The Gospel Restores Relationships
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Employee training
Background of Philemon
Paul wrote when in prison and probably sent it with Colossians
Philemon was Christian / house church
Onesimus was a bondservant (a dulous) to Philemon
Ran away / met Paul / became a Christian
We don’t know all the details / reason for the rift
Paul is sending Onesimus back - travelling with Tychicus, the letter carrier
[Read all of Philemon] then we can reflect on what we might hear from God in this passage
Let’s Pray…
Let’s Pray…
Relationships
Relationships
I don’t think there’s anyone who has not suffered the heartache of a broken relationship.
Broken/wounded marriage
Divorced / together but distant
Estranged family member: mother/father/son/daughter/brother/sister
They cut you off or you’ve cut them off
Good friends: at school, at work, childhood friends - someone you were close to but have drifted apart
Gord and Tony
What causes the fractures in relationships? Sin - sin is the global problem
Imagine if you were the only one in the world - all alone.
No one to hurt you, no one to hurt, no one depends on you. What would that world be like?
Sometimes that’s where we retreat to. For one reason or another - we close ourselves off to others.
Close relationships cost us something - vulnerability, openness, a willingness to talk
God created us to be relational beings - to have a relationship with others and with Him
I want to challenge you to take a self-reflective perspective:
How does my sin affect the relationships I have with others?
How does sin affect our relationships?
How does sin affect our relationships?
Pride: someone said something that hurt your ego (Bill)
envy: someone got promoted over you at work
bitterness
rebel against our parents / authority
murder / adulatory / steal
love can turn to hate
Sin can affect all our relationships
Not just you
Not just you
A sin-infected, broken relationship affects more than just the two people directly involved.
Paul wants this relationship to be restored because it affects him and the ministry of God.
Onesimus has been serving Paul - yet he sends him back to Philemon
Philemon has a church in his home
Make amends because it affects the ministry - not that Paul is solely thinking of himself
Qualification of an elder/pastor is affected directly by his relationships
Affects the ministry of the church
two elders who can’t resolve something
Brother or sister who gossips about leadership
marital problems affects the children
Estranged siblings
Relationships are modelled to children
Sin affects all of our relationships
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ restore relationships?
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ restore relationships?
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ restore relationships?
Through Gospel Transformation, Rooted in love
— Looking at Philemon —
— Looking at Philemon —
Gospel Transformation:
Gospel Transformation:
Onesimus and Philemon are Christians
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
Putting your faith in Christ alone for your salvation means you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. You have been given a new heart - one that loves God and enables you to love differently
Worldly love is not gospel-transformed, Spirit-filled love
Remember from Colossians:
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Only a gospel-transformed, Spirit-enabled heart can love as Christ loves - anything else is just pretend
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ restore relationships? Through Gospel Transformation, Rooted in love
For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Equality in the Gospel
Equality in the Gospel
The relationship between slave and owner, master and servant, employer and employee is made level.
1 century Graeco-Roman empire was all about hierarchy - like climbing the corporate ladder - how can I get above everyone else
Master/slave, husband/wife, man/woman, father/children
The gospel levels the paying field - we are all equal, children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ - that’s been God’s design from creation
Whatever culture you find yourself in - the gospel transforms into one of equality
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Christ is all: the centrality of Christ - the purpose of all creation is found in Jesus Christ
and he’s in you -
A Hard Thing to Do
A Hard Thing to Do
Paul presses hard into Philemon
Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you…
Making amends - restoring broken relationships - is not easy
But the gospel empowers us to overcome our resistance
Reflect on all that God has done to restore His relationship with you
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Dare we say, “I will accept God’s grace in Jesus - yet not extend that grace to someone else - especially another believer.”
Is that really exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit?
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Whatever had come between these two men - Paul is asking them to reconcile their differences and treat one another with love and respect
Conclusion
Conclusion
We’re going to close in a time of prayer.
If you are seeking God but have not restored your relationship with Him - do it this morning. Pray to Him and ask Him for forgiveness - ask Him for a repentant heart. Tell Him you trust Jesus to take away the guilt and shame you have for your sin. Do it today.
If there is someone in your life that you need to restore a relationship with, I want you to pray about it this morning - right now. If you need to confess your sin to someone - do it now. If you need to beg for forgiveness from someone - do it today.
Lord we want transformed hearts
