I've Been Changed Series

I’ve Been Changed!

Philemon 8-25

Introduction:

Every person has a life story. That story can be summed up on one word: achievement, success, power, wealth, family… tragedy, failure, brokenness.

Christian = Grace! Every Christian’s life is a story of grace.

Another Word = Changed!

Before & After = in life of every child of God – before grace & after grace!

Onesimus = testify – “By the grace of God, I’ve been changed!”

**In Onesimus we see a picture of ourselves!

Quote: “We are all Onesimus’s.” – M. Luther

1. Grace Redeeming!

Onesimus = prodigal – runaway slave… in process of his running away he had stolen from his master Philemon.

Flees = to Rome – plan was to lose himself, melt into the teeming masses of that great metropolis.

Onesimus = run away from Philemon – couldn’t run away from God!

**But there was unseen hand of God was at work… orchestrating the events of Onesimus’s life… bring him contact with another man in chains – Apostle Paul = the prisoner of Jesus Christ!

Why = God go to such great lengths to work in the life of an insignificant slave?

Answer: v.9 – “Yet for love’s sake”

God = loved Onesimus – not one thing in Onesimus’s life cause God to love him… nothing in us to cause God to love us – He simply loves us!

Grace = God lavishing His love upon undeserving sinners like you and me!

Onesimus = learned that there was a slavery worse than human slavery – slavery to sin.

**Lot of people like Onesimus claiming to be free but really slaves…

Rom. 7:14 – “Sold under sin.” = born slaves to sin and Satan.

Rom. 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

Onesimus = listening as Paul told him everything about himself, he already knew but didn’t want to admit.

TOLD HIM OF ONE WHO COULD SET HIM FREE!!!

Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Great Doctrine of Redemption:

Col. 1:14 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

“Redemption” – to buy out of the slave market…to pay a price… to purchase and set free!

Onesimus = Jesus loved you so much - he left Heaven and came to earth… cradled in the womb of a virgin… went to an old rugged cross… purchased your redemption! Save you and set you free!

See = Onesimus as tears streamed down his face… bowed his head and trusted Jesus as his Savior!

Instant = forgiven! Sins were gone! Chains fell off! First time in his life knew what it meant to be truly free!!!

What Jesus did for Onesimus… He can do for you!

**I don’t know what your shackles are, but Jesus can set you free!!

John 8:36 – “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Hear Onesimus as left jail cell singing…

“Redeemed how I love to proclaim it.

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Redeemed by His infinite mercy,

His child and forever I am!”

Christians = redeemed, set free, yet living as slaves – chained…

Past sin and guilt, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, sour attitude, critical spirit, etc…

Phil. 3:13,14 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

2. Grace Restoring!

Cf. whatever relationship Onesimus had with Philemon before he ran away was now broken. A wrong done!

Now, Paul sending Onesimus back to Philemon to right that wrong.

Great Apostle is acting as Onesimus’ mediator.

“Mediator” = a go between, one pleads the case of another… reconcile Onesimus and Philemon… restore a broken relationship.

Paul = pleading Onesimus’ case to Philemon

vv.8-12 – “therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels.”

vv.13-15 – “receive him forever.”

vv.16,17 – “receive him as myself.” = welcome him as if it were myself… when see Onesimus, see me… accept him for my sake.

Exactly what Jesus does for us!

1Tim. 2:5 – “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

Jesus = our Mediator – our go between, the One who pleads our case… at Calvary Jesus reached up with one hand in the hand of God and reached down with other hand in the hand of man and brought us together, reconciled us through His cross!