So that His Kingdom May Come: What Is In The Way?

Free Church
18 hours ago
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So That His Kingdom May Come: What Is In The Way? | Gareth Nicholson | 19 October 2025

The Sermon Found In A Toilet

Not long ago, one of our tenants messaged me to say their toilet wasn’t flushing. I thought, “Alright, I’ll fix it.”

When I opened it up, everything looked fine on the outside — it looked like a toilet, it smelt like a toilet (unfortunately), but it wasn’t functioning like one.

After checking a few things, I eventually found a tiny pebble stuck in the supply line, blocking the flow of water. I pulled it out, reattached the pipe, and suddenly — everything was working perfectly again.

It took about 35 minutes, didn’t cost a cent, and gave me a sermon illustration for Sunday. The goodness of God, right there!

When Something Blocks the Flow

At Free Church, our mission is simple: to help you follow Jesus, to know your true identity, grow in freedom, and Go live with purpose.

But sometimes, things get in the way. Just like that pebble blocked the flow of water, there can be things in our hearts that block the flow of God’s presence and purpose in our lives.

From the outside, everything might look fine — but inside, something’s not quite working the way it should.

One Thing You Lack

In Mark 10, we meet a young man who runs up to Jesus and asks,

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

He’s doing all the right things — following the commandments, living well, doing good. But Jesus looks at him with love and says,

“There’s one thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me.”

It wasn’t about money. It was about the man’s heart. His possessions had him.

Jesus wasn’t condemning wealth — He was pointing to an idol. Something that had captured the man’s heart and was blocking him from fully following Jesus.

And it’s the same for us. Jesus isn’t after more good works; He’s after our whole heart.

With God, All Things Are Possible

The disciples were shocked. "If that’s what it takes,” they said, “who then can be saved?”

Jesus’ answer?

“With man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.”

Freedom is not something we earn; it’s a gift we receive. When we open our hearts and say, “God, I’m ready to deal with this,” He comes in grace and restores what’s been blocked.

The One Thing

If Jesus were to sit across from you today and say,

“You’re doing well in many things… but there’s one thing," what would it be?

For some, it’s pride — the “I’ll fix it myself” mentality. The fear of letting others see your struggles. For others, it’s unforgiveness — a wound that’s hardened your heart. And for many, it’s comfort — the subtle idol that whispers, “I’ll follow you, Jesus… as long as it doesn’t cost me too much.”

Whatever that “one thing” is, Jesus doesn’t come with anger or judgment. He comes with love. He says, “When you’re ready to let go, I’ll help you deal with it. Together, we’ll restore what’s been blocked.”

True Freedom

Author Paul Kingsnorth once wrote,

“True freedom, it turns out, is to give up your will and follow God’s.”

Freedom isn’t found in chasing our own desires. It’s found in surrendering them.

I haven’t mastered this — but I’m learning. Each time the Holy Spirit nudges my heart and says, “Let go of this,” I get another opportunity to say yes to Jesus.

And that, I think, is the path to true freedom — to keep saying yes, to keep removing whatever stands in the way, so the water of God’s presence can flow freely again.

Life Group Discussion Questions

When something in your life “breaks,” what’s your default response — fix it, outsource it, or ignore it? What does that reveal about your heart?
Can you think of an area where the “flow” of God’s presence feels blocked? What might the “pebble in the pipe” be?
If Jesus looked at you with love today and said, “There’s one thing you lack,” what might that one thing be?
What would it look like for you to open your hands and surrender that thing to Him?
How can you make space for the Holy Spirit this week — to reveal, to convict, and to restore the areas of your heart that need His touch?