Expedite Interaction

Introduction

If you are with is for the first time, I want to inform you that at this church we believe in the unapologetic proclamation of the authority of God’s Word. WE also hold dear to the belief that the best diet for any Christian to grow is expository preaching – a verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book exposition of the Scriptures.

Last week we started a series from the Letter of Paul to Philemon under the theme “A Journey to Reconciliation”. During the sermon we heard that we are to Extend Grace by praying for our relationships and focusing on love and faith. If that was all to reconciliation, then we would all be in a great place today as there would be no issues between us. However, there is so much more we have to do to facilitate reconciliation. If you missed last week’s sermon or just want to hear it again, we have uploaded it to our website site at www.harvestbarbados.org. Bear with me as I remind us of the plot of this letter.

The Plot. Paul writes to Philemon concerning his run-away slave Onesimus (oh-NAY-see-muss). This slave became a believer under Paul's teaching and becomes close friends with Paul. Though Paul would have like to keep Onesimus to work along him in the ministry, he recognized the legal claim that Philemon had on the slave and he sends Onesimus with a letter urges Philemon to not only forgive him but to accept him back, not as a slave but as an equal because they are both now believers.

So, join me today as we focus on under the topic “Expedite Interaction”.

(Pray)

Remember that we are on a journey to reconciliation. The word journey suggests that reconciliation is not just a destination that we arrive at, but it takes effort on everyone’s part to get there. It’s a journey. A journey is defined as a long and often difficult process of personal change and development (among other things). We are on a long a difficult process to something that benefits us first. It is personal. So where are we going? We are heading to reconciliation which is defined as the restoration of friendly relations. So how do we do that? We first extend grace, then, we expedite interaction. To expedite is to make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly.

Let’s pick it up now at verse 8.

1A) Appeal on the Basis of Love (8 - 11)

Paul, having spoken kind words to Philemon, now introduces the subject matter at hand. He makes a plea on behalf of a man who is well known to the household receiving the letter. In verse 8 the writer reminded the reader that he had some clout. He could have commanded Philemon to do what is required. We are talking about the man who had the authority to command the execution of many believers prior to his own conversion. Following his conversion, Paul becomes an Apostle of Jesus Christ which came along with a level of authority to instruct those who ran the affairs of the church. Remember that Philemon was the pastor of a house church most likely organized by Paul himself. He had the God-given authority to instruct fellow ministers but, yet he didn’t. He chose a different approach.

Paul declined to appeal to Philemon with a command or order. He appealed on the basis of love (Vs 9). Paul knew Philemon better than any bible commentator could ever know him. He knew that the relationship he had with this man was one of love and trust. When we have spent time and energy cultivating relationships, we can speak to each other in love.

Paul identifies himself as an old man. What a way to talk to a younger person. Are you playing on my emotions now? Are you soliciting my empathy? No please. The term old man is derived from a Greek word presbytēs which refers to an older man yet not in the last, less productive stage of old age. It comes from the root presbeutes which means “ambassador”. Paul was speaking as an ambassador of Christ.

Loved ones, there are times when we older people must speak as ambassadors and encourage the younger ones to work out their differences in a mature manner. We must appeal as fathers to sons and mothers to daughters in the faith.

But why was Paul appealing in love? He was appealing on the behalf of Onesimus. Picture this. A run-away slave returns home with a letter from Paul.

The slave master reads the letter probably only because of who it came from and surely not because of the messenger. The letter is asking the master to take back the slave.

Verse 10 is the first mention of Onesimus’ name in the letter. Paul having extended grace to Philemon, he now clarifies why he is appealing. He describes the fugitive as “my child”. What an endearing description. He’s laying a foundation for what comes next. Does anyone know what the meaning of the name Onesimus means? It means “useful”. Look at how Paul weaves that into the letter. Vs 11 – He was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. Friends, conversion always results in a change of character. A once useless man was now profitable. That person you want to cut off is profitable. Onesimus gave much joy to Paul by his conversion and as such possessed the ability to bring much joy to his slave master. All of you are precious and can bring much joy to all of us.

We expedite interaction by appealing on the basis of love. Secondly…

2A) Reveal Your Motives (12 - 16)

Read with me vs 12 – 16. Onesimus has so endeared himself to Paul that his departure was an extremely painful prospect for the apostle. Look at his heart. He would have loved to keep the man as an assistant, but he judged that Onesimus’ obligation to return to his owner was more important. The service Paul had in mind was that Onesimus would help proclaim the gospel, but he felt obligated to return him to his master.

“In the Eastern part of the Roman Empire during this period, fugitive slave who sought sanctuary in a household were likely to be given temporary protection by the householder until either a reconciliation with the master had been effected or else the slave had been put up for sale in the market and the resulting price paid to the owner…” (O'Brien, Peter T. Colossians, Philemon. Word Biblical Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1982).

Paul could have kept him and waited to own him. He revealed his motives. He spoke from the heart. He was making a case for Onesimus. Paul speaks with a broken heart. In vs 12 he states I am sending my very heart.

If we are to achieve reconciliation in the many relationships that are being challenged, we have to have genuine motives. Church, I don’t want a situation where people are responding because of who is asking.

There is great need for reconciliation among relationships including marriages, families, churches, offices and even communities. We as a church, have the responsible to encourage reconciliation and at times it will require us to initiate interaction between the aggrieved persons.

Paul’s letter is not dealing specifically with slavery as such. He’s not asking Philemon to release a slave, but t receive a brother. Are we will to receive our brothers and sisters for who they are in Christ?

Maybe you are here and feel as if someone has done you wrong – you need to expedite interaction. It’s time to overcome the obstacles to reconciliation

- Pride

- Hurt

- Past rejection

- Bitterness / Anger

- Doubt

- Unbelief

- Lack of knowledge of who God is

The supreme work of Christianity is to transform men, so that out of their transformed loves shall come the transformation of all social conditions, and the victories of righteousness and of love. (Morgan, G. Campbell. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible. 2 vols. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1912).

If we are to be a position to transform others on this journey to reconciliation, then we must expedite interaction.

Conclusion

As we prepare to close this service today, let’s stop and ponder for a while. Maybe you are aware of a strained relationship in your circle of influence. What are you doing about it? Are you thinking that it is not your business? Well I have news for you…it is your business.

Maybe you are hurting because of a strained relationship. It needs addressing before it festers and bitterness steps in and you become a fugitive from God. Abstaining from what God has called you to do…avoiding the uncommon community…not being accountable to others. Maybe you can’t even think straight; it’s time to extend grace and expedite interaction.

If we are to make disciples who make disciples, then we must learn to expedite interaction.