Luke 18 verses 29 & 30. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
The exchange between Jesus and the rich ruler took place in the presence of the disciples. Imagine yourself listening in to the conversation. Remember that for these disciples the words of Jesus went clean contrary to what they had always believed. They had always thought of rich people as being especially blessed by God and hardly in need of eternal life. This is what lay behind the outburst by some who heard him “Who then can be saved?” (v 26). To which Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
In other words, as the disciples saw the rich man make his choice and go away without eternal life they thought, “If he cannot get it, who can?” Jesus replied that God can open any man’s heart and He has the power to save even the most unexpected people. No one is beyond the reach of Grace. But would they be willing to put Christ first? That is the question.
Imagine a scene like this. Thousands approach the door of heaven and ask God for eternal life. God says to them, “Why should I give you eternal life?” “Oh!” they say “because we have fasted, prayed, done good, made sacrifices etc.” “Very well”, says God, “Will you embrace my Son as your only Saviour?” As the multitudes look on the Son, they see in him a Man, much like us. “No” they say, “We want eternal life, but not your Son!” “Thus” says God, “you shall not have eternal life”.
What in the world could induce people to believe in Christ, want him as a Saviour, trust in Him and embrace him as their King? The answer is nothing! Nothing in this world can make people want Jesus more than any other treasure. But what is impossible with man is possible with God.
God can open blind eyes so that they can see. But we must not think that because they are blind, those who reject Christ are without fault. Their blindness is culpable. It is the result of the hardening of the heart to God’s word. But when repentance comes, there comes with it the willingness to put all else aside and to turn to Christ for salvation.
This kind of turn-about is impossible with men. But it is possible with God and thousands around the world, every day, are responding to the irresistible Christ.