Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel. ( 2 Timothy 2:8 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: )

Paul mentions two specific ways to remember Jesus: Remember him as risen from the dead. And remember him as the offspring of David. Why these two things about Jesus?

Because if he is risen from the dead, he is alive and triumphant over death. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” ( Romans 8:11 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. ).

Which means that no matter how serious the suffering becomes, the worst that it can do on this earth is kill you. And Jesus has taken the sting out of that enemy. He is alive. And you will be alive. “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” ( Matthew 10:28 28 And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ).

The resurrection of Jesus was not a random resurrection. It was the resurrection of the son of David. “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David.” Why does Paul say that?

Because every Jewish person knew what that meant. That meant that Jesus is the Messiah ( John 7:42 42 Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? ). And that meant that this resurrection was not a random resurrection, but the resurrection of an everlasting King. Listen to the words of the angel to Mary, Jesus’s mother:

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ( Luke 1:31 31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. –33)

So remember Jesus, the one you serve, and the one for whom you suffer. He is alive and he will reign forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. No matter what they do to you, you do not need to be afraid.