As my children are growing up, I have realized there are things about their childhood which I miss. I mean, do not get me wrong, I am not one of those who does not want my kids to grow up. I want them to successfully launch out into this world and into a life all their own, but there are some things I miss. I miss the wonder and awe of a child as you read them a great story, and how that story gets ahold of their imagination and takes flight. Whether it is the first time they have heard it or the hundredth, they still manage to be carried away in the imagination of their thoughts. The words take form and launch them into whole new worlds, worlds that are more difficult to find when you grow up, as other more pressing distractions consume life. One of my favorite stories when the kids were young was “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carrol.

I do not remember ever reading that book as a child. I recall the Disney movie, of course, and continue to appreciate modern retellings of this remarkable story, but when we had little ones in the home, I was able to just sit and read it out loud. I had the opportunity to get caught up along with them in this bizarre story full of twists, turns, and fantastical creatures. There is a delightful and famous exchange in the story between the White Queen and Alice, where Alice says she cannot believe the Queen is as old as she says. The Queen responds, “Can’t you? Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.” Alice responds, “There’s no use trying; one can’t believe impossible things.” To which the Queen replies, “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I have believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Believing in the impossible is not something adults take pride in. We hear things like, “Believe in science,” “Believe in yourself,” and “Believe in the facts,” but not the impossible. The impossible is, well, impossible. It is the realm of fairytales, the dominion of children, yet we are not children. Therefore, it is time to put away childish things. But perhaps this is a foolish claim or at least not very honest. For we, especially as Christians, are steeped in believing the impossible. For example, the account of our salvation is one where the impossible regularly becomes possible, is it not? It is a story where the finite contains the infinite, where sinners are restored, where hope springs forth, not because a carefully calculated system of cause and effect has led to this reasonable conclusion, but because God has entered our world and does the impossible.

In our reading for today, our Lord has just had an exchange with a wealthy man who sought to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him, “Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.” That man left disheartened because he had many things. And we may begin to wonder about him, wonder if he ever does go and sell his things, wonder if, in the end, he does what he can to follow Jesus. But before we are able to get a bearing on things, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God.” To clarify the point, He follows up by saying, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” This is not looking good. The disciples are rightly shocked at such a statement. Normally, it would seem that a man of wealth, a man of means, probably has a greater chance of entering the Kingdom. Some may think this is because his wealth is proof of the favor of God, or something like that. But it probably has more to do with the fact that keeping the Law whole and undefiled is exceedingly difficult. From animals to sacrifice to making pilgrimages, wealth would certainly help one do such things, but now we are told it is impossible.

Make no mistake, that is what he is getting at. For a camel to get through the eye of a needle is impossible. It cannot happen. So, you have the Law, a law which must be held whole and undefiled if one is to inherit eternal life. You take a man who has the means to go through the motions, to do the work, at least they have a better shot compared to the one who has nothing, no extra money to accomplish the tasks, and Jesus says it would be easier to cram a camel through the eye of a needle than for the wealthy guy to get in.

The disciples are rightly astonished at this. This seems to be going too far. That is why they ask, “Then who can be saved?” It is the follow-up to the question the rich young man asked. He asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Of course, it is also the question we all ask. What is required? What are the steps? What do I set my hand to first? And now, we realize the answer to that question is almost too much to bear, for it takes our salvation and our hope of inheriting eternal life and puts it out of our reach forever. If this is the case, if we cannot do anything to inherit eternal life, if it is impossible, then who can be saved?

Our Lord then declares, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” What is impossible for man is possible with God. The amazing impossibility of your salvation rests not in your doing, not in your achievements, not in your effort or work in any way, but solely in the work of God. The infinite enters into the finite. The Word becomes flesh, and the Creator breathes the air of His creation. The justice of God will be dealt out in the flesh of His Son. His innocent blood will pay for the sins that bar you from Paradise. The proclamation of what God has done goes out, and we begin to believe again in the impossible.

In fact, the impossible becomes seemingly normal for us; a boring, run-of-the-mill normality that might shock and offend our friends outside the Church. We may even get to the point of believing as many as six impossible things before breakfast. We believe the Word of God is at work here and now. He continues to kill and bring forth new life, and when forgiveness is spoken, here and now, it is binding in Heaven itself before the throne of God. We believe water and Word wash us and clothe us in the righteous garments of Jesus Christ. In Holy Baptism, not only are we bound to His gifts, but we actually die and rise again with our crucified and risen Lord. We believe bread and wine hand over to us and deliver to us the very body and blood of our Lord. That here in this gift, we are fed and nourished by our Savior for the forgiveness of our sins, forgiveness for the very things which would bar us from eternal life. The amazing impossibility of our Lord’s gifts declares how you are, in fact, saved.

Now, it would be enough, I think, to end the sermon here, but there is also the strange exchange between Peter and Jesus at the end. After hearing all this, Peter says, “See, we have left everything and followed You.” Perhaps he does not get it and wants to show that the disciples are doing what He called the rich young man to do. Or rather, maybe he does get it and lays everything, every hope, on the fact that they are following the only way to eternal life. But it is fascinating how Jesus responds. He says, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

How wonderful this is! It is an amazing impossibility. Leaving everything, risking it all to follow our Lord is not to be emptyhanded but fulfilled, to have a hundredfold now in this time. Along with this is persecution, to be sure, and the promise of eternal life in the age to come, but where does this great blessing come from? Well, look around. Here in our gathering are houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands. Here in each other’s lives are the blessings promised. To follow the Lord is to be in communion with one another. It may not look like much, it might seem, at times, that such a blessing is impossible, but just stick around. Watch what Jesus will do. For here, right here, He will do the impossible.