Part 1
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Part 2
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
We recently celebrated the greatest event in human history, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I want to take you somewhere deeper than just a celebration today. Not just remembering what Jesus did—but experiencing it, personally. Because if you don’t experience what He went through for you, you’ll never fully live in what He’s offering to you. That’s really the heart of this message.
A Personal Gospel, Not a Distant One
I was thinking back to my own salvation experience. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. I didn’t have a framework for the gospel. I had exposure to New Age ideas, different philosophies, but not the truth of Jesus. I went through a season of demonic darkness—substance abuse, confusion, what I would call a kind of spiritual fog.
I remember coming to a place where I knew—I knew—that I was headed toward eternal separation from God. What struck me was this: I didn’t argue with it. I knew it was just. I knew it was the result of my life.
But then I met Jesus.
There was a moment I’ll never forget. Sitting on my couch, I had what I can only describe as a vision. I saw Jesus, back in time, on the cross—and somehow, He could see me in the future. And what He communicated to me was this:
“I would have done this if you were the only one.”
That changed everything. The gospel became personal. In that moment, everything made sense and I could feel salvation and cleansing of darkness working in me. And that’s what I want for you—not just theology, not just knowledge, but a personal encounter with what Christ suffered for you. You might not have a vision, but you can have a heart connection and an inner revelation of His presence.
Why the World Is Still Missing It
Here’s the reality: a lot of people, even Christians, know the basic gospel message. They know God loves them, that they’re sinners, that Jesus died and rose again, and that if they say yes, they’re saved. But they don’t know the effect of the gospel.
They don’t know that they’ve been washed, given a new nature, made one with God, and established in righteousness. As I said in the message, “They know the gospel of salvation… but they don’t know that He’s washed you and cleansed you… that He’s made Himself one with you.”
Because of that, they don’t live free. The world is starving, not just for truth, but for a revelation of how good God actually is. And the doorway into that is understanding what He went through for you.
Jesus Knew What Was Coming
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, what we celebrate as Palm Sunday, He knew exactly what was ahead. He wasn’t caught off guard. Within days, He would pray, “Father, if there’s any way, let this cup pass from me… nevertheless not my will, but your will.”
He knew the cross wasn’t just physical suffering. It was something far deeper.
The Moment of Darkness — Matthew 27:45–46
Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
From noon to 3 PM, darkness covered the land. And Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” That’s not just a quote—it’s an experience.
“He ain’t just quoting scripture here. This is happening.”
At that moment, Jesus became sin. God made Him to be sin and poured His judgment against sin into Christ. Why? “He was forsaken so you could be accepted.”
This is substitution. He became like you so you could become like Him.
Psalm 22 — The Emotional Reality of the Cross
When Jesus cried out those words, He was living out Psalm 22. This is not just a psalm, it is a prophetic window into what Christ experienced on the cross. We get an accurate historical record, with some insight of Christ’s experince on the cross, from the Gospels. But we get a look into His mind and emotional state from the Psalms. This is where we move from history to heart-level revelation.
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me?”
He felt separation, distance, silence. He entered into the very thing we fear most, so we would never have to live there.
“All those who see Me ridicule Me… He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him…”
He was mocked, shamed, and publicly humiliated.
“They pierced My hands and My feet… I can count all My bones… My heart is like wax…”
This is not poetic exaggeration, it is prophetic detail. 1000 years before Jesus, David describes the cross.
“Many bulls have surrounded Me… They gape at Me like a roaring lion…”
This wasn’t just human suffering. It was spiritual. Demonic, hellish opposition pressing in.
When this becomes real to you, sin loses its grip, fear loses its voice, and condemnation loses its power. This is where grace becomes real empowerment.
Even in suffering, He sees the outcome. He sees redemption. He sees you. And hope begins to rise.
From the Cross to the Resurrection
Jesus didn’t stay in that place. He went into the grave—and then He rose. That brings us to the second part of this message.
In Psalm 22, something shifts. Jesus begins to remember. He begins to declare, “I will declare Your name to My brethren.”
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Jesus didn’t just die for you—He died as you. So that you were crucified with Him, buried with Him, and raised with Him. You have already been raised from the dead spiritually.
Now His life is in you. “The life of Christ is in you. Literally.”
Jesus didn’t just come back to life and open the door to Heaven, He entered the heavenly Holy of Holies with His own blood and secured eternal redemption. Once. For all who will believe.
Living from Resurrection Power
This is your reality now. You are not trying to stay saved or become righteous or get close to God. You are already united with Him, sustained by Him, and empowered by His Spirit.
“Your works add nothing to it… your works are just the fruit.”
This isn’t just about heaven someday—it’s about life right now. Healing in your body, freedom in your mind, peace in your soul, confidence in your identity.
Final Thought
If you want to live free, go back and read Matthew 27, Psalm 22, and Psalm 18. Read them slowly and personally. Let the Holy Spirit show you what Jesus experienced for you, what He accomplished for you, and what now lives in you.
“Let the Word echo back to you who you are and what He’s done for you.”
The resurrection is not just something we celebrate once a year. It is the life we now live from. Jesus entered your darkness so you could live in His light. He took your death so you could walk in His life, and now His Spirit lives in you—live from it!
