18-19 And a ruler asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20-21 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 

22-23 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24-25 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For 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.” 

26-27 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28-30 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:18-30 English Standard Version

Jesus made a crucial statement when He said “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” We must not limit that statement to things that are obvious, such as the creation of the world and holding the universe together, or even to the miracles of Christ such as walking on water. Jesus was speaking here of something much more down to earth and closer to our need. What was the impossible task He was speaking of which He compared to a camel getting through the eye of a needle?  

He was explaining how very difficult it is, almost impossible, for those who are in love with the treasures of this world to exchange it for the treasure of heaven. When men and women have their hearts set on fame and fortune and glory in this world, it takes a miracle of God to enable them to see the greater worth of Christ. But, in vs 18-19, there's something else that is also impossible for men and women to see without God's power to enable them to see it. What would that be?

The reply Jesus gave in those verses to the man who had addressed Him so respectfully is surprising. But the conversation that follows in vs 20-21 show us why Jesus said what He did. This man based his whole concept of goodness on keeping God's commandments, which Jesus had brought into the discussion. The man's reply shows that he had made the effort all his life to do just that. But it's at this point that Jesus invites him to give up all his wealth and join His band of disciples in spreading the good news of God's Kingdom. What does the way the man responded to Jesus teach us about the subject of goodness?

I would say that one aspect it teaches is that we need God's help to understand that goodness is more than outward actions. By nature we as people tend to evaluate goodness by the things we don't do. This man said he didn't commit adultery, murder, steal, bear false witness or dishonour his parents. And, by those standards he was 'a good man', and he automatically assumed that Jesus was good also because Jesus didn't do those things either. But Jesus said He needed to measure goodness by God, not by man. And this involves examining the heart and our affections. It takes God's power to enable men and women to see their heart as God sees it! That's why the disciples asked 'who then who can ever be saved?'

But when men and women have had their eyes opened by God, and have forsaken all to follow Christ, they have not lost out on the things people so prize. No, says Jesus, they have actually entered into a far greater inheritance that anything this world has to offer. (vs 28-30) And this is made possible by God.