Everybody Loves a Parade

Brass Bands and Huge Balloons

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. The homecoming parade in your hometown. 

It seems the old saying is right on target. Everybody loves a parade. 

I mean what’s not to love? Brass bands. Colorful floats. Huge balloons. Even Shriners driving those itty bitty motorcycles!

A One Person Parade

But the Gospel of Mark describes one parade a couple of thousand years ago that’s VERY different from any other (Mk 11:1-11). Oh, there’s a HUGE crowd. Folks are going crazy, throwing coats and waving leaves!

Instead of bands, floats, and balloons, there appears to be just one Person in the procession. The grand marshal seems to be some rural Rabbi riding on young donkey.

This particular parade has earned the name Palm Sunday. We’ll see why in a moment. It’s the day that Jesus comes riding into town like the Hero He is. The problem is that He’s NOT the Hero people want Him to be.

From Jericho to Jerusalem

We pick up the action in the suburbs of ancient Jerusalem, on the far side of the Mount of Olives. “As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethpage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives” (v1).

Christ and His crew have just left Jericho (Mk 10:46-52). That’s where a blind beggar named Bartimaeus not only saw Jesus for who He really is but had his vision restored in the process.

Christ’s Coming out Party

The crazy thing about that is our Savior has tried three separate times to tell His team that He’s Messiah, the One God has promised for centuries to send (Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34). Despite it all, the guys just don’t get it (Mk 8:32-33; 9:32; 10:35-37).

After keeping His messianic identity on the down low for the past three and a half years, Jesus is about to go public. Palm Sunday is His coming out party. The problem is, He’s NOT the kind of Hero they’re hoping for. Keep that point in your hip pocket.

Celebrating Passover

It’s the perfect time for Him to reveal His identity. Thousands of people are pouring into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. As the Jewish people remember God’s deliverance from Egyptian oppression, could there be a better time for Him to send Messiah to deliver them from the Romans?

A Tale of Two Towns

Jesus and His boys hitting the big city by way of Bethpage and Bethany. Both of these towns are sit on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, a 2,700 foot mountain just east of Jerusalem.

Bethpage means “house of unripe figs.” Imagine that slogan on your water tower or city sign. The writers of Bible don’t mention it anywhere else except in the story of Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem.

Bethany is the more famous of the two towns. It’s the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. It’s also the scene of one of Jesus’ most talked about miracles. You’ve probably heard about it. The one where the Lord raises Laz from the dead so he can thank folks for coming his own funeral (Jn 11:1-44).

Donkey Rustlers

As they get closer to the two towns, Christ asks a couple of members of His team to do Him a big favor. “Jesus sent two of them ahead” (v1). We don’t know which two. What we do know is that He of sends folks out in pairs. Why? We’re always better together (Ecc 4:9-12).

Our Savior gives the disciple duo some rather crazy instructions. “Go into that village over there…As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here” (v2). What? You want us to steal a donkey for You?

“That village over there” (v2) is probably Bethpage. Why else would Mark even mention it? The Greek word the NLT translates as “young donkey” (Gr. πωλος/polos) describes a young livestock animal. Matt and Luke tell us this is a donkey (Mt 21:2; Lk 19:30).

A Holy Purpose

So what’s the deal with a young, unridden donkey? I’m so glad you asked. First of all, Jews considered animals that had never been ridden as perfect for a holy purpose.

Second, this fulfills Zechariah’s prediction about the coming Messiah. “Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt” (Zech 9:9).

Instead of Christ coming into town pulled by a team of Clydesdales or in the backseat of a limo, He’ll be riding a juvenile jenny. For Jews who’ve been waiting for their Hero from heaven, this is a big deal. It’s Jesus’ not-so-subtle way of letting folks know exactly who He is. 

Borrowing a Baby Burro

He tells the two disciples what to say if and when somebody says something. “If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon’” (v3). 

Our Savior knows that someone will ask what’s going on. It appears that Jesus had enough of a rep in the region at this point that the owner or anyone else will know who’s asking to borrow the baby burro. 

It comes as no surprise that this goes down just as the Lord says (v4-6). The pair finds the colt tied on the street. Some folks ask what they’re doing. The disciples respond and they go on their merry way.

Failing to Connect the Prophetic Dots

Once Christ has the colt, He’s ready to roll. “Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and He sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields” (v7-8).

But like so many times before, the Lord’s closest followers don’t make the connection. His team doesn’t connect the prophetic dots until AFTER His resurrection (Jn 12:16).

The Red Carpet Treatment

Clothes on the colt? More robes and branches on the road? Kind of a crazy way to throw a parade, don’t you think? You see, back in the day, this is how you welcome a new king.

Historians say throwing your clothes on the road as a welcome mat is the way people show their submission to the authority of their new king. It’s exactly how Jehu’s friends respond when they find out he’s the next king of Israel (2Ki 9:13).

Think of it as giving the Son of God the red carpet treatment!

A Ticker Tape Parade

While the original Greek version of this passage in Mark doesn’t specifically say these are palm branches, chances are that they were. That’s because palm fronds are big deal to the Hebrew people.

Hans Bayer writes in the ESV Study Bible that Jews would use them to celebrate big military victories. Kind of like a ticker tape parade through Manhattan. Palm branches are also part of the Festival of Tabernacles. You’d even see them on Jewish coins and in the decor of local synagogues.

Ready to Toss Your Coat?

And guess what we see when the Apostle John describes gives us a sneak peek at the future royal tribute to the resurrected Jesus. The huge crowd cheers for the risen Lamb with “palm branches in their hands” (Rev 7:9).

You and I may never have a chance to toss our coat before Christ or wave a limb full of leaves in His honor. But do we willingly submit to His authority? Do we do what He says? Do we openly cheer His victory over sin and death? 

A BIG Crowd

Plenty of skeptics have said this wasn’t really a big deal. Maybe a couple of dozen folks. Certainly nothing more than a blip on radar screen of the big Passover party. 

There are a few problems with that idea. Three of Jesus’ biographers describe the folks gathered as a big crowd (Mt 21:8; Lk 19:36; Jn 12:36-37). The number of people in attendance was large enough to trigger a warning light on the dashboard of the Pharisees (Jn 12:39).

Messiah in the Middle 

The crowd is big. Large. Even huge. You can bet the Lord’s entourage has exploded over the past couple of weeks. People who’ve heard Him speak. People whom He’s healed. People who witnessed miracles like the the raising of Lazarus (Jn 12:17-18).

Mark lets us know that this is a LOUD crowd! And Messiah is smack dab in the middle of it. “Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting” (v9). Did He use His parade wave? I’m guessing no.

Singing and Chanting

The aren’t just randomly cheering Jesus. They’re actually singing and chanting the lyrics of ancient songs. Ever been to a soccer game when the fans bust out singing together? 

“Praise God! Blessings on the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in the highest heaven!” (v9-10).

Our Hero Is Here!

This is straight out of what Jews call the Hallel, which are Psalms 113-118. They would sing this set of special praise songs at all the big festivals, ESPECIALLY Passover. And guess who these psalms are about? If you said “Messiah,” you’re a winner!

“Praise God” (Gr. ‘ωσαννα/hosanna) is actually an old Hebrew expression for God to come to the rescue. It’s a divine 9-1-1. In this case, the people are using it as a cheer because that long awaited Hero is finally here!!

The Great I Am

The people are singing, “Blessings on the One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v9). Back in Psalm 118, “Lord” is actually referring to Yahweh. That’s actually God’s personal name which He tells Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14-16). 

Did you catch that? The lyrics they’re quoting directly connect the God who freed the Jews from Egypt with the Son of the Carpenter from Galilee. In their eyes, He is the Great I Am.

God’s Promise to David

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all describe in detail Jesus’ victory parade into Jerusalem. But Mark’s the only one to include this chant from the crowd: “Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!” (v10).

With these words, the people at the parade acknowledge that Dude riding the little donkey has come to fulfill God’s promise to King David (2Sam 7). It’s no coincidence that Rabbi from Galilee is a direct descendant of David on BOTH sides of His human parents (Mt 1:1-17; Lk 3:23-38).

And the Crowd Goes Wild!

Jesus is the everything the Jewish people have been waiting for…all rolled into one! Messiah to the rescue ! King forever! To say the crowd goes wild may be the understatement of century!!

These folks lining the road clearly believe Jesus will be the One coming to their rescue and kick their Roman oppressors out of their country. Little do they realize that Christ has come for something MUCH bigger than that. He’s here to punch sin and death in the throat once and for all.

What Happens Next?!?

Imagine the scene. Passover pilgrims pack the city. Hatred for Rome is at an all-time high. And now the Hero everyone has been waiting thousands of years for has rolled into town and come to the rescue.

What will happen next?!? What’s Jesus going to do?!? Buckle up, boys and girls.

Assessing the Situation 

Mark picks up the action as Christ heads straight to the temple mount. “So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything…” (v11). 

Our Savior studies the scene. He takes it all in. Nothing escapes His gaze of the temple grounds. He assesses the situation. 

Can’t you just see the crowd going crazy?!? They just know their Messiah/King will finally make things right. You can cut the anticipation with knife!

He Does WHAT?!?

So what does Jesus do?!? You’re never going to believe it! “He left because it was late in the afternoon. Then He returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples” (v11).

Wait…what? He leaves? 

No riot. No takeover. No revolution. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. He just looks and leaves.

Talk about an Anti-Climax!

William Lane Craig sums it up WAY better than I can. “You see, the crowd thought that at last God’s anointed king had come…And so amid shouting and singing, with the crowds surrounding him on all sides, Jesus rides in through the eastern gate of Jerusalem, into the Temple precincts, and does—nothing! He does nothing.

“Talk about an anti-climax! Jesus doesn’t cleanse the Temple; he doesn’t lead the mob against the Roman fortress; he doesn’t even give a stirring speech. He just looks around and leaves!” 

The Palm Sunday Letdown

Could this be the beginning of the end for Jesus? Could this help explain why the huge crowd would cheer His arrival on Sunday but scream for His death on Friday? Does it all begin with the Palm Sunday letdown?

Is this why the crowds go from chanting for Him to disenchanted in Him in less than a week? The problem is that He came to do what they NEEDED, not what they wanted.

Will I Bail Too?

What does this have to do with you and me? Here’s the question on the table. When Jesus doesn’t do what I want, will I bail on Him too? 

Mike Lee of Hope Community Church pulls no punches when it comes to being disappointed with God. He asks each of us how will we respond the next time something we hoped for, expected, and sacrificed for doesn’t end up happening.

A Shameful Exit

Mike points to a shameful exit from Jerusalem rather than a triumphant arrival for how we should react. When David’s son Absalom overthrows his father, the king hits the road out of town.

As he leaves, David tells his closest friends that he’s willing to accept whatever God has for him. “Let Him do what seems best to Him” (2Sam 15:26). Not exactly the same reaction we see from the crowd cheering Jesus’ arrival.

He Will NEVER Leave Us Hanging

So what’s our response when God doesn’t do what we hope for or what we expect? Will we turn our backs on Him? Will we bail on Him? Or will we let Him do what seems best to Him?

One thing for sure. He will NEVER leave us hanging. He’ll ALWAYS be there. He will never leave us or forsake us.

One Final Parade

As a matter of fact, Jesus didn’t punk out on His mission to defeat sin and death on a Roman cross when everybody ditched Him in His darkest hour. And get this. On Friday, there was one final parade on the Way of Sorrows to the Place of the Skull. 

Jesus knew full well that the cheers on Sunday would turn to jeers on Friday. He headed down the Mount of Olives before going up Calvary for you and me. The crowd may have turned on Him but He never turned around.

©2019

Jay Jennings

The Mail Man

“Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus” (2Tim 4:12).

Coming through in the Clutch

NBA great Karl Malone earned one of the greatest nicknames of all time. “The Mail Man.” What does playing basketball have to do with being a letter carrier? The hall of famer always delivered. Fans and teammates could count on Karl to come through in the clutch.

Long before Dr. Naismith cut the bottom out of the peach basket, there was another Mail Man. His name was Tychicus. He was one of the true go-to guys in the early church. The early followers of Jesus could count on him to come through in the clutch. The Big T always delivered.

Paul’s Final Words

Here in the final words of Paul, we see Tychicus’ reliability once again. The year is sometime around 66-67 AD. The apostle is walking the Green Mile as a condemned man in a Roman prison (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). He writes one last letter to a young pastor named Timothy (2Tim 1:2).

The epistle has a pair of overriding purposes. First, Paul looks to handoff the ministry of the Gospel to his spiritual son (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Second, he wants to see Tim’s face one last time before his execution (2Tim 4:9, 21). 

The Apostle Gets Personal

As he lands the plane on this last letter, the apostle gets personal. He updates Tim on the rest of the team. Demas has deserted him (2Tim 4:10). He’s sent Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia on assignment (2Tim 4:10).

At this point, only his old buddy Luke is by his side (2Tim 4:11). He tells Tim to grab their old friend Mark and head to Rome so they can get the band back together one final time (2Tim 4:11).

An Underrated Dude

Which brings us to the Mail Man. “Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus” (v12). When we combine this verse with everything else the writers of the New Testament have to say about the Big T, we get a picture of a clutch performer.

I gotta tell you, I think Tychicus might one of the most underrated dudes in the entire Bible. No, he doesn’t get the ink of other folks like Titus, Barnabas, or Silas. People don’t name their sons Tychicus. He may not make headlines but he’s an awesome example of someone God uses as a faithful and courageous servant.

An Apostolic Recommendation

This guy is a biblical beast (in a good way!). Check it out. Dr. Luke lets us know that Mr. T is from Asia (modern day Turkey) and was buddies with another believer named Trophimus (Acts 20:4). That’s because Paul handpicked him to be part of the team responsible for delivering the relief money from various churches back to Jesus’ followers under persecution in Jerusalem.

Paul gives Tychicus his props in a couple of letters to local churches. He recommends him as “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph 6:21) to the folks in Ephesus. 

Meanwhile the apostle goes one step further in a note to the Colossians and adds “fellow servant” (Col 4:7) to his endorsement. I don’t know about you, but a reference from the Apostle Paul would look pretty sweet on any resume.

The Big T clearly proved himself to be somebody Paul could count on to deliver. As matter of fact, he was the courier for at least three of Paul’s letters to Ephesus, Colossae, and his buddy Philemon. There’s also a pretty good chance the apostle leaned on him to carry a note to Titus as well as this last letter to Timothy.

Coming out of the Bullpen

Tychicus did a lot more than transport documents. He may well have come out of the bullpen to relieve Titus in his work on the island of Crete. “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (Titus 3:12).

Which brings us to what Paul writes here in chapter four of 2nd Timothy. “Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus” (v12). In the previous verse, the apostle tells Tim to get Mark and hit the road for Rome. Our last location for Pastor Tim was leading the big Ephesian church Paul planted a few years back (1Tim 1:3).

Sent with Authority

Paul makes it clear that he’s dispatched Tychicus as his special rep. He uses a word the ESV translates as “sent” (Gr. αποστελλω/apostello), which means to be sent with authority or special commission. It comes from the same root word as “apostle,” an official representative in the Greco-Roman world.

It’s the very same word we read when Jesus prays to His Heavenly Dad for His followers. “As You sent (Gr. αποστελλω/apostello) Me into the world, so I have sent (Gr. αποστελλω/apostello) them into the world” (John 17:18). 

The Father sent the Son on a rescue mission. The Son sends us to tell others the Gospel. Paul sends Tychicus to relieve Tim so he can see his mentor one last time.

Time after time, Tychicus faithfully delivers. As we’ve already seen, he hand-carried three of Paul’s prison epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, probably on the very same delivery. 

If that doesn’t impress you, imagine being the person the apostle trusts with what he knows will be the last letter of his life. The Big T is one amazing messenger. The Mail Man always delivers.

On Mission with the Message

Like Tychicus, we’re all on a mission. In many ways, it’s the very same assignment. While we don’t have the original handwritten letters of Paul, we have been entrusted to carry the life-changing message of Jesus to the world. The message of forgiveness and grace found only in Christ.

God’s message of grace MUST get through. People’s lives hang in the balance. But I’ve got good news for you about the Good News. We’re not traveling alone. Jesus Himself is at our side. And He’ll make sure you and I succeed if we accept the assignment.

The Mail Man delivered. Will we?

©2017 

Jay Jennings

Ditched by Demas

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2Tim 4:10).

“No mas!”

It was the long awaited rematch between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. Duran was the tough-as-nails welterweight champ with the infamous hands of stone. But that night in the Superdome, Sugar Ray took control of the fight and began to taunt Duran.

Then something happened that nobody saw coming. With just seconds to go in the eighth round, the champ turned his back on Leonard and waved his boxing glove at the referee. “No mas!” That’s Spanish for “no more.” Instead of punching back, Duran punked out.

When Your Buddy Bails

So what in the Wide World of Sports does a boxer bailing in a bout have to do with an apostle in prison? According to Paul, one of his closest friends threw in the towel in the final rounds.

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Paul doesn’t go into specifics but his buddy has bailed. He’s been ditched by Demas.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

This is probably a good time to zoom out to see the context of what’s going here. It’s sometime around 66-67 AD. The place is Rome’s Mamertine Prison, Caesar’s SuperMax. The Apostle Paul is writing what will be the last letter of his life. He’s behind bars on Death Row (2Tim 1:6, 12, 1; 2:9; 4:6-7).

With his final hours ticking down like the clock on “24,” Paul fires off a frantic note to Timothy, his spiritual son and “my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). He writes with a pair of purposes. First, he’s officially making the handoff of ministry to the young preacher (2Tim 2:1-4:4). Second, he begs his protege for one last visit (2Tim 4:9; 21).

Which brings us to Demas’ desertion. There’s a pretty good chance that Paul needs Tim because someone who’s name starts with “D” and ends with “emas” dropped out. Or as as they say in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” he’s done “r-u-n-n-o-f-t!”

Who Is Demas?

Just who is this guy and why did he abandon the apostle in his darkest hour? Looking back on his other mentions in the New Testament, Demas seems to be exactly the kind of guy who would stick by your side when the chips are down.

Just five years ago during a previous time in the big house, he was right there with Paul. In a letter to Colossian believers from prison, the apostle wants them to know, “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas” (Col 4:14). During the same incarceration, he tells his friend Philemon that Ephaphras “sends his greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers” (Phm 23-24).

This Present World

So what changed? Why has one of the most dedicated members of Paul’s posse flown the coop? Why did Demas say “no mas”? (Okay, it probably wasn’t in Spanish but Greek.)

While the apostle doesn’t get into specifics of Demas going AWOL, he does say that he’s “in love with this present world” (v10). Paul’s buddy had a choice to make. Stay with Paul or hit the road. And it becomes crystal clear that whatever he means by the phrase “this present world,” it did not involve hanging out in a Roman dungeon.

In the prequel to this letter, Paul uses this very same phrase when writing to Timothy about the top one percent. “As for the rich in this present world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1Tim 6:17, emphasis added).

Chasing Fads

The ESV translates the Greek word αιων/aion as “world.” Just to be clear, Paul’s NOT talking about planet. This term describes an era, age or a specific time period. It can also mean the system of practices and standards associated with secular society apart from the requirements of God.

That being the case, you can literally translate that Demas “has loved the age that now is” (v10). The Message nails it by saying Paul’s partner is off “chasing fads” (v10 The Message). Instead of standing by the apostle’s side, he’s decided to chase what’s trendy, hip, and hot.

No, I’m not saying Demas dumped Paul to play Pokemon Go while putting his hair in a First Century man-bun. He simply got distracted by the current stuff of life. The right now  in Demas’ life totally overwhelmed the eternal.

Hmm, sound familiar? Plenty of folks think the Bible is a dusty, old collection of well-intended but horribly outdated fairy tales. Church might have been good for Memaw back in the day, but I need something more chic. Gimme something current. Gimme something hip. Gimme something hot.

The Urgent Versus the Important

Don’t pull a Demas and mistake what’s urgent for what’s important. The Gospel allows us to look at life through the wide angle lens of eternity. We see what has enduring value. Just a hint, that value isn’t found binging the latest hot show on Netflix.

If you’re scoring at home, we’re talking about relationships. A relationship with God. Relationships with people. Those are SO important that Jesus said they are the secret sauce of obedience to the entire entire Old Testament (Mt 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31). So, yeah, loving others is kind of a big deal. Like a big, hairy eternal deal.

Let’s put all our cards on the table. You and I are whole lot more like Demas than we are Paul. We’re probably the folks Jesus was talking about when He compared spreading the Gospel in various soil conditions. “The cares of the world (Gr. αιων/aion) and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word” and the Good News never thrives (Mk 4:19).

IN the World or OF the World?

So how do we live in “this present age” (v10) and not give in to it? How do we live IN the world and not be OF the world? Paul knew believers in Rome would face these very same challenges as we do. “Do not be conformed to this world (Gr. αιων/aion), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

In other words, don’t let the culture shape you from the outside. Let God’s Word shape you from the inside. The only real hope of not falling for the latest fads is allowing the Lord give you a brand new mind. A mind just like His that thinks like He thinks. Or as Paul tells the folks in Corinth, “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16).

Left in the Lurch

How deep was Demas’ fascination with “this present age” (v10). Well, the apostle says he “has deserted me” (v10). Paul uses a Greek verb (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) which paints a picture of abandoning someone in a desperate situation or leaving them in the lurch. It’s from a root word which means to leave destitute or distraught.

It should come as no shock that this is EXACTLY the same word used to translate Jesus’ heartbreaking cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) Me” (Mt 27:46). Our Savior experienced the ultimate abandonment so that we never have to. You can bet the apostle counts on that as he writes Tim.

On the Road to Thessalonica

The apostle does tell us that Demas has hit the road “and gone to Thessalonica” (v10).  In the First Century, it was the capital of Macedonia. Thessalonica was a commercial hub sitting smack dab along a major Roman highway with direct access to shipping on the Aegean Sea. If this wasn’t Demas’ hometown, it certainly was a happening town.

If the name of the place rings a bell, it should. Luke records that Paul had a rather short but eventful stay in Thessalonica. Planted a church there (Acts 17:1-4). Stirred up a real hornets nest there (Acts 17:5-9). Got chased out of there (Acts 17:10). And later, wrote a couple of letters to believers there.

Crescens to Galatia

Paul tells Timothy how of a couple of other members of his team that have moved on. “Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Sure seems like the apostle sees their departures more like assignments than abandonment.

So who’s this dude Crescens? This is the first, last, and only mention of his name in the entire Bible. There’s some speculation outside the NT that he might given his life for the Gospel while on mission in Galatia.

One thing is for certain, he must have been one of Paul’s go-to guys to make such an important trip to help disciples at his very first multisite church plant in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:13-14:23).

While Crescens is a bit of mystery man, the third man Paul mentions is much more familiar. Titus was one of Paul’s closest friends next to Timothy and possibly Luke. He’s clearly well-known over in the Corinthian church as well (2Cor 2:13; 7:6, 13-14; 8:6, 16,23; 12:18; 13:14).

Titus to Dalmatia

Last time we checked in on Titus, he was on the island of Crete. Paul instructs him to wrap up the work already started in local churches which included finding spiritual leaders (Titus 1:5). At the end of his letter to Titus, Paul asked him to meet him in Nicopolis to spend the winter together (Titus 3:12). Did the apostle send him to Dalmatia from there?

No, Titus was NOT sharing the Gospel with spotted dogs riding on firetrucks. Dalmatia is in southern Europe just north of Greece. It’s in the modern day nation of Croatia in the Balkans. Paul’s life may be on the line but the message of Jesus is on the move.

Step into Demas’ Sandals
 
Which brings us back to Demas. It’s easy to see ourselves as the apostle in this story. How many times has someone we thought we could trust left us swinging in the breeze at exactly the wrong moment? If you’re like most of us, you’ve lost count. You think somebody’s got your back. But when you turn around at the moment of truth, all get are crickets.

Once again, things get kinda messy for you and me at this point. Let’s all take a moment to climb down off our high horse and step into Demas’ sandals. Yeah, you read that right. How many times have I turned tail and run when times got tough? How many times have YOU quietly exited stage left when someone thought you had their back? Gulp.

Trusting in the Trustworthy

There are a couple of important takeaways. First of all, Demas’ desertion certainly breaks Paul’s heart, but the man from Tarsus knows better than to place his hope in anyone but Jesus. As he told Tim a little earlier, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 2:13).

It’s no surprise that Christ’s faithfulness is a mega-theme throughout Scripture. Just before heading home to Heaven, the Lord promised us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The author of Hebrews repeats God’s pledge to Joshua, “I will never leave you nor forsake (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) you” (Heb 13:5; Josh 1:5). Hey! Look! There’s that same word Paul used to describe Demas’ desertion…except this time it has a “NOT” with it!! Our Savior will never leave you hanging. Ever.

Restoring Runaways

The other big takeaway is not making the mistake of throwing Demas under the chariot. We don’t know what happened. Even if he did punk out on Paul, we don’t know if he repented and served his Savior faithfully in the future.

Think that’s not possible? In the very next verse the apostle tells Tim to bring Mark when he comes. You remember Mark. He’s the young buck who bailed on Paul and Barnabas on their first tour (Acts 13:13). Years later, Paul wants him by his side in his final days. God loves reconciling relationships and restoring runaways. It’s one of His specialties.

When Demas said, “No mas!”

Let’s not be so quick to trash Demas. First and foremost because we’ve all been a Demas to someone’s Paul. Repent and apologize to those we’ve abandoned.

At the same time, let’s do all we can to avoid Demas’ mistake. God apparently used the guy in a powerful way before this incident in Rome. Sadly that all gets overshadowed by the day he hit the road for Thessalonica. The dreadful day Demas pulled a Duran and said, “No mas!”

Don't Stop Believin'

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (2Tim 3:14).

You’ve heard their stories before. A small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world. A city boy raised in South Detroit. A singer in a smoky room. Strangers waiting. Streetlight people. You’re singing in your head right now, aren’t you? Yeah, me too.

Unless you didn’t grow up listening to ‘80s rock, never saw an episode of “Glee,” or have simply been living under rock for the past couple of decades, we’re talking about the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The boys from Journey have cashed a few checks thanks to their hit tune from 1981. Go ahead. Sing it out. You know you want to. “Don’t stop believin’! Hold on to that feelin’!”

While Paul never owned any Journey albums, he certainly knew what Steve Perry and the guys are singing about. The apostle expresses a very similar sentiment in a letter to his protege Timothy. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (v14). No matter what else happens, don’t let go of what you know. Keep on trusting what you’ve learned. Keep on trusting who you’ve learned it from.

Don’t stop believin’. Don’t stop applyin’. Keep on keepin’ on.

Pseudo-Christian Con Artists

Nobody can accuse Paul of “do what I say, not what I do.” Writing to Tim from behind bars (2Tim 1:9, 16; 2:9), he proves he’s a living, breathing example of someone who doesn’t stop beleivin’, who doesn’t stop applyin’, and who keeps on keepin’ on.

The apostle has faithfully followed Jesus all the way to Death Row in Rome (2Tim 4:6-7). With his execution not a matter of “if” but “when,” he fires off one last letter to the young pastor of the Ephesian church. Paul hopes he’ll see Tim one final time (2Tim 4:9, 21). Just in case that doesn’t happen, he chucks this note full of critical info about continuing to teach people about Christ (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

A big part of his instructions deal with fighting a team of spiritual hucksters who’ve wormed their way into the church. Led by a couple of guys named Hymenaeus and Philetus, they’ve distracted folks with all sorts of ridiculous garbage that sounds religious but has nothing to do with Jesus (2Tim 2:16-18).

They’re just the first in a long line of self-centered pseudo-Christian con artists who are nothing more than creepy sexual predators (2Tim 3:1-7). And the problem with these goobers is just going to get worse before it gets better (2Tim 3:13).

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

At this point Paul puts the young pastor side by side with these religious hucksters and compares them. “But as for you” (v14). The contrast is obvious. The apostle’s phrasing in the original language emphasizes the HUGE contrast between Tim and the false teachers. As they sing on Sesame Street, one of these things is not like the other. One of these things is not the same. In this case, it’s Timothy.

Which brings us to one of those rather awkward moments of self-reflection. If we claim to be followers of the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee, are we different from those out to make a fast buck? Do I stand out from the crowd as someone who cares about people more than profit? Does my Savior shine brightly enough through my brokenness that folks can tell me from the counterfeit?

Keep on Keepin’ on

After clearly pointing out Timothy’s contrast to flimflammers of faith, Paul tells him what to do next. “Continue in what you have learned” (v14). Believe it or not, “continue” is the main verb and the key to unlocking the rest of the verse. And it’s in the form of a command. In other words, he tells Tim, “You must continue…You must keep on keepin’ on.”

The apostle uses a Greek word here (Gr. μενω/meno) which means to remain, abide, live, dwell, last, endure, or stay permanently. Dr. Luke describes the time a pregnant Mary moved in with her cousin Elizabeth and she “remained (Gr. μενω/meno) with her about three months” (Lk 1:56). When Jesus stops by the Samaritan village, they begged him to not to leave. “They asked Him to stay (Gr. μενω/meno) with them, and He stayed (Gr. μενω/meno) there two more days” (Jn 4:40). As they song says, “Stay…just a little bit longer.”

But one of my personal favorite uses of μενω/meno comes when Christ compares His relationship with us with a grapevine and its branches. Playing the part of grapevine is Jesus. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides (Gr. μενω/meno) in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Anything is possible when when make our home in Him. We’re spiritually fruitless when we we fail to stay connected.

When it comes to following Jesus, we must remain. We must last. We must endure. We can because He did. We can because He still does. Flip back a page or two and see what Paul wrote. “If we endure, we will also reign with Him…if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 12, 13). Because Christ keeps on keepin’ on, we must keep on keepin’ on.

Going on a Field Trip

The apostle tells Tim to never let go of “what you have learned” (v14). In doing so, Paul uses a word (Gr. μανθανω/manthano) that can certainly mean sitting in a classroom. Ancient writers would use it when talking about someone attending a rabbinical school or seminary. Before we start falling asleep in class, let’s discover together what’s behind this term.

Μανθανω/manthano actually describes a learning experience outside the school. Think of it as taking an awesome field trip. It means to find out through exploration and discovery or to learn by personal and practical experience. Jesus busts the chops of the religious police when He tells them to discover God’s truth for themselves. Go and learn (Gr. μανθανω/manthano) what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Mt 9:13).

A little later, the Lord makes an amazing offer to those thrown under the religious bus. “Take My yoke upon you and learn (Gr. μανθανω/manthano) from Me” so we personal experience just how gentle and humble our Savior really is (Mt 11:29). Paul tells his Philippian friends that he’s discovered and “learned (Gr. μανθανω/manthano) in whatever situation I am to be content” (Phil 4:11). The writer of Hebrews talks about how the Son of God fully explored the depths of willing submission to His heavenly Dad and “learned (Gr. μανθανω/manthano) obedience through what He suffered” (Heb 5:8).

Tim personally explored what it means to follow Jesus. He discovered firsthand as he obeyed the Lord’s leadership. This isn’t about classroom study, written assignments, and end-of-grade testing.

This kind of educational experience is done in the real world. It requires a field trip and exploration. We discover how to follow Jesus by loving those He places in our lives. We explore our walk with Him by willingly doing what He tells us. We discover God’s goodness when we apply what we learn and keep on applyin’.

Don’t Stop Believin'

Paul encourages Tim to never give up on what he has “firmly believed” (v14). When the Bible talks about belief, it’s NOT talking about some pie-in-the-sky, believe-with-all-your-might, if-you-can-dream-it-you-can-do-it sort of mumbo jumbo. Belief is an all out trust in something. Or in this case, Someone. That Someone being Jesus.

We’re to firmly trust in Who He is. And Who He is is the one and only Son of God. The sinless, spotless Savior. The Second Person of the Trinity. Jesus is SO much more than a legendary teacher with a few tips for a better life. SO much more than spectacular miracle-working healer. He’s God. Firmly trust in Who He is.

We also firmly trust in what He has done. Why? Because Jesus did for you and me what we could never dream of doing for ourselves. Christ lived the perfectly obedient life to God’s commands that we fail to live. He died the death for our disobedience and rebellion that we deserved. He even rose to a glorious new life that we certainly don’t deserve.

Our trust in Who Jesus is and what He has done isn’t a one time thing. I need Him just as much now as the day He saved me. We don’t just believe in Him once and walk the aisle as a teenager at church camp. We keep on trusting Him. We don’t stop believin’.

Firmly believing in the Lord means trusting in the goodness of His leadership. He loves us and wants His best for us. His commands aren’t some supernatural plot to spoil our fun. Actually, they are just the opposite. Obedience to His guidance is the ultimate secret to joy. Jesus calls it an overflowing life of blessing (Jn 10:10). It’s the whole reason He came. So don’t stop believin’.

Trust Your Sources

Back in Paul’s last letter to Timothy, the apostle reminds the young pastor that he can trust the sources of his spiritual info, “knowing from whom you learned it” (v14). One of those sources is the man writing this letter. Paul has already encouraged him to “follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me” (2Tim 1:13). He should never forget what he heard the apostle teach large groups (2Tim 2:2). Tim has been the apostle’s apprentice in every sense of the word (2Tim 3:10-11).

But Timothy has more than one teacher in his life. One thing we don’t see in our English translations is that “whom” is actually plural. Tim’s other sources include his Grandma Eunice and his mom Lois. Paul may be Tim’s spiritual father (1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2), but the apostle recognizes the family members who have poured into his life like Mom and Memaw (2Tim 1:5).

A big part of those life lessons was the Old Testament. Remember, the only Bible First Century followers had was the OT. His family got Tim ready for life by teaching him Scripture from a very early age (2Tim 3:16-17). And when he was bigger, the young pastor learned of “the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness” (1Tim 6:3). Let’s face it, if you can’t trust what Jesus has to say, who can you trust?

Quality journalists won’t go with a story unless they multiple credible sources. They don’t report something they hear from just one person. They don’t trust rumors. They don’t believe everything they read on the World Wide Interweb. They need multiple trusted sources in order to report the news. Tim has multiple credible sources when it comes to the Good News.

Tim could trust his sources. Can you? Who are your spiritual sources? Are you a member of a solid Bible teaching church? Are you part of a small group that digs into God’s Word? Do you have a Paul in your life? Do you do check out what you hear for yourself like the folks in Berea (Acts 17:11)? Make sure you have more than one source to confirm what you learn. Otherwise, you may go rogue with some sort of cockamamy understanding of Jesus.

So What Now?

You may be asking, “What good do these words from a 2,000-year-old letter are to me?” So very glad you asked. First of all, learning to follow Jesus is more than just loading up your brain with facts from the Bible. It’s all about getting out of the classroom and taking a field trip to grow your faith. Discover and experience what it means to love our Savior as we love the people He places in our lives. Learn it by applying it.

Don’t stop applyin’.

Remember that by firmly believing in Christ, we’re NOT trusting in ourselves. I’m going to fall short. I’m going to fail. I’m going to sin. We can take it to the bank that Jesus never comes up short. He’s forever faithful even when we stumble and fall. Trust in the only One who’s worthy of your trust.

Don’t stop believin’.

But the key to all this applyin’ and believin’ is back at the beginning of the verse. It’s all about continuing to do them. A life with Christ is a lot more than a one-and-done deal. Check how the Message spells it out. “Don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers” (v14 The Message). It’s abiding in Him. Making my home in Him. Keep on keepin’ on in Him.

Don’t stop believin’. Don’t stop applyin’. Keep on keepin’ on.

Trust Issues

“which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know Whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (2Tim 1:12).

Some people have serious trust issues. Some don’t trust the government. Many don’t trust the media. Others don’t trust their boss. And nobody trusts a politician. You certainly couldn’t blame the Apostle Paul if he had a boatload of trust issues. For Pete’s sake, he’s deep inside the dungeon of the Roman Death Row. He’s all alone except for his old buddy Dr. Luke (2Tim 4:11). 

As the clock ticks down on the final days of his life, Paul writes to his spiritual son Timothy (2Tim 1:2; 4:6-7). Despite all that’s happened, he makes it crystal clear that his faith in God has never been higher and never been stronger. Jesus has called him to take His message to the world, “which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed for I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (v12). The apostle remains convinced of God’s goodness. He trusts God and continues trusting in what God can do through him.

(Disclaimer: There’s a TON of awesome stuff here in this short little verse. Paul’s suffering for Christ. The apostle’s total lack of shame for his faith. His absolute certainty that the Lord is coming back for a spectacular encore. But we’re going to set all that aside in order to drill down on what it means to believe in Jesus and what our Lord has entrusted to us. You good with that?)

The apostle’s trust in Jesus is the whole reason he’s in the joint and why he’s suffering. Despite the stigma of being a dead man walking, he’s anything but embarrassed. Paul makes it clear that “I know Whom I have believed” (v12). Not WHAT he has believed. WHOM he has believed. The man from Tarsus doesn’t trust an ideology, philosophy, or religion. He doesn’t put his faith in a political system or financial plan. He trust in a Whom. (By the way, I’ve added a capital “W” to the original ESV translation. I make it a habit to go large on any pronoun about the Person of God.)

That Whom is God. Specifically the Son of God. The Second Person of the Godhead. You may know him better as Jesus Christ. Seventeen hundred years before our Founding Fathers slapped “In God We Trust” on our money, Paul had placed his complete confidence in the who Jesus is and what He has done. While doctrine is important, it doesn’t save. While theology is critical, it doesn’t save. Only Jesus does. Only God does. That’s why Paul trusts in a Person. Jesus.

Whom or what do you trust? Leaning hard on that great career, are you? Are you living vicariously through your children? Counting heavily on your 401k? Maybe you’re going all in on the next election (you HAVE seen who’s running, haven’t you?). There’s a chance you’ve realized there must be more than running the rat race. Remember, if you win that race you’re just the fastest rat on the track. Some of us have turned to religion. But by definition, religion is simply trusting in my own performance in order to earn God’s approval. That’s never going to work for me. My board scores barely got me into community college. If we trust in anything other than Jesus, we have serious trust issues.

Paul tells Tim that with his own death on the doorstep he has no doubt in “Whom I have believed” (v12). He uses the Greek verb pisteuo, which means to trust, place your confidence, rely on, or have faith in someone or something. It comes from the same root word that’s often translated “faith” (Gr. pistos). A cool way to rephrase this might be “Whom I have faithed” (v12) or even “Whom I have totally trusted” (v12). 

There’s also a little sumpin’ sumpin’ going on in the grammar too. The apostle uses the past perfect tense. In biblical Greek, this describes a completed action with ongoing results. Paul leaned hard on Jesus a few years back. It changed his life forever. The completed action of salvation. The ongoing results of becoming more like Christ every single day. Now don’t confuse this with some sort of wonky “once saved, always saved” idea. The apostle stays in a continual attitude of dependance on our Savior. A better way of saying it is “IF saved, always saved.” Completed action. Ongoing results. And when I say “ongoing,” I mean eternally ongoing!

So what does Paul believe about Jesus that makes an eternal difference? First and foremost, the apostle knows he can’t save himself. He spent the first part of his life trying to do just that (Phil 3:4-6). Turns out what he hoped would be his golden ticket of personal performance was nothing more than a big steaming pile of worthless works (Phil 3:7-8). The former Pharisee suddenly realized that God’s Law doesn’t save you any more than an MRI can heal you. All it does it diagnose the problem (Rom 3:20). As Mike Lee says, the law is a mirror. It shows me that my face is filthy but doesn’t have the power to clean me up.

We’re invited to trust in Who Christ is and what He’s done for us. You see, Jesus left the lap of luxury in the heavenly palace and come to our rescue. He made a spectacular dumpster dive into the slime of our sin and did what we could never do for ourselves. He lived the perfectly obedient life to the law we totally fail to live (Mt 5:17). He took the punishment of what should have been our death on a cross that we should have died (2Cor 5:21; 1Pet 2:24). He walked out of the graveyard, rising to a spectacular new life we don’t deserve (Eph 2:5). We believe in what He did that we could never dream of doing for ourselves.

While every follower of Jesus wants a deep and abiding faith, the most important part is in the Object of our trust. There is nothing more trustworthy in the universe than Christ. It’s better to have a weak faith in a strong object than the other way around. You may believe with every fiber of your being that the Detroit Lions are going to win the Super Bowl. But your amazing faith won’t get them the Lombardi Trophy, no matter how strongly you trust it will happen. (Please tell me you don’t REALLY think the Lions will win it all!) Strong faith in a weak object gets you zip, zilch, zero. And if you’re trusting the Lions, believe me, you’ve got serious trust issues. 

While Paul places his trust in Jesus (and NOT the Lions!), Christ is also trusting in the apostle. “I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (v12). The apostle knows that it’s a stone cold, lead pipe lock that his Savior has his back until the day He returns. Specifically, Christ handpicked Paul to spread the word about how God was throwing the doors open to His kingdom to Gentiles all over the planet (Acts 9:15). Chances are you’re not Jewish. If that’s the case, you don’t hear the Gospel without the message Jesus entrusted to Paul. 

Paul trusting Jesus seems like a no-brainer. But Jesus trusting Paul? Who saw THAT coming?!? Certainly not Paul. Why would the Son of God entrust His number one enemy, known back in the day as Saul of Tarsus, with such a critical responsibility? First of all, God doesn’t think like we think and He doesn’t work the way we work (Is 55:8). He specializes in making what would appear to be foolish chances with foolish people in order to show off (1Cor 1:27-28). God places His power in cracked human pots so the world will know it’s Him making it happen and not us (2Cor 4:7). Jesus wasn’t trusting in what Paul could do for Him. He was trusting in what He could do in and through Paul! 

So if Christ can take Saul the murderer and transform him into Paul the missionary, what could He do in and through you? He may not be calling you to a worldwide assignment of Gentile evangelism or writing a huge chunk of the NT, but Jesus can use you in a big way. Shine His light and spread His salt everywhere you go. You do that by loving people where they are. At home. At work. In the neighborhood. Have your doubts that He can use you? Feel like a nobody and a nothing? Remember, God began this whole thing by creating everything from nothing (Gen 1). We may be just the person He’s looking for. He’s not trusting in what we can do for Him. He is trusting in what He can do in and through us!