Impossible

 This week's verses are Matthew 19:23-26:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible.” 

In these verses, Jesus has just gotten done making the rich young man sad. He may make us sad too.

In those days, the prevailing belief system was something like a kind of prosperity gospel. The idea was, if you did enough good things, God would reward you with wealth and property and fame and fortune. But here God is doing the opposite by telling the young man to part with his property! "Hey rich! You don't have to be rich anymore! Jesus is here!" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Moreover, to part with even a little cash probably seemed difficult to the disciples. The idea of parting with the amount the rich person had was probably impossible to imagine. They basically tell Jesus "Are you crazy? Nobody can do that!"

But this is where Jesus reminds them of the gospel: "This is impossible for people, but for God all things are possible." In other words, "You can't do it on your own, but together we can make it happen." Our obedience depends on our depending on God and drawing strength and discipline from him.

So, next time you read something in the Bible that just seems crazy to you, ask yourself if it may be a chance to lean on God for the power to obey. You're probably right when you think perfect obedience to God's will is impossible for us, but it becomes possible when we invite God, who owns the place, to participate with us.