Living The Risen Life

LIVING THE RISEN LIFE

Text: Romans 6:4

“Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

INTRODUCTION

My Saint Thomas Baptist family and friends, it is both an honor and a responsibility to stand before you once again, not in my own strength, but in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ!

Last Sunday, we celebrated the fact that we are Walking in Resurrection Power.

We shouted. We rejoiced. We gave God glory for an empty tomb and a risen Savior.

But let me tell you something, my brothers and sisters the resurrection was never meant to be a one-day event.

It was meant to ignite a daily lifestyle. The resurrection of Jesus is not just history to be remembered. It is power to be received, and life to be lived.

And Paul tells us in Romans 6:4 "We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways]."

In other words: He got up — not just to come out of the grave — but so that you and I could come out of dead living!

Let me say it another way: Jesus didn’t die just to change your eternity — He rose to transform your reality!

You were buried with Him — but the good news is, you didn’t stay in the grave.

Because when He got up, you got up too.

And the question the Holy Ghost is asking today is not: "Do you believe in the resurrection?"

But rather: "Are you living the resurrection?"

Are you walking in newness?

Are you thinking differently?

Are you loving differently?

Are you serving differently?

Because if the tomb is empty, then you ought to be full — full of grace, full of purpose, and full of life!

Look at your neighbor and tell them: "If He got up, I’ve got to live like I’ve been raised too!"

Today’s message is not about just being a better person — it’s about being a new creation. Not about turning over a new leaf — but walking in a brand-new life.

So, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the real preacher Jesus Christ I want to lift up these three truths that will help us in "Living the Risen Life" and the first is this.

DEAD TO THE OLD LIFE

Romans 6:6-7 says: “We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For the person who has died [with Christ] has been freed from [the power of] sin.”

When Jesus died, your old sinful self-died with Him.

The shame that used to weigh you down? Buried.

The chains that used to bind you? Broken.

The guilt that used to accuse you? Canceled.

Psalms 103:12 says: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Micah 7:19 declares: “He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

Illustration:

It’s like carrying around a bag of trash that’s already been thrown away.

Imagine someone digging through the city dump to find garbage that was supposed to be forgotten!

When God buries your past, leave it buried!

Old Testament Example: Israel Leaving Egypt

When God delivered Israel from Egypt, He drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28).

But notice: after they crossed, Israel never went back to pick up their chains!

Child of God, stop revisiting what God has already drowned!

Isaiah 43:18-19 says: “Do not remember the former things or consider the things of past. “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.”

You are dead to your old life!

Stop visiting the graveyard of your past!

ALIVE TO NEW LIFE

Romans 6:4 says: “We should walk in newness of life.”

Newness means:

New Desires

New Dreams

New Identity

New Destiny

Illustration: When a butterfly emerges from the cocoon, it doesn’t crawl back into it.

It was born for the sky! And you were born again to soar—not to stay stuck in what once held you down.

Titus 3:5 declares: “He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Isaiah 61:3 says that God gives: “To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], The oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Old Testament Example: David

David was anointed while still a shepherd (1 Samuel 16:13).

Even when others saw him as “just a boy,” God saw a king inside him!

When you walk in resurrection life, you no longer let people label you by your past role

You live according to your new identity in God!

Psalms 40:2 says: “He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.”

You’re not stuck anymore—you are standing on solid ground!

LIVING IN RESURRECTION POWER DAILY

Romans 6:11 declares: “Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.”

Living the risen life is a daily commitment, not just a Sunday shout.

Luke 9:23 says: “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].”

Joshua 24:15 declares: “If it is unacceptable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Illustration:

Just like you charge your phone daily to stay connected, you must plug into Jesus daily to stay spiritually charged!

Resurrection power is available, but you must connect to it every day!

Old Testament Example: Daniel

Daniel was faithful to God three times a day—even under threat of death (Daniel 6:10).

He didn’t live one way on Sunday and another way Monday through Saturday.

He lived the risen life daily—and God elevated him because of it!

1 John 4:4 reminds us: “Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God, and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind].”

Psalm 28:7 declares: “The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him.”

Every morning you wake up, declare: “I’m alive in Christ today!”

Every battle you face, proclaim: “Victory is already mine through Jesus!”

Every temptation you meet, remember: “Sin has no dominion over me!”

CONCLUSION: LIVE LIKE YOU’VE BEEN RAISED!

Saints, if He raised you:

You ought to live different!

(Colossians 3:1) “Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

You ought to think different!

(Isaiah 26:3) “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”

You ought to love different!

(1 John 4:7) “Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience].”

You ought to serve different!

(Deuteronomy 10:12) “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear [and worship] the Lord your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul [your choices, your thoughts, your whole being].”

Because the same glory that raised Jesus is raising YOU today!

Don’t let dead habits pull you back.

Don’t let dead attitudes weigh you down.

Don’t let dead thinking block your destiny.

You are alive in Christ!

You are walking in newness of life!

You are living the risen life!

Declaration:

(Somebody shout it loud!) “I am alive! I am free! I am living the risen life!”

Closing Scripture: Romans 8:37 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].

“Live risen, walk victorious, and shine for His glory!”