(Adapted from the writings of Andrew Murray, some of which are available at the Blue Letter Bible)
But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
(Luke 18:27)
Christ had said to the rich young ruler, “Sell all that you have… and come, follow me.” The young man, distressed, went away sorrowful. Christ then turned to the disciples, and said: “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples, we read, were greatly astonished, and answered: ““Then who can be saved?”” And Christ gave this blessed answer:
“What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
The text contains two thoughts—that in the question of salvation and of following Christ by a holy life, it is impossible for man to do it. And then alongside that is the thought—What is impossible with man is possible with God.
The two thoughts mark the two great lessons that man has to learn in the Christian life. It often takes a long time to learn the first lesson, that in religion man can do nothing, that salvation is impossible to man. And often a man learns that, and yet he does not learn the second lesson—what has been impossible to him is possible with God. Blessed is the man who learns both lessons! The learning of them marks stages in the Christian’s life.
Man Cannot
This is of first importance for man to learn: With man it is impossible to serve God and Christ. Peter spent three years in Christ’s school, and even he never learned that, It is impossible, until he had denied his Lord and went out and wept bitterly. Then he learned it. Let us receive this as the first great lesson in the spiritual life: “It is impossible for me, my God; let there be an end of the flesh and all its powers, an end of self, and lot it be my glory to be helpless.”
Praise God for the divine teaching that makes us helpless!
When you thought of absolute surrender to God were you not brought to an end of yourself, and to feel that you could see how you actually could live as a man absolutely surrendered to God every moment of the day—at your table, in your house, in your business, in the midst of trials and temptations? I pray you learn the lesson now. If you felt you could not do it on your own, well, guess what?! You are on the right road! Accept that position, and maintain it before God: “My hearts desire and delight, O God, is absolute surrender, but I cannot perform it. It is impossible for me to live that life. It is beyond me.” Fall down and learn that although you are utterly helpless, God will come to work in you not only to will, but also to do.
God Can
Now comes the second lesson. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Your Christian life is every day to be a proof that God works impossibilities. Think about it. Your Christian life is to be a series of impossibilities made possible and actual by God’s almighty power. That is what the Christian needs. We worship an almighty God, don’t we? We must remember that we need more than just a little of God’s power, but we need—with reverence be it said—the whole of God’s omnipotence to keep us right, and to live like a faithful Christian.
The whole of Christianity is a work of God’s omnipotence. Look at the birth of Christ Jesus. That was a miracle of divine power, and it was said to Mary: “With God nothing shall be impossible.” It was the almighty power of God. Look at Christ’s resurrection. We are taught that it was according to the exceeding greatness of His mighty power that God raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Every tree must grow on the root from which it springs. An oak tree three hundred years old grows all the time on the one root from which it had its beginning. Christianity had its beginning in the omnipotence of God, and in every soul it must have its continuance in that omnipotence. All the possibilities of the higher Christian life have their origin in a new apprehension of Christ’s power to work all God’s will in us.
I want to call upon you now to come and worship an almighty God. Have you learned to do it? Have you learned to deal so closely with an almighty God that you know omnipotence is working in you? In outward appearance there is often so little sign of it. The apostle Paul said: “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and . . . my preaching was … in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” From the human side there was feebleness, from the divine side there was divine omnipotence. And that is true of every godly life; and if we would only learn that lesson better, and give a wholehearted, undivided surrender to it, we should learn what blessedness there is in dwelling every hour and every moment with an almighty God. Have you ever studied in the Bible the attribute of God’s omnipotence? You know that it was Gods omnipotence that created the world, and created fight out of darkness, and created man. But have you studied God’s omnipotence in the works of redemption?
The Example of Abraham
Look at Abraham. When God called him to be the father of that people out of which Christ was to be born, God said to him: “I am God Almighty, walk before me and be thou perfect.” And God trained Abraham to trust Him as the omnipotent One; and whether it was his going out to a land that he knew not, or his faith as a pilgrim midst the thousands of Canaanites—his faith said: This is my land—or whether it was his faith in waiting twenty-five years for a son in his old age, against all hope, or whether it was the raising up of Isaac from the dead on Mount Moriah when he was going to sacrifice him—Abraham believed God. He was strong in faith, giving glory to God, because he accounted Him who had promised able to perform.
The cause of the weakness of your Christian life is that you want to work it out partly, and to let God help you. And that cannot be. You must come to be utterly helpless, to let God work, and God will work gloriously. It is this that we need if we are indeed to be workers for God. Oh, may God teach us this! Oh, that God would by His grace show you what a God you have, and to what a God you have entrusted yourself—an omnipotent God, willing with His whole omnipotence to place Himself at the disposal of every child of His! Shall we not take the lesson of the Lord Jesus and say: “Amen; the things which are impossible with men are possible with God”?
Have you ever cried out with tears of penitence and with deep humiliation and feebleness: “O God, it is impossible to me; man cannot do it, but, glory to Thy name, it is possible with God”? Have you claimed deliverance? Do it now. Put yourself afresh in absolute surrender into the hands of a God of infinite love; and as infinite as His love is His power to do it.
God Works in Man
We have never understood what it is to be absolutely surrendered to God as Jesus was. I know that many a one earnestly and honestly says: “Amen, I accept the message of absolute surrender to God”; and yet thinks: “Will that ever be mine? Can I count upon God to make me one of whom it shall be said in Heaven and on earth and in Hell, he lives in absolute surrender to God?” Brother, sister, “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Do believe that when He takes charge of you in Christ, it is possible for God to make you a man of absolute surrender. And God is able to maintain that. He is able to let you rise from bed every morning of the week with that blessed thought directly or indirectly: “I am in God’s charge. My God is working out my life for me.”
Oh, let us in faith believe that the omnipotent God will work to do among His people more than we can ask. “Unto him,” Paul said, “who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…. unto him be glory.” Let our hearts say that. Glory to God, the omnipotent One, who can do above what we dare to ask or think!
Get linked to God
“What is impossible with men is possible with God.”All around you there is a world of sin and sorrow, and the Devil is there. But remember, Christ is on the throne, Christ is stronger, Christ has conquered, and Christ will conquer. But wait on God. The verse casts us down: “What is impossible with men”; but it ultimately lifts us up high—”are possible with God.” Get linked to God. Adore and trust Him as the omnipotent One, not only for your own life, but for all the souls that are entrusted to you. Never pray without adoring His omnipotence, saying: “Mighty God, I claim Thine almightiness.” And the answer to the prayer will come, and like Abraham you will become strong in faith, giving glory to God, because you account the Almighty One who has promised able to perform.