Philemon 1-7

Today we jump into this shore letter of Philemon. My plan is to do two sermons on this letter. This week and next week we will cover this short powerful letter.

I am really loving this short little letter.

Question:

Have you ever had someone take something from you?

Think about the emotions you felt from that

Did you forgive them?

What if someone told you that you needed to forgive them and accept them back?

How does that sit with you?

What if you are the person who had to be the one that was to tell you that you should receive them back?

Paul is about to ask Philemon to do one of the hardest things anyone could ask a believer to do.

The Gospel prepares us to reconcile before it ask us to reconcile

Onesimus and Philemon have some sort of disagreement.

This letter is a letter of reconciliation, transformation and forgiveness.

I think there is so much to be learned from this little letter.

The transformation of Onesimus (The one who stole)

Paul encourages Philemon to receive Onesimus back (Forgiveness)

How does Paul write to Philemon about Onesimus (Reconciliation)

What changes because of the Gospel does Paul encourage Philemon and his household to make?

Philemon 1–7 HCSB

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. 6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ. 7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul understands the Assignment

Philemon 1 HCSB

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker,

Paul gives his title in the introduction.

He says a prisoner of Christ Jesus

Question: Is Paul a prisoner?

The answer is yes

Reminder that prison was not a place of punishment and what we mean by that is that he did not get 15 years in prison for his time.

Prison was a place where they waited for trial to be set free or put to death.

I really like this simple title that he gives to himself. He says a prisoner of Christ Jesus. He is at peace with what the Lord has desired for him.

As a prisoner, he is there as Christ Jesus.

What if you was to write a letter today? Think about what the world might see as negative situation or any life situation in your life but you have come to grips with it as a calling in following Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus becomes the label and not the situation

Examples

I am a cancer patient - I am a cancer patient of Christ Jesus

I am in debt - I am working out of debt in Christ Jesus

I am a mechanic - I am a mechanic of Christ Jesus

I am a student - I am a student of Christ Jesus

I am a husband - I am a husband of Christ Jesus

I am a father - I am a father of Christ Jesus

This is key to living in contentment is to view the life you live as the assignment the Lord has given you and not the curse that you have been assigned to. (Expound on this)

I can view my assignment as pastor of Bridge of Faith Community Church as a curse or I can see it as my assignment as a Pastor of Bridge of Faith of Christ Jesus.

When you add Christ Jesus to it, then it changes everything to the assignment. Goals begin to change and how you act and react changes.

Then as we saw at the close of Colossians last week, we saw many different names that have been a part of making ministry happen. Here he introduces the letter and adds in Timothy as a partner.

He address the letter to Philemon our dear friend and coworker

Dear Friend/agapetos: Beloved, dearly loved and cherished

Fellow worker: a person who participates in the same activity as someone else.

In his address to Philemon he establishes common ground. You are dearly loved and cherished. We are participating in the same work. We are on the same team.

Philemon 2 HCSB

2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

Apphia our sister

Perhaps she is the wife of Philemon and the wife could be responsible for the day to day operation of the home and this would put her in charge of the slaves at home.

Archippus

We addressed last week that could be the son of Philemon or a fellow worker in the Gospel work.

Fellow Soldier

The bond that is among soldiers. Same goals, same team, in the fight together.

Church that meets in you home

Philemon 3 HCSB

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace: The unmerited favor of God

Peace: “Peace” expresses a spiritual state denoting a proper relationship between God and man

Philemon 4–5 HCSB

4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

Paul’s heart is full of gratitude to the Lord when he mentions him in his prayers.

The right heart as he is about to address how Philemon should receive Onesimus back. As he addresses this, he is thankful for Philemon in his prayers.

Pray first. Express gratitude in prayer

Talk to God about it.

So much could be dealt with if we were just willing to talk to God about it first before we talk to others about it.

Express gratitude as you talk to God about the situation you are about to address.

I really wish I had this when I was younger in ministry. I made some mistakes. I think I could have made less mistakes if I would follow scripture and talk to God about it first before I talk to others and in talking to God show gratitude.

Why is he thanking God?

Because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

Philemon 6 HCSB

6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

Participation Koinonia:

participation fellowship n. — the act of sharing in the activities or privileges of an intimate association or group; especially used of marriage and churches.

This is more than just a meal after church. This is a strong fellowship. It is a partnership. It is walking in and with one another.

Philemon 6 HCSB

6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

I pray that your fellowship in the faith may become effective

Through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

The more you fellowship or draw near to Christ the more effective your sharing of Jesus becomes. It becomes sweeter and sweeter with time.

Wednesday night Dr. Sharp put this amazing slide on the screen that helped us process contrition. The slide was all about the difference of coming closer to Christ verses just being better.

Here in Philemon verse 6 we see this. I pray your fellowship in the faith is effective as you know every good thing that is in us.

Quick reminder: Paul is about to address how he is to receive Onesimus back. He will have to share forgiveness and receive him as a brother.

In so doing, I know you will come to know every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

Philemon 7 HCSB

7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

I have great joy and encouragement from YOUR love

you have encouraged me by your love. I have learned from you.

Hearts Splanchna (Spl aaa ch na)

compassion ⇔ bowels n. — a deeply felt compassion; characteristic of the psychological feature understood as the bowels.

Refreshed:

The Bible Knowledge Commentary V. 7

“Refreshed” (anapepautai, cf. v. 20) is the word the Lord used in

2 Corinthians 5:16–21 HCSB

16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.