3 Ways that Christ’s Death Impacts Us Today

As we get closer to Easter, we are examining the impact of what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Today we look at the moment where everything changed: when Jesus died on the cross for us. We will see how Christ’s death impacts us in three very powerful ways today!

The Moment Where Everything Changed

The moment that looked like victory for the enemy was the exact moment that Jesus triumphed over sin. This week we begin to celebrate Holy Week, and Friday is what is called Good Friday. Good Friday seems like a strange name for the day when our Savior hung on a cross - and yet it is good because it’s the day Jesus conquered over sin and death and the grave! Jesus’ death is how He established His Kingdom and proved His deity. Good Friday is good because Jesus triumphed and showed Himself to be the King of Kings!

In Matthew 27:50-54 we read about the moment where Christ died. Here we’ve included this passage in the NIV.

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54 NIV)

The first verse in this passage describes the moment where Christ died. Can things get any worse than at this point in history? The Creator and the Savior of the world - rejected by His creation, forsaken by His Father - breathes His last breath and succumbs to death. 

He does so willingly, freely delivering His life into the father’s hands. While Jesus succumbs to the pain and suffering, He is not a victim of death, but a substitutionary offering where He is both the priest and the sacrifice. This moment in history changes everything - for the world, and for us.

The Death of Jesus Changes Our Past - We Are Forgiven!

The cross of Christ is good news because it means that we are forgiven. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That means that all of us have missed the mark, and fail to live up to the perfect standard of God. We have acted against God’s will by disobedience and rebellion.

You and I deserve death because of the sins we have committed! Ephesians 2:1-3 says that “you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air…we were by nature deserving of wrath.” We were enemies of God, walking in sin, and dead in those sins. But the cross breaks the power of guilt and shame. We are no longer prisoners of who we used to be. We all have a past - but the cross redefines our past. 

Ephesians 2:3-4 continue to tell us that “because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” The cross confronts our sin head on. Jesus didn’t die to make bad people better, He died to bring dead people back to life. We were dead in our trespasses, deserving of wrath, but Christ and His work on the cross saved us. Christ’s death changes our past - He forgives us!

The Death of Jesus Changes Our Future - We Are Secure!

Christ’s death does not only change our past. It also changes our future. The cross assures us that our future is full of hope, not fear. Eternity with Christ is guaranteed for those who put their faith and trust in Him. Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” 

Jesus assures His disciples that He is preparing a place for them in the future. Because of the cross, death isn’t in the end - it’s just the doorway into eternity with Him. That is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:55 “Where, o death, is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting?”

We don’t have to fear the future; it’s secure in Jesus. Our hope is not in this world’s system or temporary pleasures, but in the promise of resurrection and heaven. The cross assures us that our story doesn’t end in a grave - it ends in glory with Jesus Christ. This means that we don’t have to strive for approval or success here on earth - we already have eternal worth and security in heaven awaiting us.

We can live today with eternity in mind. Invest in what lasts. Love deeply. Serve faithfully. Because our future is not fragile - it’s fixed in the finished work of Christ. The cross guarantees that the final scene of our story is joy. It doesn’t mean we won’t experience hardship, but what we face now will be nothing compared to the glory we will experience with God in Heaven (Romans 8:18).

The Death of Jesus Changes Our Present - We Are Empowered!

For those who choose to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, the third thing that Jesus changed when He died is our present. The cross doesn’t just deal with our sin - it gives us a new identity and power to live differently right now. If we think the Gospel is only about what happens after we die, then we are mistaken. The cross isn’t just about going to heaven - it’s about bringing heaven to earth in you right now. Through the cross, we have access to new life right now - not just in eternity. 

Galatians 2:20 says that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Because of the cross, Jesus doesn’t just forgive us - He moves in. He resides within us! He takes up residence within our lives through the Holy Spirit. Where He leads us, guides us, directs us, and teaches us to follow Him. The Gospel is not just about where we go when we die. It allows us to have a life transformed and empowered by Jesus now.

1 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” The power of sin in our life is now broken. We are no longer a slave to fear, addiction, or self-hate - we are empowered to walk in freedom as a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come!

Christ’s work on the cross changes us today. It doesn’t just rewrite our story and assure us a beautiful ending - it does a work within us today. 

Jesus Brings The Dead To Life

The cross is the turning point for our past - we are now forgiven. It is the turning point for our future - we are secured. And it is the turning point for our present - we are empowered. If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, these are gifts you can enjoy and receive at any time by placing your faith in Him. If you are a Christian, but find yourself wrestling with sin, fear, or hopelessness - let the cross of Christ bring you freedom and hope once again. Jesus brings the dead to life and changes everything by His work on the cross, and we can rejoice in that!

-------------

Death Defeated: Week 3. April 13th, 2025. Preached by Ben Dieterly

Article Edited by Julia Castro