I Will Pay It Back

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you pay back what you owe?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To enumerate the ways GOD had saved us.

IV. TEXT:

Philemon 1:19 (Amplified Bible)

I, Paul, write it with my own hand, I promise to repay it [in full]—and that is to say nothing [of the fact] that you owe me your very self!

V. THESIS:

Redemption and reciprocation is what we got from our GOD. We response with thanksgiving to Him and received it.

VI. TITLE:

I will pay it back

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: 60 A.D.

C. Purpose: To appeal to Philemon to receive, forgive and restore Onesimus even as Philemon would receive Paul

D. To whom written: Philemon.

He was apparently a member of the church at Colosse, which seems to have held its assemblies in his house (Philemon 1:2). His benevolence (Philemon 1:5-7), and Paul's request for him to prepare a lodging (Philemon 1:22), indicate that he was a man of some means.

As Paul had never been in Colosse (Colossians 2:1), Philemon must have met him elsewhere, possibly in Ephesus, which was not far away. It would seem that he owed his conversion to the apostle, Philemon 1:19.

—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

E. Main Theme:

A personal plea with Philemon to forgive and restore Onesimus, his once runaway slave, now converted through the ministry of Paul. As a runaway slave, it is inferred that he robbed his master and fled to Rome (Philemon 1:18). There he came under the influence of Paul and was converted (Philemon 1:10). He became a devoted disciple of Christ (Colossians 4:9). Paul would have chosen to detain him in Rome as a helper (Philemon 1:13), but not having the consent of Philemon (Philemon 1:14), he felt it to be his duty to send the slave back to his master. So the apostle writes this beautiful letter of intercession, pleading with Philemon to receive Onesimus as though he were receiving the apostle himself.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

F. Keywords: Receive (forgive and restore) him

Philemon 1:12 (Amplified Bible)

1:12 I am sending him back to you in his own person, [and it is like sending] my very heart.

Philemon 1:17 (Amplified Bible)

1:17 If then you consider me a partner and a comrade in fellowship, welcome and receive him as you would [welcome and receive] me.

G. Keyverses:

Philemon 1:16-17 (Amplified Bible)

1:16 Not as a slave any longer but as [something] more than a slave, as a brother [Christian], especially dear to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh [as a servant] and in the Lord [as a fellow believer].

1:17 If then you consider me a partner and a comrade in fellowship, welcome and receive him as you would [welcome and receive] me.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Binding signature - Sealed with Paul's signature

"I, Paul, write it with my own hand,"

Be careful what you sign with your name. Whatever you sign is binding to you.

1 Corinthians 16:21 (Amplified Bible)

16:21 I, Paul, [add this final] greeting with my own hand.

Galatians 6:11 (Amplified Bible)

6:11 See with what large letters I am writing with my own hand. [Mark carefully these closing words of mine.]

We bind GOD's Words in our hearts.

Proverbs 6:20-21 (Amplified Bible)

6:20 My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].

6:21 Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.

Proverbs 7:2-3 (Amplified Bible)

7:2 Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye.

7:3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Deuteronomy 10:2 (Amplified Bible)

10:2 And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.

B. Redemption - I will pay it back

"I promise to repay it [in full]"

Principle of Redemption is here, since Paul never owed Philemon money but Onesimus is the one who had stolen from his master, Philemon, but Paul will pay the money in full to Philemon. It's like JESUS who is Sinless Perfection, became sin for us, to redeem us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified Bible)

5:21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

Redemption means:

a. Repurchase of captured goods or prisoners; the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent; ransom