Life Ministries

“That’s Impossible!”
Luke 18:18-27 and Luke 1:35-37

    My intent is not to talk about the Christmas story…it is to focus in on the last verse “For nothing shall be impossible with God”. In the other scripture we heard the same words in a little different way; Jesus said - “what is impossible with men is possible with God.”

    There were a couple of things that stirred the thoughts in my mind this past week. One was the yesterdays re-run of a blog from Februry concerning those times in our lives when it seems like we are going through a storm - when it seems all is lost unless God steps in and does something… I gave the examples of two different storms; one with the disciples and Jesus calming the storm; the other with Paul and the fact that God did not calm the storm, but in fact, brought them through the storm.
    My mind began to put all this together into the thought that kept coming back over and over, “all things are possible with God” This is very motivational to me in my own life. Let me give you a short summary of what these passages of scripture say to me (they are describing three humanly impossible situations;)
    The first we are very familiar with, the virgin birth. Here is the picture of a woman – Mary – who has not intimately known a man, but the angel tells her that she is going to bring forth a child. This ability, which is humanly impossible, is going to be made possible because the word says “she will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit”…In other words, the involvement of a supernatural source – God’s Holy Spirit - now takes an impossible situation and makes it possible.
    Then, we hear of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, who is now 6 months pregnant. And, it says that she is now of old age…past her child bearing years…and defined as “barren” - even when she could have had children. Without even saying it, there is this question lingering from verse 34 – “How can this be?”  We would say it’s humanly impossible. But, “with God, nothing is impossible.” The inability of man is always superseded by the super-natural ability of Almighty God.  Just because we can’t figure it out…or just because it doesn’t make sense…or just because we can’t see a way out, doesn’t mean it’s impossible!
    Now, in the next story we have a different circumstance. Jesus himself reinforces this same theme; but the subject is now salvation…The rich young ruler asks “How can I inherit eternal life”?  To this Jesus basically replies - “although you have obeyed the Commandments, there is a flaw in your life”…That is that the man thought he was self-sufficient. He put his confidence in riches rather than God. And, by telling him that he had to give all he had to the poor, Jesus was saying that he had to get rid of that which was his true dependence, and put his total dependence upon God.
    It says that he “went away sad because he was a man of great wealth”.  I suppose if he only had $10.00 he would have gladly parted with it to gain salvation…But to give all that he had?... That’s asking too much!  To this Jesus says  “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.”  To this, it says, the people replied; “Who then can be saved?” You see, the people were totally confused. It was their belief that if a man had great riches it meant that he had the blessing or approval of God.  The greater the blessing, the greater God’s approval on that man’s life. Now they are thinking, “If rich people whom God has seemingly blessed can’t get in…who can?  To this Jesus gives them the words that we are looking for; “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”  In other words, it is impossible for man to save himself in any way…We can’t buy our way in…We can’t work our way in…We can’t give our way in…It is only possible with God. It becomes a Divine reality only because of the ability of God to send His Son into the world - through an impossible situation like that of the young virgin Mary…. And, to send him into the world with one true purpose, to die for the sins of the world…a “final sacrifice, once and for all” the Bible says. The only possible way to find and receive salvation. All (impossibilities) in this life rest on man’s (inabilities) and (limitations)…But, whenever our limitations, and our inabilities become merged with God’s (supernatural) and divine ability – “all things are possible to him who believes!” (Mark 9:23)
    This is why the devil works so hard to keep us separated from God. He knows that apart from God, we have no power! Apart from God, the devil becomes the dominating entity in our lives….and we become – as the Word says; “slaves to sin”, and slaves to temptation, and to the passions of the flesh. Think about the fact that way back in the Book of Genesis it says that God gave man “dominion” over all the earth…But, when sin entered in, and man stumbled, and was separated from God, all power was lost.  Listen, Those who are separated from God, those who are unbelievers, have no power, no authority over the enemy. That’s why Satan does not fear an unbeliever! Satan does not fear the world! He fears the church! Because he knows what can happen when the church gets in contact with the supernatural ability of God!  Is it any wonder why Paul was able to make the declaration “I can do ALL things – not some things – but all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me”! 
    So, what is the key to tapping in to this power?  What is it that makes all things possible?  It’s a little word that is found in each one of these scriptures. A simple word that makes all the difference in the church and in the life of each and every one of us who are in or part of the church; it’s that little word “with”… “With” - God all things are possible”. Not apart from God, but with God… “With God we can beat the odds! With God, the odds become 1 in 1 ...let me explain that a little more;
    In the Greek, you will discover there are three different ways that they used this word “with”.  Let me give you the first two and then I will give the one that really applies in these verses. The first is the word “Meta” which means “to be in the vicinity of”… They used this to say for instance; “Jesus was in Galilee, and “The crowd was with him”… Which means they were in the vicinity of where Jesus was…they also were in Galilee. 
    The second word is “Para” – perhaps you have heard this in reference to the Holy Spirit who is our “paracleat”. It means to be “next to or very near or beside”… It implies being a little closer than just in the vicinity. For instance, the sentence that reads “They said of Jesus that he sits and eats “with” publicans and sinners”… is the use of the word “para” – in very close proximity…around the table.  When we look at the verses in Luke, neither of the words “meta” or “para” were used. Instead, they used the word that I think is pronounced “sun” or “soon” that means to be in union with or have a relationship to something or someone.  And, when the Word says “With God nothing is impossible” It is not saying just because you are in the vicinity – just because you go to church – or just because you hang around with church folks, nothing is impossible… It is not saying “just because you sit down at God’s table and eat with him” … It is saying that for those who have entered into a union with God, for those who have a deeper relationship with God, nothing is impossible!
    It also is not saying that if you are in the vicinity – if you go to church, you can be saved…and so on…but it is saying that the only way to be saved is through a relationship with God through Christ His Son.
    In the Book of John chapter 15, We have a perfect example of this; Jesus describes this by using an excellent  word picture of the vine and the branches. He says that the branch must remain in the vine, and apart from the vine, or separate from the vine, we can do nothing! 
    Let’s think about the Great Commission; it was an impossible task …but Jesus said to his disciples, “and lo, I am WITH you always”… Their human inabilities were to be accompanied, or merged, with his divine ability, and it becomes possible to “go into all the world”.  In Mark 16:20, at the end of Mark’s interpretation of the Great Commission, it says; “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by many signs and wonders”… The impossible became possible because the Lord was “with” them.  In our own ability, we are limited…we are in fact, many times power-less.  Without the supernatural ability of God, Mary can’t conceive… without the supernatural ability of God, Elizabeth remains barren… without the supernatural ability of God, along with the grace and mercy of God, no one would be saved. But “with” God – in the greatest sense of the word, every impossibility in life becomes a possible! Because God can do what He says he can do!