Demas
One of the most heart-breaking verses in the Bible is II Timothy 4:10: "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world."
Like a bombshell dropped into a peaceful village, the Apostle Paul expresses personal pain that one he loved so much had turned and gone back to sin. The pastor's heart of Paul was wounded. Fellowship was broken. Good seed sown in good ground had grown up and flourished for a little while, only to wilt in the noonday sun.
How could it be that one who had been with the Apostle Paul, seen signs and wonders, seen and experienced the delivering hand of God, and evidenced the dedication of Paul through all manner of persecutions...would turn and go back to sin? Turn away from Christ. Break fellowship with other Christians. Choose a disastrous path of temporary pleasure in exchange for eternal life with Christ and saints in heaven?
I am a pastor. I too have felt the pain that Paul felt with Demas. I too have seen people turn away. I too have known sleepless nights thinking about people who once taught Sunday School, were deacons, sang in the choir, and gave strong testimony to their friends of their joy of salvation.
I too have watched as they chose weak things, little things, trivial things to tear them away from their faith. A family reunion one Sunday, vacation another, not feeling good another Sunday, tired-and-worn-out-stay-in-bed-one Sunday, had to work one Sunday, just needed time with family one Sunday, ran off to find God somewhere else one Sunday...
Have you ever thought about getting out in the middle of the road to try and stop a Mack Truck doing 100 MPH? I have. Figuratively, I have done it. I have risked offense to step into people's lives and warn them of the danger of their weak faith, their casual attitude toward God and his people.
There have been times when the Mack Truck stopped just in time. There have been other times when the Mack Truck ran right over me. I have listened to people say: "The Lord told me....", and what they said made no sense. I have listened to folks sound as if they had found a higher spirituality...as if they were now more holy than anyone else...
I have seen people turn and go away from God without even saying "Bye." Even as I write this letter I am thinking of a young woman who once was so dedicated, so involved, so committed, and with her family in church. Once in a while she comes to church...but seems to avoid encounter with God...husband is gone...another romance...
I wonder if backsliders ever consider that persons they have taught in Bible class, who have listened to them sing, that they have brought to church, that they led to the Lord...remember.
They remember when faith was intact. They remember when love was pure. They remember when witness of Christ was consistent with character lived. They remember and weep! They remember with an aching heart. They remember in fear, knowing that sin's wage is death (Romans 3:23a).
They remember in hope, knowing that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord (Romans 3:23b). They remember with prayer that prodigals will come home. They remember with hope that the children and families of prodigals will not be damaged to blame God for what they have seen in the lives of ungodly adults who think they can sin, while doing lip service to God, and inherit eternal life.
Jesus graciously shared the story of the prodigal son who came home. With such joy the father welcomed the son who was tired of sin.
Recently a family lost a 3 year-old son in an unfortunate accident. Part of my sharing with the family was to help them to understand that the pain never fully goes away, but the pain must be packaged and carried in the heart. Love given cannot be erased. People flippantly move from marriage to marriage, relationship to relationship, and say: "Well, that's over." It is a fiction of the mind. Love cannot forget.
And pastors do not forget. Pastors long to see people who have rebelled, who have gone out to sin, who have turned away from Christ...come home...back to the altar...back to their first love...back to fearing God...back to remembering that the weight of the cross is joyful in exchange for forgiveness of sins, rest of spirit, and promise of eternal life. Giving up sin is no sacrifice.
It strikes me as I finish this letter and wait for daylight to come that you may have a son, a daughter, or a friend who will benefit from reading this. Maybe you will leave this letter in a place where they will see it. Leave it with a prayer. Leave it in hopes that the Holy Spirit will speak to prodigals and call them home! I will pray with you. I will rejoice with you.
I am a pastor. I delight in seeing every Sunday hundreds of people who have come home to Jesus.
Pastor Bare
Proverbs 3:7: "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil..."