Philemon...part 1...forgiveness and connectedness

 


What a great picture.  Paul in chains, writing in his own hand at least one part of this letter to Philemon.  Paul is the church member writing to another church member about another church member.  He is pushing his child in the Lord, Onesimus, to do the right thing Biblically and also pushing his brother in the Lord, Philemon, to do so also.

This little letter, 25 verses, is so full of instruction and application.  You can study each main character, Paul, Philemon and Onesimus, and find yourself at times if you are part of the family of God.  Sometimes you are the one writing the letter, the one carrying the letter, or the one receiving the letter.  

Paul has a relationship with both of these men to guide them to be obedient to God's word.  Sometimes we are put in this position for the sake of another family member that we are in relationship with.  Philemon is not only a church member but a church leader who has many eyes watching him.  When biblical correction comes, how will he respond that will guide others to do the same?  Onesimus is encouraged to face a wrong with the godly action of seeking forgiveness.  One is asking for forgiveness and one is being encouraged to give forgiveness.

I marry this letter with the parable of the prodigal son.  Onesimus is the younger son who took everything and left for a faraway country and blew it all.  He is feeding the pigs and wishing for what they were eating.  Coming to his senses he decides to return to his father not as a son but as a servant to receive just food, clothing and shelter.  The father runs to him at the sight of him on the road and the son says, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired servants."  (Luke 15:18b-19, NKJV)  This is a confession of sin and a coming to the father.  Onesimus has done the same with God, his heavenly Father, by heeding the gospel message from the lips of Paul in prison.

How will Philemon respond to this one coming home?  Will he be like the father and receive him back as a son, a family member, a forgiven and saved forever family member?  Will his forgiveness be full?  Or will he be like the older son who responded this way, "Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends." (Luke 15:29b, NKJV)  The underlines are mine to point out the difference.  The older son is so focused on himself.  He speaks to his father not in humility and brokenness but in pride.  Will Philemon still be thinking of himself after he reads this letter from Paul handed to him by his transformed runaway thieving servant who is now his brother in the Lord?

I only get through the intro this Sunday to establish that forgiveness is a big topic in the Bible.  We follow a forgiving God and He instructs us to do the same, to be like Him.  The sermon starts around the 22:00 mark.  May we be obedient to God no matter what part we are playing, Paul, Philemon or Onesimus.

Adam




A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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