#DailyDevotion It’s Impossible For You To Be Saved…

Mark 10:23-27

²³Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to get into God’s kingdom!” ²⁴ The disciples were surprised He said that. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to get into God’s kingdom! ²⁵It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into God’s kingdom.” ²⁶They were more amazed than ever. “Who can be saved?” they asked one another. ²⁷As he looked at them, Jesus said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God, because everything is possible for God.”

As you hear the account of the rich man and how he went away sad you may be thinking to yourselves, “Boy, I’m glad I’m not rich.” You may think that all the more when you hear Jesus say today, “How hard it is for rich people to get into God’s kingdom!” Of course we know why that is. People with lots of wealth often idolize their wealth. Sometimes they may even grow beyond wealth into power. Their will and their their thoughts about power do not coincide with God’s will and ways. They do no use it for the purposes of which God has given it unto them.

Jesus doubles down and says, “Children, how hard it is to get into God’s kingdom! ²⁵It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into God’s kingdom.” First you might just miss how Jesus pulled down a bit of who he is talking about when he says, “How hard it is to get into God’s kingdom.” You see, this applies to everyone, not just the rich. This applies to you. But Jesus show how hard it is for the rich to get in by saying, “It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get into God’s kingdom.” Now I want to summarily dismiss any notion of a gate in Jerusalem called the Needle’s Eye. There is none. Jesus is talking about an actual camel going through a needle’s eye. I can barely get a thread through a needle’s eye with reading glasses on much less a camel.

Now the disciples fully understand what Jesus is saying applies to everyone. For one, the rich were considered blessed by God. They were blessed by God with wealth because they thought those people were considered so good by God. Yet, we know, their wealth was and is given them by the hand of God despite anything they have done. However, let’s go with their thinking for a minute. If the rich, who are rich, because they were so good and blessed by God can’t get into the kingdom of God, how on earth will the rest of us slouches get in? That is the thought behind them saying, “Who can be saved?” Who indeed can be saved? Well of course if the rich can’t be saved because a camel can’t get through a needle’s eye, then we are all in big trouble with a capital T.

Jesus though, having dashed all their hopes gives us hope, “everything is possible for God.” This is the Gospel message. It was given to Mary when she asked how she would have a child without a man. It was given to Abraham concerning barren Sarah at 90 years old. It was given to our first parents, “The seed of the woman would crush his head.” (Gen. 3:15) God would become man through the woman’s seed and in his flesh he would accomplish our salvation namely by dying for the sin of the world, rise from the dead and give eternal life to all who put their trust in him. Trust in Jesus then and not in yourselves or what you have or what you have done.

Heavenly Father, help us cast aside all earthly wealth and things and even ourselves and trust only in the person, work, and wealth of your Son Jesus Christ in who name we pray. Amen.