Paul’s Charge to Timothy … 2 Timothy 2:8-10…Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

Paul’s charge to Timothy is still relevant to us today, in fact it might be even more needed now for us in this period of Anti-Christian rhetoric. Paul’s second letter to Timothy focuses on solemn charges to the younger pastor and is meant to inspire him to continue to serve. Timothy, Paul’s protégé, his son in the Lord, needed to carry on Paul’s standard of sound teaching. He also reminds him of his Godly parentage from which he has come.  Paul has presented him with many examples in order to impress him of the importance of his task but none greater than the challenge to Remember Jesus Christ. A writer has written in the past that these words are ‘the heart of the Pauline gospel.’ There is no need to use a bunch of words to state the very obvious…Without the cross and the resurrection our faith is without merit. This is a simple post and I will keep it short and to the point. Paul has made a point to Timothy that we all would do well to remember… As christians we can find comfort, strength and direction in memories… Our comfort and strength and faith rests in a fact, a certainty. Three things we should always remember. Paul reminded Timothy of these.

  1. RememberJesus Christ risen from the dead. When fears overwhelm, when doubt weakens our faith, when we feel inadequate, remember the presence of the risen Lord. We are never alone.

2)   RememberJesus Christ born of the seed of David. We remember someone who walked this road, just as we do. We have the memory of the Christ who knew the desperate struggle of being human and followed the will of God to the bitter end.

3)   Remember The Gospel. The gospel will demand much, it will test us beyond what we might consider to be greater than our human abilities…it can even at times paint a picture of a future darkened by every kind of threat. Remember the “Good News.” The world is in need of it and that same gospel is the message of liberation from sin and victory over circumstances for us and for all people.

The message here is clear…we need God’s word in our lives every day… we must realize that Jesus Christ has risen…He is a very real presence among us… there is the glory of the gospel, the humanity of our Master, forgiving grace and presence…we must never forget …

Matthew 28:20

20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Life is Good

jk