Slave: The Prison Epistles

Intro

Illust: Worst Prom Date Ever

You ready to hear one of the most tolerated sins? Complaining.

I wanted people to feel bad for me.

Philippians 2:14–16 ESV

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

I thought I was innocently longing for comfort from my friends when in reality I was shaming Christ’s name. Opportunities to show His perspective I tossed away for some temporary pity.

Last week we read the letters of Paul as he journeyed. Well the end of those journeys concluded with him in prison, bound under house arrest.

Acts 28:30 ESV

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him,

Alone, betrayed, if anyone had reason to complain it was him.

But we get to read the words of his perspective. He does not complain. He writes, he invites us into his perspective and it is one of beauty and joy.

He writes to his friends. The Ephesians were his disciples that were like spiritual children, the Philippians were like his close friends, and he had this friend in the city of Colossae named Philemon, and Philemon’s friends in Colossae were kinda being led astray.

At the time it felt pointless. It seemed unnecessary. He got to the place he was longing to be but he was under arrest so he wasn’t able to do what he wanted there.

But Paul is grateful. He trusts God has a purpose and he reminds himself not of what he doesn’t have, but what he does.

Illust: If you took my messages from

Are there areas of your life that you are treating like prisons that you just want to escape?

Once I move out of my parents house…

Once I get out of school…

Once I get to summer time…

Once I ________

Grumbling

Israel grumbled in the wilderness because they were blind to their blessings.

There is a rare Christian jewel that is the answer to this, and it is called contentment.

In a world where you are constantly bombarded by social media that promises a better life that you don’t have, it seems impossible to just enjoy your life because there is always some lie telling you your life just isn’t as good as it should be.

Philippians 4:11 ESV

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.

I want to show you tonight that contentment is possible. It is attainable. It is available now.

How is it available now? Well the fact that there are alot of good things you have that are untouched.

Have you ever considered that there are spiritual Christmas presents under the tree that haven’t been opened yet?

Four promises you can remind yourself of to have contentment in life:

Ephesians - Christ shares his inheritance with you.

Context: Richer due to the personal relationship he had with these men.

Paul is saying there was this divine plan before the foundation of the world for God to bring glory to himself. You are people in that plan that God has given great inheritance to.

The first half of the book is all about being “blessed” and the second half is how you should “walk since you are blessed.

What is the blessing?

You get the inheritance of Christ. Jesus won life, you get every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places being in him.

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Blessed be God, because he has blessed us. With what? Every spiritual blessing.

How did we get this? By choosing God? No, by him choosing us. Adopting us for his glory.

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

He says you get this inheritance when you are in Christ.

There is alot roped into that inheritance, a promised land to dwell in in the new heavens and new earth, the glorious presence of God which is like a 24 hour beautiful sunset emanating warmth, the closeness of Christ knowing you and loving you. Eternal blessings forever.

Reminder: Jesus is like a bunker. You need to be in the bunker to enjoy it’s blessings.

It’s saying that even though it seems like I made a choice, I repented, believed in Him, that was part of God’s plan all along. So he gets the credit for my salvation.

Some people find that scary, uncomfortable.

But what is the point? The inheritance of Christ is never in danger. If it was guaranteed to you before you were born, then the present does nothing to thwart it.

You cannot sabatoge God’s plan to give you your inheritance.

I look forward to opening presents on Christmas or my birthday because I know there are awards waiting for me.

Don’t let the main thing you are looking forward to in life be something you could lose. Don’t let it be a girlfriend, a fun summer, a movie, a job, more money. Let it be your inheritance in Christ.

Summary: Ephesians reminds you of the bigger picture. That there is no accidents, there is no chance, there are no glitches in the plan of God. Everything that is happening has been planned by him which means you are right where you are meant to be and you are moving towards.

Philippians - Christ shares his endurance with you.

Illust: SOAR Christian Club

Context: Paul writes to the church in Philippi and expresses much of the pain that he has endured.

He is honest that prison isn’t exactly easy.

Philippians 2:3 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

When you are suffering, we tend to look to other people to get something from them.

Guys who lack a mother in their life look for girls to give them attention, girls who lack a father in their life look to guys to give them attention.

We want the pity party, we want the sympathy.

But Paul is saying do nothing from that.

He is saying count people as more important than yourself in those moments.

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The Bible never says you need to work on loving yourself. You already do. You need to work on loving others.

How is that possible? That goes so against what and who I am?

Philippians 2:5–9 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Christ gives him the power!

Philippians 3:8–10 ESV

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

The more he lowers himself, the more Christ works in him.

Summary: Philippians is a book that says it is worth giving up earthly attention, earthly comfort, and anything else for more closeness with Christ. He will give you the strength to endure whatever you need.

Colossians - Christ shares himself with you.

Context: Paul addresses the church his friend Philemon is at. It’s not one he planted, but he has heard that they are being led astray by these false teachings.

You see this church was told that they have been missing out on real Christianity. Their Christianity is wild, it has powerful experiences of the Holy Spirit, there are visions of angels, and they have alot more rules that help you keep in line.

This church thought that these things must be why church leaves them feeling so longing.

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

He gives this beautiful speech about Christ and who he is. The center of all creation, the purpose of everything. He is reminding us that you have him, you aren’t missing out on anything.

Colossians 2:16–19 ESV

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Colossians 2:23 ESV

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

He concludes that there are things that if you add them to your religion, they don’t help your growth in Christ, they make you discontent instead.

Every church service you should feel like you had an appetizer and not a full meal because you should be longing for Christ still.

Summary: Beware versions of Christianity that want you to think of other things

The Jesus+ religion.

Philemon - Christ shares himself with others through you.

Context: A small letter is attached to the one to Colossae. It’s written to one person.

Philemon 8–14 ESV

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. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.

Philemon 17–20 ESV

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

Well Philemon had a slave who ran away, and possibly even stole from him Paul implies.

That’s a betrayal. It runs deep. But Paul happens to be in the place where he meets this slave.

But he is put at a critical place to restore this man.

Summary: Philemon shows us that wherever God has you, remember that it’s not just for you.

Conclusion

When you feel like life can be better, remember what you have in Christ, and you will realize you are blessed and will find contentment.

You have the inheritance of Christ

You have endurance in Christ

You have the beauty of Christ

You have purpose in Christ.