Because He Lives:“Alive In Christ”

 Because He Lives 

Introduction:

Good morning Eastern Shore Baptist Church and welcome to all of our visitors. If you are worshipping online with us this morning, we are so glad that you have tuned in. My name is Stuart Davidson. If you are guest, I’d love to get to know you. After the service this morning, I will be in the foyer. Come see me. I will make a trade with you. I have a gift card to Soul Caffeine that I will give you in exchange for your information. Just fill out the front flap of your order of worship. Tear that flap off. Give it to me and I will give you a gift card. Just that easy. 

So welcome…

This morning is Palm Sunday. By the way, Palm Sunday is not called “Palm Sunday” in Scripture. When we say “Happy Palm Sunday” we are really commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem which took place the Sunday before His crucifixion. Palm Sunday marks the start of Jesus’ passion week or the days leading up to His capture, His trial, and His death. Palm Sunday is mentioned in all four Gospels. 

So happy Palm Sunday. I only bring this up because I hope that you will spend some time this week focusing on what Jesus did each day this next week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, seven days from now. 

Monday, tomorrow, mark the moment when Jesus cleansed the temple, driving out the money changers. 

Tuesday Jesus taught in the temple, confronted religious leaders, and talked about the end times. 

Wednesday was likely a day of rest. Most likely Wednesday was spent in prayer, preparing for the trials to come. Jesus may have been at rest on Wednesday but the Devil was active and working. It was this day that Judas plots to betray Jesus. 

Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday, Jesus celebrated the last supper, washed His disciple’s feet, prayed in the garden, and was arrested. 

Friday, Jesus was tried, crucified, died, and was buried. This was the darkest day both literally and metaphorically in human history. 

Saturday, Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. The disciples were scattered. His followers mourned. 

Then Sunday came and human history was irrevocably altered. Jesus rose from the dead. His tomb was empty. He appeared to Mary and His disciples. 

Jesus is alive. 

Friends, today’s message is entitled “Alive in Christ”. 

Today’s Message:

“Alive In Christ”

Do me a favor this morning. Under “Today’s Thought” fill in these blanks: Jesus’ resurrection renovates our hearts, rejuvenates our spirit, and reclaims our identity. 

Today’s Thought:

Jesus’ Resurrection Renovates Our Hearts, Rejuvenates Our Spirit, and Reclaims Our Identity! 

Because He lives, our hearts have been renovated. Ezekiel 36:26 reminds us that God has given us a “new heart, and a new spirit. Because He lives, our spirit has been rejuvenated. Ephesians 2 informs us that we have been made alive in Christ Jesus. Lastly, because He lives, our identity is grounded in Christ. We have been bought back, rescued. God has snatched us from the fire. Adopted us. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that because of Christ, we are now new creations, our old selves are gone and our new selves are redeemed. 

Friends, make no mistake. Everything is different because of the reality of the resurrection. I stumbled upon this quote as I studied for this message. A quote by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Check this out. 

Today’s Quote:

“The resurrection is the proclamation of the fact that the last enemy has been conquered, that death has been defeated, and that those who believe in Christ, sharing in His resurrection life, are delivered from the fear of death. Death no longer has the final word. Christ has triumphed over the grave, and because He lives, we too shall live.”

— Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Sermon: “God’s Declaration” (Acts 5:29–32)

Amen and amen! Death no longer has the final word! 

Background and Context:

This morning we are reading from Romans. Romans 6:1-14 to be exact. Paul is writing to believers in Rome. By the way, most of those receiving Paul’s letter were Gentiles but with some Jewish background. Paul is writing to a church that he has never visited, at least not yet. The theme of the letter is encouragement. He wants them to experience the fullness of the Gospel. In Romans 5, Paul talks about grace. Unending, unmerited, amazing grace. Anticipating their question, Paul addresses a potential pitfall. Paul is concerned that some people may say, “well, if Jesus grace is so…well…graceful, then why don’t we just keep on sinning since there is no end to Jesus’ forgiveness”. 

Let us go on sinning so that grace may abound. 

So, in Romans 6, Paul corrects that thinking and explains that grace is not a license to sin, it is the power to live a new life. If you were to summarize Romans 6:1-14 in six words you’d probably say “dead to sin, alive in Christ”. 

Statement of Belief:

So, this morning before we read Holy Scripture, I want to remind you that…

We believe the Bible is inspired, infallible, and authoritative. It is vital for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. God’s Word brings life, peace, and protection, and it profoundly touches the human soul. As a unique and powerful book, let us stand in reverence and respect for it.

Today’’s Scripture:

Romans 6:1-14 NLT

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? [2] Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? [3] Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? [4] For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. [5] Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. [6] We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. [9] We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. [10] When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. [11] So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. [12] Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. [13] Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. [14] Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.

Pastor: "This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: "Praise His name, Praise His holy name."

3 Ways That We Are Made “Alive In Christ”

First, We Are Lifted To A New Life vs. 4-5

So, let’s dive into the message this morning. Let’s look at 3 ways that we are made “Alive in Jesus Christ”. First, were are lifted to a new life. 

“We aren’t just forgiven—we’re raised. Paul says resurrection power gives us new life, not just in the future, but right now. It’s a present, Spirit-filled life that is dramatically different from the old one.”

Go back to verses 4 and 5 this morning. 

And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.

Years ago, when my wife and I were first married, we enjoyed watching a show on HGTV together.

Chances are you remember this show. The show was hosted by Paige Davis. The show had various personalities like Hilda, Ty, Genevieve, Frank, Douglas, Vern and Carter. Im fairly convinced that Angela watched the show more for Ty and Carter than the actual subject matter of the program. 

Do you remember the name of that old HGTV show?

That’s right, Trading Spaces! 

Trading Spaces is exactly what the name suggests. You had two families, most likely friends, living in the same community agree to trade homes for one weekend. The families would agree to renovate a room or a space in each other’s home. The idea was that the interior designer would have full creative liberty over the space. Each family was given $1000 to complete renovate their space. At the conclusion of the weekend, the families went back to their homes to see what their friends had created. They were blind folded upon arrival and as they were led to their space, the blind folds were removed. The cameras were there to catch their honest reactions. There in lies the drama of the show. Would they like the renovation? Would they appreciate what their friends had constructed? 

No one knew and only time would tell. 

If I’m honest, a lot of the home renovations were disappointing disasters. More times that not, the designer disregarded the tastes and preferences of the family that would have to go back and live in the home. The designers would choose strange furniture. They would gravitate towards off putting colors, and pick bizarre wall coverings. 

Tears were shed. Friendships were ruined. Thousands of dollars would go back into fixing what the show ruined. 

The more I watched the show, the more I found a sermon staring back at me. You see friends, you and I have interiors as well. I am not talking about a room in our home, I am talking about our heart. To many times, we open our hearts to people, things, habits and frankly sin that promises renovation. 

Sin tells us, “oh you’ll love what I’ll do in here”.

Satan tells us, “oh you can trust me. I will never do you wrong”.

The world tells us, “that fad that everyone is chasing won’t leave you empty, vapid, and void. I will fill you heart and soul. You’ll never need anyone or anything else if you just take hold of what I will give to you”.

We are all guilty aren’t we? We open our hearts to sin, Satan, and the world. We believe their lies. When we realize that what we are left with is addiction, brokenness, and destruction, it is too late. The work has been done. 

Here is the good news. Jesus wants to trade what the world has done to us. He wants us to not only trade spaces, He wants to trade places. You see, Paul reminds us in Romans 3 that the “wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life”. That is truly trading spaces. Jesus wants to reenter our heart and raise us to a new existence, a new life. Jesus is not some hare brained designer, He is the master. Jesus doesn’t abandon you in a weekend, leaving you in ruin. He stays with you, abiding with you as you abide with Him. 

That’s what Jesus does in us. He steps in. He lifts us up. He makes us new.

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 (GNT)

“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends…”

You are not who you used to be. You are alive in Christ—lifted to a new life.

3 Ways That We Are Made “Alive In Christ”

First, We Are Lifted To A New Life vs. 4-5

Next, We Are Liberated From Sin’s Power vs. 6-7

How are we made alive in Christ? First we are lifted to a new life. Our hearts are renovated by the Master. Next, we are liberated from Sin’s power. 

“Paul teaches that our sinful nature was nailed to the cross with Christ. The resurrection life means the power of sin is broken—we are not who we once were, and sin no longer holds us captive.”

Again, go back and reread verse 6 and 7. 

We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

There’s a powerful, heartbreaking movie called 12 Years a Slave. It’s based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York in the 1840s. Solomon was an educated man, a husband, a father—an extremely talented violinist, with a good life.

But one day, everything changed.

While his family was traveling in Europe, he was offered a job. Men came to him and offered him a great deal of money if he would travel to the south and play the violin for an adoring and paying public. The men promised him that his family would not even know that he was gone because he would be back before they returned home. He was promised money, fame, and success. He agreed.

Things were going well. The men found themselves in south Mississippi. The trip was nearing an end. The party decided to celebrate. The drank long into the night. The next morning, Solomon awoke in a dirt cell. He was naked and chained to the wall. The men who had pretended to be his friends had stripped him naked, stolen his money, and sold him into slavery. 

He was tricked, drugged, and now a slave. Overnight, he went from freedom to captivity. And for the next 12 years of his life, he suffered in ways that are almost unspeakable. He was beaten, whipped, dehumanized, mistreated, and oppressed. He was told he had no name, no rights, no future. He was passed from master to master, each one more brutal than the last.

And church, that’s what sin and Satan do to us.

They lie to us.

They trap us.

They enslave us.

And once we’re bound, they beat us with shame, guilt, addiction, pride, lust, fear—you name it.

And they whisper, “This is who you are. This is your life now.”

But Solomon’s story doesn’t end in chains. One day, through the help of a Canadian abolitionist, Solomon’s story takes a turn. His story becomes a story of redemption. His true identity is revealed. He is rescued, released, and restored to his family.

And I can’t help but shout “Amen!”—because that’s exactly what Jesus does for us.

He steps into our slavery.

He breaks the chains.

He calls us by our real name—child of God—and He brings us home.

So, why do we so easily become slaves to sin?

Let’s be honest: if we’re free, why do we so often walk back into the prison?

I think part of the answer is this: sin is deceptive.

It doesn’t always show up looking like a taskmaster—it shows up looking like pleasure, like control, like comfort, like power.

But behind that mask is a whip. And once we give sin a foothold, it doesn’t take long before we feel that chain tightening around our soul.

Sometimes we’re like the Israelites—we get out of Egypt, but Egypt’s still in us.

Sometimes we forget who we are and who we belong to.

Sometimes we trade our identity in Christ for the empty promises of the flesh. But friends, Jesus wants us to be free. Free from sin. Unbound from Satan. Free of the world. After all, that is what Jesus tells us Himself in John 8:34-36, 

"Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. [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.

How do we safeguard ourselves from sin?

Let me give you three quick and practical guardrails:

1.Stay in the Word –

The truth sets us free, right? Then we’ve got to stay grounded in the truth of God’s Word. Read it. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Let it be the voice that drowns out the lies.

2.Walk by the Spirit –

Romans 8 will tell us, “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live.” Don’t try to fight sin in your own strength. Invite the Holy Spirit to do war on your behalf.

3.Stay in community –

You weren’t meant to battle alone. You need brothers and sisters who will speak truth, pray for you, and help you remember that you’re not a slave—you’re a son, you’re a daughter, and you’re free in Jesus.

Church, if you’ve been living like a slave, but Jesus has already called you free—stop living in chains that were broken at the cross.

You are not bound anymore.

You are not who you used to be.

You are free, and “if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”

Live like it.

3 Ways That We Are Made “Alive In Christ”

First, We Are Lifted To A New Life vs. 4-5

Next, We Are Liberated From Sin’s Power vs. 6-7

Lastly, We are Loyal To A New Lord vs. 11-13

Last point this morning…

What is the last way that we are made alive in Christ? We are lifted to a new life. We are liberated from sin’s power. Lastly, we are loyal to a new Lord. 

“Paul urges believers to live under the authority of Jesus, not the rule of sin. Being made alive in Christ means transferring our allegiance—our lives now belong to Him. He is Lord, not just Savior.”

Go back to verses 11 though 13. 

Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.

You may not know this, but we are quickly approaching the 26th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting.

In fact, we will remember that terrible event on April 20th which just so happens to be Resurrection Sunday. Easter. Chances are, you remember where you were when that event occurred. I was at the Shades Valley YMCA in Birmingham when the news came across the TV’s that were hanging in the gym. I was glued to the TV. I couldn’t believe that it was happening. 

2 armed students dressed in black entered the school and began a rampage killed students and teachers. It was horrible and violent. After the incident happened, stories about what happened in the school during the shooting began to leak out. That is when I heard the story about Cassie Bernall. 

Cassie was 17 years old at the time. Cassie was known in the school. She had a dark reputation. For years she was an atheist. In fact, for several years Cassie dabbled in the occult and witchcraft. 

However, something occurred about a month before the shooting. Cassie was invited to attend a local church, a youth group. She was exposed to the Gospel. She believed in Jesus and she was baptized. She evangelized her family, her parents, and they too were saved. 

Then April 20th, 1999 happened. Cassie and her friends huddled together in the library. The gunmen entered the library. They found Cassie and her friends. Knowing of her conversion, one of the gunman put a gun to her head and asked her if she still believed in God. 

Cassie said “yes”. 

In that moment of pressure—when her life hung in the balance—she did not recant her faith. She stood firm. And for that, she was shot and killed.

Cassie’s story quickly spread across the world. She became a symbol of courageous teenage faith, a modern example of someone who stood for Christ even when it meant paying the ultimate price. Her life and death led to a spiritual awakening among youth—especially in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Her parents later wrote a book titled “She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall,” which shared her journey from rebellion to salvation. Cassie had once struggled with depression, dark influences, and rebellion—but after encountering Jesus, her life changed. She became known for her sincere, passionate faith in the months leading up to her death.

Cassie became the living embodiment of Galatians 2:19-20. 

Galatians 2:19-20 ESV

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. [20] I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

She was loyal to God all the way unto death. I pray that is never a loyalty test that we will ever have to take. Cassie was no longer loyal to herself. She was not loyal to the world. She trusted her heart to Christ. 

You might be saying, “is that what God will one day call me to do”? 

Friend I hope not but hear this, it was what Jesus was called to do. He laid His life down in obedience to His Father so that God’s wrath might be passed on from me and you to Him. Would we give Christ anything less than our loyalty? I sincerely hope not. Thankfully, death is not the end of the story. Death does not have the last word. 

Brothers and sisters, I want you to remember that life is worth the living, just because He lives!

Remember, Life Is Worth The Living…Just Because He Lives!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today with hearts full of gratitude and awe—because Jesus lives, everything has changed. Thank You for the cross, for the empty tomb, and for the risen Savior who gives us new life.

Lord, we praise You that because of Christ’s resurrection, our hearts are renovated, our spirits are rejuvenated, and our identities are reclaimed. No longer slaves to sin, we have been lifted to a new life, liberated from sin’s power, and we joyfully declare today that we are loyal to a new Lord—Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.

Father, we confess that we’ve too often opened the door of our hearts to the world, to the flesh, and to the lies of the enemy. But today, we surrender again. We thank You for breaking the chains that once held us, and we choose to walk in the freedom You purchased with Your blood.

Help us to live boldly, to guard our hearts with Your truth, to walk by Your Spirit, and to cling to the community You’ve placed around us. Give us the courage of Cassie Bernall, the endurance of Paul, and the devotion of Your Son.

And as we enter this Holy Week, may we reflect deeply on what it cost You to redeem us, and may we live in light of the resurrection—every single day.

Because Jesus lives, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we have purpose. And because Jesus lives, life is worth the living.

We pray this in the mighty, risen name of Jesus Christ—

Amen.