In Christ, You Have Purpose.

Text: Philemon 1-16

Main Idea: Becoming a Child of God through Christ makes you useful to others.

Introduction

There are times in my life when I have felt absolutely useless.

Working in the oil field and seeing others do things I knew I could never do made me feel useless.

Watching Dwayne and Mark work on the lights in my house made me feel useless.

There are things that make us feel this way.

Transition: Where does our true usefulness come from? For Onesimus, it came from coming to know God through Jesus.

Background:

Onesimus was a runaway slave. Who could blame him? Philemon on the other hand was the slave owner. Despite the slave owners depicted in movies, Philemon wasn’t like that. He was a good man who loved and feared God, and probably treated his slaves with love and respect. Nevertheless, Onesimus left. On his flight, he ran into a man named Paul. Paul gave him the gospel and Onesimus pray for forgiveness, and received Jesus as his Saviour. Onesimus and Paul grew close. Onesimus helped Paul in his own imprisonment, and Paul took a real liking to Onesimus.

I can imagine Paul and Onesimus sharing a meal together one day.

Paul - “So where do you come from anyways, Onesimus?”

Onesimus - “To be honest, sir, I came here from Colossae.”

Paul - “Is that so? What did you do in Colossae? You know, I started a church there. I’ve got some good brothers and sisters in Christ in Colassae. When I get out of here, maybe you can go with me to pay some of them a visit. Anyways, what did you do in Colossae?”

Onesimus - (After a pause) “I was a slave...”

Paul - “Ah, granted your freedom were you? What a deal. You were granted your freedom from physical slavery only to come here and be delivered from your spiritual family. I tell ya, the Lord sure works in mysterious ways.”

Onesimus - “That he does… but…”

Paul - “What is it, Onesimus?”

Onesimus - “I am no free man. I am a runaway. I belonged to a man named Philemon. He was a Christian man, like you.”

Transition: Paul was stunned by these words. Under Roman law, runaway slaves could receive the death sentence, and the person that aids or harbors a runaway slave would be in danger as well. So after hearing these words, Paul knew there was only one thing for him to do. Paul knew Philemon. Paul loved Philemon. Paul loved the church in Colassae. And as much as Paul loved Onesimus, he knew that he couldn’t keep Onesimus. So, he took to pen and paper and wrote this letter.

Paul prayed for Philemon.

Philemon 4-7 “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”

The first thing noticed about Philemon is his love for Jesus. The man that Paul is writing too isn’t a hardened person. He is a kind, God fearing, Christ adoring, human.

Not just that, Philemon loves people. Specifically here, the saints. That is, fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus.

Then, before Paul appealed to Philemon, he prayed for Philemon. What did he pray exactly? He prayed that as Philemon continued to partner with Paul in the ministry of the faith, that he would be deepened in his knowledge of his faith.

That’s a really interesting prayer. Paul is essentially telling us that the way to deeper understanding of our faith only goes as deep as your partnership in the gospel goes far. The more you serve Christ with others for the sake of the gospel, the deeper your understanding goes.

Illustration: In the movie the Matrix, the character morpheus offers to Neo an opportunity to be exposed to more of the truth. If he wanted that understanding, he would have to partner with them.

Application: If you want to understand the Christian faith more, be a servant of the gospel more!

Paul was someone who was encouraged by Philemon. He found joy in their friendship. Why? Because Philemon as a person was a refreshment to the hearts of God’s people.

Illustration: I worked at TBarM sports camp in 2014. There I met a man named Ian. Ian was a blessing. Ian refreshed the hearts of those he was around. When Ian came around, things turned to joy. Application:

Are you a source of refreshment for the people that you are around? Do you bring life and gladness to your group of friends?

When people see you coming, are they filled with a sense of dread, or are they filled with a sense of excitement because you are a joy to be around?

Do you want to be refreshing? Here’s how...

Be positive. Stop having such a negative attitude about everything.

Stop complaining.

Stop talking badly about others behind their back. That isn’t refreshing.

Encourage someone.

Write someone an encouraging note.

Buy them an off the cuff gift.

Listen to their burdens without giving your insight.

Transition:

Paul had a delicate request for Philemon - accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ.

Philemon 8–9 KJV 1900

Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Paul knew that if he wanted Philemon to receive Onesimus back into the fold, he could simply command it be done and it would be. He has that type of authority as an Apostle. He could have commanded Philemon to act in accordance with his nature as a Christian. This would be the Christian way. Forgive those who wrong you. Accept those who mistreat you. Give grace.

At this point in the letter, Philemon is probably confused about what Paul was saying… so he kept reading.

Philemon 9–10 KJV 1900

yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

When Philemon read Onesimus’s name, his heart may have dropped. Mixed emotions would have flashed through him.

But as a Christian, Philemon would have probably rejoiced, at least a little. I mean, this is really the best case scenario if you really are a Christian. What would the odds have been for his runaway slave to run into Paul and find Jesus?

Anyways… keep reading.

Philemon 11 KJV 1900

which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

What good is a good for nothing runaway slave? According to Roman law they ought to be put to death. They ought to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Onesimus had no use. He had no purpose. He was a throw away.

But something happened in Onesimus’s life. Something changed. He found Paul. But he didn’t just find Paul. He found Jesus. And just like that, Onesimus went from no value to immense value.

Why?

When Onesimus became a child of God through Christ, you became useful to others for Christ.

Nothing about his personality changed. Nothing about his physical appearance changed. Nothing about what he would be able to accomplish as a slave would have changed. The only thing that changed was that Onesimus once was lost, but now he was found. He found Christ, and he found purpose.

God could go to work and use him for his purposes in Christ. Onesimus had become useful to the apostle Paul, and now the apostle Paul was urging Philemon that Onesimus could be useful to him as well.

As a Child of God through Christ, you are useful to others for Christ.

What truly makes you useful to others?

Is it your brains?

Is it your physical abilities?

Is it your ability to play sports?

Is it your good looks?

Is it your bubbly personality?

Is it your “swagger”?

Is it your maturity?

These things could get you ahead in life. They could get you ahead in school, in sports, in the dating world, and in a future profession. But I would contest that those things aren’t what ultimately makes you useful for the good of others, and the glory of Christ.

Only being a child of God through Christ makes you useful to others.

Are you a child of God through Christ?

Romans 5:1 KJV 1900

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

You are the most useful to others when you serve them as though you are serving Christ.

Are you serving others for Christ?

Transition: The rest of our section concludes this way...

Philemon 12–16 KJV 1900

whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: but without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

Paul is saying, “I’m sending him back to you, and I would like for you to receive Him, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ.”

This was difficult for Paul. Onesimus had his heart. Paul didn’t want to send him back. He loved him. He saw purpose in him. He could be a help to Paul as Paul was imprisoned for his preaching of the gospel.

Then, Paul appealed to God’s sovereignty. Maybe this wasn’t by chance that Onesimus left. Maybe this was God’s will. Maybe it was in God’s sovereignty that Onesimus left so that he could meet Paul and ultimately meet Jesus.

So, here is the question of the text, Philemon. Will you receive this man back? Will Philemon love Onesimus the way he has loved and refreshed the rest of the saints? The same love that Paul was so thankful for in the beginning of the letter. The same love that refreshed the heart of God’s people. Will he treat Onesimus that way? This runaway slave. This source of Philemon’s headaches? This thorn in his side? Will he receive him and treat him with Christian brotherly love the same way he has others who haven’t crossed him?

This is the Jesus way. Forgiving and loving those who have wronged you. Accepting them and loving them as God in Christ has accepted you.

Application:

Who is the one person that you are holding at arms length because somewhere along the way they have crossed you, or hurt you, or put a knife in your back?

Who is the one person that makes you feel uncomfortable in their presence because you can cut the tension with a knife?

The question is… if they were to try to make things right, would you have any part of it?

But to go a step further, what if they don’t?

Will you still love them and accept them in Christ?

Will you still show grace to the person who hasn’t done anything to deserve it?

Conclusion:

How can do that? Nothing but Christ in you.

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Some of you need to meet Jesus.

Some of you need to live like Jesus.

Remember, Paul isn’t appealing to Philemon as a good man. But as a Godly, Christ-exalting man.