic Picasso painting and could be worth six million dollars.

Imagine possessing of immense value and not even knowing it!

But you do!

As a child of God, you have something called integrity. And it is priceless!

Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

I would define it as doing the right thing even if no one is looking.

Doing the right thing is invaluable in every age. Don’t check your morals at the door and don’t look up to people whose integrity is compromised.

Sure, we all make mistakes, that’s not what I am talking about.

When we idolize people who have a questionable moral compass, it will affect us as well.

Saint Paul puts it this way, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

Their character, their actions, their mindset will rub off on you.

Choose role models worthy of emulation.

People think they can keep secrets. Eventually, all deeds come into the light.

The person of integrity walks securely, but those who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9

Your priceless treasure is your integrity.

Remember the words of Solomon…

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Your riches won’t help you on Judgment Day; only righteousness counts then. Proverbs 11:3-4

Choose integrity!

God bless,
Pastor Ben

There was a major shift in thinking that has contributed to the polarized times we live in right now.

Sometime in the 1990s, truth became relative.

What do I mean by that?

For a very long time, we could agree on what is true for everyone and there was very little discussion about these truths. Truths as simple as “the earth is a sphere” and as complex as “there is a consequence for every choice you make”. The list goes on and on about truths that disputed today.

In other words, your “truth” is whatever you want it to be, and my “truth” is whatever I want it to be. That change in thinking has led to a more conflict between individuals and groups.

Yet as people of faith, we follow the One who clearly stated, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6

Jesus is truth and his words are true.

Right before Jesus’ crucifixion, he said this to the Roman Governor, “I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” John 18:37

Jesus is truth and Jesus tells the truth and Jesus expects the truth from his children. Not your truth, but THE TRUTH.

This past week, the Conference of Bishops of the ELCA (our denominational home) met and discussed truth. They too recognize the danger of “relative truth” and half-truths.

In a wonderfully written letter to us, they clearly lay out the importance of being truthful.

Here is a portion of that letter…

We refuse to accept the ongoing normalization of lies and deceit.

We recommit ourselves to speaking the truth and pointing to the one who is truth. We find courage in our collegiality and implore the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as our partners and friends, to join us as we:

• Pledge to be vigilant guardians of truth, refusing to perpetuate lies or half-truths that further corrode the fabric of our society.

• Commit to rigorous fact-checking, honoring God’s command to “test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

• Reject the use of humor that normalizes falsehood, remembering that our speech should “always be gracious” (Colossians 4:6).

• Boldly advocate for the marginalized and oppressed, emulating Christ’s love for the least among us.

• Courageously interrupt hate speech, standing firm in the knowledge that all are created in God’s image.

• Lean in with curiosity, engage with those who think differently and “put the best construction on our neighbor’s action” (Luther’s explanation of the Eighth Commandment).

• Amplify voices of truth.

These are good words, and they remind us to avoid and denounce: lies, half-truths and personal truths.

Above all, seek Jesus and the truth he speaks.

Let me offer a verse from Proverbs to close. This is my prayer, and I hope it is yours too.

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Proverbs 30:8

Amen.

God bless,
Pastor Ben

The full letter can be found here: Conference of Bishops Letter regarding truth.