02. The Rich Young Ruler, When One Thing Is Too Much to Surrender
The People Who Almost Followed Jesus · Part 02
He ran to Jesus. He knelt before Jesus. He asked Jesus about eternal life. And then he walked away.
That may be one of the most sobering encounters in the Gospels.
The rich young ruler did not mock Jesus.
He did not argue with Jesus.
He did not reject Jesus from a distance.
He ran to Him.
He knelt before Him.
He called Him “Good Teacher.”
And he asked one of the most important questions anyone could ever ask:
“What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”, Mark 10:17
Everything about the encounter looked promising.
This man seemed ready to become a disciple.
Until Jesus touched the one thing he was unwilling to surrender.
Jesus Put His Finger on the Rival
Jesus told him:
“Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor… and come, follow me.”, Mark 10:21 WEB
Jesus was not merely asking for a donation.
He was exposing a throne.
Something possessed this man more deeply than he possessed it.
His wealth had become the place where he found security, identity, comfort, and control.
Then came the moment of decision.
Jesus said:
Follow Me.
And the man had to decide which treasure he wanted more.
Mark tells us:
“But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.”, Mark 10:22 WEB
He came running.
He left grieving.
He wanted eternal life.
He wanted Jesus.
But apparently, he wanted his possessions more.
Almost a Disciple
Think about how close he came.
He stood face-to-face with Jesus.
Jesus personally invited him to follow.
Mark even tells us something remarkable:
Jesus looked at him and loved him.
This was not rejection from Jesus.
It was an invitation from Jesus.
But love did not remove the cost of discipleship.
Jesus loved him enough to confront the very thing keeping him from wholehearted surrender.
And the man walked away.
What Is Your “One Thing”?
It is easy to read this story and think only about money.
But the deeper question is much more dangerous.
What would Jesus have to touch in your life before you began reconsidering whether you really wanted to follow Him?
Your money?
Your career?
Your comfort?
Your reputation?
A relationship?
Your plans for retirement?
Your possessions?
Your political identity?
Your right to control your own future?
Your unwillingness to forgive?
Your unwillingness to go where Jesus sends you?
We can sing, pray, attend church, read Scripture, give offerings, and speak passionately about Jesus,
until Jesus asks for the one thing we have quietly decided He cannot have.
And then we discover who is really Lord.
Following Jesus Means an Open Hand
The issue is not whether every Christian must sell everything.
The issue is whether Jesus could ask anything of us and still receive our yes.
A disciple does not hand Jesus a contract filled with exceptions.
“Jesus, I will follow You, but not there.”
“I will obey You, but not with my money.”
“I will serve You, but don’t interfere with my comfort.”
“I will make disciples, but don’t ask me to rearrange my life.”
“I surrender everything, except this.”
That is exactly where this story confronts us.
The rich young ruler did not reject religion.
He rejected surrender.
And Jesus allowed him to walk away.
The Question We Cannot Avoid
Throughout this series, we will meet people who came astonishingly close to following Jesus, but something stopped them.
For this man, it was possessions.
For someone else, it will be fear.
For another, reputation.
For another, delay.
For another, the approval of people.
But every story forces us to ask the same question:
What kept them from fully following Jesus, and could the same thing be keeping us?
Today, make it even more personal:
What would make you walk away if Jesus asked for it?
And perhaps the harder question:
Is there anything in your life you have already decided Jesus cannot have?
Because the thing you refuse to surrender may reveal the thing you are actually following.
Jesus is still saying:
“Come, follow me.”
The question is not whether we admire Him.
The question is whether we will surrender everything to follow Him.
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