A Story of Grace
Philemon 1-3
Introduction:
1) An Intimate Letter
Philemon = most personal of Paul’s letters – a note from a friend to a friend… “Philemon” (v.1)
If not, careful we will read through the little book of Philemon, check it off our daily Bible reading log, and quickly pass on to the larger more interesting book of Hebrews.
Fail = to mine the gems from this little treasure trove of truth.
Quote: Book of Philemon has been rightly called, “a diamond in a box of pearls.”
Philemon = closely related to the Book of Colossians – written at the same time… delivered by the same person…. Tychichus.
Col. 4:7,8 – v.9 – see who his traveling companion was – Onesimus… meet in the little book of Philemon.
3 People:
o Paul = a faithful prisoner (v.1a)
o Philemon = a merciful master (1b)
o Onesimus = a prodigal slave (10)
Paul = prisoner in Rome… Philemon = 1,000 m away in Colossae and the human link between them was Onesimus.
Onesimus = runaway slave… robbed his master Philemon and fled to Rome seeking to get lost in the masses of that great metropolis. Providence of God Onesimus’ path crossed that of the great Apostle… led him to Christ. Now Paul sending him back to his friend Philemon with this letter in his hand asking him to forgive and restore Onesimus… not as a slave but as a brother.
Story = grace & mercy, friendship & forgiveness, reconciliation & renewal.
2) An Inspired Letter
Philemon = doesn’t just reveal the heart of the great Apostle; it reveals the heart of God!
In Onesimus = see a picture of God’s grace & forgiveness in our own lives…
Quote: “We are all Onesimus’s.” – M. Luther
60 million = slaves in R. Empire – nearly have the population of the known world of that day.
3 Ways Become a Slave:
- Captive of War
- Born a Slave
- Selling yourself to pay off a debt.
Slavery = R. Empire not a matter of race or ethnicity – slaves came from every culture and occupied every rung of the social ladder from field workers to philosophers, artists, educators and doctors.
Slavery = not God’s doing; it was man’s doing!
Slavery = like every other social evil in our fallen world – has its roots in the sinfulness of man.
o Slavery = sin was the cause
o Gospel = was the cure!
Gospel = doesn’t overthrow a society – it transforms it!
Slavery = worse than physical bondage – spiritual bondage of the soul.
John 8:34 – “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
Rom. 7:14 – “sold under sin” = slaves to sin and Satan.
17yrs = of my life I thought I was doing my bidding… doing Satan’s bidding.
Good News: Jesus = came to set the captive free!
Onesimus = running from his physical bondage… still under the burden of his spiritual bondage... guilt of his sin… Providence of God he encountered the Apostle Paul… heard message of the Gospel… placed his faith in Christ… in that instant the chains of his heart fell off… entered into the glorious liberty of the children of God… became the Lord’s free man!
Illust: Personal Testimony – one Sunday night March 1984 burdened under the guilt of sin… placed my faith in Jesus Christ for salvation… chains fell off in my life… I became the Lord’s free man!
John 8:36 – “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Underline key phrases In Philemon:
v.10 – “my son”
v.16 – “a brother beloved.”
v.17 – “receive him as myself.”
v.18 – “put that on mine account.”
Onesimus = it’s different now!
Lessons:
1. Every Person is Valuable to God!
Onesimus = outcast – criminal – eyes of man no more value than an animal.
R. Philosopher = slaves were nothing more than “tools with 2 legs.”
Onesimus = may not have been valuable in the eyes of men… valuable in eyes of God!
Quote: “Everyone is in the love grip of the eternal.” – J.H. Jowett
Valuable = send His Son, Jesus Christ to die on cross for our sins and rise again!
2. Every Person Comes to God the Same Way!
**The ground is level at the foot of the cross!
Doesn’t matter whether it is a wealthy businessman like Philemon or a slave like Onesimus… every person must come to God the same way!
By the way of the Cross!
Glad = God is a “whosoever will God” and that the Gospel is a “whosoever will Gospel!
3. Every Believer Stands in Equal Relation to God!
Gal. 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
There are no big “I’s” and little “you’s” in the family of God… there is no such thing as an insignificant child of God… each of us have instant and equal access to our Heavenly Father!
Each one of us can be as close to God as we want to be!
4. Every Christian’s Story is a Story of Grace!
Say = with the Apostle Paul, “I am what I am by the grace of God.”
Onesimus = makes his way back to Philemon… different than when he left… Philemon ask, what made the difference… Onesimus no doubt rehearsed the story to his master… if the words had been written he may have ended with these words…
Song:
And it's all because of God's amazing grace!
Because on Calvary's Mountain he took my place!
And someday, some glorious morning,
I shall see him face to face,
All because of God's amazing grace.
