Who Can Be Saved?

Text: “And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!’” Mark 10:24

One of the things that still sticks with me from September 11, 2001, is a cartoon that was published just afterward. It pictured some of the firefighters who had been running up the stairs to rescue those trapped at the top of the towers when the buildings collapsed. It showed them standing on the clouds, with the gates of heaven wide open in front of them, and one of them saying, “We’ve reached the top.”

Now, it’s hard to criticize the cartoon. It was a great act of courage and sacrifice. And yet, the truth is, that—to paraphrase Jesus—it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a firefighter—even those who the sort of courage and sacrifice that they did—to enter the kingdom of God.

We see something similar today. Doctors, nurses, “front line workers” hailed as heroes. And for very good reason. They are wonderful examples of courage, dedication, service, and sacrifice. And yet, at the very same time, to paraphrase Jesus, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a doctor, nurse, or front line worker to enter the kingdom of God.

Who then can be saved?

A few years ago I preached at the funeral of a dear woman named Mary, one of the members of the church I was serving. She was an incredible woman of faith. She was constantly encouraging people who were suffering, constantly witnessing to her faith. On one occasion, after she had been homebound for some time, an illness took her in to the hospital. At the hospital, she said that she was glad for the illness because she had been able to witness to several nurses and technicians in her short stay. I won’t go into a lot more detail, but you know the type of woman, I’m sure.

As I pointed out during her funeral sermon, the frightening thing is that, unless your righteousness (or mine) is even greater than Mary’s, you will not enter the kingdom of God. Or, to put it in terms of today’s text: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for Mary to enter the kingdom of God.

Who is it for you? Who do we hold up as the ones who are truly blessed, who are truly loved by God, who [certainly deserve] to be welcomed into His kingdom with open arms? For the disciples it was the rich. They, certainly, must be loved by God. They must have won his special favor in order to be blessed that way. Certainly there was something about them that made them worthy. That’s why they were devastated when Jesus told them, “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.” (Adapted from a sermon by Fickenscher, Rev. Dr. Carl. “Sermon on Mark 10:23-31” preached at Kramer Chapel October 21, 2015. Posted at https://media.ctsfw.edu/Video/ViewDetails/11300.)

If firefighters and first responders haven’t earned the right to be welcomed into His Kingdom with open arms, then who can be? If doctors, nurses, and front line workers haven’t earned the right to be welcomed into His Kingdom with open arms, then who can be?

If you’re asking that question right now, then good. I‘ve accomplished the first task that I needed to accomplish today.

“It bothered them greatly. And it also bothers us today. If it is impossible for us to be saved on our terms, then salvation rests in God alone.” (Nafzger, Rev. Dr. Peter. “Gospel: Mark 10:23-1 (Proper 24: Series B).” Posted at https://www.craftofpreaching.com/essays/2018/10/14/gospel-mark-1023-31-proper-24-series-b)

It’s easy to focus on those rich people: Nope, they’re not getting into heaven without a miracle. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.” They reply with alarm, “Then who can be saved?” And what is His answer? “With man this is impossible.”

In other words, “Then who can be saved?”

“No one.”

Dear children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

As one of the professors from the Fort Wayne Seminary put it: “When your eyes get to be my age it’s doggone near impossible just for a thread to go through the eye of a needle. And it all gets harder from there. It’s a lot harder for a camel. But it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. And a lot harder than just overcoming the stumbling block of riches is for anyone to enter the kingdom of God. It takes a miracle. And it takes a bigger miracle for [them and for] you to enter the kingdom of God.” (Fickenscher)

“You remember the setting for our text today, the occasion: the rich young man has gone away sad when Jesus told him to sell everything he had, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. So Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God.’

“[Forget about] Bill Gates and [Warren] Buffett and Mark Cuban and Steve Jobs…. It’s hard enough to get past that stumbling block of riches. But it’s more difficult still for anyone to enter the kingdom of God.

By any objective, historical standard, you and I are filthy rich. Even just right now, in our own time, all of us are part of the “1%” if you look at it globally. “[Now, the reality is that] anybody who can go to the lunch line for all you can eat and then come back and do it again tomorrow is rich. Any husband and wife who routinely get ready for the day in separate bathrooms, maybe even out of separate closets, where the big issue is whether you have enough hot water for both of your showers, you’re rich.

“How do you think you would do with Jesus’ words to the rich young man: “Sell it all. Give to the poor”?

“But it’s not really the money. It’s not the fact that you’re rich that we’re really talking about here. That’s not the real problem. The miracle that it takes for you to enter the kingdom of God is faith. And “I believe that I cannot, by my own reason or strength, believe.” For man— for me, for you— it’s impossible.

“Jesus said to His disciples…, ‘Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God.’

“The disciples were exceedingly astonished and said to Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible.”

“Period. Did you hear that? Difficult for anybody. [And actually not just difficult, but impossible.]

“…[S]ee, it’s not really the money. It’s our sin. And we’ve all got that. Whatever else we’ve got— money or not so much— we’ve all got that. And ain’t no sinners getting into the kingdom of God without a miracle. How difficult it is for anyone to enter the kingdom of God.

“It took the Son of God becoming a human being.

“It took the sinless Son of God becoming sin. How about that one?

“It took the eternal Son of God dying on the cross. It took God dying in order for anyone to enter the kingdom of God….” (Ibid.)

It took a dead man rising from the grave. What a miracle!

“And it took an even bigger miracle for you to enter the kingdom of God.

“The Son of God becoming a human being and dying that’s an incredible miracle. But do you know what Luther said about the miracle of the incarnation? He said the bigger miracle was that Mary believed the words of the angel. The devil and all the powers of evil couldn’t stop God from becoming a human being, from dying, from rising again. In fact, they became accomplices in the whole thing. But when it comes to the faith, there’s [a] problem: you and me. ...I fight it, and you fight it with everything the Old Adam’s got. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts. The Holy Spirit has worked a miracle: I believe that Jesus’ death on the cross has saved me.”(Ibid.)

It took the Son of God becoming a human being. It took the sinless Son of God becoming sin. It took God dying in order for anyone to enter the kingdom of God….” And that’s exactly what He did. He was made man. “9 [He] was[, for a little while,] made lower than the angels… [until He was] crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9, ESV). And not just for everyone—so that He might taste death for you. “17 [H]e had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17).

“14 …[H]e himself likewise [took on flesh and blood], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. [He did it to deliver you.] 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham[. He performed this miracle to help you]” (Hebrews 2:14–16, ESV). That is why He is not ashamed to call you His brothers (Heb. 2:11).

“…There’s one more thing in this text that’s impossible for us to believe. Verse 29: “Truly I say to you, there is none who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time— houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions— and in the age to come eternal life.” We’re not talking about the eternal life part. It took a miracle to believe that, but the Holy Spirit worked that miracle already. And we’re not talking the persecution part. You believe that without any miracle. We’re talking about this: there is no one who has left brothers or sisters or father or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time. Houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands. Do you believe that? You know better than that. Right? Frankly it would be a very simple miracle for God to give us a hundred times as much stuff. But He’s not going to do that. You know that by experience. That’s impossible to believe.

“Believe it. Right now, in this life, you who have a modest apartment or a dorm room, right now, in that little abode, you have a hundred times and more than what the unbelieving billionaire has who thinks this is all there is. Knowing that all of those things— material things— are blessings from God, gifts that flow from having been reconciled to God by Jesus’ death on the cross, gives you infinitely more— right now! This day! In those simple, material gifts! Makes those little material blessings, your property— worth infinitely more than a billionaire’s mansion. It’s impossible to believe that. It’s true.”(Ibid.)

Obviously, I didn’t end Mary’s funeral sermon on the thought that unless your righteousness (or mine) is even greater than Mary’s, you will not enter the kingdom of God. Because God’s Word does not end there. As it is written, “32…God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all” (Romans 11:32, ESV). No, even Mary’s righteousness was not enough. And so, in baptism, she was clothed with the righteousness of Christ. He had mercy on Mary when He buried her and raised her with Christ through baptism. He had mercy on her by feeding her with His body and blood—and, with them, forgiveness, life, and salvation.

And He does the same for you. You could not enter the Kingdom of God. And so He has gathered you into His Kingdom. He has purchased and won you with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death so that, right how, you live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.

Who can be saved? “With man it is impossible. But not with God, for all things are possible with God.” With man, all of this is impossible. But with God, it [has] happen[ed to you.] Amen.” (Ibid.)

[5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid.