October 6, 2026
To Summarize... - Part 2
Matthew 22:35-40
10/06/2026
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to
test him.
36 ``Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
Law?''
37 And he said to him, ```You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind.'
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it `You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.'
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and
the Prophets.'' (ESV)
This week's prayer asks God to direct us so that we may keep
His holy law.
O God, because without You we are not able to please
You, mercifully grant that Your Holy Spirit may in all
things direct and rule our hearts.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus is asked about that law, which
He summarized in two brief sentences.
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test
him. ``Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
Law?'' And he said to him, ```You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind.' This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it `You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments
depend all the Law and the Prophets.''
Our problem is simple. Because of our sinful, selfish
nature we cannot love God with our whole being. Because we are
turned inward, seeking our own advantage, we cannot love our
neighbor as ourselves. Thus, we stand condemned by the law. It
works as a mirror, showing us our unrighteousness, showing us our
need for a Savior.
The Pharisees, however, insisted that they can keep the law
perfectly, that they deserved heaven because they tried to do all
the 613 Jewish laws demanded. We also fall into the same trap.
As long as we think we are good enough, as long as we ignore the
mirror of the law, we have no hope.
May our Lord show us our sin so that we may see our Savior.
Amen.