The Bible Series Philemon

We arrive at scripture hoping to find exceptions, loopholes, sooo very grateful that we can have it, yet find ourselves struggling when others receive it of need it.

The topic at hand today is FORGIVENESS… the letter is Philemon!

Letter Info...

This letter is sent back when Paul is in prison in Rome… for sharing Christ! It is written with Timothy, his dear son in the faith, fellow minister!

This letter came along with the letter of Colossians

Tychicus and Onesimus are the ones bringing the letters… Colossians 4:7-9

Colossians 4:7–9 NASB95

As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.

I have often wondered which letter was read first & how the letter reading went about

Remember this is NOT a church Paul planted or has visited yet

The recipient of this letter is Philemon… he is well to do and host the church in his home

Philemon has a reputation among believers near and far

Colossi also had a good reputation if you recall

This is the smallest of all Paul’s letters (a brief note really)

DO NOT allow its brevity to canvas or mislead you… it is powerful for believers then and now

For this reason, although it is a personal letter, Paul also addresses it to the church as a whole…

Perhaps the church is gathered for the first reading, or maybe Philemon, surrounded by his family and the two men who delivered the letter (Onesimus as one of them) listen in silence as these words are read… Philemon 1-25

Philemon 1–25 NLT

This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart. I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul! Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon Overview

Isaiah 55:11 referring to God’s Word says this “I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

As we consider these brief words today it has been my prayer that the Holy Spirit will do a work in your heart… that His Word would penetrate to the deepest areas of your soul to produce to the fullest extent freedom for each believer here.

We MUST understand the sin…

In the Roman empire it is said that over 60 million slaves were serving in Paul’s time.

A runaway slave was looking at the death penalty

At the very least they were branded and placed in a steel collar (marked for their actions)

The master had been disgraced, scorned, and possibly even had been robbed by them… it was a public humiliation for the master to have such a slave and consequences were strict and endorsed.

Not all masters were cruel, often these slaves were a part of the family unit and well cared for… and still some would run

Approaching Instruction…

I appreciate how Paul genuinely builds up Philemon at the beginning (4-7) and at the end (21)

This is a man who LOVES God’s people

He is KIND and REFRESHES the hearts of those he is around!

We need men and women like this in our churches today

Paul appeals to this man, this leader in the church…

Demands even if you have the authority seldom are received in a favorable manner

There are times they are necessary, yet Paul appeals to his CHARACTER…

The appeal here is “the right thing to do”, Jesus Himself stated to Peter Matthew 18:21-22

Matthew 18:21–22 NLT

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

Paul was not manipulating, rather gently approaching this man…

The Name… Onesimus!!!

Is there a name, when spoken of or brought up in conversation that causes your heart rate to elevate???

You hear someone speak of them and that ROOT of BITTERNESS pokes your heart nerve?

For Philemon it may have been Onesimus!!!…

Ironically his name means “useful”

In verse 11 Paul uses a play on words… Philemon 11

Philemon 11 NLT

Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.

I love how God can take one who is useless and crate one who is useful!!!

At salvation we are a New Creation in Christ Jesus!

Take Onesimus back… FORGIVE HIM!!!

Paul now appeal s for Philemon to FORGIVE on the basis of Christ Jesus! The very GRACE OF GOD that is extended to you and I through Christ Jesus!

We ALL want God’s Grace

We ALL need God’s Grace

YET… we often find it difficult to extend that grace to others… “the right thing to do”… “for the Lord’s sake”

An Advocate was needed…

Roman law allowed for a family member or close friend to serve as an advocate on behalf of a runaway slave… Paul served as this for Onesimus

Speaks on the basis of the relationship with the master

Speaks for the slave

Settles any debts there may be…

Paul does NOT minimize Onesimus’ actions

Paul states he will pay, there was a cost, “I will pay in full”

Paul writes this letter in his own hand…

SIN cannot be minimized, there is a cost, and we have an advocate who paid that cost!

Paul concludes speaking to his character once again… “I am confident… you will do this and more!”

Closing the Letter

Forgiveness is so much more than words…

Philemon probably rolled the letter up… but what occured next would reflect his heart.

Was the church watching him

Was his family watching him

I am pretty sure Onesimus was watching and waiting!

CHURCH NOTE THIS: What we DO or DON’T DO in our hearts or to others IMPACTS THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST!

We read here that this letter opens and closes with GRACE & PEACE…

Without Grace you and I cannot forgive

Without forgiveness you and I cannot find peace

Here is what we know from scripture:

All of us were at one point maybe some still are “slaves to sin”

At some point all of us were running from God

The debt we owed was too great, our Advocate Jesus Christ paid the debt

All of us at some point were useless, but because of the grace of Jesus, not our works, we are found useful and God has prepared good works for us to do!

What about Onesimus and Philemon…

I believe Philemon did this and MORE!… church history gives us many letters sent amongst the churches by various leaders.

Ignatius was one such leader and he wrote to a bishop in Ephesus… where Paul spent some time once out of prison.

This is where many of the scriptures were gathered and collected and combined

Paul’s letters, Peter’s letters, the gospels and so forth

The bishop’s name was Onesimus… fluke? some other person?

I don’t think so… as Ignatius writes of him as “one who was once useless but is now useful!”

I would like to think that Philemon, took Onesimus into his own family, a brother in Christ, sent him back to Paul… and we see God use this man!