The Demise of Demas
Notes
Transcript
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
The Demise of Demas
INTRO
Minor Bible characters can teach major lessons
Demas only mentioned 3x (Col 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Tim 4:10) but teaches us a major lesson about worldliness
We can sympathize with the demise of Demas
Demas was a companion of Paul
Paul listing where his traveling companions have gone:
Demas to Thessalonica
Crescens to Galatia
Paul's partner Titus to Dalmatia, north of Macedonia
Loyal Luke with Paul
Mark requested (Acts 13:13; 15:36-40)
Tychicus, beloved brother and faithful minister (Eph 6:21) sent to Ephesus
Paul does not tell us the background of Demas
We know he was a Christian
We know Paul placed confidence in him
We know that he was with Paul @ Rome during 1st imprisonment (Col 4:14; Philemon 24)
It seems he was at Rome during Paul's second imprisonment when 2 Timothy was written, but has now departed
Demas forsook Paul
Paul the aged prisoner was soon to be executed
He is basically alone, though some send greetings 2 Tim 4:21
Onesiphorus is likely gone (2 Tim 1:15-18; 4:19)
He is about to executed (2 Tim 4:6)
invites Timothy and Mark to hurry to see him (2 Tim 4:9, 11, 21
In time of need, Demas forsakes Paul
ἐγκαταλείπω: Desert, forsake abandon; same word as Mk 15:34;
past Paul was persecuted, but not forsaken (2 Cor 4:9); NOW forsaken by a companion
APPLICATION
Few things are more discouraging than a brother in arms going AWOL--the punishment shows the seriousness of the offence: Execution still on the books
General--How discouraging it can be when our brothers and sisters go AWOL--Absent Without Leave Heb 10:25
Specific--Preaching can be a lonely field
Preachers desperately want their work to be saved 1 Cor 3:13-15
Tremendous blessing for a preacher to see souls he helped convert prosper in the Lord and finish the race
Though the preacher may be saved in the end, "he suffers loss", damage, injury seeing loved ones walk away from the Lord.
Don't go AWOL on your preacher, elders
This would be Paul's last memory of Demas: what will be our brethren's lasting memory of us? Preacher's? Elders?
Demas loved this present world
Paul tells us why Demas abandoned him
ἀγαπήσας* τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα = He loved "the now age"
Contrast Demas love with the love of the Lord's appearing 2 Tim 4:8
What went wrong for Demas and his relationship with the world?
Began again to love the world 1 Jn 2:15-17
Failure to live soberly Tit 2:12
Demas was conformed to this world Rom 12:2
Blinded by the god of this world--If we love the world 2 Cor 4:4
So he loved the here and now
Demas has a thorny heart Mt 13:22
Care of this world
deceitfulness of riches
lust of other things Mk 4
pleasures of this life Lk 8:14
Demas' thorny, worldly heart caused him to become unfruitful
Why doesn't the church grow? Too much world in the church and not enough church in the world. Its about influence
Signs our hearts are being choked by worldliness:
Miss worship or Bible study for ballgames, school events, schoolwork Mt 6:33
If attending Bible camp or singings just does not sound as appealing as it once did
Giving to the Lord is hard Mt 6:19-21
You can give detailed explanations of what happened in the big movie last weekend but struggle stating the steps of salvation 2 Tim 2:15
Love for the world caused Demas to forsake a great man; loving the world may cause us to forsake our families, our health, and eventually our salvation
EXHORTATION
What happened to Demas? (from Tom Holland's Courageous Christians)
May have failed to count the cost (Lk 14:25-32)
May have grown weary in well doing (Gal 6:9)
The fight may have been taken out of him by persecution (2 Tim 4:7, 8)
Demas shows us the importance of our affections (Col 3:1-3)--Demas present when Paul wrote that but now absent
Paul had a prison cell; Demas chose "freedom" of Thessalonica
Demas chose an immediate blessing
Paul chose the eternal blessing