"THE ASSURED POSSIBILITY OF LIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE"

Introduction

In his book, Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper recounts the story of a man who came to Christ in his old age. The local church had prayed for this man for decades. However, he remained hard and resistant. Despite this he did show up one day when John Piper’s father, who was an evangelist, was preaching at the church. At the end of the service, during a hymn, the man came and took John Piper’s father by the hand. The elderly man and the evangelist sat down together on the front pew of the church as the people were dismissed. God had opened this man’s hardened heart to the gospel of Christ and he was saved from his sins and received the gift of eternal life. However, as great as this was it did not stop him from sobbing and saying, as the tears ran down his wrinkled face, “I’ve wasted it! I’ve wasted it!

What a tragedy of knowing that you wasted almost your entire life running from Christ. I have learned something over the years about evangelism and the gospel. Evangelism is hard. The hardest part of evangelism is not getting started. The hardest part of evangelism is not knowing how to end. The hardest part of evangelism is not even answering objections. The hardest part of evangelism is the hardened heart of the sinner.

In the text today, we are confronted with three presentations that reveal the difficult nature of the gospel. Each presentation will build on the other to show us the impossible life and how living it can be possible.

OTHERS CAN BE OBSTACLES TO THE GOSPEL (10:13-16)

In these verses we observe those who are bringing little children to Jesus. Because the word they is masculine it is evident that the fathers were coming with the mothers of these children to present them to Jesus. The word used for children here refers to children under the age of twelve (paidia). They were bringing their small children to Jesus for the purpose of blessing them. There was just one problem. The disciples were standing in the way of this.

Principle: Other people can be an obstacle to the gospel and influencing others to Christ.

Why would the disciples do such a thing? Their attitude reveals their perspective that Jesus was much too important and much too busy to be disturbed by those too young and helpless to contribute anything significant to Jesus or for them. So, the disciples rebuked the parents who trying to bring these children to Jesus (13).

We now observe Jesus’ response to the disciples actions (14).

Jesus is “greatly displeased.” This is a word that carries the idea of obvious indignation. In other words, you could see the obvious anger in Jesus’ face. The word literally means, “to be pained” or “to be angry.” Jesus is angered over those who stand in the way of others, especially children, from coming to Him.

It seems that children have an innate faith that allows them to come to Christ early if they are given the opportunity. The early church martyr, Justin Martyr, came to Christ at nine years of age. The mighty preacher Jonathan Edwards was saved at the age of seven. One of my favorite Christian leaders of a bygone era was Count Nikolaus Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, leader of the Moravian church, came to Christ when he was only four. Listen to his short but powerful prayer: “Dear Savior, do Thou be mine and I will be Thine!” That was from a four year old. I myself came to Christ at the age of eleven because of the opportunity Vacation Bible School gave.

Jesus uses this as a teaching time for the benefit of His disciples (15-16).

What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a child? In Jesus’ day, children were viewed more as property than persons. They were seen as getting in the way . They were also on the bottom rung of society. What was it about those children that Jesus was trying to compare to the kingdom of God? Was Jesus saying that unless you come as a child who is pure and innocent, you cannot receive the kingdom of God? Is that what Jesus was saying?

This certainly cannot be the case. None of us, including children are pure and innocent. We are all sinful and selfish. The Bible declares that there is no one who is righteous, no not one. So, what does Jesus mean? We should observe what is going on in the text. Parents were bringing their children to Jesus. Think about that simple statement. When these children were brought to Jesus, they came with nothing. They had been brought to Jesus for the very purpose of receiving something from Him without being able to give Him anything.

The only way anyone comes into the kingdom of God is to come just like those children. They had nothing to offer Jesus. They were not coming based on their own merit. That is exactly how anyone who comes to Jesus must come.

WE CAN BE OBSTACLES TO THE GOSPEL (10:17-22)

Here we have a man who has rejected the invitation of Jesus. Jesus has just blessed the children who can offer Him nothing. As He is leaving a man eagerly approaches Him. The text states that this man ran to Jesus and even knelt down before Him. As he does, he asks Jesus a question: “Good Teacher, what must I do to to inherit eternal life (17)?” We do not think much of that statement in our day. We just believe this man is showing Jesus great respect, and in a sense he is. However, we must consider the historical context of that question. In Jesus’ day and even before, Jewish rabbis were never referred to as “good teacher.” Right off the bat we observe that this man is slathering Jesus with a rare and unusual demonstration of respect. We might calling it “stroking the ego” or “”buttering up.”

This man asks the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus had just finished explaining that there is nothing one can do or give to God in order to receive the kingdom of God. Yet this man wants to know what “he” can do to inherit eternal life. In a nutshell, there is nothing he can do. Yet, this man’s question brings up another question.: What does the Bible mean by “eternal life?” Eternal life involves the surrender to God’s authority and to be governed by that authority here on earth and continue to be governed by that same authority in heaven. Eternal life begins here and will be completed there. The kingdom of God is not merely the place we go when we die, although it includes that. It is what we do and how we live our lives here (18).

That is the English text. However, there is a word difference in the Greek text. An English translation of the Greek would literally be rendered, “Why Me do you call good?” Jesus understood what this man was attempting to do. Jesus knew that this man was playing a spiritual game and was not serious. Jesus declares that there is no one who is truly good, only God fits that description. The Bible declares, “Give praise to the Lord for He is good.” Jesus was drawing this man’s attention to the righteous goodness of God.

Is Jesus denying His own goodness here, as some have supposed? NO! In fact, we know that Jesus was good. However, there is something more pressing that Jesus is drawing this man’s attention to. Jesus is disclosing to this confused man that not only is He good. More importantly, Jesus is disclosing to this man that He indeed is God (19-20).

These commandments are part of the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments . Jesus states to this man that he “knows” the commandments and then states the six commandments dealing with human relationships. Now notice verse twenty. Remember how this man addressed Jesus in verse seventeen. He addressed him as “Good Teacher” before he asked Jesus his initial question. Now how does the man address him now? He addresses Jesus merely as “Teacher.” Further, in this man’s response to Jesus he says, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Jesus stated that He knew that he knew those things. The man states that he had kept those things. This man is holding something back here. Which commandments are not listed and responded to? All four of the commandments not mentioned have to do with one’s relationship to God. Because of His sovereignty, Jesus knew the commandments this young man had kept, and He knows the commandments this man has broken.

Now Jesus gets very personal (21). Jesus looks at this young man. The Bible says that Jesus loved him. That is why Jesus says what he is going to say. “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Give me a break! Is Jesus really teaching that to follow Him we are to sell everything we own and give it away? No, this is not determinative of every person. However, this was a test. This man was playing games. Eternity and heaven is nothing to play at. The wealth of this man was a problem because he was worshiping his wealth and what it could do for Him. He had placed that on the throne where God was to be seated. He was wanting it both ways. He had one foot firmly planted in the world but he was wanting the other foot planted in Jesus. This man’s problem was that he failed to possess a supreme devotion to Jesus Christ (22).

We can be an obstacle to own selves in coming to Christ. Christ demands what is right, not what is left.

One of Aesop’s fables tells about a time when the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air were engaged in a violent war. The bat tried to appease both groups. When the birds were victorious, he would state that he was a bird. When the beasts of the earth were victorious, he would call himself a beast. Soon his hypocrisy was discovered and he was subsequently rejected by both sides. In response, he had to hide himself. Now only under cover of darkness can he appear with confidence.

JESUS DESIRES TO USE US TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO THE GOSPEL (10:23-27)

Jesus now turns His attention to His disciples. They have given up everything to follow Him. Knowing their hearts after all that has transpired, Jesus explains why all this has happened (23-24). The disciples were astonished at His words: “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” Jesus rephrases and repeats His words. This time He begins with a different form of the word “children.” This time he is not using a word for literal children. Jesus is very tender and pastoral here. He refers to them as His spiritual children. He knows that all this is overwhelming to them. So He says, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter to the kingdom of God!” He changes the issue of possession (“those who have”) to the issue of faith (“those who trust”).

Why were the disciples so overwhelmed? It is because they were struggling with the issue of faulty teaching. These guys had been taught, just like many believe in our day, that if you have wealth and if you have health you have the blessing of God. What Jesus had just said to them totally rocked their world. Jesus is going to illustrate this truth in the next two verses (25-26).

Jesus illustrates the point of the great difficulty of those with riches to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not impossible for wealthy people to enter the kingdom. However, they are at a distinct handicap. Jesus says in verse twenty-five, “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!”

What Jesus is saying is this: “The greatest beast that we can know on this soil in Israel is the camel. The smallest opening we know of is a needle. It is impossible for a camel to go through the opening of a needle. In the same way, it is near to impossible for those who are possessed by wealth to come to God.

The disciples are beside themselves. If a person who seems to have every material blessing of God misses heaven, is it even possible for anyone to be saved? Jesus answers their question and gives us the solution to the problem of salvation. Jesus says, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

If you are truly saved today, you are one of the impossible possibilities of God. You are saved not because of how wonderful you are. You are saved because of how awesome Jesus is. You are saved because you have allowed Jesus access to your life.

Conclusion

Only God can make the impossible possible. You can be a member of this church, but that does not make you a member of the kingdom of God. You can be the most religious person in this room. However, that does not mean you are living a spiritually transformed life. There are some listening to me this morning and you are absolutely miserable. God has been dealing with the condition of your heart and you have failed to respond. To come into the kingdom of God, you must do so like Riley did. You must come as a child knowing you have nothing to offer Jesus except a messed up life. This is how every true disciple of Jesus comes into the kingdom of God. You do not come into the kingdom of God like the rich young ruler who walked away from Christ because of the god of pride and an elevated sense of his own goodness. You must be willing to forsake all if you are going to follow Christ. You must give up any idea that you are good enough or that there is anything you can give God for salvation. All we can offer Him is our broken and bankrupt life. He will gladly take it and He will make the impossible possible in your life.