Who Then Can Be Saved? Why We Can't Earn Our Way to God

Hey, carpool crew, whether you're headed to school, doing some errands with mom or dad, or just hanging out. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here. This month we're diving into a special theme, questions people ask Jesus. The one thing for the ride I want you to remember, you don't have to be rich, perfect or powerful. You just have to trust Jesus. Today's question came from some of Jesus's closest friends, his disciples, from the Book of Matthew, chapter 19, verse 25. When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, then who can be saved? This verse comes right after the disciples heard Jesus say that it's really hard for a rich person to get into heaven. That surprised them a lot. In their world, people thought if you were rich, it meant God liked you, and you were already close to heaven. So the disciples asked, wait, if even rich people can't be saved, who can? See, the disciples were confused and maybe even a little worried, but Jesus was helping them and us understand something really important. You can't buy your way into heaven. You can't earn your way in by just being good. The only way to be saved is with Jesus's forgiveness. See, right after this verse, Jesus says something powerful: with man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. That's from Matthew 19:26. That means we can't save ourselves, only God can save us. And the good news? He wants to save us through Jesus. We are invited to follow him, to put our trust in him. That means when things are good and when things are difficult, we're still trusting Jesus and we let him lead our hearts, meaning when we're making decisions, we're thinking about what would Jesus do, or we're asking him for help. Jesus, can you help me in this moment? See, that shocked the disciples. In their world, people thought if you had money, it meant you were blessed by God. So if a rich, rule-following guy couldn't be saved, who could? That's when they asked, who then can be saved? See, people back then, even Jesus's closest friends, thought you had to be good enough or smart enough, or rich enough to be close to God. Sometimes we even make that mistake today. Jesus flipped that idea upside down. Let me tell you a quick story about Sam. Sam wasn't the fastest runner or even the best student. He sometimes messed up a lot. One day after a rough day at school, he told his mom, I don't think I'm good enough for God. And she reminded him, you're right, buddy. None of us are. That's why we need Jesus. And that clicked for Sam. Sam didn't need to earn God's love or to earn God's acceptance. Jesus already gave us his love, already gave us his acceptance. With God, anyone can be saved. Even when it seems impossible, God makes a way. I'm proud of you for asking big questions and trusting God to give you the answers. Let's wrap up today with our short Friday prayer. God, thank you for this week. Help us finish strong today and bless our weekend with joy and rest. Amen. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you like today's podcast, send it to a friend that you really like. Before you go, answer this question together: have I ever felt like I'm not good enough for God? I'll see you next week on a whole new set of questions on Carpooling with Jesus.