The Fifth Sunday of Easter

SERMON - Always Remember the Gospel Message that Jesus Was Raised from the Dead!

INI

Text: 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

In Christ Jesus, whose resurrection is the key to our faith and our life, dear fellow redeemed:

This past Friday morning I performed a funeral for a woman, who was not a formal member of our congregation, but whom I had visited frequently during periods of illness upon the request of one of her daughters who is a member. During those visits I shared with her the gospel and so was confident that she placed her faith in Jesus. During the visitation prior to the funeral this woman’s oldest daughter asked me if she could address the family following the funeral with a message from their mother—a final message her mother felt was important for the success of their lives as a family after her death.

The Second Epistle to Timothy is, as it were, the apostle Paul’s final message to his young friend prior to his death by execution in Rome. It was written by Paul with the hope that it would help Timothy and subsequent readers such as you and me to live successful lives in this sin-filled world. A good summary of Paul’s final message is that if we are to live successfully we must practice “resurrection-living!” What does that mean, you ask? It means that you ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD! For you see that message will directly affect your daily lives; it will directly impact your life’s purpose; and it will directly determine your eternal futures!

I.

While sitting in prison and awaiting his trial for a second time in Rome, Paul wrote: “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.” The word “remember” is a present imperative in the original language. That suggests an ongoing activity. In order to practice “resurrection-living” you and I have to continue remembering the gospel truth that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead! That gospel message is the heart of our Christian faith, for it confirms the truth of everything the Bible says and it forms the basis for everything the Bible promises!

To understand how important this truth is, consider these words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: “If Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God…. If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable!” (Vs. 14-15a, 17-19) Because Christ did arise, however, Paul goes on to say that we “all shall be made alive” (v. 22); that our bodies shall ultimately be glorified (v. 52); and that we will enjoy victory over both sin and death (v. 54)! Understanding and believing this vital gospel message will directly affect your daily lives!

That was certainly true for the apostle Paul. The gospel message filled his heart with joy and gave his soul great confidence even in the midst of dramatic persecution. Paul was chained up in a prison in Rome awaiting trial, the results of which he knew would be certain death! Yet, by continuing to remember that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, Paul was able not to fear death, but to embrace it as his door to eternal life. Listen to his confident Christ-centered boast: “The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). That is “resurrection-living” and “resurrection-speaking,” for Paul recognized that even though he was in chains for the gospel, the gospel itself could never be chained! Its message of resurrection and hope was free to uplift and influence everyone who heard it!

My dear friends—are you facing the prospect of death because you are growing old, or because you are facing cancer, or because your heart or some other vital internal organ is no longer functioning as it should? Are you facing trouble with your marriage, or have you lost your job, or are you living under extreme and stressful pressure and are looking for the strength to bear up under those burdens? Or, are you doing relatively well; things are going quite fine—no health problems, no major financial worries, no serious family issues—but you just seem to lack joy? Practice “resurrection-living”—ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, for that message will directly affect your daily lives! In the face of death, it assures you of life; in the face of troubles, it will give you strength; when you lack joy, it has the power to create within you an attitude of absolute peace and sublime contentment!

II.

Yes, ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, for secondly it will directly impact your life’s purpose! The apostle Paul wrote: “I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” We have been blessed this year at Immanuel, for we have had very few funerals. Yet, the death of one of God’s saints can be and is a blessed event, if it reminds us of our mortality and the fleeting nature of life in this world. The message of Jesus’ resurrection helps us to address the issue of death with confidence, but it also reminds us that our lives in this world are limited and ought to be focused on those issues that are most important!

Paul’s purpose in life was to share the gospel message of Christ-crucified and Christ-resurrected, for in that message all of mankind can find and possess life everlasting! Is it important to teach and to learn algebra? Of course it is, but not as important as possessing and proclaiming the knowledge of salvation! Is it important to learn how to drive and to keep your vehicles in good repair? Of course it is, but not as important as taking time to hear and to share the gospel message of forgiveness and the promise of life everlasting! Is it important to learn how to cook, to invest your money properly, to exercise your body faithfully, to use your every opportunities wisely? Of course it is, but let us not find our ultimate purpose in life in any of these temporary matters. Rather, let us ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, for it will directly impact your life’s purpose in ways that are truly significant for you and for others!

There is a reason why Peter tells husbands to recognize that they are “heirs together (with their wives) of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7), for while our marriages may last fifty years and beyond in this world, our marriage to the Lamb is destined to last forever! There is a reason why God tells fathers not to “provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4), for we fathers represent God, and our children’s perception of God will in large part be determined by the perception we create as their fathers. Why is that important? It is important because God entrusts those precious souls into our care for such a short time, and our greatest duty is not simply to feed and clothe them physically, but we are privileged to lead them with God’s Word and through the influence of the Spirit into a relationship with their eternal God, which will bring them eternal blessing! These are things that can only be done effectively and successfully when we practice “resurrection-living!” ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, for it will directly impact your life’s purpose!

III.

Finally, that gospel message will directly determine your eternal futures! Paul includes in his encouragement to Timothy what may well have been a first century hymn of instruction and praise: “This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

The words of this ancient hymn echo Paul’s words in his sixth chapter to the Romans, where he speaks of how we are tied to Christ through baptism (cf. Romans 6:1ff.). Paul says that our baptism ties us to Christ’s death. It is as if we were placed in the tomb with Him—our sinful flesh being put to death. At the same time through baptism we are tied to Christ’s resurrection. It is as if on Easter morning our dead bodies were raised to life with Christ—our new man of faith arising and living in strength to the Lord! To continue living in sin…to remain a slave of Satan after being resurrected with Christ—impossible!

Will life as a Christian be easy? Hardly! Paul tells us later in this same epistle, that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (1 Tim. 3:12). Consider the situation being faced by Miss California in recent weeks after she confessed her belief that marriage should be, as Scripture ordains, a union of one man and one woman for life! Anyone confessing their faith on a college campus today, or on the editorial page of their local newspapers, or in the coffee room at work, in a conversation with neighbors will no doubt have to endure a certain amount of ridicule and rejection, but it is a small price to pay for the privilege of reigning with Christ throughout eternity!

Jesus was very clear when He told His first century disciples: “Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). My dear friends—is there anything in this life so valuable that we ought risk our immortal souls to obtain it, especially in view of what lies ahead? Certainly not!

Will the challenges be difficult at times? No doubt! But do not fear—our heavenly Father and His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus, will remain faithful to us! He cannot deny Himself! Let us strive to remain faithful to Him! How can we best help ourselves do that? Practice “resurrection-living!” ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, for I assure you that gospel message will directly determine your eternal future! Amen.

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting
To God alone be the glory!