(KJV) Do Thy Diligence to Come Shortly Unto Me: 10 for Demas Hath Forsaken Me, Having

Demas, A Sad Love Story

2 Timothy 4:9-12 (KJV) Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

1. We are still looking at some sad stories of the Bible. Today we have a sad love story. 2. Remember Paul is now elderly, he is in prison at Rome he is soon to face the executioners axe. 3. He is writing to a young preacher named Timothy and he want Timothy to come to him as soon as he possibly can. 4. One of the main reasons he wanted Timothy to spare no effort in coming to him was that a fellow laborer Demas had deserted Paul in this dark hour. 5. Others that had been with Paul had gone to various ministries sad and only Luke, the author of Acts and the Gospel record bearing his name was left at Rome with Paul. 6. To understand the dynamic that is played out in the relationship of Paul and Demas we need to God to

1 John 2:15-17 (KJV) 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

7. These same three descriptions of the world are the reason for the fall, and were the ways the Devil tempted Christ in Matthew 4. 8. This sad love story says to us, “ We must stay engaged in the work of Christ .” 9. There is three not to obvious reasons that we need to stay engaged in the work of Christ.

I. The first reason we need to stay engaged in the work of Christ is so that a vacancy is not left for someone else to fill, 2 Timothy 4:9-10.

2 Timothy 4:9-10 (KJV) Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

A. Notice in the text in verse 9, Paul wants Timothy to hurry to Him. B. Verse 10 begins with the word “for” or we might say because. C. So, Paul’s desire for Timothy to come shortly is closely related to the desertion of Demas. D. It left a vacancy in the ministry. E. We are not told if Demas gave notice or just one evening under the cover of darkness sneaked away, but Paul did know where he went and why he left. F. When the work of God is deserted often someone else has to step up maybe even leaving another endeavor.

II. The second reason we need to stay engaged in the work of Christ is so leaders are not affected negatively by our desertion, 2 Timothy 4:11.

2 Timothy 4:11 (KJV) Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

A. Paul is almost if not totally in tears. B. Demas’ desertion must have caused Paul some dark days and lonely nights. C. I am sure it sent him to his knees and he found strength in the grace of Christ. D. After all we can do nothing apart from Christ. E. He would be alone if Luke were not with Him. F. Yet the work must go on for it is too important to leave undone. G. Leaders and our fellow Christians are affected negatively when we chose the world over Christ more than we will ever know.

III. The third reason we need to stay engaged in the work of Christ is that we might have a Godly legacy, 2 Timothy 4:9-12.

A. Demas is mentioned three times in the New Testament. B. If we had only the other two references we would think Demas a faithful coworker and loyal friend of Paul. C. However, we do have this passage. D. The legacy that Demas could have had was lost because he loved the present world. E. Our legacy is damaged when we chose the world over Christ and may never be repaired.