Cancelled or Restored?

Intro

God of the Second Chance - Series. The Bible is a reliable book because it is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

Over the centuries, the events, places, people, and prophecies mentioned in the Bible have been confirmed by various archaeological discoveries.

This means that the message of the Bible is also true and reliable. But what is the message of the Bible? Even if we have sinned, if we acknowledge and confess our transgressions, God is ready and willing to give us a second chance.

Through this series, I wish to explore with you the immense grace of God, using stories of people who received a second chance from God.

Letter of Philemon. This letter is a precious gem among Paul's letters. Here are some of its characteristics:

It was written by Paul while he was in prison;

There are no references to the Old Testament. Doctrines are not presented, and yet:

Philemon gives us Christianity in action.

J. Vernon McGee

You won't find any trace of words like freedom and forgiveness, yet the entire letter asserts the power of reconciliation.

It is a letter sent to a person, not to a church, although its message will impact future generations.

The story. In this letter, we have three main characters:

Philemon, a wealthy believer in the city of Colossae. The church of Colossae met in his house, and he was the pastor;

Paul, apostle and prisoner;

Onesimus, the slave who escaped from Philemon's house after stealing from his master (v. 18). Onesimus arrives in Rome to hide in the capital (870,000 people). Yet God finds him! He receives Jesus into his heart, serves Paul in prison, but something is still missing: Philemon's forgiveness.

The key we will use to interpret the text is the one suggested by the letter itself: God invites us to give a second chance, to believe that God can change people, to open the door of our hearts and offer a second chance.

When we give second chances, we demonstrate our God-likeness:

Ephesians 5:1 NIV

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

Sermon's outline. Undoubtedly, it's much easier to “cancel” all those who have disappointed us, yet in this letter Paul presents at least five reasons why Philemon should give Onesimus another chance:

N.1 - Son

Philemon 10 NIV

that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

Son = labor and pains. First, Paul highlights the relationship between the apostle and the runaway slave: Onesimus is his spiritual son!

Even though he was in chains, Paul was the instrument through which God redeemed Onesimus' life.

Paul had invested in Onesimus' life: time, energy, prayers, tears, with the sole purpose of seeing new life blossom in Onesimus' heart: Galatians 4:19

Galatians 4:19 NIV

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

The term "pains" means "be in labor, suffer greatly," but despite this, Paul continued to invest in Onesimus' life.

Philemon could not ignore Paul's commitment to Onesimus.

Application. Behind every salvation, behind every new birth, there was someone who invested in that person. To erase Onesimus also means to despise Paul's pain.

We must consider that behind our Onesimus are the tears of a mother, the prayers of a father, which must have value for us.

Speaking of suffering that produces life, how can we not take into account the one who endured the pain of the cross so that all Onesimus could be born again?

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Look once again to Jesus Christ in his death upon the cross. Look and try to understand that what he did and suffered, he did and suffered for you, for me, for us all. He carried our sin, our captivity and our suffering, and did not carry it in vain. He carried it away.

Karl Barth (Reformed Theologian)

N.2 - Useful

Philemon 11 NIV

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Useful = Transformation. In this verse, Paul plays on words with the name Onesimus. Onesimus means useful, profitable.

Because of his bad behavior, Onesimus, the useful servant, made himself useless to Philemon.

Thanks to the new birth, Onesimus is no longer that thieving and traitorous servant, but rather a transformed, changed, now useful person.

Application. God not only saves people, He is able to transform them. Giving Onesimus a second chance means believing that the Lord can change people.

Welcome your Onesimus, grant him your forgiveness, and you will see how God is capable of making useful what was once useless.

N.3 - My Very Heart

Philemon 12 NIV

I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

My very hearth = Responsability. This expression Paul uses makes Philemon understand how important Onesimus was to Paul: "I am in truth sending part of myself."

Furthermore, the word heart is repeated three times in the letter, and all three are associated with Philemon:

Philemon 7 NIV

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Philemon 12 NIV

I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

Philemon 20 NIV

I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

This means that Philemon has a responsibility: to revive Paul's heart by welcoming Onesimus.

Application. Like Philemon, each of us has a great responsibility: to grant a second chance.

When forgiveness is granted, hearts are revived, that is, they experience rest, "to give intermission from labor."

Without a second chance, hearts are in constant torment and turmoil. If we want to heal our own hearts, then we must revive the heart of the one who has hurt us.

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 227: Forgiveness

In 1982 would-be assassin John Hinckley shot President Ronald Reagan. Reagan underwent surgery and recovered, and through the entire ordeal Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis saw God at work. In Angels Don’t Die she writes:

I give endless prayers of thanks to whatever angels circled my father, because a Devastator bullet, which miraculously had not exploded, was found a quarter inch from his heart. The following day my father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley. By showing me that forgiveness is the key to everything, including physical health and healing, he gave me an example of Christ-like thinking.

The same grace of God that protects and heals us also calls us to forgive those who hurt us the most.

N.4 - Dear Brother

Philemon 16 NIV

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 fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

Dear Brother = Relationship. Between the two men, Philemon and Onesimus, a relationship was broken because of Onesimus's escape.

The relationship between Master and Slave was now destroyed.

This is why Paul highlights a new relationship on which the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus can be rebuilt: brotherhood.

Application. I have always seen relationships as cords that unite us to others.

Depending on the relationship, the cord can be strong or fragile: the cord of marriage, the cord of friendship, the cord of work, the cord of parenthood.

If these cords break, we must remember that there is a new cord we have in God: the cord of brotherhood!

Hebrews 13:1 NIV

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.

This cord given to us by God will be capable of restoring all the other cords!

N.5 - Partner

Philemon 17 NIV

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

Partner = Partnership. With his escape, Onesimus had caused great harm to Philemon. But now things have changed: Onesimus is able to support Philemon by collaborating with him, pursuing Philemon's same goals.

The term partner means "an associate in an activity, especially one in which the associates both participate in the profits or benefits!"

Previously, there had been competition between Onesimus and Philemon, but now there can be collaboration if Philemon gives Onesimus a second chance.

Application. Giving a second chance means opening the doors to a blessed partnership, a collaboration that will bring benefits to all.

Today more than ever, we need to promote and encourage partnerships. We need more collaboration in churches, homes, and marriages, because partnership is beneficial, blessed, and brings results.

Illustration. The third parent.

This second chance will bring the help and support you so desperately need.

Conclusion

Did Philemon forgive Onesimus? The very fact that this letter has reached us means that Philemon gave Onesimus a second chance.

My prayer is that we too can give a second chance! Don't refuse forgiveness to your Onesimus, don't leave him at the door: welcome him with love!