The Cross Changes Everything
April 7, 2023
Jesus was nailed to the cross at about nine in the morning, and he died between three and six that same day. During those hours of excruciating pain and suffering, Jesus’ death on that cross changed everything for us. That’s why we are here tonight. We’re here to remember how Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves when He laid down His life for the sin of the world. So, over the next few minutes, I’d like to open God’s Word from Isaiah 53:1-5 to show us just how much the cross of Christ has changed everything for us.
And the first change the cross made possible is this: Without the cross, we would not know God’s power In these first three verses Isaiah describes the spiritual blindness of those who will look upon Jesus and dismiss him as totally irrelevant. That is, until he lays down His life on that cross. Here’s Isaiah’s prophecy: Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Isaiah 53:1-3 To get a feel for the spiritual blindness of those who would look upon Jesus and dismiss Him, Isaiah uses a powerful title to identify him to us. He calls him, “the arm of the Lord.” This is literally a description of Jesus, the Son of God, in ALL HIS POWER.
But when Jesus came to live among us, no one saw Him this way. And the reason they didn’t see God’s power in Him, was that they were looking for man’s image of power. They were looking for someone strong and dynamic – a man among men – a leader among leaders. Someone powerful in stature, dignified and impressive. But when they looked upon Jesus, he had no beauty or majesty to attract himself to them. In fact, there was nothing physically noticeable about him that stood out at all.
So, here’s what Isaiah is telling us: This is what humanity does. We gage the quality of a person by their outward appearance. They looked at Jesus and dismissed him, because he wasn’t who they were looking for. That’s what this word “despised” means: They dismissed Jesus because he was not physically impressive. They dismissed Jesus because they held him in low esteem. They could see nothing in Jesus that they considered of value. To them, he had no dignity, no power and no majesty, So rather than embrace him, they dismissed Him.
And with this description, Isaiah completes his diagnosis of the human condition and that is this: To see God’s Son and find no beauty or value in Him, exposes the spiritual bankruptcy of the human heart. And what Isaiah concluded in his prediction is echoed in the New Testament: The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4
And I share this with you to tell you, that unless God opens your eyes to see who Jesus truly is, you too may dismiss Jesus. You may reject him. But here now is where the cross comes into play. For at the cross, we see a different kind of power in Jesus. We see the power of Christ’s humble submission. We see Jesus, who being innocent of sin, willingly went to that cross, to die in your place, so you would not have to die. We see the arm of the Lord who came to save us.
And so tonight, we remember that on that cruel cross, we see the beauty of God’s power to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. We see the majesty of the King who was lifted up to take the punishment we deserved. We see the humble Son of God surrender to the powers of the day, so He could save us by His power. So that now, when you look to the cross, and put your trust in what Jesus did for you there, you will experience God’s saving power: You’ll experience His power to forgive your sins. You’ll experience His power to change your destiny. And you’ll experience His power to reconcile your life with God. For with the willing sacrifice of Jesus on that cross, you will experience the power of God’s love for you. Without the cross, we would never know God’s power. But now that the arm of the Lord has been revealed on that cross, we know a power that changes everything.
Without the cross, we would not know God’s mercy Here the heart of this passage, Isaiah details three ways Jesus gave us mercy at the cross, and it’s such a beautiful picture of what Jesus did for us: Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; Isaiah 53:4-5a There are three aspects of God’s mercy revealed for us in Jesus’s suffering on the cross:
First, Jesus took up our pain and bore our suffering. In other words, When Jesus went to the cross, he lifted off of you the judgment of God’s wrath. Jesus did this by being your substitute. Jesus took your place and took the pain you deserved for your sin. Jesus did this for you. No matter what you have done. No matter who you’ve hurt, or how much you’ve failed. No matter how much you deserve to be punished for your sins, Jesus went to the cross to take the punishment your sin deserved upon Himself.
And when Jesus did this, Jesus literally “lifted God’s wrath” from you, and took it upon Himself, and He died in your place – so you don’t have to die. He did this because He loved you. He did this to save you. Now, if you’ve trusted in what Jesus did for you on that cross, this changes everything for you. For the New Testament declares: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 For once you put your trust in what Jesus did for you, His work on the cross set you free from the penalty of sin, set you free from guilt, and set your free from judgment. No, you never have to fear God’s punishment. That’s what mercy does. It withholds the punishment you deserve. And Jesus did this for you, when he took your place and was punished by God, when He was stricken by Him and afflicted. Jesus took up your pain and bore your suffering. That’s the mercy of the cross.
Not only that, but we are told, He was pierced for our transgressions. Now, this word “pierced” speaks of a death wound and means “to pierce fatally.” This is a direct reference to what was to take place on the cross. Jesus was fatally wounded for your transgressions.
Now this term “transgressions” is not a term we use much today. So, what does this term mean? Transgressions are rebellious acts of sin that we willingly chose to commit. God has set-up certain boundaries for us to live within. Whenever we willingly cross over one of those boundaries, break one of His laws, that’s what the Bible calls sin. That is why sins are never just mistakes we make. Transgressions are always a choice. You chose to rebel against God’s law. You do what you want, not what God wants. That’s the definition of a rebel. You arrogantly defy God, refusing to submit to Him and go your own way.
But here’s where we see God’s mercy. While you lived in rebellion to God, Jesus was willing to receive the death blow you deserved. And when you see His mercy for you on that cross, that’s a game changer. For now, when you turn to Jesus and trust in Him, God forgives you for every transgression, every rebellious act or defiant thought you’ve ever made. That’s the mercy of the cross.
Thirdly, He was crushed for our iniquities. Iniquity is different term for our sin. Iniquities reflect the perverted bent of our human nature. These are our secret sins. This is our human nature that’s been distorted by sin so that we hate, are greedy, pursue lusts, live selfishly, hold onto envy and act maliciously. You can live a perfectly moral life on the outside, but your inside can be full of iniquities. That’s what Jesus addressed during his earthly ministry, when he pronounced judgment on the religious leaders saying:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.” Matthew 23:25,27
That’s what Jesus did for you on the cross. He was crushed for the garbage in your soul, so He could cleanse you of your hidden sins. He was crushed for your iniquities. In other words, all of your hidden sin, all my hidden sin, was placed on Him, and He was crushed under the weight of our perversions. But He did this for you to save you. He took your perversions upon Himself to save you from the consequences of your sin.
That’s the life changing good news of the cross. Jesus was crushed for your iniquities, so He could not just set you free from your guilt, but also your shame. Jesus died on that cross to wash away every possible sin you’ve ever made. That’s what makes the cross such a life changer. That’s why we celebrate Good Friday. For without the cross, we would never know God’s mercy, but now, if you’ve trusted in Jesus, you know it. And if you’re like me, you’re so very grateful.
But now, there’s one last life changer Isaiah wants us to remember as we reflect on what Jesus did for us on that cross, and it’s this: Without the cross, we would not know God’s Peace Listen now as Isaiah summarizes the final blessing of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. He says this: the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed Isaiah 53:5b.
In other words, by taking upon himself the punishment we deserve, Jesus’ death on the cross restored our relationship with God and healed our souls: Jesus went to that cross to reconcile our broken relationship with God and heal our sin-sick souls. That’s why the cross changes everything.
Now, because of what Jesus did on that cross, you can have peace with God. You can have a relationship with God where you can know His smile, His love, His acceptance. This is what God has wanted for you before you were ever born. God has always loved you and wanted you to know His love. That’s why the cross is such a life-changer. For when Jesus died for you on that cross, He made a way to heal what was broken. That’s the power of the cross.
For, when you put your trust in Jesus, everything that stood in the way of knowing God as your Father was removed. Your relationship was healed. And He immediately adopted you as His beloved child. So now you never have to worry if God will abandon or reject you. Instead, you get to live as the object of His enduring love.
That’s how the cross changes everything – And why Jesus could say as he hung on that cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” And why Jesus could respond to the thief on the cross by saying, “Today, you will be with me in paradise,”
And why when Jesus was about to breath his last, he could say: “It is finished.” For at that moment on the cross He finished what He had come to do – to provide salvation for you, and anyone who would ever trust in Him.
That’s the wonder and beauty of the cross.
On that cross Jesus revealed God’s power to save.
On that cross Jesus gave us the mercy none of us deserve.
And on that cross Jesus healed our relationship with God by dying in our place.
For on that cross God gave us a Savior, His name is Jesus. And now Scripture declares: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
That’s how the cross changes everything…
Has it changed you?
It can, if you are willing to trust in Jesus to save you.
Leave a Reply