This morning I want to talk to you about falling into Satan’s Trap.
As we examine our scripture this morning, we find that the Apostle Paul is writing his final letter to Timothy, his son in the Lord. Paul is writing to Timothy from his jail cell in Rome.
I suspect that it is wintertime when he writes because he asks Timothy to bring him his coat, however, the reason could be simply that the dungeon in which he now spends each day is damp and cold. However, that is not the reason for his writing this day. He writes to young Timothy to tell him of a problem with another of Paul’s servants in the Lord, a follower named Demas. Let’s look at verse 10 of our scripture again:
"For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica..."
And what is the problem? Demas is gone! This young protégé that Paul has carried all over the land with him, teaching him about Jesus, teaching him how to be a servant of and evangelist for the cause of Christ, is now gone. He’s "jumped ship," as we say, and gone off to the land of Thessalonica.
Paul is no longer this young, vibrant fireball. It is now some 20, 25, 30 years after his Damascus Road conversion. I am sure that over the last 2 or 3 decades he had aged as all of us do. Time has a way of sapping our strength and causing age lines to appear on our face and hands. For most of us, our hair thins and turns to gray, our vision is not quite what it once was, and our bodies become stiffer as our joints no longer want to bend like they used to in the “good old days.” However, getting older is not always bad. Most of us (except Jesse) have become smarter. Our years of experience in life have given us more knowledge, but most of all more wisdom.
If you ever want to really learn some great life lessons, take the time to sit down with someone in the winter of life. We need the wisdom of the aged. They are treasures that have wonderful stories to tell as well as great advice to give to us all.
The Bible says that young men are for war and old men for counsel. Paul is now a seasoned saint, full of wisdom, and is in his counseling years. What Paul needs now are faithful, younger men around him to carry out the more difficult tasks of the ministry, but as he writes to Timothy he expresses sadness that Demas is gone.
This Apostle laments in a letter to Timothy that he has lost his right-hand man. He’s feeling deserted and forsaken.
Outside his jail cell, Paul has been listening to the daily taunts from the prison guards. They’ve been telling him, "Nero is going to get you. The axe man has been called to come to the prison and sharpen his axe.”
Nero had a price on Paul’s head, but let there be no misunderstanding here, for whenever you serve the Lord, there is going to be an earthly price to pay. This is true because this is not our world – we are not of this world – our world is yet to come. It is only after our earthly death that we will journey to our true and eternal home.
Paul’s time on earth was coming to an end. He had fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith. Soon, Paul would be a victim of Nero’s chopping block.
Paul wrote his epistle between 66 and 67 A.D., and Nero died in 69 A.D., so Paul would meet his fate somewhere between 66 A.D. and 69 A.D. The threatening remarks and the taunts from the guards were getting more and more frequent, but Paul knew what was coming, but he was ready to go. Paul said “to die is gain” and he looked forward to the day when he would be with the Lord forever and ever.
Paul tells Timothy that Demas is now gone, but let’s not be too hard on Demas. The Bible is filled with stories of people who took off when the heat was on. Unfortunately, the church suffers from the same dilemma today.
The disciples fled when Jesus was crucified, and the church folk often flee when their pastor steps on their toes too often. Some things just never change.
I wonder how many Demas’s have fled from our churches over the years. They were there for a little while and now, when the requirements of real service are pressed upon them, they run away. Jesus told us that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers few. God’s work cries out for committed souls, but so many say “I just don’t have the time,” and they run. And Lord help the preacher that delivers a message on tithing! When the preacher gets into their wallets and purses, the people run away faster than a woman that sees a mouse in her kitchen. Still, God tells us that 10% of everything we earn belongs to Him. It was never ours to begin with! After all, He chose to give us the 90% that we are allowed to keep. Anyway, that’s a sermon for another day.
Paul continues…."Not only has he left me...but Demas has fallen in love." Now there’s nothing wrong with falling in love. Some of you ought to try it…as long as you’re careful who or what you fall in love with! In his letter to Timothy, Paul says that Demas has fallen in love with the world.
That bears repeating. Demas has fallen in love with the world. When we fall in love with the world than the world has become our master, and Jesus told us that, “No man can serve two masters.” The love that Demas has for the world is just like the love we have for the Lord.
Imagine loving the world that much! Unfortunately, some don’t even have to imagine. The drug addict fell in love with marijuana, LSD, heroin, crack, and cocaine. The more he loved it the more power it had over him. It began to control his body; each day it’s power getting stronger, until one day it destroyed his body.
The homosexual fell in love with someone of the same sex even though God calls it an “abomination!” The gay lifestyle’s power became stronger and stronger each day, until one day it destroyed his body and then his life.
There are those that have given their hearts and souls for the love of money and fame. They love power and position. Their greed becomes more powerful each and every day, until one day it destroys their family and then their life.
And then there are those that just simply love Sunday’s at the beach. Don’t get me wrong. It’s okay “sometimes.” It’s just not okay when it becomes a habit that keeps you from being where you belong on Sundays, here in the house of God!
Satan knows the earthly things that we like. He knows where we are the weakest, and he sets a trap for us. Please – recognize the signs and don’t fall into Satan’s traps.
Don’t be too hard on Demas. At least he made a choice. Too many folks do a Christian performance on one foot while the other foot is out in the world. They dress like the world…they talk like world…. they live like the world…. and then they walk into church and sit next to us on Sunday morning. They smile and go through the motions, saying "Praise the Lord,” shake the preacher’s hand after church and then walk right back into their worldly life thinking all is well with their soul – and it’s not!!
You know what God really hates? He hates lukewarm Christians and a lukewarm church. It sickens him and the Bible says he will “spew them out of His mouth.”
Paul tells Timothy that Demas is in love with the world. He has fallen into Satan’s trap. He was with Paul, but he fell into Satan’s trap! He was with the Man of God, but he fell into Satan’s trap! He went to worship, but he fell into Satan’s trap!
He studied the scriptures, but he fell into a trap!
He prayed with Paul, but he fell into Satan’s trap.
He fell into Satan’s trap and got weak in the knees. I wonder what it was that drew Demas back into the world? I wonder if it was the fine looking women in Thessalonica? I wonder if it was the bright lights and big city that caught his attention? I wonder if it was his desire for recognition and power. After all, that’s what gets some of us. Some things just never change.
It’s so easy to fall in love with the world. Satan whispers in our ear that a little bit of drugs can’t hurt anybody, that the joint right next to the Bible in your purse won’t make you a junkie. To the alcoholic he whispers in his ear, a little nip is good for the belly’s sake. To the gambler he whispers in his ear, one trip to Atlantic City with your tithes won’t hurt the church that much. Some things just never change.
Satan not only wants your soul but he wants the souls of the rest of your family too! He doesn’t stop there! He wants the souls of your friends, the souls of your co-workers, and the souls of those in your church too.
He’s after all of us in here, from the pastor on down. He doesn’t care if we wear white, black, purple, polka dot, or blue - He’s after all of us and he knows exactly what we like. He knows better than anyone what are weaknesses are. He knows where we are most vulnerable and that’s where he attacks us.
We’ve all heard the story of Samson and Delilah. The Bible says Delilah was "fair to look upon.” Satan knew where Samson was vulnerable and that’s where he attacked him. Don’t be fooled, Satan knows what we like.
Our vulnerability might be pride, lust, greed, power or sex. Whatever it is, it is all sin. Demas got caught up in it and fell in love with the bright lights and big city. He made the same mistake so many of us have made throughout the course of human history. He decided that he would rather serve the world than serve the One who made the world.
Demas was gone. He had moved to Thessalonica to enjoy the things of the world. Paul, on the other hand, sat alone in a cold and damp prison cell in Rome. Another of Paul’s protégés, Titus, is down in the south, pastoring a new congregation. Timothy is doing the same, but Demas has deserted Paul and gone off to Thessalonica.
Thessalonica is a four hundred year old city named after one of the conqueror’s wives. They gathered together some of the small towns and made it into one great city to live in. They had all kinds of things going on in Thessalonica. Demas was headed for the right place if his purpose was to minister to the people! But instead, Demas was headed for the right place, but for the wrong purpose.
Thessalonica would have been such a great place to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It really wasn’t much different than many American cities today. It was full of godless people going about their daily lives, oblivious to the presence of Almighty God.
Thessalonica was full of soldiers coming in and out, and tourism bringing people in from around the world. It was a vacation paradise filled with hotels, motels, and a million and one things to do. And that’s what got Demas… it was the worldly paradise!
Demas went to Thessalonica for a brief visit, but he never came back to Rome. Sin was so comfortable to slip into. While there, Demas fell into Satan’s trap.
Have you ever noticed how comfortable Satan makes sin seem? Look around at the churches of America today and see those that are missing. Some of them have gone off to Thessalonica with Demas.
Church, we’re up against a powerful enemy. Satan makes the world seem so comfortable. What are we doing to compete? Are we helping to make people feel comfortable in the Lord’s presence?
We know that if they go to the bar that someone likely offers them a seat right next to them. We know that if they go to the club that someone likely offers them free drinks. They’ll turn the lights down low, and play soft music so they feel comfortable there. The ambiance is enticing and sin is comfortable.
Did you know that people aren’t crazy anymore…. Instead they have emotional disorders. People aren’t drunk anymore…instead they’re dealing with deep emotional issues. Sin is so comfortable.
Then they come to church and what do they get?….the latest in Church Soaps? Mamas still fighting with the choir and Daddies still criticizing the Deacons. Sister Sally wants you to change seats, that one is hers! Sister Lucy doesn’t mind you singing a solo, but please don’t sing HER song! Too many members won’t let you forget your sinful past. They just know that you are going back out into the world anyway, so they might as well give you a little shove. “If that person comes back to church, or if that person joins our church, I’m leaving! There is no welcome mat, no friendly handshake. When we make things uncomfortable for the newcomers, the newcomers flee to Thessalonica where Demas has gone.
I’m so thankful this morning that Mountain View Union Church is a church that loves the Lord and makes all who enter feel welcome.
If you check out the history of Thessalonica, you will find out they had an unusual religious makeup. Some practiced Judaism, there were Christians there, and some practiced polytheism. Most of the gods were named after Roman leaders. A person could easily get lost in the crowd. No commitment…. no decision…. just lost in a sea wave of religion…without much faith.
Demas is gone. He has fallen in love. He’s moved to Thessalonica. It might have looked like a bad situation. It looked bad for Paul to be in Rome all by himself. Many would say, "Why did Demas leave you, Paul? Where have all your followers gone?"
And I can envision Paul answering, “Yes, Demas is gone, but he didn’t leave me. He didn’t desert this Apostle. Demas deserted the Lord.
Yes, Paul was by himself, but no, he wasn’t alone.
When a husband walks out on his wife, she’s not alone. When a wife leaves her husband, he’s not alone. When the child you’ve bought hundred dollar tennis shoes for tells you where to go to and walks out the door, you’re not all alone. You are never alone. A child of God is never alone. I hear Jesus saying, "I’ll never leave you nor forsake you." In the Great Commission He says," ...and lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world."
Somebody in here today likely knows what I’m talking about. It’s not about Demas…It’s not about Thessalonica. It’s not about the Apostle Paul. It’s about you.
The Lord has needed you, but you’ve been in Thessalonica with the boys. Jesus Christ has been calling you but you’ve been hanging up on Him.
He’s been singing a love song to your heart, but you love another...you love the world. If this message this morning has touched you and tugged at the strings of your heart, Jesus wants you to know that it’s time to come home. It’s time to answer the call. The Lord Jesus Christ awaits you now with outstretched arms of forgiveness, mercy, grace and love. Commit to Him now; tell Him now, Lord I’m Coming Home.
