The Cost of Following Jesus
My wife, Anna, and I love going on dates. One of our favorite things to do is go thrifting or walk through antique stores. We’ll pick something up, look it over, and try to guess what it costs before we flip it over and see the price tag.
Sometimes we’re right. Sometimes we’re way off.
But it raises an important question: what if we tried to measure the cost of following Jesus? How would we even begin?
That’s exactly what we see in Mark 10:17–31. A man comes to Jesus asking about eternal life, and in that moment, the cost is weighed, analyzed, and measured. And what we learn is simple, but serious:
When you measure the cost of following Jesus, you must consider eternity with Jesus.
1. Consider what your life is like apart from Jesus
The man runs up to Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” It’s the right question, asked to the right person.
But there’s a problem.
He believes he’s already good.
Jesus points him to the commandments, and the man responds, “All these I have kept from my youth.” But that’s not accurate, honest, or true. No one keeps the law perfectly.
Scripture makes it clear:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
“None is righteous, no, not one.”
God’s law is meant to show us where we fall short. It shows us that we are not perfect—we are disobedient, and we need Jesus.
If you’re going to follow Jesus, you must evaluate your life honestly. You can’t pretend you have it all together. You must recognize your need for him.
2. Consider what you might lose in following Jesus
Jesus looks at the man, loves him, and says, “You lack one thing…go, sell all that you have…come, follow me.”
That’s where everything changes.
The man is forced to consider what he would lose—and it’s too much for him. He goes away sorrowful because he has great possessions.
It wasn’t just that he had a lot of stuff. His stuff had him.
Not everyone is called to sell everything, but everyone is called to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. That means everything is on the table.
Your life is a blank check.
When you follow Jesus, you sign your name and hand it over. He fills in whatever he wants—because it’s his anyway.
So here’s the question: what are you holding onto?
Is there something in your life that you love more than you love the Lord?
If you give 99% of yourself to him and keep 1%, you are robbing God of what is rightfully his.
3. Consider the difficulty of entering the kingdom of God
After the man walks away, Jesus says, “How difficult it will be…to enter the kingdom of God.”
Then he gives a picture that probably made the disciples laugh:
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…”
Not just difficult—impossible.
That’s the point.
The disciples ask, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus answers: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Apart from God, salvation is impossible. You cannot earn your way into the kingdom. You cannot keep enough rules. You cannot be good enough.
But through the gospel—the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—God has the power to save sinners.
If you think you can do it on your own, you are dangerously mistaken.
4. Consider what you will gain in following Jesus
Peter speaks up and says, “We have left everything and followed you.”
And Jesus responds with a promise.
Anyone who leaves house, family, or land for his sake and for the gospel will receive a hundredfold—now in this time (with persecutions), and in the age to come, eternal life.
Yes, there is loss.
Relationships may get tense. Things may get difficult. Following Jesus can cost you comfort, approval, and even stability.
But what do you gain?
A family of believers
A life built on something eternal
Treasure in heaven
And most of all…Jesus himself
Whatever you lose, you gain more than you can imagine.
The Loving Invitation
Don’t miss this: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him…”
Jesus loved this man enough to tell him the truth. Enough to expose what was holding him back. Enough to invite him to follow.
And he loves you the same way.
There may be something in your life right now—something you know is holding you back. Something hard to give up.
Jesus is not being manipulative. He is being clear. And he is being loving.
He is inviting you to count the cost.
Is Jesus worth more to you than whatever that is?
The Final Measure
The rich young man walked away sorrowful because Jesus wasn’t worth more to him than his possessions.
He looked like he was in first place.
But Jesus says, “The first will be last, and the last first.”
God sees things from an eternal perspective.
So count the cost of following Jesus—but don’t stop there.
Consider eternity with Jesus.
Because when you do, you’ll see clearly:
He is infinitely worthy of following.
You can watch this sermon in its entirety on our YouTube page.