With God all things are possible - Matthew 19:26

Matthew 19:26 is a beautiful verse to slow down with, because it is often quoted broadly, but in context it is especially about salvation, surrender, and God doing what human effort cannot do.

Matthew 19:26 — Anchor Verse

Matthew 19:26 — “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

This comes right after Jesus’ conversation with the rich young man.

1. The Context: “What good thing must I do?”

The passage begins with a man asking Jesus:

Matthew 19:16 — “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

That question matters. He is thinking in terms of doing enough. He wants eternal life, but his heart is still attached to what he owns.

Jesus points him toward the commandments, then exposes the deeper issue:

Matthew 19:21 — “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor… Then come, follow me.”

Jesus was not teaching that poverty earns salvation. He was revealing the man’s idol. The rich man wanted eternal life, but not at the cost of surrender.

2. The Sadness of the Rich Young Man

Matthew 19:22 — “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

That is such a heavy verse. He came to Jesus asking about life, but walked away grieving because he loved something more than following Him.

This is where Matthew 19:26 starts to shine. The problem was not merely money. The problem was the human heart.

Money can give people a false sense of security, control, and self-sufficiency. But salvation requires dependence, humility, and surrender.

3. Why the Disciples Were Shocked

Jesus then says:

Matthew 19:23 — “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

And then:

Matthew 19:24 — “Again I tell you, 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.”

The disciples were astonished because in their world, wealth was often viewed as a sign of blessing. So they ask:

Matthew 19:25 — “Who then can be saved?”

That question is the doorway into Matthew 19:26.

Jesus is not saying, “Try harder.”
He is not saying, “Be better.”
He is saying, in essence:

Human beings cannot save themselves. But God can save sinners.

4. “With man this is impossible”

This part is humbling.

Matthew 19:26 — “With man this is impossible…”

Salvation is impossible by human strength. We cannot earn it by morality, religious activity, possessions, knowledge, family background, or good intentions.

That connects beautifully with:

Ephesians 2:8-9 — “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith… not by works, so that no one can boast.”

And:

Titus 3:5 — “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

The rich young man thought, “What must I do?”
Jesus reveals, “You cannot do enough. You must come to Me.”

5. “But with God all things are possible”

This is the hope. ❤️

Matthew 19:26 — “…but with God all things are possible.”

This does not mean God will grant every human desire exactly as requested. In context, it means God can do the impossible work of saving, transforming, loosening idols, changing hearts, and bringing people into His kingdom.

God can save the rich.
God can save the proud.
God can save the broken.
God can save the religious-but-lost.
God can save the person who feels too far gone.
God can save the person who wants Him but feels tangled in earthly attachments.

That ties closely to:

Jeremiah 32:17 — “Ah, Sovereign LORD… Nothing is too hard for you.”

Luke 1:37 — “For no word from God will ever fail.”

John 6:44 — “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them…”

6. The Heart Message

Matthew 19:26 is not mainly a motivational verse about achieving dreams.

It is a kingdom verse.

It tells us:

What I cannot overcome, God can overcome.
What I cannot surrender in my own strength, God can loosen.
What I cannot fix in my own heart, God can transform.
What I cannot earn, God gives by grace.

That is deeply comforting, but also deeply searching.

Because the question becomes:
“Lord, is there anything I am clinging to that keeps me from freely following You?”

7. Peter’s Question and Jesus’ Promise

After this, Peter says:

Matthew 19:27 — “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

Jesus does not rebuke Peter for asking. He reassures him that surrender for Christ is not loss in the final sense.

Matthew 19:29 — “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

That is not a prosperity formula. It is a promise that nothing surrendered for Jesus is wasted.

8. Simple Summary

Matthew 19:26 means:
Human beings cannot save themselves, free themselves, or make themselves worthy of eternal life. But God can do what is impossible for man. He can save, transform, and bring surrendered sinners into His kingdom through Christ. 🕊️

A Prayer from the Verse

Lord,
show me anything I cling to more tightly than You.
Teach me not to trust in my own goodness, strength, possessions, or understanding.
What is impossible for me is possible with You.
Soften my heart, deepen my surrender, and help me follow Jesus with joy.
Amen. ❤️