Good Evening.
Whenever I preach a sermon – a fair amount of the time I spend on it – is spent looking for illustrations to help explain and convey a meaning or a concept a bit better – a story that would 'bring it home' as such. Tonight however – our reading is the illustration! We've been going through the book of Philemon for the last few weeks – and tonight we are looking more at Paul in order to understand his role in the drama – and to unpack what the underlying message of this tiny little letter is.
So to jog your memories then – or for those of you who may have missed previous evenings. Philemon is a tiny letter, found between Titus and Hebrews in the New Testament. There are three main characters in the book...
Philemon is a wealthy Christian based in the city of Colosse. He is close friends with Paul and runs a church in his house. He also owns slaves as was the custom of the time.
Onesimus was a slave of Philemon who stole from him and presumably used the money to run away to Rome. Here he meets Paul, and by God's mercy has also now become a Christian. He has been serving Paul for a number of months when the letter is written.
Paul is the author of the letter, and he is currently under house arrest in Rome because of his work for Christ. He writes the letter to Philemon, imploring him to accept Onesimus back.
So lets read – Philemon: page... in your Bibles.
Philemon 1 (NIV)
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
May God bless the reading of his Holy Word – now and forever – let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you – Oh Lord our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
In Previous weeks – Theo has unpacked the letter in terms of its overall structure, the amazing grace offered to Onesimus, and most recently – 'freeing the Master' who is Philemon. This evening we are looking both at Paul's role in this letter, and a slightly deeper reading of what that represents.
We read in the text and beyond even the words written there that Paul truly loves Onesimus. He calls him 'my son' and at one point refers to him as “my very heart”. This isn't some mere friendship – but rather a deep, intimate relationship that one develops when serving the Lord together. The bonds of love that grow among a family of God are strong. And Onesimus has been at Paul's side during a very trying time of his life, as he is imprisoned for his faith.
It is because of this deep love that Paul has for Onesimus that he writes this letter imploring Philemon to welcome him home and not only not do what the culture of the time expects but to extend love and grace in what must have been a hurtful and difficult and complicated situation.
Onesimus is then trusted to return to Philemon with this letter in hand. Paul must have been entirely certain of the transformation that has happened in Onesimus life – as well as trusting in his friendship with Philemon.
Can you imagine the fear Onesimus must have felt? I mean, what's to say Philemon even gives him the chance to hand over the letter before beating or branding Onesimus? How will he react to Paul's request? Would it not be better to stay with Paul? He's made a life for himself there – he's known and loved there in Rome – why go back? What if Philemon doesn't believe in the transformed Onesimus and simply sells him off?
Paul however, offers three things in the letter to give Philemon cause to accept back his runaway slave.
Firstly – he places himself as a substitute.
Verse 17 reads: “welcome him as you would welcome me.”. This literally means Accept him as you would me. Welcome him as you would welcome me arriving on your doorstep. Forgive him as you would forgive me. Hold no obligation against him as you would hold no obligation against me. Just take him back just the way you’d take me into your house. Give him a homecoming and receive him with joy as you would me returning to visit you.
This is a massive expectation on Paul's part. Paul, who is implied to have led Philemon to the faith and whom Philemon respects and honours – is saying that he should treat this Runaway slave in the same way as he would treat an honoured, respected Father in the faith.
It seems almost impossible, implausible. What had Onesimus done to deserve that kind of a greeting?
Well – Nothing.
But Paul has become the substitute – because of Paul's relationship, and Paul's work in leading Philemon to Christ. He can request this honour for Onesimus.
The incredible parallel here is that that is what Christ has done for us. We have no way of gaining access, gaining welcome at the house of God. Yet Christ is our substitute on the cross. Not of our own doing, our own righteousness, but because of Christ's redeeming work, and Christ's relationship with his Father are we given direct access to the Father.
Martin Luther wrote: “All of us were God's Onesimus”
The Father receives us as he would receive Christ. Jesus uses the parable of the Lost son, or the prodigal son as its known in Luke 15 to illustrate this point. The younger son has done nothing to deserve a welcome home... yet the Father embraces him, dresses him and kills the fattened calf.
2 Cor. 5:21 “He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” Its a substitution. An exchange. His righteousness for our sin.
Onesimus also has this unpayable debt. And so the second thing Paul does is offer to be his Debt Payer.
(V. 18) “But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;”
Onesimus has no money to repay his debt – he is helpless – The price of a good servant in 60 AD was around 500 denarii. Philemon would probably have replaced him by then and so that's the equivalent of 500 day's wages... a year and half's worth of salary.
Not only that – but Onesimus stole from him – most probably to have paid his way to hide in Rome. There wouldn't be any of that money left! Onesimus has this mountain of debt – and no conceivable way out.
I was listening to the news on Friday night and heard that Julius Malema owes 16million to the tax man!! That's an amount of money that I can't actually even wrap my head around. Anyways – so they are auctioning off his things in order to try and pay off this debt. I heard that in the auction selling things from his house – the highest amount paid for any item was for a grand piano which went for a whopping R9000... and I just thought to myself if that was the highest valued item – there is no way the tax man will get anything close to the 16mill that is owed!!
In the same way Onesimus had no way of paying back what he owed.
But here Paul steps in and says. I'm good for it. I'll pay for it. Whatever the debt – I'll cover it.
It does get a little more tricky though – because there is also the matter of justice and what the law requires. In those days – in order to ensure that no precedent was set for slaves to consider running away – run away slaves were most commonly put to death.
Onesimus has a death debt.
He can't fix this.
Paul writes: I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
Paul reminds Philemon that he has even earned that right – to request forgiveness and grace – and Christ had shown him forgiveness and grace.
Finding ourselves as God's Onesimus – we too have a sin debt that cannot be paid. And as Roman's tells us - “The wages of sin is death.”
Paul here again represents Christ – who has paid all our debts, once for all, on the Cross. The debt of sin, the debt of death.
Listen to what Romans 5 says:
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Just as Onesimus had no redeeming qualities apart from those given to him by someone else – Paul, so too we have nothing to offer save that which Christ has done for us.
Lastly Paul acts as the reconciler
He asks not that they are reunited as slave and owner – but that grace will extend beyond that to them becoming brothers in Christ.
He writes in verse 15
15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother.
He mediates for a new status between them – that of brothers and fellow workers for the Lord. Ephesians 2 speaks about this reconciliation in terms of Jews and Gentiles... but it extends to all the barriers that divide us as Christians
Verses 14-16 read
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
We too have been given a new status through Christ's death. We have been reconciled back to God, our Father. Not as sinners, but as beloved children. Yet to all who believed in Him – he gave the right to become children of God.
Our new status is no longer slaves to sin... but as a people redeemed by Christ blood, accepted, adopted into His family, and even beyond that – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
So the story of Onesimus is also our story. The book of Philemon is the illustration.
What can we then take away.
Firstly we once again can look at Christ in wonder realising that he made a way for us where we were helpless slaves and debtors. And are now received, beloved children of God.
Secondly we too can be like Paul, and act as those who reconcile. John 13:35 reads: They'll know you are my disciples because of your love for one another. Just as Paul loved Onesimus, we too can love those around us, and intercede and even mediate for those who need reconciliation – not only with others but with God.
We've just started the Just Walk Across the Room course – which is a way of reaching out to people around us with the Gospel, relationally, in love. Its what we are called to do - find ways of drawing the lost into the Kingdom, into the family, where they too can receive grace, forgiveness, acceptance and wholeness in a God who loves them so much that he died for them.
May we go into the world with the love of Christ, and the example of Paul – and be reconcilers to the Onesimuses who need God. Lets pray.
