The Weight Lifted: Living in the Newness of Life
- Grace Church
- May 27
- 3 min read
Based on Doug M. Gehm's sermon, May 24, 2026
The transition from a life defined by struggle to one defined by freedom often feels like the moment a heavy weight is finally lifted from your shoulders. We often spend years saying "yes" to habits and mindsets that treat us poorly, much like an athlete bound to a coach who only knows how to berate and exhaust. We run the laps, we endure the shame, and we mistakenly believe that this is the only rhythm life has to offer. However, there is a profound moment of realization where we discover we have the authority to say "no" to that old taskmaster. This isn't just a change in willpower; it is a fundamental shift in our identity that occurs the moment we are united with something greater than ourselves. In the book of Romans, we are reminded that we have been buried with Christ so that just as He was raised, we too might walk in a completely different way of life (Romans 6:4).
This new life is not a mere renovation of the old self, but a total replacement of it. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our current mistakes are more powerful than the grace we have received, but that is a fundamental misunderstanding of our position. We are like branches grafted into a new tree, drawing our life and nutrients from a different source entirely (John 15:5). Because of this union, the old version of us—the one tethered to failure and guilt—no longer exists in the eyes of the Divine. We often experience "phantom" pains from our past, hearing the echoes of old habits, but we must remind ourselves that the relationship has changed. We are no longer defined by the things that once enslaved us, but by the righteousness of the One who holds us.
Walking in this freedom requires a daily shift in how we account for our lives. We are encouraged to "consider" or "reckon" ourselves as dead to those old ways and vibrantly alive to God (Romans 6:11). This is essentially a matter of spiritual accounting; it is looking at the bottom line of our lives and realizing that the debt has been paid in full, once and for all. When we stop trying to "re-propose" to God every time we stumble, we begin to live out of a place of security rather than a place of fear. Our standing is not based on our perfect performance but on the finished work of Christ, who continues to intercede for us even now (Romans 8:34). This security allows us to fail without falling away, providing the safety we need to truly grow.
The practical expression of this security is found in what we choose to "present" ourselves to each day. It is a moment-by-moment decision to offer our thoughts, our hands, and our time as instruments for good rather than letting them drift back into old, destructive patterns. We are told that we have been granted everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3). This means that when temptation feels overwhelming, we aren't fighting for victory; we are fighting from a victory that has already been won. By consistently presenting ourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life, we find that grace isn't just a safety net for when we fall—it is the very air we breathe and the power that moves us forward.
