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The resurrection has happened, but the effects are still being experienced today. People are still being transformed by the good news that Jesus is alive, and our sins have been forgiven.

There is more to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus than what happened to Him. Actually, what happened to Jesus happened to you as well. If you are His, then you are forever connected to Him.

Something happened to you when Jesus was crucified, when He was buried, when He rose from the grave, when He ascended to heaven and when He sat down at the right hand of God. You may not have considered this, but it is true, nonetheless. What happened to Jesus happened to you.

What happened to Jesus, happened to You!!

In one sense, only Jesus, the Son of God, could die the death He died. Only Jesus was sinless and not guilty of the sins He was dying for. Sinners can die in their sins, but they can’t die to atone for the sins of others. But the cross was not for Jesus alone; it was for you too. Consider Galatians 6:14.

This verse tells us that the cross is the means by which we have been crucified too! Specifically, I have died to the world, and the world is dead to me. All our boasting is in and because of the cross. The cross is the doorway, so to speak, for us to enter into all that Jesus has done. The Holy Spirit makes real in us, and through us all that Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. When He died, you as a believer in Him-died!

We are starting with the cross and the crucifixion. That is where death to sin and life in Christ begins. But there are more ways we have participated in what happened to Jesus. The starting place for the Christian life is not trying to live the life Jesus lived. It is identifying with Him in His death. We were crucified with Christ.

Sin is the problem we all face. All have sinned the Bible says (Romans 3:23). Jesus died for our sins, the just for the unjust to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). We have died with Him so that the sin factory, the body, could be rendered inoperative, put out of business. Without our death with Christ, we would be unable to say no to the world and all its temptations and allurements. This message will help you if you struggle with besetting sin.
Colossians 3:2-3 tells us that we have died.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:2–3 (NKJV)

"This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him." 2 Timothy 2:11 (NKJV)

We set our mind on things above not in order to die, but because we have died. Our life (the real you) is hidden with Christ in God. You are so connected to Jesus that your very life is linked to Him. Your death with Him makes it possible for Him to impart His life to you.

"For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:10–11 (NKJV)

Actually, the secret of the Christian life is trusting what Jesus has done for you. It’s trusting Him to live through you. The second part of Galatians 2:20 makes that clear:

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

The life you now live in the body you live by FAITH. Specifically, faith in Jesus Christ. Think of it this way: I live by consciously and constantly depending on Christ to live His life through me. He gave Himself for you so that He could give Himself to you!

He gave Himself for you so that He could give Himself to you!

Whenever you try to go it on your own, or as the Bible says, lean on your own understanding or your own strength, you end up falling. God lets us fail sometimes to show us the futility of self-effort. Remember what we started with. “What happened to Jesus, happened to you.” When He died, you as a believer died with Him. You have to start with your death. You are a new person.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

The key part of the text we just read is “in Christ.” That phrase occurs over 70 times in the epistles of Paul. It is the key to understanding who you are as a believer. The new you is really new! The old you has really died! The effects of Easter and the resurrection are still at work. As believers, we celebrate what Jesus has done every day.

Invitation and Ministry Time
You may be trying to live a life that only Jesus can live. What do I mean? We’ve all tried to be better, try harder, serve more faithfully, read our Bible more, pray more, etc. What if the secret is not trying harder but accepting the fact that you’re DEAD! The old you, that is. The same you that tries to be acceptable before salvation also tries to be acceptable after. But the old you died with Christ over 2000 years ago.

How will you respond in faith to this message?
The first step would be to acknowledge that you died on the cross when Jesus died (Galatians 2:20). Say this as a step of faith to Jesus right now. “Jesus, I now see that when You died on that cross, I died too!”

The second faith step would be to live as if the old you were dead. Because you are! Romans 6:10

I suggest this prayer, “The old me died, help me trust you, Jesus, as I walk by faith in You and not in myself.”

The last step would be to make this your daily practice; die to self, daily. 1 Corinthians 15:31

This is the hardest step because we are so egocentric and not Christ-centered. Pray this prayer if you have the nerve: “Jesus, from now on before I start my day, I will die to myself and my agenda.”

Next week we are going to continue this series, What Happened to Jesus, Happened to You as we look at Jesus’ burial. If you want to read this week in advance, read Romans 6. When He was buried, you were buried!

Discussion Questions

1. Galatians 2:20 says that you have been crucified with Christ, and you no longer live. What does it mean that you died with Christ when He died on the cross? Why did you need to die too? Why is that so important?

2. What does it mean to die to the world (Galatians 6:14)? What pulls you away from Christ that you need to die to? Be honest; does the world still have an attraction to you? Do dead people still have an attraction to the world?

3. The Bible teaches us that when we died with Christ, our body of sin was crucified so that we wouldn’t be a slave to sin any longer. Are there sins that seem to be too hard for you to completely let go? How can seeing that you are dead to sin, help you to be honest with God about your temptations or struggles with sin?

4. What thoughts drag you down? How can you set your mind (thoughts) on ‘things above’ better thoughts (Colossians 3:2-3)? Read the verse below and talk about it with your family. Make a list of things to meditate on and practice.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8–9 (NKJV)

5. Talk about the three prayers Pastor Gordon asked you to pray at the invitation time:

“Jesus, I now see that when You died on that cross, I died too!”

“The old me died, help me trust you, Jesus, as I walk by faith in You and not in myself.”

“Jesus, from now on, before I start my day, I will die to myself and my agenda.”

Did you pray those prayers or something similar? What does it mean to die to yourself?

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