Grace By Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Norfolk
Love Begins with God’s Son
All of God’s commandments are about love. We are to love God and our neighbor. Jesus says, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” How simple it sounds that, “love is the fulfilling of the law,” yet how difficult to put into practice. Everyone agrees that the world needs more love, but few follow through. The moment someone bothers us, or wrongs us in any way, all bets seem to be off. Christ says, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Who has fulfilled this command perfectly? “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Nevertheless, Christ offers us hope and salvation through his own complete fulfillment of the law.
The Pharisees used the law to condemn others while boasting about their own supposed fulfillment of it. Jesus changed the subject: “What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He?” As both the Son of David and the Son of God, Jesus lived under the law, fulfilling its every demand upon us. He loved his Father perfectly, submitting to his will even to the point o...