Philemon Part 3 (Truly Transformed)
Turn with me in your bible this morning to Philemon we will be looking at the second major division in this book.
The story is told of an old farmer who brought his family to the big city for the very first time. They had never seen buildings so tall or sights so impressive. The farmer went and dropped his wife off at a department store and took his son with him to the bank which was the tallest of all the buildings. As they walked into the lobby, they saw something else they had never seen before. Two steel doors opened. A rather large and elderly woman walked in, and the big doors closed behind her. a dial over the door swept to the right and then back to the left. And the doors opened again revealing a beautiful young lady walking out. The farmer was amazed. He’d never seen or heard of anything like that. He turned to his son in excitement and said “You wait right here. I’m going to get your mother and run her through that thing.”
This morning were going to talk about Change, transformation, now we all know that physical change like that is not possible in our day and time. But I want to share with you this morning that spiritual change and spiritual transformation like that is possible.
Their have been many millions of people today who have had a spiritual transformation. A real change of heart you could say, a new birth, a new beginning, new life, new opportunities.
Introduction:
were going to look at Onesimus and in Onesimus we are going to see a man who was greatly transformed by God.
Truly Transformed.
Last week we looked at the first seven verses of Philemon and saw how Philemon’s life was one that was greatly committed to the work of God. In those verses we also see how Proud Paul was of Philemon because his life was one that refreshed the hearts of the saint’s.
For those who weren’t with us last week.
Lets remember that Philemon is the Slave owner and Onesimus is the runaway slave and thief who stole from Philemon and who made his way to Rome, somehow meet Paul and was converted to Christianity. Onesimus life is going to show us the difference that conversion can make in a life. We are going to see four things in Onesimus life that must take place in our life for true spiritual transformation.
Have stand while reading to honor God word.
READ PHILEMON VS. 8-21
1.You must be born again. Onesimus was born again (vs. 8-11)
Paul wanted to make a special request of Philemon. He had the right to demand that Philemon grant the request. It is a believer's duty to do it. A Christian, no matter who he is, should do the right thing; he should do his duty. Paul did not demand it. Instead he appealed, he desired he urged Philemon on the basis of love. Paul loved Philemon and didn’t want to see any harm come to him or to Onesimus.
Know what was Paul's request? It concerned Onesimus, the former slave of Philemon, who committed a crime and had run away to Rome to gain his freedom.
Know Imagine Onesimus walking down the road leading to his masters home. Thanking God for His forgiveness for his new life. And praying hard for Philemon saying lord please let your hand be upon Philemon. Let no harm come to me. I know I’ve done you wrong and I know I’ve done Philemon wrong.
Onesimus now facing Philemon and having handed this letter to him—and Philemon standing there reading this letter. You ask yourself what were his thoughts? What was the impact upon Philemon, the slave owner who Him self had been converted to Christ by Paul? What would he do now? There standing before him was his former slave who had broken the law (Breaking the law for a slave brought about some very sever punishment. Death was a very real possibility for a captured run away slave.)
But Onesimus was a changed man, a man who had been “born again“.
Note that Paul pulled no punches. He says I appeal to you for my son Onesimus he uses this term twice. Paul was not speaking of a physical family relationship this was a term of endearment, Paul was pushing 60 years of age more or less at this time in his life and he viewed Onesimus as a son. He uses this metaphor of child-rearing to encourage those believers who came to faith under him.
You’ve all heard this expression before, think of the police officer dealing with a troubled youth. Now son you need to get your act together. Your not my daddy.
Many youth and adults grew up and are growing up without a father. Onesimus maybe he was sold into slavery at a very young age, and grew up without a father and mother around.
We don’t know for sure, but we do know that Paul treated many of the believers as his dear Children, he was a spiritual example to them.
Paul say’s Onesimus became my son, Became. Onesimus got saved, he’s born again he became a Christian he’s transformed from the inside out. He’s a changed man.
Notice also that Paul readily admitted the wrong that Onesimus had done:
he writes “Formerly he was useless to you.” he had been unprofitable, worthless and good for nothing. That is the idea in the word useless.
What exactly does that mean: we can’t say for sure but maybe Onesimus was a lazy good for nothing slave who didn’t like being told what to do by his master his Christian master at that. He got tired of working so he left and he made sure his pockets were full before he left.
But now “He has become useful” he’s profitable he’s worth something and good for something. He had accepted Christ and he was of the greatest use to Philemon and to Paul for the kingdom of Christ.
Thought 1. Jesus Christ changes lives. He can take a useless, unprofitable, good for nothing person and make the most useful, profitable, and good person imaginable. Jesus Christ can take nothing and make something out of any person—no matter...
· how low a person is
· how far a person has sunk
· how far a person has gone
· what a person has done
...Jesus Christ can change a person and make him the most useful person in the world. How? Jesus Christ takes a person and creates him anew. Christ gives the person a new birth, makes a new creature, a new man out of him.
You can countless stories of people testimonies of how God supernatural Changed them.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! " (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now these next three things are evidences of transformation as well as part of your journey to transformation.
2. We must face our past and right our wrongs. Onesimus faced his (vs. 12-14).
Onesimus faced his past in order to right his wrong. This is clear evidence that the heart of Onesimus had been truly converted to Christ. He wanted to return and right the wrong he had done. Christ always does this to a person when he is truly converted. This is what Christianity is all about: converting and changing the wrong and evil in our lives, changing it to a life of love and goodness and
Note how dear this slave was to Paul. Paul says that he was sending a part of his own heart to Philemon. Paul loved this man who had been a law-breaker and thief This slave had become dear, very dear to Paul's heart. He was so dear that Paul would have preferred to keep Onesimus with him. Paul, who was in prison, desperately needed Onesimus—needed his companionship, encouragement, and assistance.
But Paul would not ask him to stay. Why? Because Paul would do nothing without the consent of Philemon. Onesimus owed Philemon and it was up to Philemon where Onesimus should serve: either with Philemon as a slave or to return and serve with Paul as a minister.
This shows how Paul opened the door for Philemon to use Onesimus to be a servant of the gospel.
Now imagine again Onesimus standing before Philemon and wanting for a response to see how he was going to react would he show an unpleasant look as if to say man I really don’t want to do this. or would he smile and grin and reach out and give Onesimus a warm welcome to the family and welcome home.
No taking what we have written about Philemon by Paul I would say the latter is more accurate.
Asking forgiveness and forgiving each other is evidence of Gods work in your life.
Psychologists are studying what makes people happy. "Materialism is poison to happiness," says University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener. Even rich People aren’t as happy as those who care less about getting and spending. The article also quoted University of Michigan psychologist Christopher Peterson, who indicated forgiveness is the trait most strongly linked to happiness. Peterson said, "It’s the queen of all virtues, and probably the hardest to come by." That taken from an article by Marilyn Elias, titled "Psychologists now know what makes people happy," USA Today (12-9-02)
Thought 1. A Christian believer should make restitution, to right whatever wrong he has done—in so far as it is humanly possible. No Christian should ever try to escape from making restitution, from righting whatever wrong he has done. The very cause of Christ upon earth was to offer forgiveness to make the earth as good a place as possible—to teach and charge as many people as possible to live righteous and godly lives. If believers hold out on their duty to forgive and seek forgiveness Then of what value is their Christianity? This is the reason Onesimus was returning to Philemon—the reason Paul was sending him back despite the fact that he himself desperately needed Onesimus.
3. We must allow Gods change to bring new opportunities. (vs. 15-16)
Onesimus was a changed man. And this change brought about new opportunities for his life
1. Notice first He had been changed by the hand of God, that is, under the providence of God. Paul tells Philemon that Perhaps the reason Onesimus had left for just a little while was “so that you might have him back for good.” God was overlooking and overruling the whole event for the sake of Onesimus' salvation
2. He had been changed from a slave to a brother—a "dear brother." Note what Paul says: Onesimus had left as a slave, but he...
No you can just imagine the new opportunities this was going to open up for him. He got a new lease on life a new outlook on life. A reason to live. He will know not hesitantly serve but willingly serve.
He will have an opportunity to serve God. And be a part of the greatest work in the world. We know from history that Onesimus went on the pastor the church in Ephesus. Here he was a lazy good for nothing thief no being used by God.
We should not resist Gods call on our lives. If you feel like the lord is leading you to do something than do it. Gods spirit will move in your life and give you the opportunities to work with Him. The question is are we willing to work with God.
Thought 1. The point is well made: when Christ changes a life, the life is changed eternally. Earthly relationships are changed forever. You’ll have opportunities to strengthen almost all if not every relationship. It does not matter what the relationship has been...
· a master-slave relationship
· a friend-enemy relationship
· a victim-criminal relationship
· a love-hate relationship
· a marriage-divorce relationship
· an abused-hurtful relationship
If a person has been truthfully changed by Christ, God will give you the opportunities to strengthen those relationships.
fervently" (1 Peter 1:22).
4. We must allow our selves to be blessed by others and learn to be a blessing to others. (Vs. 17-21)
Onesimus was to be received and trusted as much as Paul himself. Paul made an astounding request. He asked Philemon to receive this born again slave who had been a lawless thief, just as he would receive Paul. Most people would not even want to be seen with a criminal. much less be to be known as a partner or brother to one.
But Paul boldly stepped forward and asked that Onesimus, this redeemed man, be received as a partner and brother. And look at how sincere Paul was.
Paul said that he would personally pay whatever money or goods Onesimus had stolen. Why should Philemon accept this? Because Philemon should always remember the debt he owed for his salvation.
Paul said that he would be filled with joy and refreshed if Philemon would receive Onesimus as a partner and brother in the Lord it would bless Paul.(Philemon 20).
Paul said that he had great confidence that Philemon would grant the request and even go beyond and do more than his request.(Philemon 21).
Onesimus was going to be a blessing to Philemon and in turn that was going to be a blessing to Paul. And Onesimus was going to be blessed cause he was going to be used for God glory.
Sometimes it hard for Christians to welcome other Christians into the family but it shouldn’t be like that. Philemon may have been thinking I don’t want him back I was glad he left. I doubt he was. But there are Christians like that I don’t want them in our Church. What good are they going to do.
Thought 1. The one thing that people need above all else is to be received. No matter how useless and unprofitable, sinful and derelict, crippled and diseased, ugly and unattractive, unapproachable and distasteful—a person needs to be received and brought into the fellowship of Christ and believers.
There are many times the church has shunned and shut out people, but that just the opposite of what God wants. God loves and longs for every human being—man, woman and child—he wants every man, woman and child to be reached for Him. Part of the purpose of the church is to build each other up. So that we might be blessed by each other.
And we must always remember: we are all debtors to Christ, every man, woman, and child. We owe God or very best. Christ has saved us and given us the fellowship with Himself and God the Father and with one another. Therefore, we need to find our place in his Church and be a blessing.
SLOW AND STEADY
The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but transformation, a process that might be slow and gradual. The difference might look like this:
You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a dramatic onetime impact. But there is another way to release the energy in that gasoline. Place it in the fuel tank of a new Honda, designed to get 30 miles to the gallon. The high tech engine will use that ten gallons of gasoline to take a person 300 miles or more.
Explosions may be spectacular, but the sustained, controlled burn has staying power. You don’t want to be a flash in the pan, you want to make a difference in this world over time. You want to last for the long haul. You don’t want the Holy Spirit to just save you for heaven, you want Him to use His power to transform your life. You want Him to use you in this world for kingdom purposes.
—Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary