October 7, 2026
To Summarize... - Part 3
Matthew 22:37-40
10/07/2026
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 confesses our inability to live according
to God's will.
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.
What is God's will? Yesterday we looked at the law as a
mirror which shows us our sin. Today we will see the law is also
a guideline, a goal which directs our actions so that we may do
that which is pleasing to God.
And [Jesus] 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.''
As hard as we try, we still fail to perfectly keep the law.
Daily we strive to fear, love, and trust in God above all things
while serving our neighbor, but we also are corrupted by our
selfish, sinful nature. Therefor, each day we confess our sins,
trusting in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus to
pay the price of our transgressions.
He, and He alone, has perfectly kept all of God's law, from
birth to death to eternal life. Because of God's grace and
mercy, our heavenly Father credits Jesus' righteousness to us,
thus removing the guilt and punishment for our sins. In God's
sight, because of Christ Jesus, we have indeed kept the law
perfectly. This is God's promise of forgiveness and salvation.
Is it any wonder that we desire to serve Him who has removed the
shame of our sins?
May our Lord grant us faith to receive His mercy. Amen.