|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
"For Demas hath forsaken me...."
Preached at the Voice in the Wilderness Conference 2003
Unity Baptist Church
Title:"For Demas hath forsaken me...."
Theme: What happens when we get worldly
Text: II Timothy 4:10
Intro: As we read the last words of Paul that was put into Scripture you can not but help to sense sadness in the words that Paul pens about his friend and fellow labourer in the work of God. You see Paul had mentioned Demas in at least two other places (Colossians 4:12-14 and Philemon 24) and there he was highly commended for being a great help to paul in the work of the ministry.
I am certain that we all know a Demas. I can think back to different times in my life and see men, women, boys and girls that seemed to be living a God honoring life and then one day they are out of Church. We think to ourselves how awful that is and what a tragedy but, we must understand "But for the Grace of God, there go I." I have had people to ask me do I think Demas was saved, my answer to that is, I really do not know however, let me answer that with this. First, If Demas was saved he still is, if he never repented of this then he missed out on many blessings in this present life and he will miss out out rewards in heaven. Secondly, if Demas is lost then he was never saved but was a false professor as spoken of in Matthew 7 and he is now burning in hell. However, I do want us to see how it can be that a child of God can get out into the world.
I. He looks with the eyes of the flesh instead of the eyes of faith.
A. Genesis 13:8-12 and Genesis 19. Lot lost his family and
testimony because he lifted up his eyes on the well watered
plains. We find no record of Lot building an altar and
worshipping before he made his decision nor, do we find him
praying about which direction he should go. He just lifted up his
eyes!!!! David did a similar thing with Bathsheba.
B. II Peter 2:7 Lot was a saved man. Because nowhere in
Scripture does is a lost man ever referred to as righteous.
C. When a person gets to trusting their eyes more than God they
are materialistoic and that shows a lack of faith. We are to
trust God for the necessities of every day life. Matthew 6:33
II. Worldliness
A. Romans 12:1-4 is the cure for worldliness.
B. If a person is consistently overtaken by the lusts of the flesh
and the power of this world and loves and revels in it then
understand that person has a much deeper spiritual problem
than just liking things. They need to be saved!!!! I John 2:12-17