Remember Jesus Christ!
Believers around the world are in different situations right
now. Some are being persecuted because of their faith in Christ Jesus. In
Nigeria for example, we have heard of those who have been killed because of their
faith in Christ Jesus[1].
The situation is not any different in the Middle East and China[2].
Many believers around the globe are experiencing trials and sufferings of
various kinds and in varying degrees. Many Kenyans have in the recent past made
several trips overseas to seek treatment for cancer. There is so much distress
and desperation both locally and globally now since most countries are
currently battling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 virus is undoubtedly
deadly, dreadful, disastrous, and devastating. Its effects in the world today
are far reaching. In Kenya for example, the situation is getting tougher as
more cases are daily being reported. Schools have been closed, those culpable
of misdemeanor are no longer being taken to prison, a number of urban churches have
taken their services online in adherence to the government and WHO guidelines, there
are cases where landlords are reported to have evicted some of their tenants on
grounds of defaulting on rent, families have literally been seen scrambling for
food and other items at the shopping malls, borders have been closed, no
passenger flight is operating, a number of businesses have been closed, just to
mention a few. So, what hope do you have as a believer and what should you do
in the midst of all these? My encouragement to you is simple: “Remember
Jesus Christ!” Rivet your gaze upon Him. These are the very words of Paul
to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:8: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the
dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel…”[3]
Paul, the dying man, has known what it means to endure suffering (vv. 9-10)
and is calling upon Timothy not to shrink back either (v. 3; cf. 1:8). His exhortation
in this passage is to remember who Jesus Christ is—the glorified and so highly
exalted Lord. Two things stand out from this passage as we remember Jesus
Christ; (1) He is risen from the dead, and (2) He is the offspring of David.
Let’s consider them, one at a time.
1. Remember the RISEN Jesus Christ.
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead…as preached
in my gospel…?” Observe two profound truths in this exhortation.
a.
That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead
implies that He died but is now alive.
The fact of Christ’s death is implied in the phrase “risen
from the dead.” For it is needless to say that to rise from the dead means
you must have died in the first place. However, Paul’s focus is not on Christ’s
death but on His resurrection. We know from several passages that his gospel message
was not restricted to the resurrection of Jesus Christ alone. On the contrary it
was deeply rooted in the message of the cross. He preached the whole of
Christ—both His humiliation and exaltation. For instance, in Corinth, he
decided to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). In
Galatia, he publicly portrayed Jesus Christ as crucified (Gal. 3:1). So, what
does he mean when he says, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead…as
preached in my gospel?” Why does he specifically focus on Christ’s
exaltation and not His humiliation? The answer is that Christ’s resurrection
has a specific application to Timothy within the context of suffering for the sake
of the gospel. We will consider this in the next point. The major point that Paul
is making here is that Christ is alive. This is the thrust of the exhortation to
remember Jesus Christ. Both Paul and Stephen see the risen Lord after His
ascension in His sublime glory; a clear proof that He is truly alive (Acts
7:55-56; 9:3ff). In his tremendous vision of the majestic Christ, the apostle
John hears Him [Christ] saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the
last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Rev. 1:17-18). Although it
is true that Christ died, He declares, with the voice like the roar of many
waters, that He is alive never to die again and has power over death.
Therefore, the risen Jesus is triumphant over death. God raised Him up, loosing
the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it (Acts
2:24).
b.
That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead implies
that when you die in Christ, you will live again.
By saying “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead…as
preached in my gospel”, Paul is not instructing Timothy on what to preach
(although Timothy is to preach the resurrection of Christ as central to the
gospel). He is rather, telling him to apply the gospel message of Christ’s resurrection
in his own life situation—suffering for the gospel. This is what “remembering”
here means. It is not a mere mental exercise. His primary focus is to exhort
Timothy to shift his focus from the present circumstances and to fix his gaze
upon the glorified Christ. He is to fix his eyes on the Christ who is
triumphant over death. This in turn will motivate him in his suffering for the
gospel as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (v. 2; cf. 1:8). The fact that Christ
is risen from the dead and is alive today means that if suffering for the
gospel should lead to death, then there is hope of life beyond the grave for
Timothy. This is also Paul’s hope as a dying man who has endured much suffering
for the sake of the gospel (4:6-8). He makes it crystal clear that for a
believer, to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord, which is far
better (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). But this will only be possible because He [the
Lord] is alive forever to receive your spirit at death (Acts 7:59). Therefore,
put differently, death to a believer is not pain but gain (Phil. 1:21). But what
is the basis of this hope of life after death? Paul had said earlier that Christ
[by His triumphantly glorious resurrection] abolished death and brought life
and immortality (1:10). We will live after death because Christ lives. Paul
says elsewhere that “For as by a man came death, by a man has come
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in
Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:21-22). This is the Christian
hope! This is the hope of those who die in the Lord; whether their death is
caused by cancer or COVID-19 or persecution or road carnage.
2. Remember the REIGNING Jesus Christ.
“Remember Jesus
Christ…the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel...” Again, let’s
observe two truths apparent in this exhortation.
a. That Jesus Christ the offspring of David
is risen from the dead implies the perpetuity of His reign.
The phrase “the offspring of David” implies Christ’s
incarnation, although that’s not its main focus at this point. The fact of His
incarnation and its connection with being David’s offspring/seed is explicit for
example, in Romans 1:3 where Paul says [referring to the gospel of God] “concerning
his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh.” Paul’s
burden at this point however, is to exhort Timothy to fix his gaze upon the
regal Jesus Christ; to remember that He is risen from the dead and is now sitting
on the throne of His father David, reigning. Unlike David, His father, who died
and was buried to this day, Christ Jesus wasn’t abandoned to Hades, nor did His
flesh see corruption (Acts 2:29-31). This means He was raised from the dead to reign
forever. He is the greater son of David who would come and occupy the Davidic
throne forever according to the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-16). This
covenant is fulfilled in the words of the angel to the virgin Mary, “And
behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name
Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most
High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father
David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His
kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:31-33). Similar words are spoken by the
prophet Isaiah in his prophecy years before the incarnation of Christ (Isa.
9:7). Thus, although David’s reign over Israel was cut short by death, and thus,
he had to be succeeded by his son Solomon, Christ’s reign is perpetual—without
succession. David and his earthly sons reigned as mortal kings, but Christ, the
greater son of David, risen from the dead, reigns as the immortal king. He is
transcendently exalted as the king immortal (Phil. 2:9-11).
b. That Jesus Christ is reigning means that
He is the king over our lives.
The blessed news about remembering Jesus Christ (fixing our
gaze upon Him) is that He is gloriously reigning over us. This is Paul’s
exhortation to Timothy if he is to suffer for the sake of the gospel, even to
the point of death. As our king, He is sovereign over our lives and not even a
single one of our life circumstances catches Him by surprise. He is not unaware
of the COVID-19 that is presently causing panic and death. He knows everything
we are going through. We are His subject after the pattern of the nation of
Israel under the reign of David. For we have been delivered from the domain of
darkness and transferred to His kingdom (Col. 1:13). And as our sovereign king,
He knows our troubles, worries, and needs. He knows those who are being
persecuted for His name’s sake and cares for them. Should they be overtaken by
persecution [and suffer martyrdom], is waiting to receive their spirits like He
did to Stephen (Acts 7:59). He knows all our sufferings—including pestilences
and pandemics like cancer and COVID-19—and cares about us the way David cared
for the people of Israel. His reign over us however, is far better and greater
than that of David. He reigns eternally—now and forever. And His return will
gloriously bring the full realization of this perpetual reign. A reign where
death shall be no more. A reign where there shall be no more mourning or crying
or pain (Rev. 21:4). As our king, He conquers all His enemies and ours. The
last enemy that He will vanquish when he comes is death (1 Cor. 15:25-26). He
is our David who goes to war and conquers all our enemies and brings to nothing
the taunting of Goliath by one stone. Believers are on the side of victory! David
killed tens of thousands but our perpetual king has slain all!
Therefore, when Paul says, “Remember Jesus
Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as
preached in my gospel…” [emphasis added], he is letting us
experience the Jesus Christ that was the thrust of his preaching. The Jesus
Christ of the gospel is not sissified but lofty and transcendent. He is the
ever-living and -ever-reigning Lord over all! This is why the gospel is good
news!
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