PHILEMON: A STORY OF GRACE SUN AM AUGUST 11, 2024 CBCKING
Let’s Be a Philemon!
Philemon 3-7
Introduction:
Philemon = 25 verses, 430 words and takes up about a page in our NT – more of a postcard than it is a letter.
Philemon = name – affectionate or beloved… lived up to his name.
Philemon = amazing Christian – kind of church member every pastor wants and every church needs!
– Paul sends Philemon from prison…
Postcard = not just from Paul – from the Lord
If Lord sent you a postcard, what would He say about you???
Preach: “Let’s Be a Philemon!”
1. A Laboring Christian!
Look: v.1 – “our dearly beloved.” = Paul had a deep love for Philemon.
“Fellowlabourer” = idea of together or togetherness; a sharing in common – God never intended for us to go it alone in the Christian life.
11 = people mentioned by name in Philemon – Paul had a lot of friends.
A. Fellowlabourer (1)
“Fellowlabourer” = common work, task.
Paul & Philemon = had labored side by side - involved in the greatest work on planet earth – work of God.
We’re not in this thing alone!
1Cor. 3:9 – “…we are labourers together with God.”
Philemon = man who was “All In”
Church = if we are going to reach our community and impact our world for Christ – do it together! it’s going to take every one of us.
**we can do far more together than we ever can alone!
Quote: “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.” – Halford E. Luccock
Phil. 1:27 – “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
2. A Battling Christian
Look: v.2
“Fellowsoldier”
Cf. didn’t just work together… warred together:
Satan = attack a church the same a Christian.
3. A Caring Christian!
Look: v.23 – “Fellowprisoner”
Suffered together = common trials.
Common Comforter = Holy Spirit – comforts us directly through the Scriptures… thank God for the Divine Comforter… H Spirit also comforts us indirectly through the saints…
Friends = hared in Paul’s suffering… they loved him, came to him, cared for him, prayed with him,
Church = pictured as a body – members one with another… one member suffers all the members suffer with it….
Illust: Ever hit the wrong nail with a hammer - smash thumb – throbbing… whole body throbs with it… rally around hurting member.
4. A Believing Man!
v.7 – “Brother” = a term of endearment given only to the saved.
v.19 – Paul responsible for Philemon coming to Christ – Ephesus.
Moment a person is saved they become a part of the family of God… God wants you to become a member of His forever family!
Enter His family, “by faith.”
John 1:12
Saved = a son or daughter of God… we are brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Look: v.2 – “our beloved Apphia” = comes from a fem root word that implies sister… she was Paul’s sister in the Lord.
Song: I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God;
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
for I’m part of the family, the Family of God.
A. Saved by Faith
B. Live by Faith
v.5 – “…hearing of thy love and faith…”
v.6 – “…the communication of thy faith.”
Christian life from start to finish from beginning to end is a life of faith.
Rom. 1:17 – “from faith to faith.”
2Cor. 5:7 – “(for we walk by faith, not by sight.)”
Learn = to be a person of faith – trusts God with your life
Heb. 11:6 – faith pleases God.
A. His Family
Philemon blessed with a wonderful Christian family.
Apphia (v.2) = Philemon’s wife
“Archippus” = many believe to be their son – Paul calls him “our fellowsoldier” = pastor of the church at Colossae.
B. His Fellowship
Philemon & Apphia = were residents of Colossae… members of the church in Colossae – church met in their house.
v.2c – “and to the church in thy house”
Philemon & Apphia = measure of wealth – had a home large enough for the church to gather and worship.
Church = wasn’t just in Philemon’s house; the church was in his heart!
Christian = God blessed you with a Christian family, good church – may not be rich in this world but rich in what matters - thank God for it! We are so blessed!
C. His Friend
Look: v.22 – prayed and believed God for Paul’s release from prison.
Prayer & Faith = go together… like peanut butter & jelly sandwich.
Paul = had confidence in the prayers of his friend Philemon.
Look: vv.3,4
“Grace & Peace” = 2 blessings that only God has that everyone needs!
Friend = God wants you to experience His grace and His peace in your life.
1) Grace
a. For the Sinner
“Grace” = 159’xs in the Scriptures – sweetest word in the Bible!
Def: Unfathomable love of God lavished on undeserving sinners like you and me. Uncaused and undeserved love. Loved us when we were unlovable!
Saved by Grace
Eph. 2:8,9
(Not the end of grace; just the beginning… never exhaust the storehouses of God’s grace!)
b. Grace for the Saint = strength for the journey!
Deut. 33:25 – “as thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
2) Peace
a. Peace with God
Eph. 2:14 – “for he is our peace.”
Col. 1:20 – “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
Moment we are saved we have peace with God. No longer at war with Him.
b. Peace of God
Grace and peace go together. Can’t have the one without the other.
Once you have experienced the grace of God you can then know the peace of God!
Peace = not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus!
Jesus = calm the stormy waters of our heart!!!
5. A Benevolent Man!
Look: vv.4-7
Selflessness = portrayed in a heart of love.
“Love” = 3x’s [vv.5,7,9].
• Loved God (5a) – “thy love… which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus.”
• Loved God’s Family (5b) – “and toward all saints.”
Can’t love God the way we ought without loving God’s family as we ought!
A. Shares (6)
Two words:
“To” (v.3) – ‘grace to you’
“Toward” (v.5)
B. Blesses (7a)
C. Bears (7b)
D. Forgives (9)
Bitter people don’t love… not refreshers… drainers.
Bitterness = will drain your life, family, friendship, church, etc…
Conclusion:
