Scripture

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Observation

Jesus tells His disciples that it is hard for rich people to enter the kingdom. In fact it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.

The disciples are astounded and ask Jesus how can anyone be saved? He tells them it is impossible by human standards, but with God everything is possible .

He goes on to tell them that in the age to come, these disciples will sit on twelve thrones. Many who are now the greatest will then be the least in the Kingdom, and many who are now unimportant will be the greatest.

Application

It is impossible for anyone to be saved through human effort alone. The disciples were amazed at Jesus’ words that rich people find it hard to enter the Kingdom. There was an assumption that being rich was a sign of God’s favour.

Jesus reminds them that the rich will be poor and the weak will be strong in the age of the Kingdom of Heaven. God overturns all of our expectations.

Nobody can be saved – rich or poor. But with God, the impossible becomes possible Jesus would soon die on the cross to open wide the gates of Heaven to all who would lay down their own lives and follow Him.

With God, all things are possible. The dead come to life; lepers are cleansed; money is provided; incurable diseases are cured.

We should never abandon hope. Rather, we need to trust the God who does the impossible.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your ability to save people who seem beyond redemption. You truly are the God of the impossible. Amen.

Scripture

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

Observation

Some parents bring their children to receive Jesus’ blessing. The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus says,”Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like this.”

A rich man comes to Jesus to ask him what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to obey the commandments. The man says he has done this and asks what else must he do?

Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. The young man goes away sad, for he has many possessions.

Application

Jesus has a way of putting his finger on people’s addictions and idols. For this man, the idol was his wealth.

Jesus, at the man’s request, gives him a fundamental choice. He could enjoy the benefits of wealth in this life or he could give them up for now in order to enjoy eternal life.

It is a bit like the challenge for young children – have one lolly now sitting in front of you on a plate or wait half an hour for five lollies. Many people, adults and children alike, are unable to exercise discipline and patience to wait for the better thing.

This man was obviously aware he was lacking something. He was looking for the relationship with God that just obeying commandments can never satisfy. Jesus says, in effect, that his wealth was standing in the way.

It doesn’t have to be possessions, of course. People make idols of all kinds of things – power, sexual immorality, approval by others and more.

If we are not prepared to give up the thing that blocks our relationship with God, we will never get to Heaven.

Prayer

Lord, please show me the idols that get in the way of my relationship with you, and please give me the grace to surrender them to you. Amen.

Scripture

“Haven’t you read the scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.'”

Observation

Jesus leaves Galilee and travels to Judea. Some Pharisees ask him if a man should be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason.

Jesus replies that the scriptures teach that God made people male and female, and for this reason a man leaves his parents to be united with his wife. Therefore, no one should separate those whom God has join together.

When pressed by the Pharisees, Jesus goes on to say that divorce was given because our hearts are hard. Anyone who divorces for any reason other than adultery by their partner is themselves guilty of adultery.

Application

In the beginning God created people male and female.

Jesus repeat this passage from Genesis because it is foundational to what it means to be human. It is basic biology.

Western culture at the moment is being assaulted by people who want to tear down all distinctions in nature, but especially those between men and women.

Biology teaches us that our sex is hard coded into our DNA. Every cell in our body carries the code – you are a man or a woman. We cannot overwrite this with surgery, hormones, and feelings.

In the same way, marriage is undermined when people say,”Love is love” to justify a form of marriage in which the sex of the people is irrelevant.

God made us male and female. To deny this basic truths is to make God a liar.

Prayer

Father, please help people to understand the basic truth. I reject the claims of those who deny you and I declare that your word is true. Amen.