The first lesson Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28 So commit yourselves completely to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. 19Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. 20Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. 26"Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 28You will receive a curse if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn from his way by worshiping foreign gods. (NLT) Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24 . L. O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be put to shame. C. Rescue me, for you always do what is right. L. Bend down and listen to me; rescue me quickly. C. Be for me a great rock of safety, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. L. You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this peril. C. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. L. I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. C. Your goodness is so great! L. You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. C. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, L. blessing them before the watching world. C. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. L. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. C. Praise the Lord, for he has shown me his unfailing love. L. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. C. In sudden fear I had cried out, "I have been cut off from the Lord!" L. But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help. C. Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! L. For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant. C. So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord! (NLT) The second lesson Romans 1:16-17, 3:22b-28 (29-31) For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—Jews first and also Gentiles. 17This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." 22 And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. 23For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. 25For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. 26And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus. 27Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. 28So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. (29After all, God is not the God of the Jews only, is he? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30There is only one God, and there is only one way of being accepted by him. He makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.) (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Matthew 7:21-29 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (NIV)