JRS 68
8/3/2025
Excelling in Exultation Still More
II Timothy 2:8
Jesse Randolph

In 1976, a young reporter for the Lincoln Journal Star named Anita Fussell. Wrote an article which was titled “Dream at Indian Hills Church Fulfilled as Attendance Grows.” Her article begins this way:
“Someone at Indian Hills Community Church recently figured out that at the congregation’s present growth rate, by 1986 every person in Lincoln would be attending one of the church’s Sunday morning services. Eight years ago . . .
She writes, remember she’s writing in 1976, so she’s referring to 1968
“Eight years ago, Indian Hills was only a dream. At that time a small Mennonite congregation moved from 20th and G to three acres bordering Lincoln’s fast-growing eastern edge and became a community church. Today, the church – an arrangement of brown-shingled, rectangular pillboxes guarded by three free-standing crosses – sits in the center of a huge parking lot dominating the east side of 84th St. north of A St. Although church membership has increased from 60 to a modest 275, average attendance at Sunday morning worship has risen to a spectacular 708. ‘Church now is the center of our family,’ say George and Linda Stroh, new members at Indian Hills. ‘This church is exciting – never had I associated that [emotion] with church,’ explained George.” And then, this quote from Miss Fussel, “The Rev. Gilbert W. Rugh, senior pastor, has no doubts about what makes Indian Hills an exciting place.” 
And here comes the quote from Gil, ‘It’s the Bible teaching and the Bible preaching.’”

Again, this article was written in 1976 nearly 50 years ago. Does that make you feel young, you old timers? Nearly 50 years ago. 1976 was the year Jimmy Carter became President, when he out-dueled the incumbent Gerald Ford. In 1976 Tom Osborne was in his fourth year here in Lincoln. There’s a guy named Vince Ferragamo who played quarterback. There was a defensive back named Jim Pillen who I think is still known around these parts. In 1976 the Eagles and KC and the Sunshine Band were dominating the airwaves. There were new Oldsmobile Cutlasses cruising up and down O St. Denim and disco were in vogue. It was the 70’s man. 

While all of that was happening out there, whether widely in the world or right here in Lincoln . . . something truly special was happening here at Indian Hills. This church was experiencing explosive growth. The pews, at the time, were packed. People would actually get here early to find a seat. Then eventually, the auditorium had to be expanded, and new service times had to be added, and new hires had to be made to keep up with these crowds of Bible-hungry seekers who were flooding into this church each and every weekend. Not only church growth gurus, but secular news agencies, like the Lincoln Journal-Star, were noticing and they were asking questions . . . what was happening in this church in this mid-sized city in quadruple land-locked State of Nebraska? What was happening in terms of the success of this church? What were the ingredients to their whole plan? What secret formula had the leaders of this once-little church in Lincoln stumbled upon to make it no longer a little church, but a true Megachurch? Well, Gil gave the answer . . . I’ve already read it. He said to Miss Fussell, “’It’s the Bible teaching and the Bible preaching.’”

You can almost picture young Miss Fussell, probably had horn-rimmed glasses at the time . . . having an expression of confusion or puzzlement at the least, about what that answer entailed. You can almost hear the matter-of-fact way that Gil would have said it. Like – “What do you think it is?” “It’s the Bible!” Right? And by the way, I would say “amen” to that! Right? There’s been no gimmicks, no tricks, no bait-and-switch tactics, no seeker-sensitive models. Just simple, streamlined, and ultimately – a Biblical – way to build a church by preaching the Word. 

Now, many of you were here to witness that and many of you were here to experience that. You saw it with your own two eyes. You not only saw this church in 1976, but you saw the growth that would later come into the 80’s, let’s say and even somewhat into the 90’s. You were there for those years when there, at some point, where over 2,000 people filled this room, each and every Sunday morning. Having been here to witness it, you would affirm that the method was always the same. You were instructed by a pastor who was committed to systematically teaching the Word. You were behind his commitment to going wherever the Word would take you. You were blessed by the faithful teaching that you heard not only behind this pulpit, but from all these different classrooms where faithful men unpacked faithful, viable instructions. You’ve been blessed to not only enjoy that ministry, but to continue to grow under this ministry. Now it’s not only you who is growing but now it’s your children who are growing and now it’s your children’s children who are growing. And you’ve been under the shade of this amazing work that the Lord has done in this church for half a century. 

Then there are those of us who weren’t there in the 70’s, or the 80’s, or the 90’s. There are those of us who weren’t there in the early 2000’s, or the 2010’s. And we’ve heard a lot about this so-called “glory years.” We’ve heard about the packed auditorium. We’ve heard about the multiple nights of Christmas concerts. We’ve heard about the “who’s who” of incredible guest speakers who stood behind this pulpit. We’ve heard about the launch of Home Bible Studies all over the city of Lincoln. We’ve heard about the leadership development that was happening in Timothy Groups. We’ve heard about the excitement and the zeal that new members of this church had to invite new people to come to church. I’ve got this hypothetical conversation going on in my mind, as I picture what that would have been like in the 70’s. You know, like: “finish up your Scotcheroo, throw your bell-bottoms on, jump in the Dodge Dart, and come with me to church!”

I’m sure that conversation was happening back in those days. But we’ve heard about all the men that were sent out from this church to go to seminary. And they started churches or lead churches. We’ve heard about the printed resources that were shipped off from this church to Bible-hungry people all over the world. We’ve heard about the undeniable impact of Gil Rugh’s preaching ministry and what it had on this region and this state and further out. We’ve heard about a time in which you could really say that the word being preached here was being preached during a time when it was, “in season.”

But now, here we are, altogether in the year 2025, nearly 50 years after that article I quoted was written. Some of us are newer to Indian Hills. Some of you are old-timers “legacy IHCC.” And for both groups, it is a different time, and it is a different season, is it not? Yes, it is. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but verse-by-verse exposition of God’s Word which is our typical diet on a Sunday morning here at the Hills is most definitely not “in season.” Sixty-minute sermons by a guy in a suit and tie, Adult Sunday Schools on top of that. Morning and evening services, Wednesday night church, Home Bible studies.  I’m just going to be straight with you; those are relics of a bygone era. No one does that anymore. We’re the wierdo’s. Pastors don’t preach for ah hour anymore. Pastors preach more between 15-30 minutes, as you survey the landscape today. As they’re meeting the felt needs of this digitally-dumbed-down generation that’s being spoon-fed YouTube shorts and reels. Churches don’t do evening service or Wednesday night church anymore, heavens, no. And that’s because Sunday nights and Wednesday nights are now crammed with other activities. Which to the modern family, far eclipses the importance of being in church. I mean, how else is your son supposed to get that sports scholarship if he’s not doing his chosen sport, or you’re chosen sport for him, seven nights out of the week.? How else is your daughter supposed to get into that school with that 4.8 GPA if she doesn’t devote herself to studying and tutoring seven nights out of the week? 

Pastors, more and more, are shying away from topics which the culture has made more difficult to address but on which the Bible is most abundantly clear. Like the role of men and women in the church. Or the age of the earth? Or, can you believe it, God still deems things, which He’s always said are “sin” to be “sin.” Bottom line – here in Lincoln Nebraska, in the year 2025, I know I’m not divulging trade secrets when I say this. This church is no longer the popular hub it used to be. In fact, for many, what happens behind this fortress-like brick building is a fringe movement. For many, what happens here at Indian Hills is “fanaticism”, “fundamentalism.” They’ll even throw the “cult” word around. Like we’ve heard that at some point.

In 1976, crowds were flooding to this place to hear Gil Rugh. As they did so, they were doing something which at that time was still relatively popular. They were doing something which actually boosted, in some sense, their social capital account. To be a member of this church or any faithful church back in 1976, a member of a church like Indian Hills, actually gained you something culturally. Not so in 2025. In 2025, 50 years later, people are not gaining social prestige by committing to a local church. They’re not gaining social prestige by attending a conservative Bible teaching church, where we work through the Word verse-by verse every week. Rather, people who come to churches like this one, out in the world, are losing social credit. They’re being looked down upon in attending a church like this one. I’ve gotten very used to the idea and very comfortable with the idea that people are not re-arranging their weekend plans to hear me preach anymore. The reality is times are much, much, much different than they were 50 years ago. 

But at the same time, there is this other reality, which is that the Lord continues to bring more and more new people to this church today. People who don’t have those deep connections to the church. People who don’t have deep connections to Christianity at all. People who are coming to this church today, who are asking questions about the Bible that maybe you had answered 10 years ago or 20 years ago, or 40 years ago. People who aren’t used to hour-long sermons where the pastor talks about “sin” or “justification” or “tribulation” or “glorification” or “sanctification.”

One of the most significant challenges that lies ahead for us as a church and not only I but all the elders see it is to figure out a way forward where both the long-time members of this church, legacy IHCC, those who have seen a lot. Those who have done a lot, those who have been through a lot and learned a lot. And the newer members of this church, those who are now just folding in getting in on the ground floor. Sort of just figuring this thing out are able, not only to co-exist, but to thrive as members of the same body of believers, as members of one another. 

That’s the reason for this new series we’re starting this morning “Excell Still More”. The title comes from Paul’s words in I Thessalonians 4 to a faithful church. A church like ours, the church at Thessalonica and Paul challenged that church. He began by noting what they had done well. I’m reading here from 1 Thessalonians 4:9, he says, “Now concerning the love of the brothers, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, for indeed you do practice it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia.” But then he gave them this charge, in I Thessalonians 4:10, he says, “But we urge you, brothers, to excel still more.”

No doubt, there have been many ways that this church, our church, Indian Hills Community Church has excelled over the years. Like the Thessalonians. But there’s also no doubt, and there’s no question that there’s still room to grow to “excel still more.” 

I’m going to give you a real brief roadmap of what we’re going to be doing over the next six weeks. This morning, we’re going to be challenged to Excel in our Exaltation. Our exaltation of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. 
Next Sunday, we’re going to look at Excelling in Embracing. Which is not going to be a sermon hugs and “holy kisses.” Don’t worry, it won’t get creepy or awkward. 
Next, the one after that will be Excelling in Engagement. Namely, how fellow members of the body of Christ are in engaged with one another as part of the same church. 
Then, we’ll look at Excelling in our Equipping. Specifically, from the vantage point of younger-to-older discipleship, mentoring, training relationships. 
Week five, we’ll be Excelling in Encouragement. An often-overlooked aspect of life in the body of Christ. 
Then the last week, which will be actually Fall Kickoff Sunday, we’ll be challenged to Excel in Endurance, as we spur on another on to live faithfully for Christ to the end.

So again, this morning’s message is titled “Excelling in Exaltation.” Now, as you heard me read from the quote from 1976, from Gil from back then. This church was, then and this church is now committed to systematically teaching the Word. And praise the Lord for the steadfastness of that commitment. A commitment which has held true now for well over five decades. A commitment which has protected this church from error. A commitment which has built up and grown this body of believers in their knowledge of, and familiarity with sound doctrine. Praise the Lord for that commitment. Praise the Lord for the convictional leadership that men of old had in those earliest years of this church.

If that commitment had not been here from the very beginning. If that commitment had not been held to firmly all these years. Only the Lord knows what would have become of this church. There is a long and a sad history of once faithful churches who at one point in their history, allowed some whiff of biblical error to blow through its doors. And now, all these years later, they’re reaping the consequences of their former leaders’ lack of Biblical conviction and cowardice. Again, praise the Lord that this church has been spared that fate. Praise the Lord for all those men who went before us. Whether it was former teams of staff pastors or former members of the Board of Elders who held the line. Who refused to buckle or bend on matters of Biblical truth and sound doctrine. I do pray every single day for this group of leaders at our church, right now in 2025; that we, starting with myself, would be just as firm and just as bold and just as clear in our convictions, for the sake of the truth. 

But . . . but . . . at the same time. There is this other risk that churches like ours face. It is one, if I’m being honest, I fear there are some in this body who have already slipped into it. Which is that of spiritual myopia, spiritual nearsightedness. What I mean by that is that a church like ours, a church with that robust commitment to and focus on the Word. A church like ours can, over time, come to view itself as having “graduated” from the simplest, yet profound truths that we hold to as believers. To now being in this place where only the finer points of scripture are considered worthy of handling or dealing with. 

You know; “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that God is triune.” And “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that God is holy.” And yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that Jesus died for my sins.” “But isn’t five-point Calvinism silly?” “And covenant theologians – aren’t they wack?” “And progressive dispensationalism – don’t get me started.” Or “Which gospel was written first – Matthew or Mark?” And “Did Paul write Hebrews or not? Let’s debate that for six hours.” Or “How are the two witnesses of Revelation 11 again? Let’s spilt the church over that.” See, we can be so skilled at examining not just the trees  but the bark, the leaves, the twigs on those trees. That we lose sight of the forest. That forest being our ultimate identity which is that we are “in Christ.” You want a deep and profound truth? Chew on that one. That you, wretched sinner that you are . . . me, wretched sinner that I am. That because of the grace of God shown through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are “in Him.” 

I say this with all caution and care. I’m not in any way suggesting that we pull away from the Word. Or water down the Word. Or throttle back in our personal study of the Word. I’m not in any way suggesting that we as a church go “soft” or weak or left on scripture. If I ever did say something like that, those guys need to cut off the live stream.  They need to cut off my mic. Some elder needs to get up here and run me out of the town. That’s how that goes. 

But what I am saying is this, and you can quote me on this. You can replay this later, and you can find where I said it, to make sure that’s what I said. You can confront me in the south lobby; you can write me an email. What I am saying is this: There is a way in which an otherwise once-healthy church like this one sitting under the weekly, verse-by-verse exposition of God’s Word can lose focus on what, or better said, who is most important to us as believers, namely, Jesus Christ. It does happen. It can happen. For some in this room, it has happened. Yes, we are “Bible people” here at Indian Hills. Yes, we will always be “Bible people” here at Indian Hills. But our chief identity, folks, is not in the Bible. Our chief identity is in Christ. Our chief identity is in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Remember the Spurgeon quote: “My theology can be boiled down to four words – Jesus Christ (this is five words) died for me.” Right? Our identity is in Jesus Christ.

Friends, there is a way, and this is the thesis and the challenge for this sermon this morning. There is a way in a church like ours, members can simultaneously find themselves growing in their knowledge of the Bible. As they sit under 60-minute sermons, both morning and evening. Then as they go to adult Sunday school every Sunday and as they go to a mid-week Bible study. As they go to a Titus Tuesday type of study. As they get more and more and more and more and more of the Word . . . to at the same time, cool in their affections for and their devotion to Jesus Christ. It can happen, it does happen for some, it has happened. There can be, sadly, a tendency in churches like ours, to take Jesus, the One who created us. The One who saved us. The One who is coming for us. And sort of gently elbow Him off to the side, to relegate Him to a supporting role.  When in reality, He is to be everything to us, because He gave everything for us. Recall the scripture reading, Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.”

This morning’s sermon is really held together by a single yet strong strand of thought. I’m confident it’s one you’ll be able to hang on to and process, and chew on and follow along. This sermon is born out of a sincere pastoral appreciation for those who have gone before us, I mean that. But it’s also born of a real sincere concern for the future of this church. If we aren’t all focused on what matters most. If we aren’t all focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ. Everything we do here in this building. Everything we do in our homes. Everything we do every day and, in every place, must connect to who we are in Christ. It must be rooted in our ultimate and supreme devotion to Him. If that’s not how we’re functioning. If that’s not how we’re committed to functioning, then we are and will continue to be off mission. It is time for some course correction. Otherwise, this once-heralded church, though it’s had this long legacy and this long history. If it takes its focus off the head of the church, it will eventually flicker and fade. 

Our text for this morning. As we look at what it means to Excel in our Exaltation. To excel in exalting the name of Jesus Christ is II Timothy 2:8. Please go to ahead and turn there with me to the Apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Again, as you’re doing so a few words about the background of the text. II Timothy is one of the three Pastoral Epistles. The others being I Timothy and Titus. II Timothy is actually the last inspired letter which Paul wrote. He did so somewhere around 67 A.D. soon before meeting a Roman executioner’s blade. As the name of the letter suggests, Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, his pastoral protégé, his young mentee in the faith, who was ministering in Ephesus.

Now, Paul’s words here in II Timothy are often scribbled on the front leaf of a Bible or maybe on the inside jacket of a theology book whenever an older pastor ‘passes the torch” on to a younger pastor. Paul’s words in II Timothy are frequently quoted during Bible college and seminary graduations. They are a constant source of encouragement to pastors of Bible churches like ours as we seek to protect that sacred deposit of sound doctrine and hand it off to a future generation. This book encourages us to “preach the Word” in season or out of season whether it’s popular or not whether it’s 1976 or 2026. And we do see some of that language that doctrinal language theological language even pastoral language in our text for today, II Timothy 2. Let’s go ahead and start in II Timothy 2:1 for some context, to give us a running start. God’s Word reads:
“You, therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. And also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Understand what I say, for the Lord will give you insight in everything.” 

We’ll stop there just for a minute. A bit more background. The letter to Timothy, II Timothy, from Paul is this personal call from Paul on Timothy go endure. To stand firm in his ministry. To be strong. To suffer hardship. Paul, as we’ve seen in this reading, gives Timothy these three illustrations to get his point across about what it means to persevere as a young pastor. 
Timothy is to be: A single-minded soldier. He’s to be that persevering athlete. He’s to be that hardworking farmer. Then, after providing Timothy with these three different illustrations of what it means to persevere, what it means to endure. Paul says this, these three little words at the beginning of verse 8, and these words sit there like a glistening diamond, “Remember Jesus Christ.”

Friends, Church family. This is the charge that each one of us has here this morning. To remember Jesus Christ. How are we, as a church, not only going to survive in the future, but thrive in the days ahead? The answer is given right here. The answer is straightforward. The answer is simple, “Remember Jesus Christ.” Some of you know I’m not a Bible marker. I’m not sure if that makes me less spiritual, perhaps. It impedes the readability of the Word when I mark all over my Bible. But I have underlined three words in my Bible. And I did it with my handy dandy excel still more pen . . . did you guys get one of these? Yeah, there’s still, I think, available out there in the south lobby. But I’ve underlined II Timothy 2:8, “Remember Jesus Christ.” 

In case there’s any thought out there that maybe I’m overstating my case here this morning. Or stretching this text, or those three words to do things or say things that were never meant to do or say. Let’s do a bit of a broader survey of II Timothy 2. We all want to do that here, right? We want to get into some meat of the Word. I’ve already mentioned that II Timothy as a letter, like the other pastoral epistles, I Timothy and Titus, is often correlated with scripture, theology, sound doctrine, as it should be. Those are central themes in these letters. But if we go wide angle, let’s just start with II Timothy. We’ll lead here with II Timothy. If we go wide angle on the entirety of the book of II Timothy, what we see is that an equally important theme in this short letter, just 4 chapters is Jesus Christ Himself. 
In fact, go with me over to II Timothy 1. 

We’ll do a few of these. II Timothy 1, first opening words of Paul’s letter to Timothy. II Timothy 1:1, Paul identifies himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus.”
Next verse, verse 2 in his address to Timothy, he says, “To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Go down to verse 9, Paul here reminds Timothy that God saved us and called us with a holy calling. “Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” And then, verse 10, God’s purpose: “now has been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” Verse 13, we encounter a sentence I’ve gotten used to saying at least once a week on the Sound Words podcast, “Hold to the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”

Then we turn to chapter 2, and it’s more of the same. Verse 1, “You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Verse 3, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Verse 10, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”

Chapter 3, look at verse 12, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Verses14 & 15, “But you, continue in the things you learned and became convinced of, knowing from whom you learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 
Then, chapter 4, this familiar command, verses 1-2, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word.” 

What this short survey of II Timothy shows us this short survey of this letter which is rightly associated for many with the Word, and sound doctrine, and theology. What this shows us is that Biblically speaking, it is impossible to separate a love for the Word with a love for Jesus Christ. Biblically speaking, it’s impossible to separate a love for theology with a love for Jesus Christ. Biblically speaking, it’s impossible to separate a love for sound doctrine and a love for Jesus Christ. They always go together. In a Word-centered church like ours, in fact, because we are a Word-centered church. The central aim, the central mission, the central thrust of all we do simply must be connected back to who we are in Jesus Christ. Going back to our text, II Timothy 2:8, “remember Jesus Christ.” That’s the call on every single one of us in this room.

I’m thirty minutes in and now I’m going to give you my points, ok? My three points for the sermon. That was all introduction for 32 minutes. 
First, we’re going to look at “Who.” That’s our first point for this morning. “Who”, as in Who it is we are to remember. 
Second, it’s the “What”. What is it mean to “remember”?
Third, is “Why”. Why do we need to remember? 
Simple, brief outline: Who. What. Why.

Let’s start with “Who”. Who is it we are to remember? That answer, of course, is not complicated. We are to remember “Jesus Christ.” “Jesus” is His name “Christ” is His title and encoded in both terms is this treasure trove of rich, deep theological truth. There’s so much to reflect on just with His name. So much to remember just with His name. First, His name is “Jesus.” That’s what the angel Gabriel said to Joseph, the young Nazarene man who was betrothed to a young virgin girl named Mary. In Matthew 1:21, the angel says to Joseph: “she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
That name, “Jesus” is the English translation of His name in Greek – Ye-sue. That name, Ye-sue comes from his Hebrew name “Joshua” and “Joshua” means “Yahweh is salvation.” So, woven into Jesus very name is the idea of salvation. Salvation from sin. Jesus came to offer salvation from sin and forgiveness for sin. Which is why when John the Baptist announced Jesus’ arrival in John 1:29, he says, as Jesus is coming to him. “Behold, the Lamb of God [who does what] who takes away the sin of the world!” 

If you’re a believer here this morning. The sole reason that you are a part of God’s family. The sole reason that you are a member of the global body of believers known as the Church. The sole reason that your sins have been forgiven. The sole reason that you have a settled confidence that when that death dew forms on your forehead, when you’re lying in that hospital bed one day. And the family is gathered round, hanging on to the rails, watching TV from time to time, as you’re preparing to go. That you know, when you take that last breath, that you will be in the presence of your Savior and not consigned to the flames of an everlasting hell. The reason that you know all of that is because of Jesus. Because of His love for you. Because of His dying for you. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Not only that. You know what you know, that settled confidence that you have about where you are going, because of His rising for you. Look at the next few words here in verse of II Timothy 2:8, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.”

Friends, those words “risen from the dead” are not just some throwaway lines that we use on Easter and then sort of put it away in the attic for the rest of the year.  No. Those words “risen from the dead” are the very anchor of our hope. Those words “risen from the dead” certify our Lord’s claims to be that sin-conquering, death-defeating, soul-saving King of the Universe. And that He is “risen from the dead” paves the way for our own one-day glorious resurrection. In fact, you can go with me over to I Corinthians 15, for just a cross reference, to get fingers moving. We’ll look at I Corinthians, just a section of it, chapter 15 real briefly here. I Corinthians 15:19 says, “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

So, back to our text in II Timothy 2:8, we are to “remember” the One whose name is “Jesus. “He is, Jesus Christ, “risen from the dead.” We are to remember the One, Jesus Christ, who is risen from the dead. 
But back to II Tmothy 2 here, Paul also gives us His title. He’s not only “Jesus” He’s “Christ.” It’s “remember Jesus Christ.” “Christ” is not His last name it’s His title. Christ, Christos in Greek, is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Meshiach which means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” Jesus the Christ is the “Anointed One. He came to this earth in fulfillment of the prophecy or II Samuel 7 where it is said that the Messiah of Israel would come from the line of David. I’ll go ahead and read through the words of God to David, through the prophet Nathan in II Samuel 7:12 where it says:
“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will come forth from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Christ was that descendant David, in whom the Messianic promises of God were fulfilled. This is why the angel Gabriel, when he visited Mary in Luke 1:32 says:
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.”
This is why, back to II Timothy 2:8, Paul, as he instructs Timothy to “remember Jesus Christ” refers to Jesus as, look at the middle of the verse there, as “the seed of David.”

These truths, that Jesus not only died but that He rose that He is not only Jesus of Nazareth but He’s Jesus the Christ, Jesus “the seed of David” are core gospel truths. That Jesus is the Davidic Messiah. The one who suffered and rose from the dead, is the very essence of what Paul calls, at the end of verse 8 here “my gospel.” Meaning, not a “gospel” that was invented by Paul. But rather a “gospel” that was entrusted to Paul. In fact, go with me over to Romans 1, these same gospel truths related to Jesus’ Davidic origins and his having risen from the dead, show up in Romans 1 as well. Paul’s magnum opus, many have said. Romans 1:1 says:
“Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. “That is the gospel message that Paul was entrusted with. And that’s the gospel message he’s referring to back here in II Timothy 2:8. 

So that’s the “Who.” 
So, there were three points. The “Who”, the “What”, the “Why.” That’s the “Who” “Jesus Christ.”
Now, the “What.”
What are we to be doing? Well, we’re to be remembering, “Remember Jesus Christ.” It’s an understandable word with a straightforward definition. The Greek word for “remember” is just like the English word for remember. There are no hidden meanings or special meanings there. It’s simply means to call something to mind. To bring something to mind. The idea is that, in one instance, we’re thinking of one thing whatever that one thing is. You know, the blinker on the car in front of you is burned out. Or thinking about that branch in the backyard is sagging just a little bit. Or I’m hungry. We’re thinking about that one thing. And then, “to remember” means to put off that one thing we were thinking about and now replacing it with something else in our mind. Calling something else to mind. Putting that other thing in our minds, in its place. 

That’s what we’re called to do we’re called to “remember Jesus Christ.”
In one moment, we’re thinking about what’s for dinner tonight. In one moment, we’re wondering how is it possible to lose so many one-score games. In one moment, we’re thinking about are Travis and Taylor going to make it. In one moment, we’re thinking who are the Nephilim?
But then we replace it. We call to mind. We bring to mind Jesus our Lord.
That word “remember” here is an imperative, in verse 8. It means we’re to be, and it’s a present tense imperative. We’re to be “continually be remembering.” Not occasionally but constantly placing at the forefront of our minds the reality of who Jesus is and what He came to do. In other words, what is being commanded here, and it is a command, is not just a one-time callback. Or a one-time thought. But instead, it’s a continual and perpetual remembrance or who we are in Christ. 

Note this, because it’s important. What’s being commanded here is not that we remember mere random data points about Jesus. Jeopardy trivia about Jesus. “Was He a carpenter or a stone mason?” “What was the color of His tunic?” “What was the name of that seventh disciple again?” That’s not what’s in view here. Instead, the idea is remembering the Person in His Personhood. Remembering that He is the One who created all things. Remembering that He is the One who came as the promised Messiah of Israel. Remembering He is the One who, as it says here, rose from the dead. Remembering that He is the One who is promised to come again. Remembering who we are in Him and how we are to live for Him, as we wait for Him to come for us.  “Remembering Jesus Christ” then, is not just about getting the right answers on the quiz about the life of Jesus, getting 100% on that. It’s about Him being everything to us. That’s what it means to “remember Jesus Christ”, Him being all in all – Colossians 3.

At the end of the day. This boils down to a question I’ve asked my almost six-year-old many times now. Asher, do you love Jesus Christ? You know every kid will say, “I’m in the Lord’s army” “I’m in the family of God.” “I love Jesus.” Asher, do you love Jesus Christ? Do you love? Do you love Him? That’s what it boils down to for us as well. Simplifying it down to that level. Do you love Him? Do you truly love Him? Do you worship Him? Do you function as though your entire word revolves around Him? Is He central to your day-to-day existence? Is He, Colossians 3:4, “your life”?

Again, the challenge for a church like ours. Which for years now has been so deeply steeped in the Word and that’s a good thing. The challenge for us moving forward is not going to be about how much more head knowledge we can store up about Bible trivia. Or how much more things we can know about Jesus. We’ve shown ourselves for decades to be very good at that. The challenge for us, rather, is going to be a willingness to ask ourselves harder questions. Like: Do I truly love and adore the One I say I know so much about? That’s the real question. That’s the real challenge for us as a church today.

A few years ago, now, I preached that first letter that Jesus wrote to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 – the church at Ephesus. And you’ll recall that the church at Ephesus was a church which had many characteristics that are similar to ours. 
A church that was doctrinally strong.
A church that was standing on truth.
A church which had no patience for false teachers.
A church which knew a whole lot about Jesus.
But as you dig deeper into that church, you see that it was also a church which had lost its first love for Jesus. That shows us again that there is not always a one-to-one correlation between studying Scripture intensely to satisfy every single one our intellectual curiosities and having a deep and deepening love for Jesus Christ. There’s not always a direct correlation between the two. A person can have all the right answers from this book   and yet have grown cold and calloused in their affections for the Lord. Hence, this simple yet powerful admonition from Paul here in II Timothy 2:8, “Remember Jesus Christ.”

Remember, Paul isn’t teaching Timothy here that Timothy doesn’t already know. Have you ever thought about that? Like, do you think that Timothy knew that Jesus had risen from the grave? You think Timothy knew that Jesus was the seat of David? Or course he did. He was a pastor’s pastor. He was qualified. He knew these truths. So, what Paul was doing here was something deeper. He’s telling him to “remember Jesus Christ.” Not just know things about Jesus Christ. Remember Him. 

That is the charge to each of here as well, that we’d be a people who “remember”. That we’d be a people that are so overcome and so taken by the person, the work, the plans, the power of Jesus Christ. That there’s no realistic chance of us ever forgetting any of it. That’s who we need to be. That’s who we, as a church at Indian Hills need to be, looking forward to our future. A people who are not only in the Word. A people who not only love the Word. A people who not only studies the Word. But a people who “remember Jesus Christ.”

That brings us to our third point. We’ve considered the Who, Jesus Christ. We’ve considered the What, we are to “remember.” Now, we want to consider the Why. Why do we need to “remember Jesus Christ”? 

Well, the simple answer is it’s a command, this is an imperative. There’s no wiggle room here. He has told us, God has told us, through Paul, that we need to “remember Jesus Christ.” So, that alone settles the debate. Not only that though. As you survey all of scripture. There’s this constant testimony from Genesis on, of the forgetfulness of God’s people. It’s all over the place. In the Old Testament, God’s people had to be told to remember that they had been created by God. Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth.”
They had to be told to remember His covenant. I Chronicles 16:15,
“Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations, which He cut with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.”
They had to be told to remember His Law. Numbers 15:39,
“Remember all the commandments of Yahweh, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes . . .”
They had to be told to remember the Sabbath. Exodus 20:8,
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
They had to told to remember His guidance. Deuteronomy 8:2,
“Remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years . . .”
They had to told to remember His acts. I Chronicles 16:12,
“Remember His wondrous deed which He has done, His miraculous signs and the judgments uttered by His mouth.”
They had to be told to remember their own past. That’s what Psalm 106 is all about. That’s what David did in Psalm 143:5,
“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all You have done; I muse on the work of Your hands.”


Then, we get to the New Testament where Jesus, the One we’re called to remember is instructing others to remember. In Luke 17:32, He tells His disciples to “remember Lot’s wife.” In Matthew 16:8, He chastised His disciples, over having forgotten the feeding of the 5.000. He says:
“You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?”
In the Upper Room, on the night in which He was betrayed. Jesus shared with His disciples the role that the Holy Spirit would play in the future, and helping bring certain things to remembrance. John 14:25,
“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
And on that same night, as Luke 22:19 records:
“And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’”
In the book of Revelation, Jesus is in His glorified state, He’s communicating to the seven churches. One of them is to Ephesus, it is the one I’ve marked here. In Revelation 2:5 He says:
“Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. But if you do not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.”

Then there are the various New Testament letters, which, for church-age believers like you and me likewise give us these repeated calls and charges to “remember.” 
Ephesians 2:11, “Therefore, remember that formerly you -  the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘Circumcision,’ which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”
II Peter 3:2, “. . . remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.”
Jude 17, “. . . remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”
Hebrews 13:3, “Remember those who are in prison.”
Colossians 4:18, “Remember my chains.”

Why all these calls to remembrance? And why Paul’s call here in our passage, II Timothy 2:8 to “remember Jesus Christ”? It’s because we’re so prone to forget. When it comes to our Savior that is simply unacceptable. Bottom line, that is simply unacceptable. The Person of Jesus Christ is not some abstract data point that we file away. It’s not some abstract Biblical data point that we file away. Like the number of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt in Genesis 46. Or the number of Assyrian’s who were slain by the angel of the Lord in II Kings 19. No. Jesus is God. Jesus is a Person. He is the God-Man. He is alive today. He is Risen. He loves us. He brought us into a relationship with our Heavenly Father with whom we were once estranged through His sacrificial death on the cross. He bought us with His blood. And He’s coming for us. 

How could we be indifferent to Him? How could we lack interest in His Person? How could we do anything but aim all of our affections toward Him? How could we forget Him?
What’s going to be of more value to you? One day, when you stand before Jesus Christ at the Bema seat. What’s going to be of more value, that you strong armed another believer in Jesus Christ into adopting some finer, 500-level point of theology that you affirm; or that you walked a new believer along the path of growing in a relationship with Jesus Christ? That you helped younger believer see what it means to “walk worthy” for the sake of the gospel? What’s going to be of more value to you as you stand before the Bema seat one day that you sat in the same seats in this auditorium for 30 years and didn’t extend yourself in any sense accept to attend and go each Sunday. Or that you took time to walk that way, or in this case, walk this way? Or, even better, to invite other members of this body into your home for fellowship and hospitality? What’s going to be of more value to you as you stand before the Bema seat one day? That you would dominate every single Bible game that’s ever been played, or that you were actively working to eradicate the prideful tendencies that still exist in your heart?

“Remember Jesus Christ.” 

Husbands, as you go about fulfilling your roles as providers and protectors. “Remember Jesus Christ.” 
Wives, as you go about fulfilling your roles as treasured and beloved supporters and helpmates. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Moms and Dads, as you train up your children. “Remember Jesus Christ.” Children, as you seek to obey and honor your parents. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Employees, as you work heartily in the workplace. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Employers, as you look to feed mouths and keep operations moving. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Farmers. as you look ahead to harvest season. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Students, as you prepare to go back to school. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Children’s workers here in the church; Junior High and High School volunteers, as you pour Biblical truth into young hearts, week over week. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Adult Sunday School teachers. Home Bible Study Leaders, as you study up every week in preparation. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Musicians, as you prepare to make a joyful noise unto the Lord every other Sunday and in between. “Remember Jesus Christ.”
Deacons, as you serve in your respective ministry posts week after week. “Remember Jesus Christ.” 
Fellow elders and pastors, as we shepherd the flock of God here at Indian Hills. As we lead the various ministries God has allotted to our care for this time. We need to set the example of “Remembering Jesus Christ.”

There’s a famous story that’s been told many times about Vince Lombardi, the beloved coach of my beloved Green Bay Packers. As the story goes as training camp broke in 1961, the Packers were coming off this heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl. It wasn’t the Super Bowl then; it was the NFL Championship in 1960. They’d come oh so close to football glory. They had nearly beaten the Philadelphia Eagles. But they lost in a 4th quarter collapse. Wasn’t meant to be. They come back from training camp, or before training camp in 1961. And the squad shows up, you know, they’re on the cusp. They know they are champion caliber. They’re just ready to break through and scale the mountain, and all the different word pictures, right? So, they’re waiting for Lombardi to show up and give them something profound to say, right? What will be the scheme or the X’s and O’s that he leads off with to take us to football glory. You know what he does? He holds up a football, and he says, “Gentlemen, this is a football!”

That was his profound speech to a near Super Bowl winning team. You can only imagine what the players in the locker room were thinking in that moment, as they saw their coach standing up, almost insulting their intelligence and their acumen by saying, really! We know! We get it coach. Now what are you going to teach us? Well, the point that he was making in every organization which has achieved even the highest level of success, like the Green Bay Packers, you need to be taken back to the basics from time to time. That was the whole point. Getting back to the basics. Then he goes on to get into the X’s and the O’s and the Packers go on to have an excellent season. They defeated the New York Giants 37 to nothing. Everybody’s happy.

But as I see it, this morning’s sermon and the series we’ve now launched, and this is just building blocks for what’s next. “This is a football” moment for Indian Hills. Except I’m not a football coach, don’t pretend to be one. I’m not a football coach holding up a piece of pigskin for you. I’m your pastor bringing to you this simple and essential charge which is to “Remember Jesus Christ.” 

Let’s pray.
Father, we thank You for this time together this morning. We thank You for the simplicity and the clarity and the truth of Your Word, that we can look at three words and be taken by them, moved by them, convicted by them and challenged by them. Lord, I do pray that what has been heard this morning is sincerely what has been in my heart. Which is that there is such appreciation for the great work You have done in the midst of this church for decades now. And we’re so grateful for that good work. At the same time, we live in a different time. We live in a different era. We have new leadership. But we have the same book. God, I pray that You would give us all wisdom to move forward, both those who are long termers and those who are new commers. Help us to continue to go back to the Word and look for answers for all that pertains to life and godliness. But as we so do, help us to never lose sight of our ultimate identity in Jesus Christ. Help us to be excellent worshipers, excelling in our exaltation of our Lord and Savior, for Your glory. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen