Easter Together, Day 13 - "Mission Impossible"

Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”  And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

 Luke 18: 24-30 (see also Mark 10:23-31; Matthew 19: 23-30)

Still in Perea, Luke chapter 18 parallels Matthew and Mark from verse 15 on.  Prior to this Luke records Jesus’ parables on prayer - the persistent woman and the penitent sinner (my blog from 3.19.2015), which are not in Matthew and Mark – demonstrating how strongly Luke wants to show that Jesus absolutely regards the heart of any person coming to him. There are three examples Luke gives – the first is through prayer (the persistent woman and the penitent sinner contrasting the Pharisee’s prayer), a second is through children and child-like trust, and a third is through the rich young ruler, who in sorrow walked away refusing to let his riches go. Looking at each of these we see the larger theme – that how one sees themselves and responds in their relationship with God matters a great deal. Persistence, a penitent heart, child-like faith and trust, and making Christ Lord above all are what God wants. 

There is an additional point that Luke makes in these three examples. One we especially see in the last. After the young ruler walks away ‘sad,’ Jesus says, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24b &25) Those around Jesus who heard him responded – “who then can be saved?” to which Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Vv. 26-27) The point being that right standing before God is not something that is man-made, it is God-given. The Pharisee did not have right standing because of his loud public prayer, nor did the young ruler have it because he was rich.  Instead, Jesus says, the one who will have right standing with me is the one to whom God gives it.  God is the author and finisher of salvation. If we are to be saved it will come from Him, for... “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

If this seems to burst your bubble, it likely needed bursting. Jesus teaches that God is the One who accomplishes ‘mission impossible.’ He changes our hearts and priorities. People cannot save themselves; God does this - by His power, which is why the Apostle writes that the gospel is the ‘power of God’ (Romans 1:16-17)

As we move along this final journey to Jerusalem with Christ, let us reflect on these examples of Luke 18 and give thanks that our salvation comes from Him – for with God nothing is impossible.    

Pastor Sam