Scripture: Philemon 1-25
Gary Ingle $10 movie pass – watch movies on lunch.
What is it like to walk in on a movie half way through and have to leave just before the ending?
That is exactly what happens when you read the book of Philemon.
You have to fill in the blanks about who the characters are, how they got in that situation and what the outcome will be for each.
Let me give you the full cast list:
Paul – the spiritual father to Philemon and to Onesimus as well as other in the house church in Colosse. Likely in prison in Rome by mention of being an old man. (MAP PIC) 1200 from Colosse to Rome (Here to the Wyoming border)
Timothy – Present with Paul and a spiritual son to him.
Philemon - A friend and fellow worker in the faith with Paul, along with Apphia, a female Christian and Archippus who is strong for the faith. Philemon hosts a church in his home. He is not a sideline Christian but is surrounded by other faithful Christians and working to build the kingdom of God in Colosse.
Epaphras - (Paul’s fellow prisoner - from Colosse who taught many of them about the faith / Col 1:6-8 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Mark – John Mark who had deserted Paul on his first missionary journey
Aristarchus – From Thessalonica; while in Ephesus was arrested there during Paul’s 1st missionary journey. A close companion to Paul and present with him in Rome.
Demas – Deserted Paul during a previous imprisonment (2 Tim 4:10)
Luke – A converted Greek physician who was loyal and faithful to Paul when others were not.
Onesimus – A lot of speculation because the beginning and ending of the movie script are missing. It appears he did something wrong in the household of Philemon and became a runaway slave. That begs the question how he came to be with Paul 1200 miles away from home? Possibly because fellow Colossean Epaphras is there? Or because he knew Paul and thought he could help him somehow? We don’t know. We do know how he got to Paul in prison; and Paul led him to faith in Christ and be became important to Paul’s ministry while he was in prison. This may be part of the reason for the letter – A slave could become a Christian; a slave could not become a Christian missionary – they would have been thrown in jail or returned.
Two Other Characters – one mentioned but overlooked and one not listed
God – at the center of what is going on who wants to not only teach something but to affect change in people’s hearts.
Us – We are the current recipients of this odd little letter in the NT. What does it mean for us? Why did God cause this to become part of the canon (official) part of scripture for us?
Let’s hear the whole text:
Philemon
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: (At the very least this letter was meant for the entire church in Colosse) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. (…the church) I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. (Philemon just received a commendation like no other from the apostle Paul who is thankful, encouraged and joyful because of Philemon. He reminds him that we truly understand the goodness of Christ when we share our faith with others.)
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8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul — an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus — I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. (a lot there. BOLD I could make you but that is not what I want. I am the Apostle Paul in prison for Christ’s sake so listen up – Onesimus has become like a son to me. We don’t know why he was useless but it appears he now has usefulness as a fellow believer. If Onesimus were faking it Paul would not go to bat for him – remember he was quite harsh with Mark who couldn’t handle missionary life.)
12 I am sending him — who is my very heart — back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. (Onesimus has gone through a radical transformation spiritually but must be showing itself in practical ways. He WAS useless – NOW he is useful, something changed. Paul would prefer he keep him there but only wants that is Onesimus and he come together as brothers in the faith first. [Joseph – slave – receives his brothers])
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17 So if you consider me a partner, (The idea of partnership in the gospel was paramount to Paul as it was to Jesus who said John 14:11-14 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. Jesus had a partnership with the father and then with us. The church is a partnership between God and us and us with each other.) welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. (Paul has a trust in Philemon doing what is right but also reminds him why he should.)
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22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (People who had done Paul wrong in the past were now his valued partners in ministry. Grace abounds!)
Is this odd little NT letter about forgiveness? Yes, about God forgiving Onesimus and Philemon and everyone else. It is about Philemon forgiving Onesimus.
Is it about God making all things new? Absolutely – Onesimus is going from slave to brother. And Philemon from slave owner to setting a slave free for the sake of Christ.
There is a bigger picture, it is about doing what is right in this partnership we call the church. Being part of church is not just about believing, it is about living your faith according to scripture. One of the ways we will look at doing that over the next 3 weeks is seeing what the Bible has to say about our financial giving, specifically about the tithe. The first thing we learn is that the purpose of tithing is to teach us to put God first in everything.
Paul was asking Philemon to put God first by DOING what was right with Onesimus. What are you a slave to, from which God is asking you to not only believe He is God but to move into a NEW relationship with that thing that enslaves you. BEHOLD, says the great I Am, I am making all things new. Like Onesimus, in Christ we can go from being slaves to sin to being sons and daughters of God! John 8:36 “If the son sets you free, y0u are free indeed”
OPTIONAL ENDING
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"
"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three…" But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
And going and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
"The touch of the Master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game — and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.
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