THE CROSS WE CARRY — PART 5  

WHAT IS COMING ALIVE?

Mark 8:35 | Romans 6:4 | 2 Corinthians 4:10–11

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”  

— Mark 8:35

BIG QUESTION:

What is coming alive in you?

Christianity is not only about what has to die. Because Jesus rose from the dead, those who belong to Him have been given new life.

Romans 6:4 tells us that we are called to “walk in newness of life.”

New life should become visible.

BIG IDEA:

Because we have been united with the risen Christ, His new life should increasingly become visible in how we walk, what we want, and what others experience through us.

1. NEW LIFE CHANGES OUR WALK

Romans 6:4

“We too might walk in newness of life.”

Our “walk” describes the direction, pattern, and conduct of our lives.

Because we are united with Christ, our relationship to sin has changed.

Romans 6:12

“Do not let sin reign in your mortal body.”

Sin may still speak, but it does not have the right to rule.

Temptation may still show up, but temptation is not lordship.

Your old habits may still knock on the door, but you do not have to hand them a key.

Grace does not merely pardon the old walk. Grace trains us into a new walk.

A changed walk shows up in ordinary choices:

• How we handle money  

• What we do when nobody is watching  

• How we use our words  

• What we do with our phones  

• Whether our word can be trusted  

• How we treat people who cannot do anything for us

Most Christian faithfulness happens on ordinary days.

Walking also means movement.

The question is not whether every weakness is gone.

The question is:

What direction are you moving?

Do not confuse incomplete growth with no growth.

Biblical repentance is more than feeling bad about sin. It means turning from sin and turning toward God.

2. NEW LIFE CHANGES OUR WANTS

Romans 6:11

“Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

To be “alive to God” means there is a new responsiveness to Him.

God does not only change what we do. He begins changing what we desire.

New life can produce:

• A greater sensitivity to conviction  

• A growing hunger for Scripture  

• A deeper desire for prayer  

• A desire for holiness  

• A longing for peace instead of drama  

• A desire to please God instead of ourselves

Conversion does not mean every old desire immediately disappears.

Galatians 5 reminds us that there is still conflict between the flesh and the Spirit.

The presence of temptation does not mean the Spirit is absent.

The question is not simply, “What am I tempted to do?”

The question is:

Which desire will I obey?

What we repeatedly give our attention and obedience to begins shaping our desires.

Sometimes obedience goes first and our feelings catch up later.

Philippians 2:13 reminds us that God is working in us both “to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

God works on what we do AND what we want.

PERSONAL QUESTION:

What do you want now that you did not used to want?

Do you want peace more than you want to win?

Truth more than protecting your image?

God’s will more than control?

Those may be signs of new life.

3. NEW LIFE CHANGES OUR WITNESS

2 Corinthians 4:10–11

Paul says that “the life of Jesus” was being manifested in them.

The life Christ gives His people is not meant to remain invisible.

Something of Jesus should increasingly become visible in those who belong to Him.

Our lives do not save anyone. Only the gospel saves.

But the way we live can either support or contradict the message we proclaim.

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

One of the clearest places our spiritual growth is tested is in our closest relationships.

People at church may see you for two hours.

Your family gets the extended version.

They know whether the Sunday morning voice survives Monday evening.

New life should increasingly make us:

• Trustworthy  

• Gracious  

• Responsible  

• Patient  

• Humble  

• Forgiving  

• Useful to others

Ask yourself:

Who is better because I am following Jesus?

Galatians 5 describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The fruit is personal, but it is not private.

It becomes visible.

THE SOURCE OF NEW LIFE

John 15:5

“Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

New life does not come from human willpower alone.

A branch does not produce fruit by trying harder. It bears fruit because it remains connected to the vine.

Romans 6 begins with what God has done before it tells us how to live.

We have been united with Christ.

His death has changed our relationship to sin.

His resurrection has brought us into new life.

Christian obedience flows out of Christian identity.

We do not live differently in order to become alive.

We live differently because, in Christ, we have been made alive.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

What is coming alive in you?

Is prayer becoming more real?

Is Scripture becoming more important?

Are you becoming more aware of how your words affect others?

Is generosity growing?

Are you learning to choose peace instead of drama?

Are you forgiving more quickly?

Are you serving without needing recognition?

Do not overlook small signs of growth.

The question is not whether you are perfect.

The question is:

Is there evidence of new life?

FINAL THOUGHT

The cross does not only show us what must die.

The resurrection shows us that, in Christ, something new can live.

If Christ is alive in us, sooner or later there ought to be evidence that something new is coming alive.

MY RESPONSE TODAY:

What is God asking me to surrender?

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What is God bringing alive in me?

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Where does my walk need to change?

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What desire does God want to reshape?

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Who should experience more of Christ because of the way I live?

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THIS WEEK:

Ask God each day:

“Lord, make Your life visible in me. Change my walk, reshape my wants, and strengthen my witness.”