Tag Archives: story of the rich young ruler

November 5, 2025 · 5:53 AM

The Cost Of Discipleship

In one of my small groups we are talking about personal growth so we can become better husbands and fathers. The first question I ask is, “Are you committed to growth?” We then look for two areas to grow in over the next few weeks. Most of us want growth, but we don’t want to make changes in order to achieve it. We often have to let go of habits that are holding us back. We have to weigh what is more important to us: the things we are holding on to or the growth we want to see. It’s usually something that’s comfortable to us or makes our life comfortable that holds us back and causes us to fight change and growth.

In Luke 18, a rich, young ruler approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do to inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus recited some Old Testament commandments, and the guy said he had followed them all his life. “‘Ah,’ Jesus said, ‘there’s still one thing you’re missing in your life.’ ‘What is that?’ asked the man. ‘You must go and sell everything you own and give all the proceeds to the poor so you will have eternal treasures. Then come and follow me’” (TPT). Jesus was testing him to show him what was competing for first place in his life. He wanted what Jesus offered, but he wasn’t willing to make Jesus number one in his life. The man walked away sad because he wasn’t willing to let go of comfort for discipleship.

In Mark 8:34 Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]” (AMP). What are you holding on to that’s holding you back? Are you committed to being a disciple of Christ? Then we must make sure He is number one in our life and be willing to make whatever changes He asks us to. Discipleship is about conforming your life to His way of living. It’s not conforming His teachings to your way of life. The cost of discipleship is high and that’s why many walk away sad just like the rich young ruler.

Photo by Krane Sheng on Unsplash

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March 4, 2020 · 5:50 AM

Fully Surrendered

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

One of the books I’ve just read is about discipleship and how churches can create them. The first section of the book helps to define the four areas where people get stuck in the spiritual continuum. Many people never move past exploring Christ. They stand at the edge of receiving Him, but aren’t willing to give their heart to Him. Others who have accepted Jesus struggle to reconcile their private faith with their public life. They have a hard time growing in Christ. Once people become a new creation and develop spiritual disciplines, their life transforms and they move close to Christ. However, the next move is the hardest. It’s one thing to live for Christ, but it’s a totally different thing to completely surrender to Him living a Christ centered life. It’s where we quit asking God for direction and give Him control.

Think of the story of the rich, young ruler who came to visit Jesus in Matthew 19. He asks Jesus what he needs to do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. The guy then wants to know which ones. Jesus rattled off several of the 10 commandments. The ruler got excited and let Jesus know he’s been following the rules his whole life and feels like there’s more, so he asks what else. Jesus then tells him to sell everything he has, give the money to the poor and then follow Him. The young man went away sad because he was willing to follow the rules of Christianity, but he wasn’t willing to surrender his life completely to Jesus. He wanted Christianity and eternal life without fully surrendering his life.

Psalm 37:5 says, “Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly!” (TPT) We usually look down on the rich young ruler for not giving up his possessions, but you and I hold things back from Jesus all the time. We seek Him for guidance, but are we giving Him the right to direct our life? It’s like my driving navigation app. When it tells me to turn, sometimes I go straight because I think I know better. I’m driving and it’s guiding. When we approach Jesus that way, we may be living a life that is close to Christ, but it’s not fully surrendered to Him. God is calling you and I into a deeper relationship with Him that requires more surrender the closer we get. To fully surrender to Him is to fully trust Him.

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