God’s Way: Will You Pay the Price to Follow Him?

God’s Way: Will You Pay the Price?                                          By Kelly Durant

Mark 10: 17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ 20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

2. There was a strict dance school where young teen girls would try out to get trained in ballet or a modern dance hoping to be one of the few to get selected so they could prepare for stardom. The teacher who was the judge was so strict it seemed that every girl was lacking in ability and she would only approve of a few to train. 

After attending a public presentation, one girl Mary, who had tried to get in the school 5 years before but was rejected! saw the incredible ability of the dancers and cried for joy and frustration. Oh, how she wanted so bad to be a dancer but she gave up on the idea because the teacher said she was not good enough. She spoke to this same judge and teacher after the show and told her, “You, Mrs Stienberg crushed my dreams in life because you told me I did not have what it takes a few years ago!” She replied, “Well. why did you give up? I say ‘you’re not good enough’ to everybody and the ones that insist and try again are the ones I know have the spirit to fight to succeed!”

It is sad how many people give up too soon in life on their aspirations, dreams, and passions! It’s like the man digging a tunnel for hundreds of feet and then he gives up just a few feet away from reaching the other side! So many people in life do not pass the tests that God allows them to have. It is painful to watch! All of us love to see others succeed but only the persistent fighters win the battles. 

3. Today we are looking at the rich young ruler that was not willing to obey and trust Jesus. Each and every disciple was put to the test to see if they really honestly wanted to follow Jesus and we know a few of the many made the grade. Some had to give up their family business of fishing, another gave up the security of working for the government collecting taxes. All of them left a stable situation for an instable one. This is the case for those who decide to be Cadets and then Officers, or anyone serving God. It was that way with my life, but I do not regret it at all! 

Why does it appear that Jesus was picking on the rich young ruler? He wanted to make it clear that to serve Him it would cost you everything! Jesus was going to give up everything on the cross and He needed followers who would be willing to forsake everything in life to follow Him for the spreading of salvation to the lost.

In life you must forsake all! Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” To a certain degree, many of us are comparable to the rich young ruler, in our minds we are already doing God’s will, but we must take a deeper look into Jesus commands. There is no glory or reward without obedience and sacrifice.

4. To gain much you have to invest much! Matt 13: 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Successful business people know about that! All things that are not mediocre in life involve risk, adventure, danger, and total investment and dedication! Some risk all for worldly gain, but we as Christians give up all because it is the only way to make real progress in our life of faith and obedience to God’s Word. 

The problem is too many people do not have enough faith in God to step out on the water! (Remember Peter walked on water to meet Jesus?) But fear kills faith!  What was holding the young rich man back? There were several factors. Pride for one, as the way He responded to Jesus was about how He had kept the law since His youth and this revealed pride on his part.  He thought he was so good that he deserved to be a follower of Jesus. To follow Jesus everyone must repent and leave all things at the altar to start a new life.

Here we learn that one cannot qualify to be a disciple because you are a Jew, from a certain wealthy family, or because you are faithful with your God blessed investments, or for being meticulous in your religiosity. Success and wealth often are stumbling blocks as pointed out here because they keep one away from the humble position of needing God daily to help you in all things! You must pay the price of becoming vulnerable not trusting in the things of man (such as money, religiosity, tradition, and your own knowledge) to save you.

Take into account Jesus made examples of several of his prideful disciples that thought they were strong and good. Peter got humbled many times by Jesus when he was being a show off, being boastful, or arrogant confident in his own flesh.

5. Pride causes too many people to give up when they actually have the potential to succeed! Pride makes people do big mistakes and lose their patience. If someone criticizes a person that they make a trombone sound like a dying goat, then the average Joe puts the instrument in the corner and gives up on it! But you must realistically look at all situations, some people have some talent for certain things while others don’t, but when serving God, the power for the hour will come if you are humble. 

Many people cannot stand to not be seen as less than the best in the group; Embarrassment and anger often over-rides our human aspirations and goals but anything worth anything requires a lot of sacrifice, humility, and work! It is sad but not being humble enough causes too many to give up on many things in life and in particular on serving God! Pride is Satan’s tool!

James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

6. God’s peace, love, and trust will override our weak human nature to do what Jesus calls us to do if we ask Him to do it for us. The complete dedication and service to Him requires the giving up of our own trust in our own security and pride, and way of doing things. It is a great release to ask for God’s help instead of stressing and worrying over how to accomplish the seemingly impossible. 

Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Jesus is so wonderful; I feel His love and His words are true!

I think all of us are often scared by the thought of committing to a total dedication as Jesus wants because we know His calling requires us to be faithful in all things and even remain faithful if we are called to die for him. Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all (not just disciples but everyone, including you here), “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Even though some have been martyrs, the majority of Christians around the world have lived blessed and peaceful lives with ups and downs like all of us. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” 

7. Several things stand out to me concerning the rich young ruler. He knelt down to Jesus showing Him respect so what we learn is respect should not be just a show of piety but rather an authentic respect doing all that God asks of you.

Another, he called Jesus good, which in some ways was a sweeting of the ear, and too many times people praise from their lips but not from their heart but Jesus called him out on it. Jesus truly was good, but He was pointing out that all things good are for the glory of the Father in heaven and we can never praise goodness as a virtue in people but rather goodness must always be associated to God.

And also, Jesus was moved by the fact he really had tried to be good all his life affirming obeying the law. He was not a hypocrite and deceiver as the church leaders in Jesus day. This young man was trying hard and he thought he would be qualified to be a disciple by all of his previous obedience as stated by the law.

8. And notice this part in verse 21, Jesus looked upon him and loved him. In other words, Jesus love extends to all and maybe even in extra measure to those who try hard to please God.  But this rich young man’s way of pleasing of God was his way, not God’s way. Jesus ushered in a new covenant, a new way to obey.

God’s way includes leaving it all behind to follow Him. It means blessing others with everything you have. Now that is the love of God! Imagine if this man would have given it all to the poor? What a testimony that would be to God’s love!

The people of the world would have noticed that act throughout all the land and he would have been taken as a hero to many, as a crazy person by the worldly, but most of all it would have been noted that Jesus had touched Him for real!

9. We cannot appreciate the good that others decide to do for God unless we compare it along-side the wrong choices that other’s make. The disciples, along with preachers, missionaries, and Cadets all choose to follow Jesus no matter the cost so they are sort of like the opposite of this man; they are like a rich ruler that obeys and does give it all away.

But there are too many in this life like this rich young man, probably millions throughout history, who chose not to follow all the way and they ‘go away sorrowful’ (as the rich young ruler). Each of us lose it all when we die anyway, why not chose to trade all our treasures and junk in for God’s eternal rewards? 

All of us are called to take up the cross and deny ourselves to obey Jesus. But just how far one obeys and gives up has to do with their ability and availability and in part this depends on their age, position, and location in life. But eliminating false humility, pride, flattery, & self-salvation, and trust in power and money is a must! Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” How much have you given to Jesus and His work? Is your love for Him enough that you will do all you can for Him? Let’s pray…