Our Demas. (Hix)

Our Demas Dec. 2, 2018

Philemon- 1:23-Epaphras, (Ef/A/Fras) my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

24-as do Mark, Aristarchus (Air/U/Stock/us), Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

Colossians 4:14- Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.

2 Timothy 4:10 -for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica

These men all start out very similar but one winds up very different!

As Luke and Mark got older, they got bolder!

As Demas got older, he got colder!

Some are called and some are chosen

Some are cold and some are frozen!

Why is this so important that we need to hear from Paul, to hear how his heart is breaking as he thinks about his friend Demas!

Maybe Matthew may not know a disciple that’s fallen away!

John, may not know someone that’s growing colder!

Mark, may not realize how many are losing their fire for the Lord!

Paul is saying, “I know a friend of mine that’s fallen away!”

The sad part is, if we are not careful we can become like Demas!

What does it say about him….. having loved this present world

Before his his feet turned toward Thessalonica, his heart had turned toward the world and the things of the world!

Lot seen the plains of Jordan...Before he traveled there!

The prodigal son desired the far country before he went there!

You and I can let the desires of this world, and the pleasures of this world become so much more important than the things of God!

I have seen people who have started out strong in their faith and in their testimony but before they leave this old world, they abandon God or they get caught in their sins!

We need the power to see it thru!!

To finish better than we started!

To be captivated by a cause!!

People like Demas, tithe when it’s convenient, they fast, when they are not hungry, they pray when they have time, they work for Jesus if there is nothing to do.

When things got tough Demas deserted Paul and God!!

Luke and Mark knew what it was like to their teacher, their friend thrown in prison, they knew what it was like to stand by a man, who was the object of persecution!

Paul was in prison thinking about Demas….Legend tells us, he was now a priest in a pagan temple, making lots of money!

I can hear Satan as he is whispering in Paul’s ear, “Why, don’t you give up, no one will ever know!”

“Nero is going to set on his throne forever, your going to die and for what?”

“Paul, you see that stump, not to long in the future, your going to lay your head on it.

Paul, you see that shiny object, that’s a axe and that Roman soldier is going to use it to chop off your head!”

I believe Paul response like this...”No, I don’t see the shiny object that you see, the shiny object I see is the one I told Timothy about…. 2 Timothy 4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Last week I said, “You should not have to beg a Christian to come to church, they should have that desire all ready in-steeled in them.

But there are people who have been faithful to God and to His church, and for whatever reason have left the church and went back to the ways of the world, the desires of the world!

Now, it one thing to leave a church and go to another church, we can understand that but when someone leaves the church and does not attend any where and it’s not because of health problems, that’s when we should be concerned as fellow believers!

I want you to think of a Demas that belongs to this church, someone who use to go here, someone who use to be faithful here, and you may or may not know the reason they don’t attend.

But I want you to pray for them (It may be more than one person), that God would speak to their heart and draw them back into His house to have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ!