As Paul faced his impending death sentence for his ministry of the gospel, he exhorted Timothy to be strong and remember that Jesus was risen. Remembering his encounter with the risen Lord was what fueled Paul to press on and preach the gospel despite constant opposition and persecution from Jewish leaders. Knowing that Timothy would inevitably face the same persecution for his faith, Paul knew that remembering the risen Lord would be crucial for him to fight the good fight of faith. We too, must remember Jesus to remain faithful in all circumstances. Without remembering, you would lose vital communion with Him, rendering you powerless and ineffective in ministry.
What must we remember?
Jesus is Lord. He is above all, and nothing compares to Him. Remembering Jesus as Lord is directly tied to salvation. Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…” A believer’s outward confession of Jesus’s lordship stems from a profound inward conviction of a regenerated and converted heart. It is the practice of lordship salvation, having surrendered all your rights to Jesus Christ the Lord.
Jesus was resurrected. Without the resurrection, the church would not have survived for long. The resurrection is what strengthened and kept the church alive with undying hope, joy, and faith. Because Jesus rose again, those who are in Him have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. (Phil 1:21)
What does Paul want us to remember about Jesus’ resurrection?
Jesus’s resurrection is a bodily resurrection. The gospels record how Jesus was hungry in His resurrected body. Jesus shows us what kind of body we will have when we are raised; it will be real and tangible. The fact that Jesus’s resurrection is a bodily resurrection is essential, because it proves Jesus’s claims about Himself.
Jesus’s resurrection is actual. Jesus is alive. We must not only know the facts of Jesus’s resurrection, but experience it too. Christian lives are resurrected lives. The resurrection is not only a future event, but it is practical for everyday living.
What would happen as we remember Jesus resurrected?
We would have no fear. People fear because of the uncertainty of the future. Christians have no fear because they know they will be with the Lord. No matter what befalls us, we are in the path of Jesus’s resurrection. We can turn to Him in any circumstance and preach the gospel without fear.
We would sustain an appropriate and diligent lifestyle. We are no longer paralyzed by the fear of death or depressed by the vanity of life, but we abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that the Christian’s labor is never in vain. (1Cor 15:58)
We would have real hope. True hope is not wishful thinking. Our hope is tied to God’s promises, which will surely come to pass. By hope, we work out our salvation through sanctification. Our hope is a strong, sustaining, real hope. We hope that we will be resurrected like Jesus, who has set the pattern for every believer’s life, death, and resurrection.
Above all things, remember Jesus is the risen Lord!
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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