“The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

Luke 18:18-43 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” ²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” ²² When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²³ But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. ²⁴ And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.” ²⁹ 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, ³⁰ who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

³¹ Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³² For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, ³³ and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” ³⁴ But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.

³⁵ As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. ³⁶ Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. ³⁷ They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸ And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁰ And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, ⁴¹ “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” ⁴² And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” ⁴³ Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

In today’s text Jesus says:  “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”  In the context, He was speaking about salvation. It is impossible for anyone, on their own, to achieve eternal life. No matter how good a person might be; no matter the lifestyle we have, none of us can earn or achieve salvation and eternal life. What is impossible with people is possible with God. In John 14:6 Jesus says:  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  Acts 4:12 says:  There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”  

Salvation though is not the only thing that is impossible with people, but possible with God. Genesis 1:1-3 says:  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.   With all of man’s scientific knowledge and cumulative learning over the centuries, man has been unable to create something from nothing. Scientific fact and theory both begin with something. Man can rearrange things; combine things; cause things to interact or react, man can aid in growing things, but it is not possible for man to create something from nothing. Creation is only possible with God. Genesis 1:26-27 says:  “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.   Man has continually tried to create life. Even cloning only duplicates life. It does not create life. Man cannot create the intracacies of human biology; genetics, DNA etc, only God could create such a complex being.    

“The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”   So, what impossible things are you faced with today?  Exodus 3:14-15 says:  God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”   God’s memorial name; what we, all generations, are to know and remember Him as, is I AM.  He is the answer to whatever impossible problem you may be facing. If you are sick, He is Jehovah-Rapha: The God Who Heals.  If you are in need of provision, He is Jehovah-Jireh: The God Who provides. If you are worried or anxious, He is Jehovah-Shalom: The God of Peace.  If you are in a struggle, He is Jehovah-Nissi: God My Banner; and My Victory.  He is I AM.

In today’s text it says:  As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him,  “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”  And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”    Just as He asked the blind man, Jesus asks today: “What do you want Me to do for you?”  What impossible thing do you want Me to do for you? Whatever your need, I AM.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit; what is impossible with people is possible with You. Thank You for being I Am, the answer to my every need. Amen.