Sunday Morning Service

Philemon

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“Ah Redemption!” • 6.1.14 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- Philemon the book, was written at the same time as the "Prison Epistles" we've just completed. Philemon the person is a part of the Colossian church

- In fact, his home is likely where the Colossian church met! As such, Philemon would have been a wealthy man with a full staff of slaves, as well as a leader in the church.

- One of his slaves, Onesimus, decided that Philemon's employ was not allowing him the upward mobility that he desired, which led to his abrupt and illegal departure.

- How would you feel about that? What would you think about grace when the taste in your mouth calls for something else? Philemon has been burned and there's a test for him to take!

Text

• Philemon 1-3 : "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." : Paul, writing with Timothy nearby, omits his usual Apostlic identification and settles on "a prisoner of Christ Jesus." Rome had no hold on him!

- Philemon's name means "One who kisses!" He's a beloved friend of Paul's, but is also a fellow worker in the gospel. I have found that the two really go hand in hand.

- Great friendship can be achieved on many superficial levels, but great friendship combined with partnership requires equal energy. The greatest of friends serve the Lord, the greatest of beings!

- Paul continues his greeting, including Apphia, Archippus and the church that met in Philemon's home.

- Some believe Apphia, whose name name means "fruitful," to be Philemon's wife and Archippus, "Horse Master," his adult son.

- Remember that in the ancient world, it was often the case that the women managed the workers and the affairs of the house.

- Paul wants Apphia in on this letter, especially given what he is about to request.

- This also sheds light on Paul's closing instruction at the end of Colossians for Archippus to get going in the ministry that God had called him to.

- Paul's closeness to this family is important to see. As far as the church, he offers them all the grace and peace that he desired all the churches to have, which comes from the Lord.

•  Philemon 4-7 : "I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother." : Paul was grateful to the Lord for the fruit that was showing in Philemon's life. That makes every Pastor's heart glad!

- Where was the primary fruit revealed? Love for the Lord and love for His saints! Philemon had a track record that revealed a true heart for God. Only a person touched by God can live this!

- Paul applauds Philemon's love and his generosity. Listen to verse 6 as translated by the NIV.

• Philemon 6 : "I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ." : Philemon had shared in the work of the faith, which brought Paul and Timothy great joy and comfort. At the same time, the hearts of the saints were refreshed.

- The picture behind this word "refresed" reflects a person who has given another person a chance to catch their breath from their labors. Philemon had blessed God's people that way.

- It's a wonderful thing to consider what a blessing people motivated by the love of God can be.

- There is such great potential in each person to share their faith and discover all the good things that come from serving the Lord!

- On a side note, understand that Paul is telling Philemon that his reputation to date has been an incredible blessing.  One wouldn't want to spoil that record!

- It might seem underhanded, but the truth is that a good reputation is the most difficult thing to earn and the easiest thing to lose! Paul wants him to be mindful of that fact.

- Having been a blessing to others brought blessing to his own life.

• Philemon 8-11 : "Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me." : "Therefore." Because of his character and his track record, Paul could command him to do what is fitting.

- Paul could easily pull rank and order him to do his duty to do, which is to obey a Senior officer in the Lord. He could be very bold or unreserved in his speech. He didn't need to "suggest."

- Paul appeals instead to Philemon's love for the Apostle and the work.

- "Come alongside of me, the old ambassador of the church and now prisoner."

- Paul is not yet so old as to be truly old, except in the faith, where he definitely holds the counsel of God as an aged overseer. Paul is incredibly wise.

- He is taking into account both Philemon's reputation, as well as the test that is before him. He knows what it's like to be a man in his position.

- Philemon needs not to be ordered, but as an aged man knows, he does need to be encouraged to make the very best, albeit the very personally hard decision.

- Paul wants Philemon to spare Onesimus. Imagine Philemon's face when he gets to that name! He represents something distasteful and certainly not what his name meant.

- "Onesimus" means "profitable" or "useful!" When he fled from Philemon's house, he was not living up to his name!

- Whatever motivated Onesimus to flee, was made worse by the fact that it seems he also left with something of value from the house.

- As a Christian, I imagine that Philemon's home was well ordered and at the very least kind. When that is betrayed, there aren't a whole lot of good emotions to be had!

- Whatever Philemon thought of Onesimus from that moment, Paul is telling him that something incredible had occurred after he left!

- Paul met Onesimus while in prison, where he promptly encountered Jesus Christ.

- I wonder how long it took them to identify their common acquaintance, though it didn't matter to Paul, who simply saw a person who needed to know about the grace of Jesus Christ!

- There's a very good lesson in this for us, as what we may find out about a person may turn our stomachs. It's even possible that such knowledge would keep you from sharing Christ's love!

- It would not be the first time that personal bias got in the way of personal evangelism! Paul knew that the background was secondary to what lay before a person in Christ!

- That is where you and I need to keep our eyes. What can Jesus do with that annoying fellow, or that foul Lady? What past in life would you hold over a person's future in Christ?

- Onesimus is a new creation in Christ, serving out a prison sentence with Paul the Apostle! He came to faith and then was discipled by the guy that wrote the majority of the N.T.!

- Philemon was well within his rights as a slave owner to impose the death penalty upon this slave for his impudence, though It's not likely that Philemon would have killed him due to his faith.

- Philemon's other option was to brand the equivalent for the letter "F" denoting that Onesimus had been a fugitive. Something along this line would have been necessary.

- During this time in history, the slave population vastly outnumbered the free population, so a fear of rebellion motivated slave owners to exercise strict disciplinary measures.

- Socially, legally, Philemon literally had Onesimus dead to rights except that Onesimus became profitable to Philemon and Paul by coming to life in Jesus Christ!

- His value apart from Christ was indeed unprofitable and useless. Spiritually, apart from Jesus Christ, you and I are in exactly the same position! However in Christ, we contain the value of eternity!

- Paul calls Philemon to understand that the Onesimus he once knew, who deserved to die, had died and now Christ was living through Onesimus! How valuable would that reality be to them?

• Philemon 12-14 : "I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary." : I am sending him back! Understand what those words symbolize. "I am sending this freshly born again profitable person back in the direction from which he came: Your house!"

- Read between the lines. He is not as he once was. In fact, he is now incredibly dear to the heart of Paul. He loves Onesimus and wanted to have him there.

- He is urging Philemon to consider the value that Onesimus would have to Paul himself!

- He could be an extension of Philemon, ministering in a way that Philemon would have loved to! However, Paul obeyed the order of things. He respected human institution.

- Philemon had all the rights and Paul, even though he was an Apostle sent from God, knew that if there was going to be a redeemable story line, it couldn't happen apart from consent.

- We are never to "Lord" over another person or treat them as if they need to bow to our experience or our perceived position.

- We are to be gentle with one another, hoping for consent, born out of godly conviction!

- Paul politely, lovingly asked for Philemon's consent. Perhaps Onesimus would return to Paul, but not before setting things right with Philemon.

• Philemon 15,16 : "For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord." : Can you imagine Philemon's response to this point? Consider his side for a moment. A slave that belonged to him by all rights, decides to leave his duties behind.

- The house had to scramble to make up for his loss to some degree and Philemon had to go to the trouble of making sure that nobody ran away with the same idea!

- I can only imagine Philemon being a good slave owner, given the words that Paul has employed describing his love of the gospel and her people.

- When Onesimus left, there was at the very least confusion, perhaps sadness. Perhaps Philemon felt like a fool for having been taken advantage of.

- Whatever it took to get over the decisions that Onesimus forced upon him, here he stands reading a letter declaring that he will return under Paul's ministry.

- "Lord why did this happen?" Paul can almost hear the question. Philemon, I understand! Christian I understand!

- You didn't know what would happen. It didn't occur to you that God might be weaving a tapestry out of a slave's life! And here, he's no longer a slave, but a beloved brother!

- There are many "Perhaps" moments in the Christian life. God is at work, especially in the negative turns in life!

• Philemon 17-20 : "If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord." : Philemon obviously looked at Paul as a partner, a person who shared in the things of the Lord.

- If that is the truth, if they are equally interested and invested in the things of the gospel, Paul now commands Philemon to consider Onesimus as an extension of himself!

- Philemon would roll out the best he had for Paul. He would immediately seek to find ways to welcome him in. Philemon would need some grace to do that with Onesimus!

- And the Apostle understands that there are outstanding debts to be paid. Look at how far Paul is willing to go. If there is anything that you require back from him, please let me pay it!

- What a phenomenal example and what a humbling consideration. Paul, a man who has known Onesimus for a short time, but has seen the Lord in him, is willing to pay his way back.

- I can only imagine Philemon's heart being quieted as he looks at the letter with an undeniable Pauline signature. This was Paul's way of saying, "Look, no one is making this up!"

- Paul wrote the phrase "I will repay!" Unimaginable Christian charity! Paul knew that he had been paid for by Christ Himself! He had been brought into warm fellowship. Why not pay?

- Paul didn't owe anything to Philemon. In fact, it was quite the opposite! Somehow, Philemon owed the Apostle Paul, even for his own life in Christ!

- Paul would consider it a gift and an encouragement to his heart if Philemon responded this way, but his offer to pay in full would remain in effect!

• Philemon 21, 22 : "Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you." : Paul didn't even bat an eye. He knew when he began to write this letter that it was simply a matter of asking. He had complete confidence in Philemon's action.

- He knew that the Lord would even prompt him to go well beyond the call of duty! There might be a touch of irony here.

- If Onesimus had been an unprofitable slave, ie, expecting applause for doing what was asked of him, Philemon as a slave of Jesus Christ, would go well beyond what was asked of him!

- This is the expectation of someone who has been touched by the Lord. They aren't waiting to be asked to do the bare minimum. They are wanting to put their whole heart into God's call!

- "And just in case you need an added incentive, I plan on coming your way!" Paul believed that he would have the chance to visit, to see both Philemon and Onesimus together!

• Philemon 23-25 : "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." : We just noted these individuals last week when we finished Colossians. Epaphras had been the leader of the Colossian church.

- He was not physically a prisoner of the Roman Correctional system, but was a prisoner of Jesus Christ! He belonged fully to the Lord.

- Epaphras led the greetings that were echoed by John Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke. These were Paul's fellow workers. "Everyone's watching Philemon!"

- What does Paul end the letter with? The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! In this context, He's not my Lord and He's not your Lord. He's our Lord! We both respond to His calling.

- May His grace be with your spirit. This was the exact prescription that Philemon would need. Yes, he was a loving brother and servant.

- For every new difficulty, with every new personality and for every kind of request that may come your way, pray that the Lord's grace would strengthen your resolve!

Conclusion

- In closing, consider Philemon. He's been burned and he has a true case. The justice of the gospel is his greatest hope. Those who hurt us will never reform until they are reborn!

- There are those in your life who have hurt or taken advantage of you. Pray, not that they run into a wall, but that they run into a Paul!

- Consider Onesimus. He's come to faith in Christ and is alive toward God. He believes and is repenting, willing to go back and restore what had been stolen.

- All who believe in Christ must bear the fruits of repentance for their salvation to be considered authentic. There is nothing easy about believing!

- Finally, consider Paul, the evangelist, reaching out to the lowest of the low with the gospel of Jesus Christ and Paul, the intercessor, reaching out to build a bridge with his good friend.

- Be willing to reach the lowest and the least, to be the one who will share the load that another cannot shoulder alone!

- But more than all of this, consider us! We were worthless slaves of sin destined for justice. We needed someone to stand for us who had the authority and the means to pay for our sin.

- Jesus Christ stood before the Father and said "I will pay!" When He stood on the cross, He said "Paid in full" and He stands today, our Righteous Advocate, ever living to intercede for us!   

- For those who trust in Him, they are not simply given life in this world, but eternal life with Him!