“Alive for Real: Living the Grace-Fueled Life”

Romans 6:11–14 CSB

11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

HOOK

Illustration: What would you think of someone who finally paid off their mortgage—but for months and months kept sending payments to the bank?

“The debt was gone, the house was theirs—but they kept living like they still owed something.”

Connection: That’s how many of us treat sin. The debt is cancelled, but we keep paying emotional payments…

guilt

shame

old habits

Transition: Romans 6:11–14 tells us:

Stop making payments on what’s already paid in full.

You are free—so live free.

John 8:35–36 CSB

35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

BOOK

Context: Paul has just explained that in Christ’s death and resurrection, something supernatural happened—not just for us, but to us.

We died to sin’s rule, and now we live under a new government of grace.

1. A New Way of Thinking (v. 11)

Romans 6:11 CSB

11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Illustration: A thermostat versus a thermometer.

A thermometer just REFLECTS the temperature.

A thermostat SETS the temperature.

Too many Christians live their lives like thermometers

reacting to:

temptation

moods and emotions

or to the culture and what they deem to be right and true…

But Paul says, “Reckon yourself”…

set your spiritual thermostat on truth:

“I am dead to sin and alive to God.”

Interactive:

SAY this together:

“I am not who I was—Christ lives in me.”

Key Point: You can’t live victoriously if you don’t first think victoriously.

Proverbs 23:7 NASB 2020

7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.

Proverbs 4:23 CSB

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Philippians 4:8 CSB

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.

AGAIN: You can’t live victoriously if you don’t first think victoriously.

2. A New Way of Yielding (v. 12–13)

Romans 6:12–13 CSB

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

Paul moves from mindset to motion—from how we think to how we live.

TWO “DO NOTs”

“do not LET sin REIGN in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires”

“let” = do not allow it ro rule you as king or supreme ruler

so that you OBEY its desires…

“do not OFFER”

“any parts”

soul

spirit

body

YOUR HEART!

“do not offer any parts of it..

“to sin”

“As weapons for unrighteousness”

What do weapons do?

Cause destruction

to others

to yourself

Romans 6:13 CSB

13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

“but as those who are alive from the dead”

You HAVE BEEN resurrected

You ARE BEING resurrected

You WILL BE resurrected

Since you have been raised up, you have power and authority over sin!

sin is and can be dead to you.

instead of offering yourselves TO SIN…

“offer yourselves TO GOD”

Unholiness ceases to be and is burned up in the presence of God.

GET INTO HIS PRESENCE!!

Worship Him in your everyday life.

Habits are muscle memory.

The longer you stay away from it, the easier it will become to stay away.

Why do you keep sinning?

You sin or want to because you enjoy its taste.

Stop ordering the dish.

Stop considering the menu…

Illustration: Picture a remote-control car.

Whoever holds the remote determines where it goes.

Every time you make a choice:

what to say

what to watch

how to respond

you hand the remote to someone…

Sin wants to drive you into a ditch and off the cliff

The wages of sin is DEATH!

Grace says, “Give Me the controls—I’ll steer you toward life.”

Interactive Moment:

Ask:

“Who’s holding your remote this week?

sin?

self?

satan?

or the Savior?

Key Point: We’re either renting space to sin or offering ourselves to God. Worship isn’t just singing; it’s about yielding—moment by moment, in ALL OF LIFE…

Proverbs 3:5–6 CSB

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

3. A New Way of Living (v. 14)

Romans 6:14 LEB

14 For sin will not be master over you, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Illustration: Think of two kinds of teachers:

One stands over your shoulder with a red pen, circling every mistake…

that’s the law.

The other kneels beside you, helps you correct it, and says, “Let’s try again”

that’s grace.

Grace doesn’t grade you—it grows you. Grace doesn’t excuse sin—it empowers holiness.

Key Point: We don’t obey to earn acceptance; we obey because we already have it.

IF you are born again, you have ALREADY been accepted into the Family of God because of Jesus!

Jesus is ETERNALLY accepted, and IF we are IN JESUS, we are also ETERNALLY accepted with Him…

We cannot and will not be turned away…

John 6:37 CSB

37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out. —Jesus

LOOK – So What?

Summary of Transformation:

Head: Think like someone free.

Heart: Love the One who freed you.

Hands: Live like it’s true every day and lead others to the Chainbreaker.

Real-Life Scenarios:

When the past calls, don’t answer—it’s a wrong number.

When temptation rises, remember: “That’s NOT my master anymore.”

When you stumble, don’t run from God—run to Him. Grace is home.

Interactive Application:

Quietly name one area where sin still tries to reign— “hand it over” to God. Let it go today…

TOOK – The Call to Action

Illustration:

There was a man who was trapped underground for days after a mine collapse.

When rescuers finally broke through, they brought him into the sunlight.

For the first few moments, he kept his eyes shut tight.

The light was too bright.

He had lived in the dark for so long that freedom hurt before it healed.

“But when his eyes finally opened—he wept. He realized: This is what light feels like.”

Many believers are just like that miner—saved, rescued, redeemed

but still blinking in the brightness of grace.

Freedom feels unfamiliar, but it’s real…

Closing Challenge:

Step into the light

Stop living like sin still owns you.

You belong to grace now.

Congregational Response:

REPEAT THIS:

“Sin is not my master—Jesus is Lord, and I am alive to God.”

Closing Verse:

Romans 6:14 LEB

14 For sin will not be master over you, because you are not under law, but under grace.