Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "No Age of Consent" for Thursday, 29 January 2015

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "No Age of Consent" for Thursday, 29 January 2015

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.[Proverbs 1:10]

Forty-six-year-old Philip Harper showed up at his local pub wearing a SWAT cap and showing off his new bulletproof vest.
With obvious pride and considerable confidence in his vest Mr. Harper asked if there was anyone who might be willing to help him test it out. Nobody took him up on the offer. Not so the next day. The next day was when one of Harper's friends, a British truck driver named Ian Catley, said he would be glad to be of assistance.
The two men put about 20 feet between them. Catley aimed his shotgun and fired. He hit his friend's bulletproof vest dead center. In rapid succession the following happened:
1. The men found out the bulletproof vest wasn't.
2. They realized the plastic-lined vest had served as a funnel, concentrating the shotgun's blast. Immediately, Catley rushed his pal to the hospital where Harper was pronounced dead.
Mr. Catley went on trial for the murder of his buddy. In his ruling, among other things, the judge acknowledged Catley's "remorse is complete and genuine" and "the effects of killing your good friend will last with you for the rest of your life." Then the judge chided: the risk of death or serious injury should have been "absolutely obvious."
Now I might not mention the story at all if, last year, there hadn't been a situation in South Carolina, and another in Maryland, where people died after their friends missed their bulletproof vests and killed them. They also had flirted with "absolutely obvious" danger, and they had lost.
No doubt you are saying, "That's unbelievable! Nobody would do anything that crazy!"
Well, my friends, people do flirt with dangerous temptations, and they do it regularly. Adam and Eve brought sin into this world when they disregarded their Creator and followed the suggestions of a talking snake. Time and again we humans have looked at a temptation and thought, "Hey, I can handle that dangerous situation."
We think it, but we can't.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour^®
Lutheran Hour Ministries

Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Genesis 29: Jacob Arrives at Laban’s Home
1 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. 3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they answered.
5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.
6 “How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He’s fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it’s too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
8 But they replied, “We can’t do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father’s sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle’s sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. 12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. 14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had been there for a month, 15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
16-17 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn’t sparkle,[a] while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I’ll work seven years for you.”
19 Laban replied, “It’s better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!” 22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her. 24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.
25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn’t I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first. 27 After you spend this week[b] with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”
28-30 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
31 The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. 32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben,[c] because she said, “The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.” 33 She had a second son and named him Simeon,[d] because she said, “The Lord has heard that my husband doesn’t love me.” 34 When Leah’s third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi.[e] 35 She had one more son and named him Judah,[f] because she said, “I’ll praise the Lord!”
Problems between Rachel and Leah
30:1 Rachel was very jealous of Leah for having children, and she said to Jacob, “I’ll die if you don’t give me some children!”
2 But Jacob became upset with Rachel and answered, “Don’t blame me! I’m not God.”
3 “Here, take my servant Bilhah,” Rachel told him. “Have children by her, and I’ll let them be born on my knees to show that they are mine.”
4 Then Rachel let Jacob marry Bilhah, 5 and they had a son. 6 Rachel named him Dan,[g] because she said, “God has answered my prayers. He has judged me and given me a son.” 7 When Bilhah and Jacob had a second son, 8 Rachel said, “I’ve struggled hard with my sister, and I’ve won!” So she named the boy Naphtali.[h]
9 When Leah realized she could not have any more children, she let Jacob marry her servant Zilpah, 10 and they had a son. 11 “I’m really lucky,” Leah said, and she named the boy Gad.[i] 12 When they had another son, 13 Leah exclaimed, “I’m happy now, and all the women will say how happy I am.” So she named him Asher.[j]
Love Flowers
14 During the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben found some love flowers[k] and took them to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah for some of them, 15 but Leah said, “It’s bad enough that you stole my husband! Now you want my son’s love flowers too.”
“All right,” Rachel answered. “Let me have the flowers, and you can sleep with Jacob tonight.”
16 That evening when Jacob came in from the fields, Leah told him, “You’re sleeping with me tonight. I hired you with my son’s love flowers.”
They slept together that night, 17 and God answered Leah’s prayers by giving her a fifth son. 18 Leah shouted, “God has rewarded me for letting Jacob marry my servant,” and she named the boy Issachar.[l]
19 When Leah had another son, 20 she exclaimed, “God has given me a wonderful gift, and my husband will praise me for giving him six sons.” So she named the boy Zebulun.[m] 21 Later, Leah had a daughter and named her Dinah.
22-23 Finally, God remembered Rachel—he answered her prayer by giving her a son. “God has taken away my disgrace,” she said. 24 “I’ll name the boy Joseph,[n] and I’ll pray that the Lord will give me another son.”
Jacob and Laban
25 After Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban, “Release me from our agreement[o] and let me return to my own country. 26 You know how hard I’ve worked for you, so let me take my wives and children and leave.”
27-28 But Laban told him, “If you really are my friend, stay on, and I’ll pay whatever you ask. I’m sure[p] the Lord has blessed me because of you.”
29 Jacob answered:
You’ve seen how hard I’ve worked for you, and you know how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. 30 You didn’t have much before I came, but the Lord has blessed everything I have ever done for you. Now it’s time for me to start looking out for my own family.
31 “How much do you want me to pay you?” Laban asked.
Then Jacob told him:
I don’t want you to pay me anything. Just do one thing, and I’ll take care of your sheep and goats. 32 Let me go through your flocks and herds and take the sheep and goats that are either spotted or speckled[q] and the black lambs. That’s all you need to give me. 33 In the future you can easily find out if I’ve been honest. Just look and see if my animals are either spotted or speckled, or if the lambs are black. If they aren’t, they’ve been stolen from you.
34 “I agree to that,” was Laban’s response. 35 Before the end of the day, Laban had separated his spotted and speckled animals and the black lambs from the others and had put his sons in charge of them. 36 Then Laban made Jacob keep the rest of the sheep and goats at a distance of three days' journey.
37 Jacob cut branches from some poplar trees and from some almond and evergreen trees. He peeled off part of the bark and made the branches look spotted and speckled. 38 Then he put the branches where the sheep and goats would see them[r] while they were drinking from the water trough. The goats mated there 39 in front of the branches, and their young were spotted and speckled.
40 Some of the sheep that Jacob was keeping for Laban were already spotted. And when the others were ready to mate, he made sure that they faced in the direction of the spotted and black ones. In this way, Jacob built up a flock of sheep for himself and did not put them with the other sheep.
41 When the stronger sheep were mating near the drinking place, Jacob made sure that the spotted branches were there. 42 But he would not put out the branches when the weaker animals were mating. So Jacob got all of the healthy animals, and Laban got what was left. 43 Jacob soon became rich and successful. He owned many sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of slaves.[Footnotes:
29.16,17 but her eyes didn’t sparkle: Or “and her eyes sparkled.”
29.27 this week: The wedding feast lasted for seven days (see Judges 14.12,17).
29.32 Reuben: In Hebrew “Reuben” means, “Look, a son!”
29.33 Simeon: In Hebrew “Simeon” sounds like “someone who hears.”
29.34 hold me close. . . Levi: In Hebrew “Levi” sounds like “hold (someone) close.”
29.35 Judah: In Hebrew “Judah” sounds like “praise.”
30.6 Dan: In Hebrew “Dan” means “judge.”
30.8 Naphtali: In Hebrew “Naphtali” means “struggle” or “contest.”
30.11 Gad: In Hebrew “Gad” means “lucky.”
30.13 Asher: In Hebrew “Asher” means “happy.”
30.14 love flowers: Also called “mandrakes,” a flowering plant that was thought to give sexual powers.
30.18 Issachar: In Hebrew “Issachar” sounds like “reward.”
30.20 Zebulun: In Hebrew “Zebulun” sounds like “give” and “praise.”
30.24 Joseph: In Hebrew “Joseph” sounds like “take away” and “add.”
30.25 Release. . . agreement: Jacob had agreed to work seven years for each of Laban’s two daughters (see 29.18).
30.27,28 I’m sure: The Hebrew text means to find out by some kind of magic, such as fortunetelling.
30.32 spotted or speckled: In ancient times sheep were usually white, and goats were usually black or dark brown; only a few sheep would have black spots, and only a few goats would have white spots.
30.38 would see them: It was believed by some that what sheep and goats saw at the time of breeding would determine the color of their young.]
Matthew 19: Teaching about Divorce
1 When Jesus finished teaching, he left Galilee and went to the part of Judea that is east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed their sick people.
3 Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to him and asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 Jesus answered, “Don’t you know that in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? 5 That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. 6 Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.”
7 The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say that a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?”
8 Jesus replied, “You are so heartless! That’s why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way. 9 I say that if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin,[a] you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful.”
10 The disciples said, “If that’s how it is between a man and a woman, it’s better not to get married.”
11 Jesus told them, “Only those people who have been given the gift of staying single can accept this teaching. 12 Some people are unable to marry because of birth defects or because of what someone has done to their bodies. Others stay single for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 Some people brought their children to Jesus, so that he could place his hands on them and pray for them. His disciples told the people to stop bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and don’t try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom.”[b] 15 After Jesus had placed his hands on the children, he left.
A Rich Young Man
16 A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?”
17 Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. If you want to have eternal life, you must obey his commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” the man asked.
Jesus answered, “Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. 19 Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself.” 20 The young man said, “I have obeyed all of these. What else must I do?”
21 Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” 22 When the young man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.
23 Jesus said to his disciples, “It’s terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven! 24 In fact, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God’s kingdom.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly surprised and asked, “How can anyone ever be saved?”
26 Jesus looked straight at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”
27 Peter replied, “Remember, we have left everything to be your followers! What will we get?”
28 Jesus answered:
Yes, all of you have become my followers. And so in the future world, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, I promise that you will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 All who have given up home or brothers and sisters or father and mother or children or land for me will be given a hundred times as much. They will also have eternal life. 30 But many who are now first will be last, and many who are last will be first.[Footnotes:
19.9 some terrible sexual sin: See the note at 5.32.

19.14 People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom: Or “God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these children.”]
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