(Clip) A Caution to Young, Culture Embracing Evangelicals
John Piper warns young, culture-embracing evangelicals that a love for the present world is incompatible with faithful ministry and can lead to abandonment of Christ and the gospel.
This sermon focuses on the cautionary tale of Demas, who abandoned Paul and the ministry due to his love for the world. It highlights the danger of becoming worldly in ministry, leading to either abandonment or ineffective service. The message emphasizes the need for deep love for Jesus that is incompatible with the love for the present age and culture, which can hinder true ministry and witness.
Full Transcript
Verse 10, Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Now I admit, I do not know if he repented. There's nothing in the Bible that says he did or didn't.
There's no evidence that he did, but surely all of us, at least those who are older, know ministers who have forsaken their partners and left the ministry, left the faith, and as far as we know, never returned. We know people like that. I think Paul wants Timothy here to feel not only a preparation for this sorrow in ministry.
This happens, Timothy, I'm telling you it happened to me, so that you'll be ready when it happens to you. I think he also wants to hear the cause so that he can avoid that and doesn't ever do it. In other words, not ever is abandoned and doesn't ever abandon because he's seen the cause here.
Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me. There is a love for the world that makes ministry impossible. There is a love for the world that produces either the abandonment of ministry or the making of ministry so worldly it's useless.
That happens as often. So if a minister starts to become worldly, he's got two choices. Leave the ministry or make the ministry worldly.
Then he can survive. Demas couldn't. Why? Paul! It wasn't going to happen on Paul's team.
So here's a caution to young, and I say old, but I think especially young, culture-embracing evangelical Christians. You need to ponder Demas a long time. In love with this present world, he found ministry with Paul impossible.
And he left it. There is a love for the world. There's a love for this present age, this God-ignoring, God-denying, God-demeaning, Christ-distorting products of culture that is mutually exclusive with real, deep love for Jesus.
There's a love for this world that is irreconcilable with ministry to the world. The ministry of exposing the world. The ministry of witnessing to the world.
The ministry of rescuing people from the world. None of that's going to happen very well if you just love it. And they think you're just one of them.
So, young Timothy and young Bethlehem, remember, more people leave Christ, and more people leave church, and more people leave ministry out of love for the world than anything else.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Example of Demas
- Demas loved the present world and deserted Paul
- Uncertainty about Demas' repentance
- Real-life examples of ministry abandonment
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II. The Cause of Abandonment
- Love for the world makes ministry impossible
- Two choices for worldly ministers: leave or make ministry worldly
- Paul’s team demands faithfulness
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III. A Caution to Young Evangelicals
- Culture-embracing Christians must ponder Demas’ example
- Love for the world is incompatible with love for Jesus
- Ministry requires exposing and rescuing from the world
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IV. The Consequences of Loving the World
- More people leave Christ and ministry due to love for the world
- Worldly love leads to ineffective witness
- Call to remain faithful despite cultural pressures
Key Quotes
“Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” — John Piper
“There is a love for this present age, this God-ignoring, God-denying, God-demeaning, Christ-distorting products of culture that is mutually exclusive with real, deep love for Jesus.” — John Piper
“More people leave Christ, and more people leave church, and more people leave ministry out of love for the world than anything else.” — John Piper
Application Points
- Evaluate your love for the world and its influence on your faith and ministry.
- Commit to a ministry that resists cultural compromise and remains faithful to Christ.
- Prepare yourself for challenges in ministry by learning from the example of Demas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Demas and why is he significant?
Demas was a companion of Paul who deserted him because he loved the present world, serving as a warning about the dangers of worldliness in ministry.
What does it mean to love the world in this context?
It refers to embracing the values and culture that deny or demean God, which is incompatible with genuine Christian ministry.
Why might ministers abandon their calling?
Many leave ministry due to a love for worldly things that makes faithful service difficult or impossible.
What is the main warning to young evangelicals?
They are cautioned to avoid embracing culture in a way that compromises their love for Jesus and their ministry.
How can believers avoid falling into worldliness?
By focusing on loving Jesus deeply and committing to faithful ministry that exposes and rescues from the world.