Title: Am I a person like Demas or Mark?
TLCC is a Presbyterian Church that is based in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. It is a cozy church with congregation from various nationalities. The Lord’s Covenant Church believes the bible is inerrant and the church actively participates in organizing History of Redemption Seminars through out Malaysia churches.
Apostle Paul confessed “he has fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith.” He received thirty-nine lashes 5 times, had shipwreck 3 times and spent one whole day in open sea (2 Tim 4:7, 2 Cor 11:23-27). Physically speaking, Apostle Paul became a complete loser and failure because of Jesus. Nevertheless, because he believed Jesus as ‘a Creator and a Savior’, he consider his life worth nothing to him but spent his entire life to testify the gospel of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).
Apostle Paul was imprisoned two times. After the first imprisonment, Apostle Paul was released with the condition that he can only travel within 3 miles from his place (Acts 28:30-31). However, when he preparing the 4th mission trip, the Roman Emperor ordered to kill Apostle Paul, thus he was imprisoned for the 2nd time. This time Apostle Paul was chained and was not given the freedom to move around. Sensing that the day of his martyrdom is not far away, Apostle Paul asked the son of faith, Timothy to pay an urgent visit to him. In that letter, Apostle Paul explained to Timothy about a few people whom he can and cannot with in the future ministry. Who are they? What does this story teach us today?
- Demas
According to Philemon 1:24, Demas was a fellow worker of Apostle Paul in the beginning. The heart of Apostle Paul was with the heart of Jesus, thus the heart of Demas was also with the heart of Jesus. However, when difficulty and suffering come, Demas desired to have a trouble-free life, he left Apostle Paul. Demas was with Apostle Paul during the 1st imprisonment. However, during the 2nd imprisonment, Demas saw that the level of restriction upon Apostle Paul became more severe, and news about Apostle Paul will be put to death became more evident. So, he left Apostle Paul and went to Thessalonia.
Demas was mentioned 2 times in the Bible
- Demas, my fellow worker
Philemon 1:24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
This is when the heart of Demas was completely with the heart of Apostle Paul
- Demas (No extra description)
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
This is when Demas fell into temptation and grew cold. He was doing his work and ministry but only out of obligation. Demas lost interest and passion, and did not feel any responsibility of the works and ministries he was involved.
- Demas who loved the world and destroyed me (2 Tim 4:10)
Calvin in his commentary says that Demas, looking at the situation that Apostle Paul was imprisoned, felt his personal danger and ran away. Also, a theologian and scholar Lenski says that Demas didn’t only forsake Apostle Paul but the faith towards Christ. Demas who began his serving as a fellow worker of Apostle Paul, ended his serving as a betrayer and traitor. The moment he became the enemy of Apostle Paul, he became the enemy of gospel and God Himself (2 Tim 4:7-8).
We shouldn’t become Demas today. Demas was the fellow worker of spreading the Word of God and praying for the kingdom of God. But he chose a comfortable life over suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. He couldn’t see the success in Jesus Christ but the success in this world. He couldn’t see the invisible world of the Word of God but the visible reality of today. That’s why he deserted Apostle Paul and went to the world.
- Mark
In the 5th day of the Passion Week, when Roman soldiers and servants of high priests came to seize Jesus with swords and torches, Mark was there too (Mark 14:51-52). The person who wore a linen sheet and ran away naked refers to Mark. He betrayed Jesus by not protecting Him until the end.
Later, when his uncle Barnabas was going to a mission trip with Apostle Paul, he asked Mark to go together. Mark followed at first however because of the difficulties and harshness of a mission trip, he ran away without a word to Apostle Paul. Mark’s mother and uncle Barnabas were disappointed at him. But the person who greatly offended and disappointed at him was Apostle Paul. Later, Barnabas asked Apostle Paul to give him a second choice, Apostle Paul refused so badly that Apostle Paul and Barnabas couldn’t work together (Acts 15:36-41).
Mark followed Barnabas to Syria and Cilicia and strengthens the churches. Mark betrayed Apostle Paul but repented and returned to do the work of God (2 Tim 4:11).
If you have made a mistake before God, no matter how great the mistake is, please repent. If we repent, even the one who betrayed Jesus or the man of God can be accepted and be used again. On the other hand, no matter how great family you are from, if there is no repentance and no return, God cannot use you anymore.
My beloved brothers and sisters, let’s repent and return to God. And, if there is anyone who you think if he or she stayed in this church, he or she would be very useful for the work of God or if there is anyone left this church because of your mistake, please pray for him or her, so that they also repent and return to this church and to God.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 