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The Book of Second Timothy:
Message Seventeen
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
Many years ago
a chapel was built in San Antonio, Texas, and it was
named El Alamo from the cotton wood used in its
construction. It was fortified by a small number of
Texans. They defended it against several thousand
Mexican soldiers until their ammunition gave out.
Then all of the 184 defenders were killed in a
hand-to-hand struggle. Indignation of their death
brought help from all over the United States,
including a company of volunteers from Cincinnati,
Ohio, under Colonel Sidney Sherman, which formed
Company 2 of General Sam Houston's army when it met
the enemy at San Jacinto. Colonel Sherman provided
the rallying cry when he shouted, "Remember the
Alamo!"
The apostle
Paul in writing to a young minister provided another
rallying cry in his fight against Satan and sin. He
said in 2nd
Timothy 2:8, "Remember Jesus Christ!" Let's
look at three things that are implied in this
rallying cry.
"Remember
Jesus Christ," said the apostle, "born of
the seed of David." Jesus is a boy's name. Just
as I was named Michael, He was named Jesus. Whenever
Christians use the name of Jesus, they use it in
reference to the One who was born of the Virgin Mary
in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth. The name Jesus
is a Greek word. But it's the equivalent of the
Hebrew word Joshua. It means "Jehovah is
salvation." And the Bible says, "Thou shalt
call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people
from their sins." The word Christ means "to
anoint." This title was given to a person who
had been anointed for a certain work that had been
laid out for him to do. So Jesus is the anointed One
who is appointed of God to do His great work on
earth. Thus Jesus wasn't a phantom, but a Person; who
lived this life, who got tired and thirsty, who
became weary and wept, who got lonely and longed for
human companionship, who was tempted but didn't
transgress, who faced Satan but didn't sin. Therefore
He knows what we're going through. He's been this way
before. That's why He's able to sympathize with us.
He can put Himself in our skin and understand our
struggle and undertake for us.
"Remember,"
said the apostle Paul, "that Jesus Christ was
raised from the dead." The life of Jesus, lovely
as it was, couldn't have saved us. The teachings of
Jesus, tremendous as they were, couldn't have saved
us. The miracles of Jesus, mighty as they were,
couldn't have saved us. It took His death, and Christ
died for our sins just as the Bible said He would.
But a coffined Christ can't convert or comfort. A
dead Christ can't deliver or defend. We need a living
Christ! In Westminster Abbey there's a burial vault
for ancient kings. One morning so I was told, a
visitor was accidentally locked in it. All his
pounding and yelling was of no avail. At evening,
when the building was quiet, and the janitor was
about to go home, he thought he heard a slight
tapping. Following the sound, he came to the door and
unlocked it, and the imprisoned man fell unconscious
at his feet. Oh, if the Lord Jesus had not been
raised from the dead, you and I would be locked in
eternal death, with no forgiveness of sins, no
comfort in sorrow, no strength in weakness, no hope
of heaven, nothing but the doom of defeat, despair
and hell.
"Remember,"
said the apostle Paul, "the gospel." I went
to church when I was a boy, but I didn't enjoy it. I
was always scolded for my sins; and I was afraid to
die, for I knew I'd be punished for my sins. I was
told that only good people went to heaven, and try as
I did, I couldn't be good. But one night, in my late
teens, I heard the gospel. And what's that? Good
news. What's the good news? That Christ died for my
sins. Oh, it was good news to know that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners. I believed it,
and He saved me! Then He gave me the strength to
behave it. What He did for me, He'll do for you! So,
my friend, remember the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember
that He was raised from the dead. Remember the
gospel, and that the world is waiting to hear it.
Believe it, behave it and broadcast it!
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
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This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
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Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
