A. Psalm 32:1-2 (READ and COMMENT)
ILLUSTRATION:
Some years ago, two TEENAGERS with a long history of CRIME and DELINQUENCY robbed a DRUG STORE on the lowest East Side of New York City and then ran into a YMCA to HIDE OUT while all the POLICE activity was going on.
On the way out, they saw a young man sitting at a DESK getting ready to DIAL the PHONE. They became FRIGHTENED and ASSUMED that he must be calling the POLICE. They seized and beat him SAVAGELY with BRASS KNUCKLES and a BASEBALL BAT. Thinking that he was DEAD, they HID him BEHIND a RADIATOR near the SWIMMING POOL and ESCAPED.
Later that evening, a woman who came to SWIM, was walking by the POOL. She SLIPPED in the man’s BLOOD, screamed, and then FOUND Donald Tippet’s BODY. He LIVED, but one EYE was so badly DAMAGED that it could not be SAVED.
Meanwhile, the two TEENAGERS were APPREHENDED and brought to TRIAL. Their PAST RECORDS assured that both would get LONG SENTENCES. However, Donald Tippet did an AMAZING thing—he REQUESTED that the JUDGE allow the two YOUNG MEN to be PAROLED to his CHARGE. He wanted to give them another CHANCE. He believed they could CHANGE.
One of the boys blew his OPPORTUNITY. He COMMITTED another CRIME, was CAUGHT, and SENT to JAIL. The other boy, however, was RESPONSIVE to Tippet’s FORGIVENESS. He went to COLLEGE and then, eventually, to MEDICAL SCHOOL. He became a SURGEON—an EYE SURGEON.
A REPORTER, writing about Donald Tippet’s AMAZING STORY of FORGIVENESS, said of the SURGEON’S accomplishments: “I wonder if he ever PERFORMS one of those DELICATE EYE OPERATIONS without thinking of that NIGHT in the YMCA and the YOUNG MAN whose CONFIDENCE and FORGIVENESS changed his LIFE!”
B. FORGIVEN! Is there a more POIGNANT word in the English language than “FORGIVEN”?
1. David was a man who understood FORGIVENESS because he KNEW that he was a SINNER.
ILLUSTRATION:
Here was a man CHOSEN by God to be the KING of Israel. A man “after God’s own HEART.” A man who was LOVED by God and PROTECTED by Him when he was PURSUED by King Saul
who was out to KILL him.
What does he do? He commits ADULTERY, then LIES about it. And then, trying to COVER-
UP his SIN, he has a man KILLED.
COMMENT:
When David writes, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven and whose sins are covered and not counted against him by the Lord,” he’s talking about himself. He was LOST, but
now is FORGIVEN.
2. Onesimus was also a man who knew what it was like to be LOST in his SINS, only to come to know and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord (Master) and Savior, and be FORGIVEN- Phil. 10, 15-16 (READ)
MESSAGE:
I. NEED FOR FORGIVENESS
A. The first time we hear of Onesimus is in Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church.
1. From his dwelling place in Rome where he is under house arrest, “Paul SENDS Tychicus and Onesimus to deliver the letters he had written to the churches of Colossae and Ephesus, along
with the personal letter he had written to Philemon.”
a. In Col. 4:9, Paul describes Onesimus as “our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you”
b. We know nothing more about Onesimus until we LEARN in Philemon’s LETTER that he was a “THIEF and a FUGITIVE”—a runaway SLAVE who had rebelled against his MASTER.
2. We don’t know the reason that Onesimus felt the need to STEAL from Philemon and RUN AWAY.
a. There is no indication from Paul’s letter to Philemon that he, as a Christian SLAVE OWNER,
was in any way ABUSIVE or UNFAIR to Onesimus.
COMMENT:
People REBEL and SIN against God all the time—even Christians, and it’s not because our
Heavenly Father has MISTREATED us. We just GIVE IN to Satan.
b. It is true that Onesimus was not a Christian when he STOLE from Philemon and RAN AWAY
to Rome, undoubtedly using the very MONEY that he had STOLEN to FUND his TRIP.
B. While in Rome trying to HIDE OUT among the million-plus population, Onesimus just so happens to
come in CONTACT with the Apostle Paul.
1. Now, I don’t think Onesimus went to Rome to FIND Paul.
a. He probably didn’t even know that Paul was a PRISONER in Rome.
b. But Paul BELIEVES that “God may have brought them TOGETHER in order for him to bring Onesimus to Christ and RECONCILE him with Philemon”- v. 16.
2. Onesimus was LOST, and his LIFE was a MESS.
a. STEALING from his Master and RUNNING AWAY was an OFFENSE punishable by DEATH
—CRUCIFIXION, in fact.
b. Undoubtedly, as a FUGITIVE he would be in CONSTANT FEAR for his LIFE—looking over
his SHOULDER making sure that SLAVE CATCHERS were not hot on his TRAIL.
c. Being from the SMALL TOWN of Colossae, ROME had to be INTIMIDATING with HIDDEN DANGERS from which Onesimus had to constantly be on GUARD.
3. By the time he comes in contact with Paul, he is OPEN to LISTEN to what the Apostle has to say.
a. As Paul shared with him the GOSPEL of Christ—this wasn’t the FIRST time that he HEARD it.
COMMENT:
I don’t think for one moment that Philemon NEVER told Onesimus about Jesus. The church met in Philemon’s HOME. Do you believe that he wasn’t INVITED to hear God’s MESSAGE
proclaimed?
There are those who hear the GOOD NEWS of Christ preached and taught time and again,
and have YET to GIVE their lives to Christ.
b. This time it was different for Onesimus. He OBEYED and ACCEPTED Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and was FORGIVEN of his SINS.
II. CHARACTERISTICS OF FORGIVENESS
COMMENT:
What does it look like to be FORGIVEN? What’s DIFFERENT? How do we ACT?
A. TRANSFORMATION takes place.
1. Listen to how Paul described Onesimus’ FORMER life and his life as a Christian- v. 11 (READ)
a. Paul affirms that when Onesimus was in Philemon’s home, he was “USELESS.”
COMMENT:
Philemon might have had a monetary INVESTMENT in Onesimus as a SLAVE, but when it came to his WORK ETHIC and RESPONSIBILITIES to his Master, he was “USELESS”.
b. Paul is using PLAY-ON words here. The name Onesimus in the Greek means “USEFUL”.
COMMENT:
The slave Onesimus was anything but USEFUL before becoming a Christian. Then Paul adds, “…but now (since giving his life to Christ), he has become USEFUL both to you and to me.” Finally, Onesimus is living up to his NAME.
2. When we give our LIVES to Jesus Christ, a TRANSFORMATION takes place.
a. We are not the same person we were before coming up out of that watery grave of BAPTISM.
b. Listen to Paul as he REMINDS the Christians at Rome of what took place in their BAPTISM-
Romans 6:3-7 (READ and COMMENT).
COMMENT:
That is TRANSFORMATION—putting off the OLD and putting on the NEW. The OLD SELF is CRUCIFIED with Christ in BAPTISM, and a NEW SELF (a transformed self) is BORN AGAIN.
3. The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to be TRANSFORMED.
a. Before giving his life to Jesus Christ, he was known as “Saul the Persecutor”. (EXPOUND!)
b. But after having his “SINS washed away by the blood of Jesus in BAPTISM” (Acts 22:16), he
became known as “Paul the Preacher”. (EXPOUND!)
c. Paul describes the TRANSFORMATION that took place in his life in Galatians 2:20- “I have been CRUCIFIED with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
B. RECONCILIATION takes place.
1. Listen to Paul- vv. 12, 15-16 (READ and COMMENT)
a. Can you imagine how extremely difficult it would be for Onesimus to go to Philemon, his
Master, that he has STOLEN and RAN AWAY from, to seek RECONCILIATION?
COMMENT:
Although he hoped for the BEST, he has no IDEA how his Master will RESPOND. Philemon would be well within his LEGAL RIGHTS to severely PUNISH Onesimus for what he did.
b. Whether it’s Onesimus’ sole decision or by Paul’s urging, he is being OBEDIENT to his Lord
Jesus Christ by seeking RECONCILIATION with the one that he SINNED against.
-Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:23-24 that “if a brother has something against us (we have done him wrong) . . . we are to go and be reconciled with our brother.”
2. When we SIN against another, we are to GO and ASK for their FORGIVENESS.
a. We’ve already talked about how DIFFICULT it is to FORGIVE, but it is also difficult to seek
one’s FORGIVENESS.
b. And I’m not talking about merely saying the words, “I’m sorry.” That’s EASY.
COMMENT:
We see it with our kids or grandkids when we get onto them for doing something WRONG. They often roll their eyes and say “SOOOORRY”. That’s when you want to SMACK them.
c. When we SIN against someone, we are to go to that person and humbly and sincerely ASK for
their FORGIVENESS—naming the very WRONG we have COMMITTED against them.
COMMENT:
“Will you please forgive me for STEALING from you?” “Will you please forgive me for LYING to you?” “Will you please forgive me for being UNFAITHFUL to you—for committing ADULTERY?” NAME THE SIN!!!
3. A FORGIVEN person doesn’t HIDE or IGNORE the OFFENSE committed against another, but seeks RECONCILIATION.
C. RESTITUTION takes place.
1. When Onesimus RAN AWAY, he defrauded Philemon.
a. Not only did he probably STEAL from his Master, but being a SLAVE, he was of VALUE.
b. And if Onesimus had to be REPLACED, it cost Philemon even more.
2. The Bible teaches that RESTITUTION is to be made when we WRONG someone.
a. Numbers 5:6-7- “…When a man or woman wrongs another in any…that person is guilty and must confess the sin committed . . . and make full restitution for the wrong, adding a fifth to it and give to the person wronged.” (PAY IT BACK WITH INTEREST)
b. In Luke 19:8 when “Zacchaeus the chief of tax collectors told Jesus that he was going to pay restitution four times over to people he had cheated”, Jesus didn’t say it wasn’t necessary.
3. Paul realizes that Onesimus needs to PAY BACK Philemon, but he doesn’t have any MONEY.
a. “Paul offers to PAY it back himself” in v. 18.
b. It’s up to Philemon whether to accept RESTITUTION or not.
COMMENT:
Philemon is well within his rights under God’s Law and the Roman Law to demand PAY BACK. Even as a Christian, there is nothing WRONG in asking for RESTITUTION. But there is nothing WRONG in extending GRACE, either.
c. Paul would much rather Philemon to extend GRACE to Onesimus- v. 20 (READ)
COMMENT:
Paul reminds Philemon how he brought him to Christ in v. 19, and is now encouraging him to “refresh his heart in Christ” by accepting Onesimus back without any RECOURSE.
4. To Philemon there should be no greater RESTITUTION than to “receive Onesimus back, not as a SLAVE, but better than a slave, as a dear brother in the Lord”- v. 16.
CONCLUSION:
A. Whatever happened to Onesimus?
1. The Bible really doesn’t tell us.
a. However, we do have the writings of Ignatius, an early church father, who, a few decades later while on his way to MARTYRED for his FAITH, wrote a letter to the church of Ephesus and mentions an ELDER of that church named “ONESIMUS”.
ILLUSTRATION:
He writes: “In God’s name, therefore, I received your large congregation in the person of Onesimus, your bishop (ELDER) in this world, a man whose love is beyond words. My prayer is that you should love him in the Spirit of Jesus Christ and all be like him. Blessed is He who let you have such a bishop.”
b. Is this the same Onesimus? We really don’t know.
COMMENT:
But I am as CONFIDENT as Paul said he was in his letter to Philemon, that he accepted Onesimus back into his HOME, not as a SLAVE but as a Christian BROTHER. And that through the LOVE that Philemon demonstrated toward Onesimus, he became a LOVING elder of the church of Ephesus.
ILLUSTRATION:
When I was in PREACHING SCHOOL, we had to participate in 8 evangelistic campaigns before we could GRADUATE. These consisted of KNOCKING DOORS, CONDUCTING personal Bible STUDIES, and INVITING people to attend a week-long GOSPEL MEETING. One of the campaigns I went on was hosted by a small congregation in Elgin, Oklahoma.
On my first day there, the preacher of the Elgin congregation handed me some names of people to VISIT who no longer attended that church and wanted me to ENCOURAGE them to come back. There was one lady I went to visit who, at first, was RUDE to me when I told her that I was with the Elgin church of Christ. But after explaining to her that I was training to be a PREACHER, she politely INVITED me in. We sat and talked for a few minutes about her family and about the Sunset School of Preaching where I attended. She then invited me to come back the next day for a STUDY.
I cam back the next day and brought with me Steve Walker, one of my fellow-classmates. We had a nice study. But then she shared with us why she no longer attended that church. “There’s a man down there who really did me WRONG a few years ago,” she said. When she called his name, Steve and I looked at each other because he was one of the ELDERS. She went into this long STORY that happened 10 or 12 years in the past before this man became an ELDER.
Steve and I went and talked to this ELDER. And he appeared genuinely DISAPPOINTED to hear that he was the REASON this woman gave for no longer ATTENDING church. He told us that he REMEMBERED the INCIDENT the woman spoke of, and could see how she could be HURT.
The next day the Elder went with us to the woman’s house for our BIBLE STUDY so he could apologize. When she saw this man standing there, she SLAMMED the door in our faces. The elder knocked on the door again and said, “I’m just here to tell that I’m sorry. I was in the WRONG and I want you to FORGIVE me.” All we heard from inside was her TELEVISION being turned up LOUDER.
Needless to say, she wouldn’t allow us to continue our STUDY with her. But on Friday night, the last night of the CAMPAIGN and GOSPEL MEETING, this woman was there. She came in LATE and sat in the very BACK. Johnny Pennisi, one of my INSTRUCTORS from Sunset, presented a lesson that night on God’s GRACE and FORGIVENESS. During the last verse of the INVITATION SONG, this woman started slowly making her way to the FRONT with TEARS streaming down her EYES. The Elder was sitting way on the opposite side--I don’t even think he knew that she was there. But when he looked up and saw her COMING, he started making his way to the FRONT. They both MET in the middle and EMBRACED each other and CRIED like BABIES.
