I Love Free Things

May 5, 2023

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- Romans 6:23

While playing basketball, God gave me a picture of what baptism is all about.

On Saturday mornings, I play basketball from 7 am to 10 am. It is free for anyone in the community. Anyone can enter. Anyone can come.

And while on the sideline getting my shoes on, I looked out to see who was playing. There were men and women, older and younger, with different backgrounds, sizes, and for sure different skill levels. But next to me was a man who was stretching and had one leg. I would see him there playing 5-on-5 all the time. He is so impressive as he guards, shoots, and defends.

At that moment, I was thinking, this is what baptism is. Baptism is a picture of how anyone and everyone can come to have a relationship with Jesus.

It doesn’t matter what your gender, age, color, background, skill level, or size… you are welcome. It is a free gift of God.

Yes, getting baptized does not save you, but it is an external expression of an internal reality. It is an opportunity to celebrate and amplify what Jesus has done in your heart!

In Romans 6:23, when it says eternal life is a free gift of God, sometimes we skip over the word FREE, don’t we? FREE means you don’t have to do anything. FREE means you can just come as you are. Don’t we all like free things? I love free things!

But sometimes, we forget how free this gift is.

Imagine next week, when I go to the gym, if someone at the door says, “You cannot enter if you are a man, under 5’ 8”, and cannot dunk.” Well, that’s being very specific, Sean. It is because this will mean I cannot enter! This means this gym is not free.

Though you and I deserve the wages of sin, which is eternal death, God gave us His free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Baptism is a party that celebrates this free gift.