A Tale of Two Christians

• A Tale of Two Christians
• 2 Timothy 4:9-22
• 2 Timothy 4:9-22
• 2 Timothy 4:9-22 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica — Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry….
• We all need each other – everyone is important, God made us for community …
• Each of us is needed…
• Judges 7:21 And every man stood in his place ...
• Ezekiel 22:30 I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me ...
• Ephesians 4:1 walk worthy of the calling with which you were called ...

• A Tale of Two Christians
• Demas
• Demas … at one time a very helpful companion to Paul
• Colossians 4:14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.
• Philemon 23-24 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

• But now a disappointment …
• 2 Timothy 4:10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica ….
• A living example …
• Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters ..."
• James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

• Demas teaches us …
• Our adversary the devil never gives up on us …
– Luke 4:13 when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

• Never underestimate the enemy …
• We gradually become complacent …
• He blinds us to the dangers …
• Heed the warnings …
• Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
• 1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
• Demas also teaches …
• Family and friends can’t take you to heaven …
• Demas was a friend of Paul …
• Heard him preach, saw him write, perform miracles …
• You can have strong spiritual friends …. But close friends can’t take us to heaven
• Meet John Mark …
• 11 Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
• John Mark’s past …
• Acts 13:13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
• What John Mark teaches us …
• Everyone sometimes needs honest truth …
– 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
• Rebuke is tough on the one doing the rebuking…
• Also on the one receiving the rebuke …
• John also teaches …
• Everybody occasionally needs a second chance
• Our failures do not have to be fatal …
• What’s the difference between these two men?
• Demas’ heart was not satisfied with Christ … he was not willing to count the cost …
• What’s the difference between these two men?
• Demas’ heart was not satisfied with Christ … he was not willing to count the cost …

• As you wish ….
• At the heart of all communication with God is the whisper, “As you wish”….
• The ultimate question in every life….
THY WILL BE DONE
• A Tale of Two Christians
• 2 Timothy 4:9-22