Douglas Jacoby Podcast

NT Characters: Demas

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series on New Testament Characters today looking at the life of Demas. Douglas shares what we learn from his life and his story.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Leaders leave

• [[Campus minister secret sin atheist died alone Many leaders in my life it serving in other circles in which I moved involved in egregious sin or else gave up their faith altogether]]
• In scripture, we see that quite a few prominent leaders away from the path:
  • OT: Korah, Saul, Ahab... (Numbers 16;1 Samuel 13; 1 Kings 16; etc).  
  • NT: Judas, Hymenaeus & Philetus, Diotrephes... (John 13; 2 Timothy 2; 3 John; etc). 
• Many would-be disciples turned away from Jesus (John 6:60,66), including one of his own apostles (John 13:27).
• Demas was a ministry associate of the apostle Paul, and sadly not the only "high level" leader who abandoned the apostle. If it can happen to "the strong," it can happen to any of us.

Demas in Scripture
 

• Colossians 4:14 (c.60 AD)
• Philemon 24 (c.60 AD)
• 2 Timothy 4:10 (64-68 AD)
• In John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (1678), Demas is a deceiver who tries to persuade pilgrims to leave the narrow road for the sake of financial enrichment.
• We don't know exactly what it was that lured Demas away. Did Demas long to be popular (as his name suggests)? Had he become enamored of prestige? Was he entangled in commercial "civilian affairs"? Was there a woman, or had he been influenced by Paul's enemies? Or was he disillusioned ("fed up") with the ministry? Did he ever return, or had he crossed the point of return (what the Bible calls "falling away" [Hebrews 6, 10; 2 Peter 2]?) We may never know.
• It is even possible that his heart turned over a period of years. Leaving the Lord can happen quickly (Mark 4:17), or take place or over a period of many years.

Other passages referenced

• 1 John 2:15-17, 3:13, 4:5
• Galatians 6:14
• James 1:27, 4:4
• 2 Peter 1:4, 2:20; Matthew 7:6
• John 17:13-17; Ecclesiastes 4:4
   

Lessons drawn

• The world is attractive, corrupting, and seductive.
• Regardless of our level of spirituality or leadership, we are never beyond the reach of the tentacles of the world.
• That's why we are called to make a clean break with the world.
• For if it can happen to "the strong," it can happen to any of us.