As we begin a New Year, many of us are looking to do something new. Even while we are in Iraq, we want to take the opportunity of the New Year and have a fresh start.
I always enjoy a fresh start. I enjoy writing in my journal and it is always exciting for me to complete a book and begin a new one. I look at the blank pages and dream of the masterpiece that will fill it. I completed one while I have been here and I’m coming close to the end of the second. I also like to start each journal studying a book on writing at the same time. I enjoy a fresh start.
Many of us joined the Army for a fresh start. Some of you took it as a fresh start away from home. Some of you took it as a fresh start from a life that had no purpose. Some of you took it as a way to, one day, have a fresh start in college. Regardless of the reason, many of us joined the Army as a fresh start.
We all need fresh starts in our life. Tonight we are going to look at a man named Onesimus. He was truly given a fresh start. He once was a criminal, now he is returning to his master with a fresh start.
Look with me a Philemon verses 10-12
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, (Phm 10-12, NKJV)
It is very obvious, in this passage, that
I. Onesimus has a friend in Paul.
Paul was writing to Philemon from prison. So, in the first several verses Paul greats Philemon. He has a warm introduction and a genuine one. But then Paul gets to the heart of the message.
Philemon Verse 8-10
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ (Phm 8-9, NKJV)
Paul pleads with Philemon that he will show kindness to Onesimus.
Paul was sharing friendship in one of the truest ways friendship can be shown. Paul was writing a letter of recommendation to Philemon. Paul was putting his reputation on the line to stand up for Onesimus.
I remember putting a packet in the Southern Baptist Convention to request endorsement to became a Chaplain. I had to give several questionnaires and forms to different people for this recommendation. This is always a humbling experience. But, I guess those people gave good recommendation, because here I am.
Its good to have friends you can count on. Not only to simply give a good recommendation but to help you through life itself.
The last part of verse 10 shows a deeper relationship with Paul rather than just a cell mate.
Verse 10;
10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, (Phm 10, NKJV)
This verse shows that Paul had ministered to Onesimus. Paul had spent time with Onesimus. He could honestly describe his character. I’m sure Paul had taken time to explain the scriptures to him and to explain to Onesimus about the gospel. I’m sure that the relationship didn’t stop after Onesimus left the prison – It didn’t with Titus, or Timothy, or Churches that Paul started. Paul was a true friend who stuck by his friends.
When starting fresh, we all could use friends. An English publication once held a contest for the best definition of the word friend; the Winner of this contest was this:
“A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”
(Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : Garland TX: Bible Communications. #1792.)
I hear people frequently tell me that they don’t go to church because they don’t believe you have to go to church to be a Christian. And on one hand, that’s true. Technically, all you have to do is accept Christ as your Lord and Savoir.
However, the Bible commands that we belong to a body of believers.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says;
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:24-25, NKJV)
But, on a more practical note, the church is the place to find Christian friends. This could be the local church or the post chapel. The gathering of believers is where you can find friends that can encourage you in your faith.
Now, if you are a believer, are you a true friend to those around you? Paul met Onesinus in prison. You can meet friends at work. Do they know about your relationship to Christ? Is that reflected in everything you do?
I’m not talking about being the self appointed preacher for your section. I’m talking about being a friend to those around you. As friends, people talk about what is important to them. If you are a Christian, Christ is important to you. So show that with you friends.
Paul was that kind of friend. And,being a friend, he describes the change in Onesimus.
He points out that
II. Onesimus is Useful.
From what we know about Onesimus is that he was a runaway slave. There is also some indication that he may have stolen from Philemon.
The word Onesimus means “useful”, and Paul uses a play on words to describe his friend.
Verse 11
11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. (Phm 11, NKJV)
Or in the New Living Translation;
11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. (Phm 11, NLT)
I am struck by how in the Middle East, names means things.
Just the other day, I saw a story on ABC News. The story was a bout Iraqi children who were flown to the US to have major heart surgery.
One of the little girl’s name meant “sadness”, her father is going to change it to “happiness”.
And Onesimus’ name meant useful. Paul was explaining to Philemon that Onesimus was now useful to him; now that he had become a believer.
Sometimes we get into the habit of putting labels on people: Dirt Bag, Worthless, and many times those terms are earned in some way.
I’m sure Philemon thought of Onesinus as a dirt bag. But there is an important principle here that Paul teaches us.
That principle is that everybody is precious in Gods sight.
Everybody is precious in God’s sight. And it is important that we recognize that no matter what we have done we can have a fresh start in Christ.
We can come to him and things can be made right.
As you begin a New Year, this is an opportunity to get a fresh start; in the way we live our lives and in the way we look at others.
As Onesinmus gets a fresh start, we also see
III. Onesimus Returns.
The fact that Onesimus is returning is very important to the subject of getting a fresh start.
He has a criminal record. He is an escaped slave. Now, he is returning to the scene of the crime, a changed man.
Most of the time when we start over, we return to the same people that we were around before we changed. We still work at the same job. We still work in the same section. We still work with the same people. We are still married to the same people and still have the same kids. The people that know us before are still there after the fresh start.
Two weeks before we came out here Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans. There are people who are still living in hotels or with relatives. Social workers have documented a doubling of the suicidal rate. The people that were affected are devastated.
But in order for them to have a fresh start, each of them must go back to where the disaster occurred.
And this is where we find Onesimus.
For him to start fresh, he has to go back to a master who probably had thrown in jail. He has to face supervisors whom he had betrayed. In order to start fresh, he would have to say “I was wrong and I am sorry.”
Some of you here tonight want to make a change in your life. Your may want to make a lifestyle change.
It is time for you to give up drinking, or to give up smoking.
You are going to have to tell somebody “No, I don’t drink anymore.”
Or “No, I don’t smoke anymore.”
There is somebody that you are going to have to face.
Maybe it is time for you to give up pornography, including Maxum Magazines.
You are going to have to face somebody and say “No, I don’t look at those anymore.”
Maybe you are in a relationship that is outside the parameters of scripture.
You are going to have to tell your partner that you are going to end the relationship.
It is time for you to have a fresh start. If you want to have a fresh start, you are going to have to return to the scene of the crime and say “I am wrong and I am sorry.”
So we see that Onesimus had a fresh start. He had a friend to help him along. He discovered how precious he was to God.
And he returned to the scene of the crime to say that he had changed.
But what made the difference?
What brought about this change in the first place?
But more importantly, how can you have a fresh start?
We see that
IV Onesimas had a life changing event.
Look at verse 10 again
10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, (Phm 10, NKJV)
Onesimas became a believer in prison.
Paul says that “he begot.” Paul is talking about the new birth.
When we become a believer, we become Born Again. We experience a change in every area of our life. Life doesn’t become perfect, but when we are born again, we have a new master and we surrender our life to him.
How do you become Born Again?
First, you must understand that you are a sinner. You are in rebellion against God. The Bible says; all of us are sinners. And the payment for sin is death.
Second, you must understand that Christ paid that death penalty in your place. He died on a cross so that all of us can have eternal life.
Third, you must understand that you must accept his payment as a gift to you. That is all there is to it. Accept his payment as a gift.
After your accepted this gift. You are born again. Your life will change. Your desire will change. Your commitment will change. You will start fresh.
There are some of you tonight that have been born again, but you want a fresh start in a different way. You may have wandered away from God.
You may have followed a path that that is not pleasing to God and it is bothering you a great deal. That’s the Holy Spirit talking to you, by the way – guiding you to where He wants you to be.
Then some of you simply want to grow more in your faith. You want to read your Bible more. You want to pray more. You want to worship more.
All of you can take this opportunity, tonight, to have a fresh start in Christ.
When you look back at today, the first day of a new year, are you going to look at missed opportunity or a fresh start?
Let us pray.
