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Philemon 1:18-19
If he hath wronged thee, or oweth [thee] ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand, I will repay [it]: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
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This is a story which teaches us a lesson for those who have lived such a sinful life and wonder if they can ever be a child of God.
We are looking at the smallest letter ever written by the Apostle Paul - PHILEMON
· only 25 verses
· a personal letter
· written to a wealthy slave-owner named Philemon
· about a broken relationship
I. THE SETTING
· Philemon had a slave named Onesimus
· This slave stole from Philemon and ran away.
· Onesimus ran away to Rome and there he was saved and became a Christian.
· This is a message written by Paul of forgiveness.
· It is a letter for every one of us.
II. PAUL’S ROMAN BONDAGE
How did Onesimus get to hear Paul in Rome?
· Paul was imprisoned in Rome
Acts 28:16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
· Referring to his imprisonment in Rome, He told the Philippians that this situation allowed him to do more for the Gospel than ever before.
Phil 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
· He preached to people he could not otherwise have preached to.
· He seen guards saved.
· And he seen a runaway slave named Onesimus saved.
III. SLAVES
· 60 million slaves kept Rome going at that time.
· They were sold like common animals.
· The government did not give them many rights.
· The masters could whip, beat, torture and crucify a slave according to his own wishes.
· Slaves were not even considered as men
· Even Aristotle, a Greek intellectualist, said most all men were created to be slaves.
· That was the mentality at that time.
· Onesimus not only ran away, but stole from Philemon.
· His only refuge was to lose himself in the masses of people at Rome itself.
Verse 18 says tells us he stole something.
Phle 1:18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth [thee] ought, put that on mine account;
· Not just a runaway, but also a THIEF.
· Not only guilty for skipping out on his master, but he stole something from him.
IV. ONESIMUS IS SAVED FROM SIN
· One day under the guilt and fear of being a runaway slave and a thief, fearing to be caught and who-knows-what, he happened to hear a man shouting to a crowd gathered around a house.
· He heard Paul preaching the Gospel.
· He listened.
· Something started happening in his heart.
· He heard Pal preach his need to change his life and ask God to forgive him.
· He heard Paul tell the people to be baptized in Jesus’ name.
· And he heard Paul speak of the gift of the Holy Ghost baptism.
· And he obeyed the Gospel that day.
· He knew he had to make it right with his master now that he was a Christian.
· It is not enough to simply say you are saved.
· He had to make restitution with the people he stole from.
· Christ forgave him, but he must now seek the forgiveness of Philemon.
· He knew he had two problems.
o He owed Philemon for stealing from him.
o Would Philemon forgive him?
V. PAUL MAKES A PLEA FOR ONESIMUS
· Onesimus told Paul about the situation, since Onesimus was now an honest man and knew he had to make things rights if wanted to be saved.
· He was changed!
· The Gospel will change a thief into an honest man, if that man is serious with God.
· How else could Paul have known about the situation if Onesimus was not honest enough to seek Paul’s advice and tell him of the situation?
· So Paul writes a letter to Philemon.
· He begins by calling himself a prisoner or a slave of Jesus Christ.
o Paul is preparing Philemon for his request by saying he himself is a prisoner, as all true Christians are.
o Prisoners of Jesus Christ.
· He speaks of Philemon’s house as the location for the Church in the area.
· He lived in Colossae, for we read that Onesimus was from the Colossian church in Co. 4:9.
· Philemon was a wealthy man.
· Apphia was probably his wife and Archippus was his son.
· Philemon reads along in the letter
· THEN... he reads something that sounds interesting.
Phle 1:8-9 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech [thee], being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
· Paul said he could command Philemon to do what is right and proper, but he would depend upon Philemon’s love for God to receive a request from Paul instead to do what is right. m. True Christians FORGIVE since the LOVE of God is in them.
o What was Paul getting at?
o As a minister of the Gospel I like how Paul spoke to Philemon.
o He could have forced Philemon to do what is right, but he appealed to Philemon’s love for God.
o Preachers should not force anybody to do anything.
· Those who do not nor cannot forgive are not Christians.
· And then Philemon must have cringed when he read this:
Phle 1:10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
· For the first time, Philemon reads the name of Onesimus in this letter.
· "So, THIS is what Paul is writing me about."
· ONESIMUS!
· His name meant thief and refugee!
· But then Philemon noticed the words...
...my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
· Any Christian would know that Paul said that this thief and refugee was saved under Paul’s ministry and was called a son by Paul.
· Paul said, "Onesimus heard me preach the Gospel and was saved, Philemon!"
· "Through my ministry he was born again!"
VI. ONESIMUS IS CHANGED
· Paul indicated that Onesimus was formerly a useless renegade.
Phle 1:11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
· Paul said that he would have liked to keep Onesimus with him to help him during his imprisonment, but knew Onesimus had to make it right with Philemon and that Philemon should offer Onesimus to Paul on his own decision, seeing he was Philemon’s slave.
Phle 1:13-14 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
· Then Paul stops and rethinks the matter, and says it may have been God’s will for Onesimus to leave you like this, so he could be changed and saved and return to you forever as your brother in Christ and in the flesh as well.
Phle 1:15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
· And then Paul makes a strange statement.
Phle 1:16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
· Paul said that Onesimus may have been intended to leave for a time Philemon to come to Rome and be saved, so that he would return to Philemon and stay forever, and be made his brother in the Lord as well as in the flesh!
· Paul used a Roman Law.
o There was a law which said that if a slave runs away, he could return only if he first goes to the master’s friend and gets support. And the Law would protect him. Often the master would actually adopt the slave into the family and make him his own brother.
o Paul was asking Philemon to accept Onesimus not only as a brother in the Lord, but IN THE FLESH.
o He asked Philemon to adopt Onesimus, the thief and refugee!!
Gala 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.
o Many times a slave was a pastor who actually preached to his master and watched over the master’s spiritual well being
o They LOVED one another, and realized that in God’s eyes and in CHURCH they were equal.
· And Paul pressed the issue.
· If any one ever refused to ask favours it was Paul, but here he tells Philemon that Philemon owes him.
Phle 1:17-19 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth [thee] ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand, I will repay [it]: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
· "You owe me your own life since I preached to you when you were saved, Philemon" said Paul.
· "Take the man back and forgive him. And if he owes you anything, CHARGE IT TO MY ACCOUNT."
Phle 1:20-21 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
· Paul ends by saying he knows Philemon is a true believer, and will do what is right.
VII. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS?
· Like Onesimus, all people are runaway slaves.
· Adam’s disobedience made mankind a race of sinners
· We all ran from God for years, knowing we were wrong.
· We sinned and knew we were wrong.
· Nobody had to tell us we did wrong things.
· We knew we did wrong.
· The guilt laid over our heads for so long and the sentence of death was looming over the horizon waiting for us.
· We did our own thing and not God’s thing.
Isai 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
· We hoped no one would find us out
· we did things we could not live with.
· BUT THE GOSPEL CAME!
· there are some here today who are still hiding away and living in fear, though people see you walk as calmly in life as you can.
o Like, Onesimus in Rome, you know you are wrong, for you hear the preaching of God’s word, but you hide among the people.
o You say, "They are doing this, too."
o But you avoid thinking of the fact that you must answer to God one day.
o You know it, but you wish to not think of it
· But you hear the Gospel, and you see real freedom!
· YOU CAN MAKE AN APPEAL.
· Jesus, Like Paul, became our advocate.
1Tim 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
· An advocate goes to the Master and appeals his case.
· Jesus is there for us and speaks to the Father on our behalf.
· And he says, "If he did wrong, charge it to my account, and adopt him as your son!"
· Jesus paid the price of His blood.
· He actually said, "Take my death for his death, Father. Let my death be the price he owes to you."
· And we see a perfect example of Jesus’ death in our places so we could be saved.
Colo 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
· And He also said, "ADOPT HIM."
Gala 4:4-7 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant [SLAVE], but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
-----------thou art no more a servant, but a son...
· whatever your guilt was, and no matter what you stole and regardless of where you ran away, Jesus is there for you to the Father, like Paul was there for Onesimus to Philemon.
· "CHARGE IT TO MY ACCOUNT AND ADOPT HIM INTO YOUR FAMILY!"
A chorus we sing goes like this...
I’m Free from the fear of tomorrow.
I’m free from the guilt of the past;
For I’ve traded my shackles for a glorious song;
And I’m free, Praise the Lord, Free at last!
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