Philemon – Letter to a Friend

hilemon – Letter to a Friend – Nov 30, 2014

From our outline we learn the theme of this book is, be kind to a friend, even though he may wrong you.  Jesus focused on this theme many times throughout the gospels.   Forgiveness and reconciliation are the mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Love is the mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ.  Paul would focus on this thought throughout this book.

1.     The survey or background for this letter is as follows.  Paul wrote this letter, to his good friend Philemon, exhorting his love and faith to continue.  Paul then brings out the point of his message.  Onesimus is a runaway slave who had shown up in Rome and became a friend of Paul.  He became a Christian and Paul found out that he was the slave of his good friend Philemon.  He wrote this letter as a letter of reconciliation between the two men.  He wanted the two men to be Christian brothers in the Lord, not slave and master.  Onesimus was no longer to be treated as a slave but as a brother in the Lord.  Paul urged the men to be submissive to each other which is the true picture of redemption.   Paul wrote this letter to his friend Philemon between 61 – 61 A.D. during his imprisonment in Rome.

2.     The focus of this message is vs 17-18, Paul says, “ So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.  Paul had commended Philemon’s love and faith in1:4-9,

a.     He is now asking Philemon to make Onesimus a free man in 1:10-25.  This is a bold request but one Paul feels he could make based on the fact that Philemon owes Paul his very salvation.

b.     Slavery was a real issue in the Roman Empire.  It has been speculated that 3 out of every four inhabitants of Rome were slaves.  Paul here is speaking on behalf of Onesimus.  He is giving him a character reference.  Onesimus is not the same man.  He is a true believer in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ has so reformed his character as is described in 2 Cor 5:17.  What a testimony.  How I wish that was the testimony of so many of us.  Talk about Big Dave the longshoreman saved under CM Ward.

c.      I love transformation stories.  Sinner becomes saint, Brute becomes beloved.  Heel becomes hero. 

3.      Paul says,” Consider me your partner, friend or brother.”  Welcome him as you would welcome me.  Treat him as you would treat me.  Paul would ask for Philemon to prepare a guest room for Him in vs 22 and be restored to him in answer to their prayers.  Paul was so confident of Onesimus’ restoration that he was willing to vouch for him.  Has there been someone like that for you.  Talk about John Perkinson

a.     Paul then goes even further.  If he has wronged you, or owes you anything, charge it to me.  Paul was willing to put his confidence of Onesimus’ transformation to the litmus test.  He was willing to pay whatever was owed.  I love that about redemption and its transforming power.  God trusts us to have His reputation put to the test on behalf of us. 

b.     Do you know God trusts you today?  Think about that.  God has also calls us into the transformation business.  For ourselves it is following Rom 12:1-2 (Talk about this).  Then it is making investments into put.

1.      Accepting  them where they are and then believing God can and will change them.

2.     Be willing to invest time, talent and resources into helping the transformation.  Most of what we do takes time.  It is like a gardener working to make a garden.  Talk about the garden in Canoe and my chat with the man who invested hundreds of hours and years into the project. 

3.     You have to look at every person as a trophy of grace and a person God can reach

c.       Paul saw that and helped make it happen for Onesimus and he wants to use us in the same manner.