Remember

Remember 2 Timothy 2:8-14 Emmanuel Christian Church 9.29.24 INTRODUCTION: We have lots of things built into our society to help us remember: calendars, notes, public records, books and just think about it- the purpose of every holiday on our calendar is that we might stop and remember something. All are designed to help us remember everything from what we’re doing to where we’re going to how we got here in the first place. In the Church we have lots of reminders as well. From holidays like Christmas and Easter, to observances such as the Lord’s Supper- all reminders. Now, last week we saw the train wreck of the nation of Israel- all because they had failed to REMEMBER the LORD. PROPOSITION: In an effort to balance the negative message of last week’s sermon on the disaster of having forgotten the LORD, I wanted to turn our attention to the New Testament and the Apostle Paul’s challenge for us to remember . 2 Timothy 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 2 Timothy 2:11 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 14 Keep reminding them of these things. Paul begins and ends this passage with the call to REMEMBER. Now to help YOU remember, let me give you simple list of the three things in this passage that we as Christians need to remember:

  • The Christ (vs.8)
  • The Cost of discipleship (vs.9-10)
  • The Challenge of discipleship (vs.11-14)

Remember The Christ

  • The gospel (the “good news) is about Jesus, the “Christ” the Anointed, Chosen One of God.
  • Jesus Christ was foretold and foreshadowed by Moses, the Prophets and King David.
  • In Jesus, God Himself came down to us (one of the prophetic names of Jesus is “Emmanuel” which literally means “God with us”).
  • And the GREAT good news is that Jesus came to save us from the death penalty brought about by our own sin.
  • The INCREDIBLE good news about Jesus is this: He is the only RESURRECTED One in human history to voluntarily lay down His life in death, and then to take it back up again by His own power.
  • While the “good news” of the Gospel is FOR us It’s NOT ABOUT US. (that its to say, our feelings, preferences, or opinions). The “good news” is about JESUS- we need to REMEMBER that! APPLICATION: We need to get beyond what some have called “Adolescent Christianity”. Thinking that the world revolves around us and that it’s all about us! IT’S ABOUT JESUS. Doing that will help us to… Remember The Cost (of discipleship)
  • For Paul, it came in the form of his physical chains…
  • Literally, in a Roman prison waiting a death sentence judgment!
  • In a sense, everyone is chained to something- the only question is “WHAT?”
  • Paul, in his letter to the Romans uses the illustration of slavery (a condition under which most people in his day lived) to help us understand the cost of our Christian faith. Romans 6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to

righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

  • In this passage, the “chained” are every Christian who takes seriously the call of Christ as their MASTER and LORD and is willing to take on the cost of discipleship.

  • Take a look at the four verses just before our text for today- they talk about that cost of being a follower of Jesus Christ: 2 Timothy 2:3 Endure hardship with us like a good SOLDIER of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs — he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an ATHLETE, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking FARMER should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

  • Followers of Jesus are like:

  • Soldiers - ENDURE

  • Athletes - DISCIPLINED

  • Farmers - HARDWORKING

  • Paul next moves on to describe, and challenge us to REMEMBER That which is “unchained” (look at 9b-10)

  • The Word of God is UNCHAINED. (That is the MESSAGE of the Gospel) In spite of repeated efforts to eradicate it from the Earth.

  • The Word of God - (THE GOD/MAN, JESUS) In spite of repeated assaults upon His Person, Message and Mission.

  • Scripture itself speaks of the unstoppable power of Christ and His Message: Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

  • The “unchained” are also those freed by the Gospel- “Christians”.

  • Paul calls them “The elect” - Those who have accepted God’s choice for their lives.

  • Who are the “elect”? Paul, you, me and those yet to be… 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Remember The Challenge (Of discipleship- Paul’s conditional “if” statements)

  • “If we died…”

  • Our choice to repent of sin and believe God is what led us to die to ourselves.

  • God had given us the ability to make our free will choices when He created us- and we abused that ability horribly!

  • But, when we gave up and surrendered our free will (as the ultimate choice of our free will) we were made alive again in Christ. APPLICATION: Coming to Christ for salvation is such a radical shift in anyone’s life that God Himself describes it as DEATH. If you aren’t willing to die to yourself, don’t bother coming to Jesus!

  • “We will also live…”

  • The new life we’ve been granted in Christ is not for ourself, but for HIM.

  • Therefore, our new life is not according to our agenda, but according to His call.

  • “If we endure…”

  • It’s a daily (sometimes moment by moment) question!

  • It is demonstrated in our faithfulness to Christ and refusal to disown Him.

  • “We will also reign with Him.”

  • “REIGN” is a powerful word!

  • We’re not simply saved from sin so as to avoid death! - We’re adopted into God’s royal family!

  • We’re ordained as a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9)

APPLICATION: “Death” to sinful self and a new “Life” in Christ are at the heart of what Paul is talking about. BUT how does a person do that? And, if you’ve already done it, how do you tell others about it? There are only two Scriptures you need to REMEMBER: DEATH - Romans 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. LIFE - Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. CONCLUSION: Are you in need of making a LIFE decision for Christ this morning?