God- The Divine Orchestrator

Week 4: God - The Divine Orchestrator

Map: This is the region of Colossae where Philemon and his household were

Genre & Structure: Philemon is a personal letter (epistle) from the Apostle Paul, the shortest book in the New Testament at only 25 verses. It's one of Paul's "Prison Epistles," written during his house arrest in Rome around 60-62 AD.

Key Players: We’re on our last and fourth look at this letter. We took a look at the letter from the perspective of Paul the Apostle, Philemon, and Onesimus. This week we are looking at the letter from God’s perspective.

A unique letter for sure and then to take it from the perspective of God, we’ll probably have more questions than what will get answered, but I think it can be helpful when we walk through uncertainty, when we encounter things we don’t understand or control. It’s good to be reminded that God is in control. God is providential. God does not waste any experience or situation but is able to even bring good from the most craziest of situations. Sometimes we don’t know why things happen the way they do. Sometimes we are given a glimpse as to what is taking place.

Opening Illustration:

I have a good friend I met in seminary. I enrolled a little later in life—in 2019, we both jumped into the deep waters of theological formation together. We had known of each other for years but had never really connected. Once a month, we'd travel down to Portland for an all-day intensive. Here's what that looked like:

We'd make our way to Portland on Thursday night—he'd drive while I mostly flew. We'd sleep at our professor's house and share a meal with him and his wife. Those evenings became unexpectedly formative, full of honest conversation and laughter. The next day, our cohort would gather from 8am to 5pm—studying, learning, wrestling with hard questions. Afterward, he'd drive us back north and drop me off at the ferry terminal, where I'd catch the last boat home.

For three years, we kept this rhythm. And during those three years, my friend's life was turned upside down.

He was offered a position at a church—a dream opportunity, really. The plan was clear: he'd be trained up, mentored, and eventually take over leadership. So he took the job. He moved his family. He threw himself into the work.

But what seemed like a divine appointment became something else entirely. Over the course of those three years, he was emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically abused in that setting. It was agonizing to watch him walk through it. Our monthly cohort became a lifeline—a place where he could process what was happening, where he could be honest about the pain, where he didn't have to pretend everything was fine.

Eventually, he was fired. The departure was ugly and disorienting.

Soon after, another church hired him. And so we'd work through it together—the feelings, the emotions, the experience of this new place—all while the wounds from the previous church were still fresh, still informing how he saw himself, how he saw the church, and what his role was supposed to be in it all.

The "why?" question didn't come up explicitly, but it was always there, hovering just beneath the surface. You couldn't help but ask it.

In our fourth perspective on Philemon, we're going to look at things from God's vantage point—as much as we're able. We can't fully comprehend why things happen from God's perspective, but we can look at how we might perceive His hand at work, whether there are redemptive reversals hidden in our pain, and why providence so often requires patience in the midst of the "perhaps."

If you have your Bibles or devices, please turn to the book of Philemon. If you are able and willing, would you stand with me as I read our text this morning? This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Amen.

Please be seated.

Theme: Providence in the Painful

Key Text Focus: Verse 15-16 ("Perhaps..."), divine passive throughout

Main Points:

(v.15 - "Perhaps he was separated...")Divine Passive

Philemon 15 “Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—” Here Paul is humbly suggesting that God was at work even in that thing that Philemon had no control over.

Our understanding of God and how He works in this world helps understand the things that we encounter (slide: How does God work in the world?)

Decree (Foreordination, prooridzo)

Key Biblical Teaching

Psalm 33

Isaiah 14:24-27

Ephesians 1:11

Consistent Calvinism: God causes all things to happen; He is the ultimate cause of everything. Nothing happens apart from God’s purpose and without His approval. This world as it actually happens glorifies God maximally. Meticulous providence; script theory;

Moderate Calvinism, Centrist Wesleyanism: God is at work in all things, but does not cause all things. There are decisions He does not make or approve though they do not frustrate His plan. Active providence; ship theory

Arminian: God is working everywhere in this world, but doesn’t interfere in free choices. He knows what's going to happen, but doesn't force things. Free will providence; free will theory

Openness Theology: God is dynamically developing and adapting His working to the decisions of creatures, risking His plan against their freedom. If God can know the outcome of a decision in advance, then it is determined. Decisions are free (contrary choice is real), therefore God cannot know them in advance.

Pragmatism (William James, John Dewey, Charles Sanders Peirce, C. I. Lewis, Richard Rorty, Stanley Fish): Chance rather than providence guides the course of this world, human affairs, and history. Pragmatism maintains that people are constantly devising and updating ideas to navigate the world in which they live; it embraces open-minded experimentation and continuing debate.

Definition

Decree is God's eternal purpose, based on His most wise and holy counsel, whereby He freely and unchangeably, for His own glory, ordained, either efficaciously or permissively (preceptively), all that comes to pass. Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (2nd Ed.), p. 100.

That eternal plan by which God has rendered certain all the events of the universe. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 102

In a word: Plan

Characteristics

From Before Foundation of the World Eph. 1:4

Based on God's Character

The decree represents who He is.

Omniscience:

He is not surprised as history develops.

He knows all possibilities and what would happen if they came to pass.

Omnisapience: He is wise enough to know which course of action is the best.

Omnipotence: He will never have to go to plan B because he lacks the power to accomplish plan A.

Gracious: His decree is going to involve a gracious relationship.

It is not something He does arbitrarily, capriciously or whimsically.

God Ordains Freely

God is absent of external constraint or coercion.  Nobody makes God do anything (Psalm 115:3; 135:6; Dan. 4:35).

What He chooses to do is never contrary to His character

Is God constrained by love?

Its End (Purpose, Goal) is God Himself

Is this not ultimate narcissism?

God does not build Himself up at the cost of innocents.

The primary purpose is the glory of God. Happiness of the creature/creation, perfection or fulfillment of the saints, etc. are secondary aims as they glorify God

(So while this is a lot, this is for us to contemplate how we see God in the world, how God acts in the world, and to what end. Some of this makes sense intellectually and theoretically. It’s in the moment that our theories and understanding is challenged. This is often where we walk by faith and not by sight… in the hard and difficult things. It’s important though because I think what we think about God informs the choices we make, the things/how we think about ourselves and others.

Even if we have deep conviction about who God is and how He works, sometimes we will not ever get the answers we are looking for in the situations that affect us. There may not be a resolve, there may not be understanding about the situation, but if we understand a more of who God is, we can trust Him in the journey that we find ourselves on.)

The tentative "perhaps" - humility about God's ways while trusting His character

Often times we won’t know why something may happen. Disease, war, hardship, as it’s said in football… “the ball doesn’t bounce our way.”

When we are out of control of a situation, we look for meaning and understanding. I think this helps us feel safe, in control, and really know how to navigate a situation. It’s unnerving when we don’t know.

Modern application: When we can't see God's hand, we trust His heart

God’s past faithfulness demands our present trust

I believe this is what carried the disciples post resurrection and ascension of Jesus… 1 John 1:1–2 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”

2 Corinthians 1:9–10 “Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,”

2 Timothy 4:17–18 “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

They consistently point back to what they saw Jesus do and what God has already done as the foundation and the confidence in what He will do.

(v.11, 16)Redemptive Reversals

Useless becomes useful; slave becomes beloved brother

God uses our stories and experiences to shape us. They can be powerful tools of God to work and shape how we minister.

Paul who was Saul. Persecutor of the church then become an Apostle. Humble in service but powerful in work/action: 1 Corinthians 15:9 “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” Ephesians 3:8 “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,” 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst/chief.”

Peter who stumbled over his words to then give the gospel proclamation after the ascension: Matthew 16:21–23 “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”” Acts 2:36–38 ““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Historical note: Onesimus likely becomes Bishop of Ephesus (Ignatius: "No one loves like he does")

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, early church father Ignatius of Antioch on his way to be martyred in Rome (died as early as 108AD to as far of 140AD), wrote this to the church: “I have become acquainted with your name, much-beloved in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Being the followers of God, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of God, ye have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple of Him "who gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God," [ye hastened to see me ]. I received, therefore, your whole multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and your bishop in the flesh, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him. And blessed be He who has granted unto you, being worthy, to obtain such an excellent bishop.”

Modern application: God specializes in making the discarded into the indispensable

There might be those things right now, in your past, or maybe yet in the future that you will grapple with. Why? What purpose can this possibly serve?

We may not ever find the answer… and I will say that is hard. That is difficult to sit with.

However, perhaps God might be at work. Perhaps from those ashes, from that hardship, from that tragedy what the enemy meant for evil, God can and will work in your life or the life of someone near you to transform their life for the good.

It doesn’t make any hardship or evil, good. But it also doesn’t leave it wasted. It doesn’t leave it unredeemable.

(v.15, 20-22)Providence Requires Patience

God's "perhaps" timing vs. our immediate desire for answers

Often times, answers, healing, resolution, and the like take time. The waiting and patience is hard.

There can be wounds that develop through instances and circumstance that we carry. They are not visible but they are real and they affect us.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that we can lean on, pray for, and that God will supply. Let me encourage us too to pray for that. It’s a gift. It’s a virtue. If it’s in our life, it enhances, enriches and colors our life in beautiful ways that otherwise wouldn’t.

Results often only seen in hindsight (the bishop story)

We should rightly assume that the time of Onesimus being a slave informed his time as Bishop

My experience and leadership as a pastor has been formed by the years of serving under the leadership of others… good and bad… going “I want to do that”… “oooooh… I’m going to stay away from that.”

A wise person learns from their mistakes… a wiser person learns from someone else’s mistakes.

Modern application: Living faithfully in the "perhaps" seasons

So if we are in the “perhaps” season we can give ourselves to a few things… some practical encouragement.

Prayer

Forgiveness (remember what we talked about in the second message of this series)

Reading scripture

Surround ourselves with community and people of peace

Remember and remind yourself of who God is keeping his character in mind

Don’t rush to healing or purpose… but be ok with sitting with it. God meets us in the valley, forms us in the valley, and will lead us out of the valley (we won’t live there), but let us follow His lead.

Key Applications:

Where do you need to trust God's heart when you can't see His hand?

What "useless" situation in your life might God be preparing for kingdom usefulness?

How do we live faithfully when God's purposes are unclear?

Conclusion

Let me tell you how my friend's story is unfolding.

That church that hired him? It's thriving. Not in some shallow, numbers-driven way, but in the deep, life-changing way that matters. People are encountering Jesus. The congregation is growing in health and maturity. My friend is preaching with a clarity and compassion that moves people—not because he has it all figured out, but because he's walked through the fire and knows what it's like to doubt, to hurt, to wonder if God sees.

Is he fully healed from what happened at that first church? No. There are still wounds. There are still triggers—moments when old fears surface, when he has to choose trust over self-protection. He's learning what it means to lead from a place of brokenness rather than pretending to have it all together.

But here's what's remarkable: that trial, as brutal as it was, has made him a better minister. A better preacher. A better shepherd. He has an experience now—a lived knowledge of suffering and God's faithfulness in it—that he couldn't have gained any other way. He can sit with people in their darkest moments and say, "I know. I've been there. And God didn't leave me. He won't leave you either."

He walks with a limp now. But it's a limp of faithfulness—a limp earned while wounded in the act of serving others. And somehow, that limp has become the very thing that makes him effective. People see it. They trust him because of it. They know he's not speaking from theory or platitudes, but from the valley.

Would he have chosen this path? Of course not. Does he understand why it all had to happen the way it did? Not completely. But he can look back now and see glimpses—just glimpses—of how God was at work in what felt like abandonment. How the useless season is becoming useful. How the things that broke him are now the very things God is using to heal others.

Perhaps—just perhaps—that's what providence looks like. Not the absence of pain, but the presence of God in it. Not the removal of the limp, but the sanctification of it. Not immediate answers, but eventual fruit born from faithful endurance in the "perhaps" seasons.