“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica…” (2 Timothy 4:10 NIV)
Do you have people in your life //who are such a blessing /that you thank God for them every day? It could be a mom or a dad, a pastor, a brother or sister, or a friend. There are also people () you encounter /along life’s way //about whom you don’t get to know very much. Then there are fellow Christians () God places in your path.
But there are also people () you run into //who can cause you real trouble and consternation. This will happen to all of us to some degree; and that’s what the apostle Paul goes into /at the very end of his second letter /to the young pastor, Timothy.
This letter was written at the end of the apostle’s life, and it provides some valuable lessons for us all today.
The apostle refers first to Demas, who had been a fellow minister, a part of Paul’s team, and a person () Paul
/in certain ministry situations. And now, at the end of Paul’s life, he tells us that this trusted Christian has deserted him /because he loved this world. Something had gotten into Demas and pulled him away from Jesus and back to the world. It could be that the world meant security and safety for Demas at that point — maybe even monetary gain.
Perhaps he weighed it /against what Paul was doing, which had caused Paul trouble, persecution, time in prison, and the anger and rejection of people. Maybe it all wore Demas down; and the allure of the world, with its materialism and comfortable living, got to him. The end result was that he deserted Paul, just when the apostle needed him the most. Paul was in prison, he knew ()
he was going to die soon, and now one of the guys close to him was gone.
That can happen in life, right? A fellow Christian— someone close to us: perhaps another minister, another friend, or a relative — could end up turning back /from serving Jesus and going back to the world. Remember that the Bible tells us that if anyone loves the world and the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in them. You can’t love God and love the world at the same time; because the world is against God, and God is against this world system, with its vanity, its lust, and its pride. We can all agree that [seeing someone () we love turn away from Jesus] can be painful.
But notice what Paul writes to Timothy immediately /after having informed him of Demas’ desertion: He tells Timothy to bring him some people to help in the ministry, and to bring him his scrolls and his parchments. Here he was at the end of his life, having just suffered a disappointment with Demas, and he was still concerned about the ministry. Paul was saying, “Whether Demas has left me or not, I’m going to serve Jesus Christ! I’m going to fulfill God’s calling on my life!”
Many a Christian has gotten discouraged /when somebody close to them has turned away from the gospel and perhaps even renounced God. If we’re not careful, we can get distracted by it; by looking for too long at Demas and at his empty spot,
we’re going to take our eyes off Jesus. Paul is exhorting us, “No matter what anyone else does, keep your eyes on Jesus!”
You may be involved in a ministry or a local church and have learned that some of the people in the group have dropped out and haven’t stayed true to their commitment. While it may hurt you, you have to remember that you’re not going to answer for them; you’re going to answer for the commitment () you have made.
So don’t let anyone throw you off! Let them do what they’re going to do. Just pray, “Lord, give me the strength every day to follow you with all of my heart. I’m going to give you everything () I have; and whether other people appreciate it or not, whether they stay or leave, help me to keep my eyes on you!” The Lord will answer your prayer!
To be continued….
Read 2 Timothy 4:9-13.