Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour of Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "Good and Bad Reasons" for Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour of Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "Good and Bad Reasons" for Wednesday, February 1, 2017

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And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.[Hebrews 10:24-25]
Experience has taught me that there are all kinds of reasons not to go to church.
Now, before you start shooting all kinds of outraged e-mails to the Lutheran Hour Ministries headquarters, remember, I didn't say these were good reasons. For example, the Sunday after Christmas and Easter most pastors can be pretty sure attendance won't be standing room only.
The United Postal Service has adopted these words as their creed: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Sadly, any of those climactic conditions, as well as others far less daunting, have the ability to sizably reduce a congregation's worship numbers.
Then, of course, there are lesser occasions that can diminish worship participation. You know the kind of occasions I mean: there is the opening of fishing and hunting season, and the last weekend before school starts at the end of summer. A fellow pastor, who has proofed this devotion, has reminded me that in our listings we dare not forget Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day weekends.
Now some of you, no doubt, are expecting the rest of this devotion to be heavily law oriented.
If that is what you believe, not so. Be patient and read on. No, this devotion was inspired by a news article carried in The Jerusalem Post. That story talked about a whole host of Christian pilgrims who, on Epiphany, managed to make it to the spot at the Jordan where the nation of that same name says Jesus was baptized.
I have to tell you their dedication impressed me. I'm impressed because I'm not that brave.
Let me explain. Qasr al-Yahud, the place where these pilgrims are visiting, was once a war zone between Israel and Jordan. The neighbors made peace in 1994, and the UN made it a World Heritage Site in 2015, but neither of those actions did anything to remove the mines that were buried there.
It is known that the area contains anti-tank mines, anti-personnel mines, and a lot of unexploded ordinance. Altogether it is expected that there are about 4,500 such devices buried and waiting. Oh, I almost forgot, the churches in the area are also all booby trapped with explosives, too.
In spite of all this potential destruction, the pilgrims still came. They still wished to be at the place where Jesus officially began His ministry. They still wish, as much as they are able, to get closer to the Savior whose life was offered for our salvation and whose resurrection assures us we will also rise from the dead.
Theirs is an example I hope to remember the next time the devil tries to discourage my worship by putting mines of excuses in my path.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You know there are legitimate reasons why we may not be able to worship with our fellow believers. On the other hand, not every excuse is good and not every reason to avoid worship is legitimate. Help me learn the difference. In the Savior's Name I ask it. Amen.
The story upon which this Daily Devotion is based was written for the Jerusalem Post on January 29, 2017. The website where the parent article can be found is: http://www.jpost.com/Christian-News/Christians-flock-to-Jordan-River-baptism-site-despite-landmines-478901

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Genesis 36-38; Matthew 21:1-22Genesis 36:1 This is the genealogy of ‘Esav (that is, Edom). 2 ‘Esav chose Kena‘ani women as his wives: ‘Adah the daughter of Eilon the Hitti; Oholivamah the daughter of ‘Anah the daughter of Tziv‘on the Hivi; 3 and Basmat Yishma‘el’s daughter, sister of N’vayot. 4 ‘Adah bore to ‘Esav Elifaz, Basmat bore Re‘u’el, 5 and Oholivamah bore Ye‘ush, Ya‘lam and Korach. These were the sons of ‘Esav born to him in the land of Kena‘an.

6 ‘Esav took his wives, his sons and daughters, the others in his household, his cattle and other animals and everything else he owned, which he had acquired in the land of Kena‘an, and went off to a country distant from his brother Ya‘akov. 7 For their possessions had become too great for them to live together, and the countryside through which they were traveling couldn’t support so much livestock. 8 So ‘Esav lived in the hill-country of Se‘ir. (‘Esav is Edom.)

9 This is the genealogy of ‘Esav the father of Edom in the hill-country of Se‘ir. 10 The names of ‘Esav’s sons were Elifaz, son of ‘Adah the wife of ‘Esav, and Re‘u’el the son of Basmat the wife of ‘Esav.

11 The sons of Elifaz were Teman, Omar, Tzefo, Ga‘tam and K’naz. 12 Timnah was the concubine of Elifaz ‘Esav’s son, and she bore to Elifaz ‘Amalek. These were the descendants of ‘Adah ‘Esav’s wife.

13 The sons of Re‘u’el were Nachat, Zerach, Shammah and Mizah. These were the sons of Basmat ‘Esav’s wife.

14 These were the sons of Oholivamah, the daughter of ‘Anah the daughter of Tziv‘on, ‘Esav’s wife: she bore to ‘Esav Ye‘ush, Ya‘lam and Korach.

15 The chieftains of the sons of ‘Esav were the sons of Elifaz the firstborn of ‘Esav and the chieftains of Teman, Omar, Tzefo, K’naz, 16 Korach, Ga‘tam and ‘Amalek. These were the chieftains descended from Elifaz in Edom and from ‘Adah.

17 The sons of Re‘u’el ‘Esav’s son were the chieftains of Nachat, Zerach, Shammah and Mizah. These were the chieftains descended from Re‘u’el in the land of Edom and from Basmat ‘Esav’s wife.

18 The sons of Oholivamah ‘Esav’s wife were the chieftains of Ye‘ush, Ya‘lam and Korach. These were the chieftains descended from Oholivamah the daughter of ‘Anah, ‘Esav’s wife.

19 These were the descendants of ‘Esav (that is, Edom), and these were their chieftains.

(vii) 20 These were the descendants of Se‘ir the Hori, the local inhabitants: Lotan, Shoval, Tziv‘on, ‘Anah, 21 Dishon, Etzer and Dishan. They were the chieftains descended from the Hori, the people of Se‘ir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; Lotan’s sister was Timnah. 23 The sons of Shoval were ‘Alvan, Manachat, ‘Eival, Sh’fo and Onam. 24 The sons of Tziv‘on were Ayah and ‘Anah. This is the ‘Anah who found the hot springs in the desert while pasturing his father Tziv‘on’s donkeys. 25 The children of ‘Anah were Dishon and Oholivamah the daughter of ‘Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Yitran and K’ran. 27 The sons of Etzer were Bilhan, Za‘avan and ‘Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan were ‘Utz and Aran. 29 These were the chieftains descended from the Hori: the chieftains of Lotan, Shoval, Tziv‘on, ‘Anah, 30 Dishon, Etzer and Dishan. They were the chieftains descended from the Hori by their clans in Se‘ir.

31 Following are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king had reigned over the people of Isra’el. 32 Bela the son of B‘or reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhavah. 33 When Bela died, Yovav the son of Zerach from Botzrah reigned in his place. 34 When Yovav died, Husham from the land of the Temani reigned in his place. 35 When Husham died, Hadad the son of B’dad, who killed Midyan in the field of Mo’av, reigned in his place; the name of his city was ‘Avit. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 When Samlah died, Sha’ul of Rechovot-by-the-River reigned in his place. 38 When Sha’ul died, Ba‘al-Chanan the son of ‘Akhbor reigned in his place. 39 When Ba‘al-Chanan died, Hadar reigned in his place; the name of his city was Pa’u; and his wife’s name was M’heitav’el the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mei-Zahav.

(Maftir) 40 These are the names of the chieftains descended from ‘Esav, according to their clans, places and names: the chieftains of Timna, ‘Alvah, Y’tet, 41 Oholivamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mivtzar, 43 Magdi’el and ‘Iram. These were the chieftains of Edom according to their settlements in the land they owned. This is ‘Esav the father of Edom.

37:1 Ya‘akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena‘an.

2 Here is the history of Ya‘akov. When Yosef was seventeen years old he used to pasture the flock with his brothers, even though he was still a boy. Once when he was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, he brought a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Isra’el loved Yosef the most of all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long-sleeved robe. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they began to hate him and reached the point where they couldn’t even talk with him in a civil manner.

5 Yosef had a dream which he told his brothers, and that made them hate him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen while I tell you about this dream of mine. 7 We were tying up bundles of wheat in the field when suddenly my bundle got up by itself and stood upright; then your bundles came, gathered around mine and prostrated themselves before it.” 8 His brothers retorted, “Yes, you will certainly be our king. You’ll do a great job of bossing us around!” And they hated him still more for his dreams and for what he said.

9 He had another dream which he told his brothers: “Here, I had another dream, and there were the sun, the moon and eleven stars prostrating themselves before me.” 10 He told his father too, as well as his brothers, but his father rebuked him: “What is this dream you have had? Do you really expect me, your mother and your brothers to come and prostrate ourselves before you on the ground?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

(ii) 12 After this, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s sheep in Sh’khem, 13 Isra’el asked Yosef, “Aren’t your brothers pasturing the sheep in Sh’khem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 He said to him, “Go now, see whether things are going well with your brothers and with the sheep, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him away from the Hevron Valley, and he went to Sh’khem, 15 where a man found him wandering around in the countryside. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” he answered. “Tell me, please, where are they pasturing the sheep?” 17 The man said, “They’ve left here; because I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dotan.’” Yosef went after his brothers and found them in Dotan.

18 They spotted him in the distance, and before he had arrived where they were, they had already plotted to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 So come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these water cisterns here. Then we’ll say some wild animal devoured him. We’ll see then what becomes of his dreams!” 21 But when Re’uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, “We shouldn’t take his life. 22 Don’t shed blood,” Re’uven added. “Throw him into this cistern here in the wilds, but don’t lay hands on him yourselves.” He intended to rescue him from them later and restore him to his father.

(iii) 23 So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing, 24 and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it). 25 Then they sat down to eat their meal; but as they looked up, they saw in front of them a caravan of Yishma‘elim coming from Gil‘ad, their camels loaded with aromatic gum, healing resin and opium, on their way down to Egypt. 26 Y’hudah said to his brothers, “What advantage is it to us if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Yishma‘elim, instead of putting him to death with our own hands. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers paid attention to him. 28 So when the Midyanim, merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted Yosef up out of the cistern and sold him for half a pound of silver shekels to the Yishma‘elim, who took Yosef on to Egypt.

29 Re’uven returned to the cistern, and, upon seeing that Yosef wasn’t in it, tore his clothes in mourning. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I go now?”

31 They took Yosef’s robe, killed a male goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 Then they sent the long-sleeved robe and brought it to their father, saying, “We found this. Do you know if it’s your son’s robe or not?” 33 He recognized it and cried, “It’s my son’s robe! Some wild animal has torn Yosef in pieces and eaten him!” 34 Ya‘akov tore his clothes and, putting sackcloth around his waist, mourned his son for many days. 35 Though all his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, he refused all consolation, saying, “No, I will go down to the grave, to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him.

36 In Egypt the Midyanim sold Yosef to Potifar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, a captain of the guard.

38:1 (iv) It was at this time that Y’hudah went off from his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah who was an ‘Adulami. 2 There Y’hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena‘ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her. 3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named ‘Er. 4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan. 5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K’ziv when she gave birth to him.

6 Y’hudah took a wife for ‘Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But ‘Er, Y’hudah’s firstborn, was evil from Adonai’s perspective, so Adonai killed him. 8 Y’hudah said to Onan, “Go and sleep with your brother’s wife — perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and preserve your brother’s line of descent.” 9 However, Onan knew that the child would not count as his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground, so as not to give his brother offspring. 10 What he did was evil from Adonai’s perspective, so he killed him too.

11 Then Y’hudah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Stay a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I don’t want him to die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived at home with her father. 12 In due time, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Y’hudah, died. After Y’hudah had been comforted, he went up to be with his sheep-shearers in Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the ‘Adulami. 13 Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law has gone up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s clothes, completely covered her face with her veil, and sat at the entrance to ‘Einayim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she still was not being given to him as his wife. 15 When Y’hudah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face. 16 So he went over to her where she was sitting and said, not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, “Come, let me sleep with you.” She answered, “What will you pay to sleep with me?” 17 He said, “I will send you a kid from the flock of goats.” She said, “Will you also give me something as a guarantee until you send it” 18 He answered, “What should I give you as a guarantee?” She said, “Your seal, with its cord, and the staff you’re carrying in your hand.” So he gave them to her, then went and slept with her; and she conceived by him. 19 She got up and went away, took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes.

20 Y’hudah sent the kid with his friend the ‘Adulami to receive the guarantee items back from the woman, but he couldn’t find her. 21 He asked the people near where she had been, “Where is the prostitute who was on the road at ‘Einayim?” But they answered, “There hasn’t been any prostitute here.” 22 So he returned to Y’hudah and said, “I couldn’t find her; also the people there said, ‘There hasn’t been any prostitute here.’” 23 Y’hudah said, “All right, let her keep the things, so that we won’t be publicly shamed. I sent the kid, but you didn’t find her.”

24 About three months later Y’hudah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution.” Y’hudah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!” 25 When she was brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Determine, I beg you, whose these are — the signet, the cords and the staff.” 26 Then Y’hudah acknowledged owning them. He said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t let her become the wife of my son Shelah.” And he never slept with her again.

27 When she went into labor, it became evident that she was going to have twins. 28 As she was in labor, one of them put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother came out; so she said, “How did you manage to break out first?” Therefore he was named Peretz [breaking out]. 30 Then out came his brother, with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was given the name Zerach [scarlet].

Matthew 21:1 As they were approaching Yerushalayim, they came to Beit-Pagei on the Mount of Olives. Yeshua sent two talmidim 2 with these instructions: “Go into the village ahead of you, and you will immediately find a donkey tethered there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him, ‘The Lord needs them’; and he will let them go at once.” 4 This happened in order to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet,

5 “Say to the daughter of Tziyon,

‘Look! Your King is coming to you,

riding humbly on a donkey,

and on a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden!’[Matthew 21:5 Zechariah 9:9]

6 So the talmidim went and did as Yeshua had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put their robes on them, and Yeshua sat on them. 8 Crowds of people carpeted the road with their clothing, while others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds ahead of him and behind shouted,

“Please! Deliver us!”[Matthew 21:9 Greek Ôsanna (English “Hosanna”) transliterates Hebrew Hosha na, which means “Please! Save [us]!”]

to the Son of David;

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!”

“You in the highest heaven! Please! Deliver us!”[Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:25–26][Matthew 21:9 Greek Ôsanna (English “Hosanna”) transliterates Hebrew Hosha na, which means “Please! Save [us]!”]

10 When he entered Yerushalayim, the whole city was stirred. “Who is this?” they asked. 11 And the crowds answered, “This is Yeshua, the prophet from Natzeret in the Galil.”

12 Yeshua entered the Temple grounds and drove out those who were doing business there, both the merchants and their customers. He upset the desks of the money-changers and knocked over the benches of those who were selling pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It has been written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’[Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7] But you are making it into a den of robbers!”[Matthew 21:13 Jeremiah 7:11]

14 Blind and lame people came up to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the head cohanim and Torah-teachers saw the wonderful things he was doing, and the children crying out in the Temple, “Please deliver us!”[Matthew 21:15 Greek Ôsanna (English “Hosanna”) transliterates Hebrew Hosha na, which means “Please! Save [us]!”] to the Son of David, they were furious. 16 They said to him, “Do you hear what they’re saying?” Yeshua replied, “Of course! Haven’t you ever read,

‘From the mouth of children and infants

you have prepared praise for yourself’?”[Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:3(2)]

17 With that, he left them and went outside the city to Beit-Anyah, where he spent the night.

18 The next morning, on his way back to the city, he felt hungry. 19 Spotting a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. So he said to it, “May you never again bear fruit!” and immediately the fig tree dried up. 20 The talmidim saw this and were amazed. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked. 21 Yeshua answered them, “Yes! I tell you, if you have trust and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to this fig tree; but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ it will be done. 22 In other words, you will receive everything you ask for in prayer, no matter what it is, provided you have trust.”

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