“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’
–” Galatians 3:13
We find salvation only in the Gospel. It
is the Gospel, which tells us that Christ has become our substitute and
fulfilled the Law for us by suffering and dying for us on the cross. St. Paul reminds us in Romans 10:4, “Christ
is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
No one can fulfill the Law either for
himself or for someone else. Jesus our Savior had to be God in order that,
being put under the Law, He might fulfill the Law for those who could not do it
for themselves. His obedience is sufficient for all people. Jesus fulfilled the
Law to the full satisfaction of God. By this obedience, we are now declared
righteous before God. The writer to the Hebrew encourages us to fix our gaze
upon Jesus. “O come let us fix our eyes on Jesus the founder and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising
the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews
12:2)
O God, You see that of ourselves we have
no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may
happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the
soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Collect for Second Sunday in Lent, Lutheran Service Book ©
2008 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld ©WELS
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