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ICYMI: You Have a Choice
- Free Church
- May 19
- 4 min read
In Case You Missed It, we discuss some essential things to know and do following Jesus' return from the dead. These are not just helpful messages but life-transforming principles and practices.
In Case You Missed It: You Have a Choice | Gareth Nicholson | 18 May 2025
To follow Jesus is a way of life; it is more about decisions in a direction a destination.
To know true identity means being secure and not feeling the pressure of expectations
To grow in freedom means to find victory in what you are battling, be it alcohol, busyness, comparison or chaos.
To go live with purpose means finding a sense of fulfillment and contentment in life
All of this is possible by the Gospel!
I had a dream where the words got all mixed up on a page in the Bible, and I wasn't able to make sense of them. Sometimes, we might feel that the whole Bible is confusing.
Here is a great summary of the story of the Bible:
If this is the big picture, then it's essential for each of us to realise that we have a choice -to stick with the old way of being human, or venture into a new way of Jesus. Will you be part of this reality that is moving forward? Will you be a part of moving this reality forward?
Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, empowered by the Spirit, said to the people
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:36-37
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:41
At one minute per baptism, assuming 12 disciples baptizing, that's 4 hours straight to baptize 3000 people!
Repent: Change the way you think. Return.
Be baptised: A symbolic commitment, covenant, symbolic cleansing, symbolic
Receive the gift of Holy Spirit: Unity, empowering - the Spirit has a Sound! The Spirit gives wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:2)
The great reversal:
Jesus' resistance to temptation in the wilderness and work on the cross reverse the fall in Eden (Gen 3)
Water baptism is a symbol of the flood (Gen 6) - A cleansing, a covenant, a new creation, a remnant saved. The Ark was covered with “pitch” – the word means“atoned with ransom” - an incredible picture of the atoning work of Jesus.
The Spirit reverses the Babel story (Gen 11) by bringing unity. In Gen 11 and Acts 2 God comes down. In Babel, people are dispersed, confused, with many languages - man's project stops. In Acts, many languages are given, but one message. God's building project starts.
The pattern of belief (repentance), baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit continues...
Philip in Samaria
But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women…When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:12,15-17
Philip & the Ethiopian
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
Acts 8:36
Peter in Caesaria
Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 10:46-48
Paul & Silas in Philippi
The jailer.. asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
Acts 16:29-33
Paul in Corinth
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
Acts 18:8
Paul in Ephesus
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied
Acts 19:5-6
You might be looking for the right answer to the questions of faith.
How about the right question?
What can stand in the way?
Will you be part of this reality that is moving forward?
Are you a part of moving this reality forward?
You have a choice, what will it be?
Discussion Questions for Life Groups:
What did you hear God say to you through this message?
What is the difference between living in a direction vs living for a destination? In other words, living in the Kingdom / the Way, vs hanging on for heaven?
Have you been baptised in water? If not, what is standing in your way?
Have you received the gift of the Holy Spirit? If not, what is standing in your way?
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