Impossible or Possible?

Good morning.

Various servants of the Lord served in the Old Testament - priests, prophets and Levites who acted on behalf of the ordinary people. The ordinary people only needed to bring the prescribed sacrifices for the atonement of their sins and pay their tithes.

The New Testament is totally different. Because Jesus has all authority on earth and in heaven (Matthew 28:18), and we are in Him and He in us, we “like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ,” and we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you (we) may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you (us) out of darkness into his marvellous light,” (1 Peter 2:5, 9). All those who are born again and Spirit filled are to serve and give everything we have, because we all have His authority and power living within us. Financial giving does not involve only a tithe anymore, but as much as we can give and giving is not only financially but ourselves – spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (Romans 12:1, 2). There are no ‘ordinary people’ anymore. All Christians are servants such as the priests, prophets and Levites.  

When Jesus mentioned about the rich people finding it hard to enter the Kingdom of heaven, the disciples “were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,’” (Matthew 19:26).

 We’ve heard this last sentence used many times in other contexts, but why was it used in this context? In ourselves we are carnal, self-centred and subject to pride and self-exaltation. Man naturally wants to feel and be important, appear rich and attractive to others. This is the nature of man in the world, examples of which I don’t even have to start listing, but it is also the case in the church and each person should judge their own heart in this regard.

In verse thirty Jesus said: “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first,’” (Matthew 19:30). How literally do you think He meant this? When we hang around people enjoying their adoration for the wonderful things we have done, when we push ourselves forward to the important places in the church, when someone criticizes us and we defend ourselves at the expense of love, are we the least? Maybe we’re not like this at church, but how about at work or in the marketplace? What’s in our hearts?

To be like Jesus, to live for others, to sacrifice materialism and the power of money, to be the least and to be a holy- or royal priesthood is impossible to man. We are much too vulnerable to carnal selfishness and the power of the sinful nature. But to the Lord everything is possible. If we allow Him to take over, He can change us into what we should be. This is, however, not instant, but a process. When we give the permission, i.e. if from the depths of our hearts we surrender to the Lord and ask Him to help us let go of materialism, to let go of everything that is important to the sinful nature and live by the Spirit, He will start working in our hearts and deliver us from everything that stands in the way of His plan for our lives.

Jesus was serious when He said that those to whom materialism is important will not enter the Kingdom and that those who are first on earth, will be last in the Kingdom of heaven and only He can change it in us if we are willing. The change, however, will be painful but worth the while. Are you willing? Then pray:

Lord, I’m willing; please make possible what’s impossible for me.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

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