Sunrise Resurrection Sunday Devotion

As we gather this morning to worship our risen savior, it is a morning of joy, anticipations turned into reality. We are quick to say “He is risen, He is risen indeed.” Remembering who Jesus is and what he has done is essential to the Christian. Remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in the work that God has called us to do as Christians helps us endure the suffering that we will experience. Paul knew what it was to partake in the sufferings of Christ. As he is in prison, being bound in chains as a criminal, he writes to Timothy concerning the task of leading the church, guarding the good deposit that was intrusted to him, he tell him how to pass on the faith, be devoted, disciplined and diligent in this life.

Listen what he says here in 2 Timothy 2:1-13

2 Timothy 2:1–13 ESV

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

I find it significant that Paul, reminds Timothy to remember Jesus Christ. Why would Timothy need this reminder? Did Timothy not have a sincere faith as Paul points out in verse 5? Timothy was laboring for the gospel appointing elders in the churches. He most likely was ministering and teaching the gospel. Paul here is not saying that Timothy was lacking in his remembrance of Jesus but that Timothy needed to continue to remember Jesus. This imperative, of Remember is active meaning it is a continual remembrance of Jesus. You may say, well pastor I remember Jesus now, as i sit here listening to your preaching. However, there is an unseen true reality of our fleshly nature in which we still battle with where our remembrance of Jesus is sporadic at best.

I want to list three things that can cause us to forget rather than remember, then I will give three things that is found here in this text that can help counter our forgetfulness.

First, Sin can cause us to forget our savior Jesus Christ. Sin is the reason why we were separated from God to begin with. While sin has been defeated for us we still battle with the flesh. The temptation of sin is still there poising itself as the better portion of our deepest desires. We desire self glory, self satisfaction, and self exaltation. We rather quarrel have irreverent babel and continuous ungodliness. Paul addresses this in (2:14-19) We still understand the weakness of the flesh. When we are tempted to sin we forget that our savior has redeemed us. We forget that we are to pursue holiness and the light rather than the darkness which we have been brought from. Sin therefore blinds us to remembering our savior.

Second, Suffering can cause us to forget Jesus. Even in the deepest darkest periods of felt abandonment and pain, tumult and troubles. Suffering can bring us to the brink of forgetting our savior. As the darkness shadows over our souls, and the reality of the depravity of this world edges into existence around us. Endurance seems like a faltering hope. The situational anxieties around us cast an overarching shadow upon our spiritual health. We lose sight concerning what God is doing in our midst, because we have lost sight of the purpose of our suffering.

Finally, Sleepiness can cause us to forget Jesus. Sleepiness or Apathy, not caring about biblical things. Not seeking the things that are above. In truth not seeking anything that matters. We dont read from the word, and if we do we don't obey. We don't strive to grow. We, like Peter and the disciples, fall asleep when asked to pray. Apathy is a dangerous disease that may start small but can grow to the point of forgetting what the purpose of our lives truly are supposed to be.

How can we fight sin, suffering and sleepiness? Exactly what Paul is exhorting Timothy to do. Remember. Remember. Remember.

Remember that Jesus has risen from the dead. Sin and death have been defeated. If you have believed in Jesus Christ and are saved. Your sin that you were in bondage to, no longer bounds. The tempter, is no longer in control. You have been bought by the blood of Jesus. Jesus went unto death and died for every one of your sins. Colossians 2:13-15 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” He has won. Jesus is crowned as king, your king, the offspring of David, in a kingdom that was promised to never have any end. Do not continue to return like a dog to its vomit but cast off the burden and come to the one who is gentle and lowly, the one who has forgiving your sins and is there in your temptation, yet without sin. Repent of your sins and continue to look to your redeemer. Chrysostom once said, “Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave.”

Remember him.

Concerning suffering, Remembering Jesus can help you to endure. Look at what Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:8-10 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

He is suffering for the sake of the gospel. Bound with chains as a criminal. He is able to endure his suffering because he knows there is a purpose to it. As he preaches the gospel others are coming to know Christ. How beautiful is that? This suffering that he is experiencing is being used by God for the good of his kingdom. Suffering is painful, but endurance through suffering is a gift of grace. Remember, you are not alone in the darkness. Remember Jesus, who is near to the broken hearted. Remember Jesus who is in control. Remember the present grace that is in Jesus. Romans 8:31-39

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Oh the beauty of our risen savior. Oh the depths of his love, that he has secured for us something that even the present tumults cannot remove. We are united with him and he is near. Look at verse 11 and 12. If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.

As we are dying to self and taking up our cross and following Jesus we are living a life of enduring. The road that travels to life is death and the road that leads to glory is through suffering. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Remember Jesus.

Finally, concerning Sleepiness. There is a warning in this passage. if we deny him, he also will deny us. if we are faithless, he remains faithful. Remember Jesus is also Just. He will look to those who played Christian in this life and will say depart from me I never knew you. He will deny those who deny him in the way they live. He is faithful to his judgement to the faithless. So how do we avoid sleepiness and apathy? Remember Jesus. At the cross we are reminded what God has done for us. Our sins being forgiven, our justification secured, peace with God made for us, and assurance to a future resurrection. As you remember, ponder on the judgement that you deserve and the life that you have been given instead. One of grace and mercy. One pf peace and assurance, when you were dangling over the pit of hell, the savior reached down and secured you in his loving arms and gave you his Spirit. There is nothing in this to grove heavy eyed over. The glazing of your eyes comes from a wandering gaze away from the face of your king. Remember, who you are in Christ, and remember that the end is near. Our savior is going to return. Therefore, Rejoice, pray, love one another, practice hospitality, and serve.

Let the glories of Christ impact who you are this morning as we reflect together on the resurrection of Christ, Remember him risen from the dead, remember him the promised ofspring of David, remember Jesus Christ.