The Challenge of a Divided Heart: Following Jesus Fully

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: The Challenge of a Divided Heart

True discipleship requires Jesus to be our first love, above all else.

Many people, like the rich young ruler, approach Jesus with sincerity and a desire for eternal life, yet hold back when confronted with the cost of wholehearted devotion. Jesus lovingly exposes the idols in our hearts, calling us to forsake anything that rivals Him for our ultimate allegiance. It is not about a checklist of good deeds or outward morality, but about a willingness to surrender every area of our lives—our possessions, ambitions, relationships, and comforts—to follow Him. The call to "sell all that you have and distribute to the poor" is not a universal command to poverty, but a personal challenge to place Christ above all else, refusing to let anything take His rightful place as the treasure of our hearts. [59:01]

Luke 18:22 (ESV)
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life—be it a possession, relationship, or ambition—that you sense Jesus asking you to surrender to Him today? What would it look like to truly place Him first in that area?

Day 2: The Correction of a Confused Heart

Understanding our spiritual need is essential to receiving the gospel.

The rich young ruler believed he had kept all the commandments and was a "good person," but Jesus revealed that a superficial understanding of goodness blinds us to our true spiritual condition. God's law is deeper than outward actions; it exposes the attitudes and desires of our hearts. Only when we recognize our inability to meet God's perfect standard and see the sinfulness within can we grasp our desperate need for grace. It is not enough to compare ourselves to others or rely on our own morality—true salvation begins with humility and repentance, acknowledging that only God is truly good. [55:09]

Luke 18:19-21 (ESV)
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”

Reflection: In what ways have you relied on your own goodness or compared yourself to others, rather than honestly facing your need for God’s mercy? How can you bring your true heart before Him in prayer today?

Day 3: The Tragedy of a Refusing Heart

Unwillingness, not unbelief, keeps many from following Christ.

Both the rich young ruler and the grandmother in Amy Carmichael’s story saw the beauty and truth of Christ, yet turned away because the cost felt too great. The tragedy is not ignorance, but a heart unwilling to let go of what is most precious in order to gain what is truly eternal. Jesus’ call is not always easy or comfortable, and He may ask us to step far outside our plans or preferences. The question is not whether we admire Jesus, but whether we will follow Him wherever He leads, even when it means leaving behind comfort, security, or the familiar. [01:04:56]

Luke 18:23 (ESV)
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Reflection: Is there something you sense God calling you to do or give up that feels “too far” to follow? What would it take to trust Him with that step today?

Day 4: The Hope of an Idolatrous Heart

What is impossible for us is possible with God.

Jesus’ words about the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of God are sobering, but they are not the end of the story. On our own, none of us can change our hearts or muster the faith to forsake all and follow Christ. Yet what is impossible for us is possible with God—He alone can give us new hearts, the gifts of faith and repentance, and the willingness to follow Jesus above all else. No one is beyond His reach, and His grace is sufficient to rescue even the most reluctant or idolatrous heart. [01:14:37]

Luke 18:24-27 (ESV)
Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Reflection: Where do you feel powerless to change or to surrender fully to Christ? Will you ask God today to do in your heart what you cannot do for yourself?

Day 5: Following Jesus Means Trusting Him to Rescue Us

Jesus calls us to forsake all, not as a tyrant, but as a loving rescuer.

The story of the Navy SEAL who sat with the hostages until they trusted him enough to follow is a powerful picture of Christ’s approach to us. Jesus enters into our darkness, draws near, and gently calls us to follow Him—not to enslave us, but to rescue us and bring us home. Though the call to forsake all can feel frightening, we can trust the One who gave everything for us. He is not asking us to do what He has not already done; He invites us to trust His love and follow Him into true freedom and life. [01:19:10]

John 10:27-28 (ESV)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Reflection: What fears or doubts hold you back from fully trusting Jesus’ call to follow Him? How might remembering His love and sacrifice help you take a step of faith today?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we witnessed the joy of welcoming the Cen family into our church community, celebrating Skyler’s birthday and the baptism of his three daughters—Nola, Emmy, and Ella Grace. These moments remind us of the beauty of God’s covenant promises, the privilege of belonging to a family of faith, and the responsibility we share to nurture one another in Christ. We prayed together, acknowledging the majesty of our God, the gift of prayer, and the many ways He provides for us—physically, spiritually, and in our deepest needs. We also remembered that our worship and giving are not mere obligations, but acts of trust and gratitude to the One who sustains us.

Turning to Luke 18:18-27, we encountered the story of the rich young ruler—a man who had everything the world could offer, yet sensed something was missing. He approached Jesus with a sincere question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” But his question revealed a misunderstanding: he saw salvation as something to be achieved, not received. Jesus, in love, exposed the true condition of his heart. The young man believed he had kept the commandments, but he failed to see the depth of his own need and the idols that held his heart captive.

Jesus’ challenge—to sell all, give to the poor, and follow Him—was not a universal command to poverty, but a call to undivided allegiance. The tragedy was not the man’s unbelief, but his unwillingness to pay the cost of discipleship. Like the grandmother in Amy Carmichael’s story, he saw the truth but could not bear to follow so far. We are confronted with the same question: Are we willing to forsake all for Christ? Is there anything we hold back, any area we refuse to surrender?

Yet, there is hope. What is impossible for us—changing our own hearts, letting go of our idols—is possible with God. Salvation is not earned by our efforts, but received by faith as God works in us, granting repentance and trust. Jesus does not call us to forsake all as a tyrant, but as a rescuer who enters our darkness and leads us home. The invitation is to trust Him fully, to make Him our treasure above all else, and to follow wherever He leads, knowing that in Him alone is eternal life.

Key Takeaways

1. True Discipleship Requires Undivided Allegiance Following Christ means placing Him above every other love, ambition, or possession. It is not enough to admire Jesus or keep religious rules; He must be our first and greatest treasure. Anything we are unwilling to surrender reveals the true state of our hearts and the idols we cling to. [60:17]
2. Salvation Is Impossible by Human Effort No amount of moral effort, religious observance, or good intentions can earn eternal life. We are spiritually dead and unable to change our own hearts. Only God can grant the gifts of faith and repentance, making the impossible possible. This humbles us and leads us to depend wholly on His grace. [74:37]
3. The Cost of Following Jesus Is Real, but So Is the Rescue Jesus does not call us to forsake all as a test of misery, but as a loving rescuer who enters our darkness to lead us home. The cost is real—sometimes it means letting go of what is most precious—but the reward is greater: life with Christ, now and forever. Trusting Him means believing that what we gain in Him far surpasses what we leave behind. [79:10]
4. Our Response Reveals Our Heart’s Treasure When confronted with Christ’s call, our willingness or reluctance to follow exposes what we truly value. Like the rich young ruler or Amy Carmichael’s grandmother, we may see the truth but shrink from the cost. The invitation is to examine our hearts honestly and ask God to make Christ our supreme joy. [64:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:17] - Cen Family Introduction & Membership
[23:57] - Baptismal Vows and Congregational Commitment
[25:51] - Baptisms of Nola, Emmy, and Ella Grace
[27:06] - Prayer for the Cen Family
[28:25] - God’s Majesty and the Privilege of Prayer
[29:40] - Thanksgiving and Intercession
[31:35] - Giving and Trusting God’s Provision
[32:16] - Worship: In Christ Alone
[37:19] - Scripture Reading: Luke 18:18-27
[41:18] - Amy Carmichael’s Story: The Cost of Discipleship
[45:15] - The Seeking Heart: Rich Young Ruler
[49:51] - The Correction of a Confused Heart
[57:08] - The Challenge of a Divided Heart
[64:17] - The Tragedy of a Refusing Heart
[68:49] - The Hope of an Idolatrous Heart
[79:10] - Jesus, Our Rescuer: Will You Follow?
[82:25] - Benediction and Closing Song

Bible Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 18:18-27 (ESV)

> And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Observation Questions

What question does the rich young ruler ask Jesus, and how does Jesus respond to him at first? ([48:29])
According to the passage, what does Jesus tell the rich young ruler he still lacks? ([57:08])
How does the rich young ruler react to Jesus’ challenge, and what does this reveal about him? ([01:04:17])
What does Jesus say about the possibility of a rich person entering the kingdom of God, and how do the people around him respond? ([01:08:49])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus ask the rich young ruler to sell all he has and give to the poor? What is Jesus really after in this command? ([59:01])
The young man claims to have kept all the commandments since his youth. What does this reveal about his understanding of God’s law and his own heart? ([55:09])
When Jesus says, “What is impossible with man is possible with God,” what does he mean about salvation and our ability to change? ([01:14:37])
The sermon mentioned Amy Carmichael’s story of the grandmother who could not “follow so far.” How does this story help us understand the cost of discipleship? ([43:56])

Application Questions

The rich young ruler had many good things in his life, but something was still missing. Have you ever felt like you had “everything” but still sensed something was missing? What did you do about it? ([46:33])
Jesus asked the young man to surrender what was most precious to him. Is there anything in your life that you would find hard to give up if Jesus asked you? What might that be? ([01:05:34])
The sermon said that salvation is not something we achieve, but something we receive by faith. Are there ways you sometimes try to “earn” God’s approval instead of trusting in his grace? ([48:29])
The cost of following Jesus is real, but so is the rescue. Do you believe that what you gain in Christ is greater than what you might lose? Why or why not? ([01:19:10])
When you think about “undivided allegiance” to Jesus, are there areas of your life where you are holding back? What would it look like to surrender those areas to him? ([01:00:17])
The sermon talked about how our response to Jesus reveals what we truly treasure. What does your response to Jesus’ call say about your heart’s treasure right now? ([01:04:56])
Jesus enters our darkness not as a tyrant, but as a rescuer. How does this picture of Jesus affect your willingness to trust and follow him, even when it’s hard? ([01:19:10])

Sermon Clips

“Loving Christ means rejecting the claims of every rival no matter the cost. The grandmother listened intently and when Amy was done with quiet sorrow, she simply said, "I cannot follow so far. So far. I cannot follow so far."”

“But when confronted with the command to forsake all and follow after him, his heart pulls back. Because you see, the real tragedy of both of these stories isn't unbelief, it's unwillingness. Both saw clearly the beauty of Christ.”

“And so they simply turned aside. This morning as we look at Luke 18:es 18- 27, I want us to consider the question of a seeking heart, the correction of a confused heart, the challenge of a divided heart, the tragedy of a refusing heart, and lastly, the hope of an idolatrous heart.”

“But this was a man of influence. This was a man who possessed some authority, some power. We're also told in verse 23 that he was very rich. And so this was a rich ruler. And then in Matthew's gospel, in his parallel account of the story found in Matthew chapter 19, we're told that this man was also young.”

“And so if you think about it, in one sense, he had everything that the world can offer. He had his youth. He had wealth. He had power and authority and influence. And yet he recognized that something was missing in his life. And so he comes to Jesus.”

“And the reason that he's thinking in those terms is because he has a superficial understanding of the law. You know, in his sermon on the mount, Jesus will explain that there is a whole different level when it comes to really understanding the implications of God's law.”

“There is so much more depth to God's law than just sometimes meets the eye. This young man's thinking in his head, I haven't killed anybody. I have never slept with someone that's not my spouse. I haven't taken someone else's property. I've kept all of these commandments from my youth.”

“And it's only when we understand our spiritual condition that we begin to to understand why we so desperately need Jesus. This man didn't get it. He didn't understand fully who who Jesus is and he didn't understand the reality of his own heart.”

“But what Jesus is very clearly, I think, saying here in verse 22 is that if we're going to follow after him, he must be first in our life. He has to be our top priority. He has to be the treasure of our heart.”

“And if we're not willing to make him first, if we're not willing to forsake all and follow after him, then we cannot follow after him. And I think these are words that we really need to hear this morning. Because if I'm being honest, we we live in a culture where I I think that the gospel is often watered down.”

“But our commitment, our goal, our heart's desire has to be a willingness to forsake everything and come after Jesus. And so if there's a certain sin in your life that you're saying, you know what, I Jesus, I'll give you everything but this particular sin, then you're not coming after Jesus.”

“And so we need to ask ourselves, are we willing and have we ever really come to a place in our life where we have made the decision that we're willing to forsake everything and come after Jesus because that's the only pathway to eternal life.”

“What if Jesus asked you this morning to sell everything that you have and give it to the poor? Or what if he asked you this morning to be willing to walk away from your career to pursue a different pathway where he was going to invest you in a different way than maybe you have imagined maybe you had planned?”

“I think that that that's our attitude towards the Christian life sometimes. I think, you know, we're okay with following Jesus as long as he's throwing the ball where we're swinging the bat. As long as his plans match ours, as long as what he's asking us to do fits neatly in the box that we have made for our life.”

“But then Jesus says in verse 25, "For it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Now, there have been those throughout the centuries who've tried to in a sense water down what Jesus is really saying here.”

“What Jesus is clearly telling us here is that there's no one who is beyond his grasp. But he has to do the work. And only when he does his work in our hearts, only when he gifts us with the gifts of faith and repentance will we come to a place where we're willing to forsake all and follow after him.”

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