Today, we jump into the book of Philemon. A personal letter from Paul to a house church leader and his family. It's a one page wonder that is perfect for the time like this where people have once again been made aware of inequality, injustice and racism. A time when many run to the scriptures to find answers. Why does God allow (you fill in the blank)?
The reality is the scriptures we have chosen were used to justify slavery in the early 19th century and at the same time forgiveness. The America’s pro-slavery folks referred to Philemon as “the Pauline Mandate.” A Biblical sanction of American slavery and a legal brief or outline for what one should do if a slave runs away. However, both interpretations represent poor biblical study to justify societal problems they were never meant to address.
Philemon is a message from Paul to us about the dangers of the extremes of judgement and acceptance. A warning we all need to hear now.
The airwaves are filled with judgement. Media is fanning the flames of both sides of the racism, injustice and inequality loudspeaker. Notice I didn’t say debate or discussion because there is little debate taking place. I have seen good people say, do and post the most judgmental and critical statements on both sides. If social media has taught us anything, we all have some inherent biases and fears. Listen to the quotes of the past few days. None of which fully encapsulate the Christian worldview..
“When the looting starts, the shooting starts” - Former Miami police chief Walter Headley in 1967, whose legacy of harsh policing in black neighborhoods incited three days of riots in 1968.
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, in an Instagram war with a customer over the difference between the statements “black lives matters, blue lives matter and all lives matter” shared why he supports the “black lives matter movement.” He said, “Black lives matter speaks to racism and the disproportionate risk that many Black people face in our law enforcement and justice system.”
“They Fear what they don’t understand/Hate what they can’t conquer/Guess that’s just the theory of man/became a MONSTER” - Nas as quoted by LeBron James
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” - MLK
“Don’t forget, these are the people who have been promising their African-American voters this stuff’s gonna stop for 50 years. They don’t fix anything.” - Rush Limbaugh on the Minnesota government
“Riots are the voices of the unheard.” - Martin Luther King
The reality is none of these public figures or their statements represent the Christian worldview - where the sanctity of life is paramount. As a Christian we believe we all are created by one God who came out of love for us and commands us to love to the same extent.
The book of Philemon teaches us a different way - the Christian way. So let’s dive into the scriptures where Paul begins as he writes from prison…
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home: 3 Grace and peace to you[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The letter begins with a standard greeting of that day. It is written to Philemon, the leader of a house church, a Christian leader, and to his family. He reminds Him/them of commitment as a leader in Christ’s church and of his faith. This will be key as he lays out his case for the slave who is now a believer and in Paul’s presence.
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I 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. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul continues to lay it on reminding him not only of his commitment as a leader and a Christian but as a partner. They are part of the shared vision and mission. He is establishing the foundation of his request or as a friend said, the best “drive by” guilting's in the history of scripture.
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet 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— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus (the name means useful), who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I 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. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no 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.
17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
There were over 60 million slaves in the Roman empire. People were bought and sold like merchandise. A slave could buy their freedom if he could raise the one year in wages to exit the indentured status. If a slave ran away. The person who found them could assume custody or even interceded with the owner. The slave was not automatically returned or sentenced to death. While some owners were cruel, many more were not.
Slavery in Roman times were different than what we experienced in the founding of the US. They were not as discriminated against for their color or their nationality. Slavery was a class system. It was economic as much if not more than a differentiating factor.
18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. 22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
After appealing to Philemon's reputation, Paul's apostolic authority, Paul's discipling of Onesimus, Onesimus value, and God’s promise. Effectively he is saying that “I know what the law says. I know what the culture says.” I am asking you to do it differently. IL.
Jesus validates this thought in his sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:23-24 has Him saying.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Jesus is telling us - “to act differently.” If you have discord, don’t ignore it. Make it right. Clean your side of the street. Listen to one another. Take time to understand versus be understood. If afterward, you still feel you have been wronged, the grudge is not from God. It’s time to “let it go” and let God bring good from it.
The problem is that we just don’t want to believe we can or should. We have rights after all. Innate sense to fairness for ourselves. But this is where faith comes in. We are called to more. More than just focusing on our rights. We are called to live up to our responsibilities.
Last Drive-In Service we shared that when the good deeds of the age of Covid are declining because everyone is busy, we believers in Jesus must have consistency. Because we aren't doing those things for likes or follows, but to bless others in the name of Jesus.
Now in this new age of civil unrest and racial irritation, we are called to do something different again. We see again sin is the disease. It has caused much suffering. Sinful nature pushing us to darker places. Just like Paul who was going against the cultural norms and asking for the forgiveness and restoration of the slave Philemon, we need to go against cultural norms as believers. To not focus on our rights but instead focus on our responsibilities as believers in Jesus and let rights inform those responsibilities.
We see what focusing on rights is getting us… I have a position of power therefore I have the right to act harshly to those of lesser power. I have anger because of harsh treatment therefore I have a right to destroy property of others. I have rage that someone destroyed my property therefore I have a right to feel negative towards a certain people group and spread my opinions about them.
I have a right to be find a new spouse so I can be happy
I have a right to use my paycheck how i want and not pay what I owe
I have a right to throw a loud party till 3am
I have a right to smear someone on SM because of what they did at the supermarket.
I have a right to never forgive that person even if Jesus says to forgive everyone.
There are unalienable rights (protection, religion, dignity) but when we focus on a bunch of other rights that are supposed to help us be more comfortable, gain convenience, give power over others, for me to get ahead no matter who suffers, then we are focusing on selfish means. Rights are usually me focused.
Responsibility is others focused. That is what Paul was saying… Philemon had the right to charge Onesimus with penalty and put him to death. And Paul did not deny that, but he is challenging Phil to focus on his responsibility instead of his rights. When we look at Jesus, we see God Himself giving up His rights for the responsibility to bring salvation into the world. Jesus gave up His rights for our freedom.
The best of Christian love happens when we remember that we are the recipients who:
Deserved a death penalty
Needed a mediator
Needed our debts paid
It’s the realization that as 1 Peter 2:9 says,
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
When we approach the prospect of loving others, this humility of being chosen and His special possession are the reasons we can shine brightest when we display the best of Christianity by loving those who:
Have wronged us
Are different than us
race, color, creed, age, sex
But also: economically, socially, culturally, politically, mentally, physically and any other difference
Our position in heaven should always override your situation in life. In the moment when we stop focusing on rights and focus on responsibility, we stop judging others and accept them as created by God, we begin to diminish the effects of racism, classism, economics and even injustice. We also increase their value to society and culture. Call to forgiveness before communion.
