The Cost of Following Jesus
As we continue our Encounters with Jesus series, this week we meet one of the most sobering figures in all of Scripture—the rich young ruler. He was moral, sincere, and deeply interested in eternal life. Yet, when faced with the invitation to follow Jesus, he walked away sorrowful because the cost felt
too high.
In Matthew 19:16–30, Jesus reminds us that following Him is not a half-hearted commitment. It means surrendering everything that competes for our devotion—our possessions, priorities, pride, and even our plans. The rich young ruler had everything the world could offer, but he lacked the one thing that mattered most: a heart fully yielded to Christ.
As we gather this Sunday, let’s reflect honestly on what it means to follow Jesus completely. Discipleship is not about adding Jesus to our lives—it’s about giving our lives to Jesus. The call is costly, but the reward is eternal. Jesus promised that “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” (Matthew 19:29, NIV).
With you in the journey of our faith,
Pastor Patrick