Articles
Remember Jesus Christ
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel (2 Timothy 2:8).
How often has the call gone out to "remember" something or someone?
In American history, "Remember the Alamo!" was the cry of the American soldiers during the war with Mexico that led to the liberation of Texas. In more recent times, many people have exhorted us to remember 9/11 and the tragic events that took place on that day.
These exhortations to "remember" exist not because there is much of a concern that the events will be entirely forgotten-- history books are filled with pages chronicling such things-- as much as it is an exhortation to keep the person or event in mind. "Remember the Alamo" means to remember the sacrifice of those who died there and to maintain their cause. Such are exhortations to persevere in conduct on account of the person or event of the past.
This is no less true in Christianity, and this is why Paul exhorts Timothy to "remember Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:8). We should not imagine that Paul was worried that Timothy would somehow forget that Jesus existed or forgot about who He was. Paul is reminding Timothy to keep Jesus in mind, since who He is, what He has done, and what He represents gives meaning to the entire creation!
Jesus is the "Christ," of the seed of David (2 Timothy 2:8). Whereas many today might think "Christ" was Jesus' last name, it really is a title-- the Christ (or Messiah, from the Hebrew) is the Anointed One, the expected King of the Jews, the Branch of Jesse and David (cf. Psalm 2, 110, Isaiah 7, 9, 11, etc.). Paul is reminding Timothy that Jesus is the fulfillment of the expectations of Israel and the rightful King over all (Matthew 5:17-18, 28:18-20).
Furthermore, Jesus is risen from the dead (2 Timothy 2:8). He abolished death through His resurrection, providing life, immortality, and light to all those who serve Him faithfully (2 Timothy 1:9). Jesus' resurrection is a reminder that the current world has been corrupted by sin and death but that believers can have confidence in the ultimate victory over such difficulties in the resurrection (Romans 8:18-25, 1 Corinthians 15). These truths are all part of the Gospel Paul preached, the means by which God will save those who follow Him (2 Timothy 2:8, Romans 1:16).
What is good for Timothy, in this case, is good for us. While we may not forget what Jesus has accomplished, it is easy for it to not always come to our minds. It should not be this way. As we go through our lives, enduring times of difficulty, enjoying times of prosperity, and everything in between, we must remember what our lives are to be all about. We must remember what ought to be motivating us to serve God and the light of our ultimate hope in this often dark and distressing world.
When people do not keep their goal in mind, they easily wander off the path toward that goal. When soldiers do not remember why they are fighting, it is easy for them to lose heart. The same is true for Christians who do not keep Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, constantly before them in their minds. If we remember who Jesus is, what He has done, and our hope in Him, it will be easy to endure and persevere all trial. We will be better motivated to "fight the good fight of faith" if we remember our Lord and Savior (cf. Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Timothy 2:3-4).
Jesus the Crucified and Risen Christ is Lord of all and the Source of life, peace, and hope. Let us keep Him constantly in mind so that we can endure the trials of life and be able to stand on the last day!
