All things are possible with God
Mark 10:27 - Jesus teaches the disciples about salvation — something that is impossible for man to achieve and only possible with God’s help.
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“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.””
Mark 10:27 NIV
Like my last devotional, today we look into the words of Jesus during His ministry. This is from the Gospel of Mark rather than John’s Gospel, and Jesus is speaking to His disciples on the way to Jerusalem.
To give you a bit of context about this verse, it takes place just after the rich man asks Jesus what he needs to do to “inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17). Jesus responds by noting that the man knows the commandments, which the man confirms by saying “All these I have kept since I was a boy” (Mark 10:20).
Jesus then speaks to the man with love, saying “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). The man walks away, sad… With this, Jesus turns to the disciples and says “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23), followed by the famous words “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25).
The disciples then ask “who” — if not someone rich who has also kept the commandments all of his life — “can be saved?” (Mark 10:26), and Jesus responds with today’s verse.
Did you notice how the verse begins with the words “Jesus looked at them”? The disciples were most likely looking at the Lord with confused expressions, and in my imagination I see Jesus gazing into their eyes, one by one, to get their full attention. Jesus then teaches the disciples about salvation — something that is impossible for man to achieve and only possible with God’s help.
This entire section of the Gospel of Mark has a huge impact on those who take the words of Jesus to heart! While searching Bible commentaries on Mark 10:27 on Precept Austin, I found this wonderful personal testimony from Patrick Sean O’Donnell, a pastor, professor, editor, and writer for Crossway. It’s definitely worth sharing:
It was nearly twenty years ago that God, in his infinite and irresistible grace, used this very story in this very Gospel as one of the means of converting me to Christ. For the first half of my life I was told and believed the most common religious lie-that I was basically a good person who occasionally sinned, but did nothing that would ultimately disqualify me from one day entering the joys of eternal life. But then the Holy Spirit taught me what should have been obvious-I was a sinner. Not a good person who occasionally sinned, but a sinner (at heart a very bad person) who was in a continual state of rebellion against a good God and his good Law. I didn’t love God. I didn’t love others. And I certainly loved myself. But it wasn’t just the first half of this passage but also the second half that the Lord used to change my mind and heart and will. I knew that God alone was perfectly good. I believed that Jesus was indeed the Son of God and the Savior of the world. But at that time in my life he was never my Savior. He was never my Lord, the supreme Lord of my life. And as I prayed to Christ those many years ago and asked him to forgive me and to clean me up on the inside, I also (with this passage in mind) told him (in so many words) that I would “sell everything,” that I would put him first in my life-first above self, first above family, first above career, first above education, first above sports, first above every aspect and every love of my life. I told him I would be last, and he would be first!
What a great testimony! God definitely showed O’Donnell that putting Jesus first in his life would make “all things possible”. For me (and probably many of you reading this devotional), it was that moment when the Holy Spirit taught us that we are (and will always be) sinners and that God makes “all things possible” that changed our lives.
If you are still seeking the transformation that comes from accepting Jesus as your Savior, what are you waiting for? Put Him first in your life!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, today I come to You with a rock-solid belief in Your promise that all things are possible with You. With my own strength, mind, and skills, many things seem impossible, but I always trust in Your ability to transform the unachievable into reality. I have faith in Your promises, and I trust in Your plan for my life. Thank You for being with me at all times and in all situations. AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
Precept Austin was accessed on June 11, 2025 for commentary on Mark 10:27