Love and Faithfulness: The Essence of All My Christian Actions that are Good
Philemon 8-21
(Children's Sheet for Sermon Interaction is at bottom. Notes are throughout sermon)Please turn to Philemon 8-21. As you are turning there, I want to briefly explain the context. In prison, Paul has come in contact with a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus. The slave belongs to a Christian man that Paul knows by the name of Philemon. Onesimus ran away as a hater of God. Now, the Spirit has opened the heart of Onesimus to receive the gospel in a miraculous change. Consequently, Paul is writing a letter of intercession to reconcile spiritually saved Onesimus with Philemon. Paul is seeking to foster reconciliation that is according to the love of God. It comes from our Holy Spirit connection in the body. The Spirit is Who empowers, and binds, us all together. As we consider Paul's appeal, we notice some important facts about Philemon. Philemon was a devout man. He donated his household for church services v. 2. His love and faithfulness toward both Christ, and Christians, is noteworthy, and commendable, vv. 4-5. Paul thanks God for determining the spiritual faithfulness and love of Philemon into existence v. 4. With this in mind, Paul explains to Philemon that Paul is praying that the same love and faithfulness toward both Christ, and toward all those who are set apart in Christ, will be shared from Philemon in an effective way through the knowledge of every good thing that is in Paul, Philemon, and now Onesimus. It is knowledge of every good thing in people who have been regenerated by God. Paul's prayer is that Philemon's love and faithfulness will be for the sake of the most important Person. Onesimus, is secondary; so is Paul. It is for the sake of Christ, v. 6. Christ is the most important person. Paul explains that he has had much joy and comfort in Philemon's love manifestations already, v. 7. The reason is because Paul knows that Philemon has shown consistency in refreshing the hearts of Christians, v. 7. With these contextual considerations in mind, we have entered into the section of the letter where Paul makes the direct appeal for Philemon to refresh the Christian who is arriving as a surprise package. The revelation of who this surprise package Christian is probably took Philemon off guard when he first found out. This part is what we are focusing upon this morning. Let's take up the flow at verse 8, but let's read from 4 again to get the fuller picture,
"4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faithfulness which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the set apart ones; 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ's sake. 7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the set apart ones [saints] have been refreshed through you, brother." 8 Accordingly, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do what is proper, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of [for ESV] Christ Jesus--10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 Because suddenly, he was for this reason, separated from you for a moment, [literally an hour] that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.
Let's all prepare our hearts to learn from God's word in this sermon titled,
Love and Faithfulness: The Essence of All My Christian Actions that are Good
[prayer]
Love and faithfulness are the essential attributes that comprise the core of all Christian actions that are good. Our Christian obedience is founded upon love and faithfulness to God, and His word. This morning I am wanting us to glean some important principles concerning the essence of our Christian actions that are good. In covering these, I am hopeful that the Spirit will equip, and encourage, us for further manifestations of Christ.
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The first principle I want to explore, is the fact that we can be commanded by men to do certain things that are proper; Yet for the sake of Christ's love shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit, and in our personal obedience to the law of love which is obedience to the commandment of Christ, instead of demanding our way, where obedience is based upon submission to us, it is vital to appeal to Christians to manifest Christ in His love, His obedience, and His faithfulness, without compulsion according to their own free will. In other words, the principle has to do with going deeper than personally demanding others to do certain activities to please the demander. It is the principle of encouraging, exhorting, and spiritually urging, the saints to do what they already know to do in obedience to God,
"8 Accordingly, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do what is proper, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus--"
I want us to think about Philemon getting this epistle. He probably encountered the returning Onesimus at the same time. We surmise that Philemon experienced the typical kind of conversation that we would expect in this kind of initial meeting with Tychicus (the one who delivered this letter). There would be greeting. The letter would be presented. There may have been a brief explanation for why Onesimus is there--that Onesimus has become spiritually born again in Christ, and maybe a few other points. Certainly, if it had to be, the need for Philemon to quickly read the letter would have been urged. It is hard to imagine that Onesimus, or Tychicus, could say much that would match Paul's inspired appeal on behalf of Onesimus. Paul knows this, and so Tychicus and Onesimus may have been instructed by Paul not to say a whole lot to Philemon. We consider, then, that Philemon finally gets to reading this letter from the renowned apostolic prophet of God who is being persecuted for Christ. As Philemon reads, he notices that Paul makes the appeal for Onesimus. At this point in the letter, Philemon reads Paul saying, "accordingly." What this means is that Paul is basing what he is about to say upon all that he just said. What Paul just said is that he knows of Philemon's obedience to Christ. Paul knows that Philemon loves, and is faithful toward, Christ and toward Christ's people. With this in mind, Paul is urging Philemon to abide by the Spirit in doing what is proper. The urging is strong, yet it is not a command. I want us to notice, though, that Paul says that he could command Philemon to do what is proper. Now think about wanting someone to do something that is proper. Certainly, if there are proper things to do, then this implies that there are improper things Philemon can do. We think about this, and it seems that it would make sense that when the necessity for something proper is to be done, then commanding it to be done should be considered logical, especially if it comes from the apostolic authority, right?--But Paul does not command this. Nevertheless, it is easy to wonder how Paul could be faulted for demanding that Philemon obey him. Think about it:
Is it necessarily wrong for Philemon to do what Paul wants through compulsion; especially when it is God's will?
In answering this, it is important for us to recognize that what is proper to do, is anything that manifests the fruit of the Spirit in love and faithfulness. Remember, Christ changed us and empowered us to do what is proper. Christ teaches us how to treat one another from His word (the Bible). Our job, then, is to exhort one another from His word. This is what Paul is doing. For Philemon, we know that there is an improper way to handle Onesimus. It is not according to service to Christ. It is according to service to the ways of the lost world culture which are outside of the love and faithfulness of Christ. As we think about this, I am wanting us to continue looking back at ourselves. We need to really check ourselves. It is so easy to handle people who are lowly, or who are strange to us, or who have hurt us, differently than the way God wants us to treat them. It is very easy to handle offensive people differently than the way God wants us to treat them; It is especially easy when those folks have done something to us personally that brings sorrow to us, or anger to us, in some way. Whenever we get into those situations, nobody is typically going to be around to command us to do what is proper, right? You are not typically going to get a text message, a voice message, a video call, a visit, or a letter, that commands you to do what is proper. But as Christians, the Holy Spirit teaches us in discipleship, through His word, what He wants from us. Letters like 1 Corinthians, James, and Philemon have been preserved for us so that we can learn the Holy Spirit inspired revelations. So, when the times come where we are stretched in manifesting love for someone, we need to be abiding in the Spirit as a matter of what we have already learned, and know, concerning what we are supposed to be doing already. Of course, sometimes God uses other members of the body to urge us to do what is proper. But let's think about Paul again: Paul has a unique situation where he could demand Philemon to do a list of things. But, Paul wants Philemon to do what is proper according to what Philemon already knows to do. It doesn't matter whether the "aged" Paul is bold. It doesn't matter if Paul has the "authority" as an apostle to command Philemon to do what is proper. You and I may be bold. We may think we have the authority to command others into submission. But, we need to be thinking like Paul is thinking. We need to be encouraging the saints to do what they are learning to do from God's word. Think about various reasons for this. Paul does not want to see obedience to Paul. Paul does not want to see carnal kinds of motivations come from Philemon when it comes to what Philemon ultimately decides to do. Paul does not want Philemon to receive back Onesimus so that Philemon's motivation will solely be to make Paul happy. Paul does not want Philemon to receive back Onesimus to bolster some kind of religious pride. Manifestations of the Spirit are not about magnifying ourselves. They are about God and what God is doing in you. Paul does not want Philemon to receive back Onesimus with the false notion that Philemon has gained some merit points with God. Paul does not want Philemon to receive back Onesimus now and then continuously hold this incident over the head of Onesimus like Onesimus will be owing Philemon for all the wrong he had done before. Paul wants to see the fruits of the Spirit come out of Philemon that have already been made manifest to the saints. The fruits must come out in connection to being obedient to the word of God which are the commandments of Christ that have already been commanded, and taught. With this in mind, Paul says he does not want to command Philemon, and yet we must understand that Paul demonstrates that he commands others while writing God's word. In this same bundle of epistles that went out with this Philemon letter, for example, Paul commands the command of Christ,
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you," Ephesians 4:32
@1 As Christians, God wants us to be _____________________ each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven us. Ephesians 4:32
Paul insists upon these things, Ephesians 4:17 (Greek, "insist" marturomai, see whole section of Ephesians 4:17 through 4:32 etc.) In recognizing that Paul does this, we should consider the questions:
If these manifestations supposedly came instinctively, by the Spirit, (in some nebulous and wrong view of the indicative) with no need for imperative commanding, then why would Paul see a need to do so for the Ephesian Christians?
Why does Paul take a different approach with faithful and loving Philemon?
Certainly, Paul could have said this same thing to Philemon, concerning Onesimus;
"Philemon, be kind to Onesimus, tender-hearted, forgive him, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
What does this demonstrate for us? This demonstrates that the Ephesians needed the imperative command as part of their discipleship to manifest the indicative love of Christ in these ways. They needed the word of God (which is the Ephesian epistle). This is the same sense of what Paul meant when he said to the Thessalonian Christians,
"2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 4:2
@2 The commandments of the New Testament were given by the _____________________ of the Lord Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:2
When it comes to Philemon though, Paul knows that Philemon already knows, and has already been doing, these basic love and faith manifestation things. Philemon has shown that he already knows what to do. This is the essence of what I am trying to say. Philemon, who already ministers kindness to others, in tenderheartedness, forgiving others, just as God in Christ also has forgiven Philemon, is intimately familiar with Christ's great commandment to love God, and love the other followers of Christ, as Christ loves us. He is familiar with the teachings of his friend, the apostle Paul. These are discipleship basics for all of us. So, when you already know these basic things, then doing what is proper is a matter of obedience to God. You don't need me, or anyone else, to make a demanding, commanding, requirement to you to satisfy our request. Let me ask you something:
Aren't you intimately familiar with Christ's great commandment to love God, and love the other followers of Christ, as Christ loves you?
Through discipleship, don't you know that you must be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you?
If this is the case, then the question is:
What are you going to do about it when you receive a surprise package too?
Surprise package-people come into our lives all the time. Unless you are somewhat of a recluse, then it is just a matter of when. When it happens, the Spirit does not want you to put what you have learned on the shelf. We are not to act like it is optional. We are not to act like we don't remember what it is; or that we need someone to command us. We remember when Christ spoke it to the disciples in their elementary schooling. It is the royal Law curriculum that Jesus spoke to His students,
"3 You [the students] are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ... 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My students. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. ... 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. ... 17 This I command you, that you love one another. 18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I elected you out of the world, because of this the world hates you." John 15:3-14
@3 God gives the ___________________ to us to love one another. John 15:17
The underlying sense, for those original disciples, is the same as it is for Philemon, for you, for me, and for all who are followers of the Messiah. The sense is,
"You know what to do, so what are you going to do about it?"
At the moment Christ said these things to His pre-cross students, He was conveying two things. It is something that theologians identify all through the Bible. It is called the "now not yet." What the "now not yet" means is that Jesus was commanding His Old Covenant students to operate in immediate obedience to His commandment to love (which was for them to do the right thing in their immediate lives), while at the same time, Jesus was also proclaiming what would be accomplished prophetically in a matter of days in the establishment of His New Covenant in His crucifixion and resurrection (which was the "not yet" aspect). What would be accomplished is that God would miraculously put His Spirit, and His love, in the hearts of the people whom He saves,
"... the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:5
At Pentecost, the prophetic move of God's Spirit prophesied in Joel took place where the Holy Spirit came in a dramatic way. Christ's Holy Spirit pouring of love, and His commandment that we love, is the primary issue for all people who have been changed as a miracle work of God. This is what you and I have in our beautiful relationship with the Lord. We have it now, and the "not yet" aspect left for us will come after we die and are resurrected to glory, or Christ comes back again. In that state, we will be living where we will manifest love in a perfect existence forever. In fact, the Law of love will be the law that we are under for all eternity in God's Kingdom where we will manifest it in perfection. At the moment, this same love is what we have that we must give, and give, and give, in our beautiful relationship with one another from an overflowing spring that never runs dry. With these things in mind, we see that the sense of what Paul is saying is;
"Philemon, you already know what is proper; now what are you going to do about it? I am confident that you are going to do what is proper for the sake of love, which is for 'Christ's sake.'"
But we also need to notice that Paul is writing the word of God. Think about this for a moment. We recognize that God moved Paul to not remain quiet or docile about urging these spiritual things in a strong appeal. Yes, Paul is not commanding Philemon, but Paul is certainly urging an imperative based upon the same Holy Spirit working in Paul through giving this appeal. The bottom line is that we have the same Holy Spirit speaking to us too. Any time you, me, or any Christian, chooses to abide in the carnality of the old man, then we are ignoring the urging of God's word by His Spirit. We are trying to put on the remnants of the lost world culture that we have left behind through our co-crucifixion in Christ. To do so is sin. It is sin whenever a Christian purposely disobeys God by not manifesting love, and not manifesting faithfulness, toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.
I want to make one last point on this first principle concerning the need to appeal to Christians to manifest the things of the Spirit that they already know are proper. Remember that Paul said (in verse 6) that His prayer for Philemon's manifestation of love and faithfulness in effectiveness was for "Christ's sake." This is important. Here (in verse 8) Paul makes the same sort of statement, but instead of appealing to God in intercessory prayer, Paul appeals to Philemon to act out of His changed heart for "love's sake,"
"6 I pray that the sharing of your faithfulness may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ's sake. ... 8 Accordingly, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do what is proper, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you ..." Philemon
@4 Paul's appealed to Philemon to forgive and accept back Onesimus for ___________________ sake. Philemon 1:6-8
What this means for our first principle we are gleaning, is that it is vital for us to appeal to Christians to manifest Christ according to what they already know, and are, because when we do, we are looking forward to them manifesting His love and His faithfulness from their changed heart. In this way, it is all for His sake! Stay with me on this because it is so important: It is too easy to focus on the person that the love and grace are directed toward as if we are doing it solely for their sake. But Paul takes the focus off Onesimus and what is good for him, and what does Paul do? He puts it over to Christ and what is good that comes from Him that we reflect back to Him for His sake. This leads directly into the second principle.
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Our manifestation of Christ's, love, and faithfulness, should come from our own free determination in our bondage to Christ in Whom we have been set free from bondage to sin and death,
"10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, ... 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 ... that you would have him back forever, 16 ... much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. ... 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say."
Once you have the facts, the Spirit places the responsibility upon you to choose to act properly in love and faithfulness in "obedience" to Christ. The goodness that Philemon is to exercise by his own free will is the goodness that is in him already. He knows what he is supposed to do from prior discipleship. He has shown it in consistent practice. Paul has confidence in Philemon's obedience. Now, the sharing of his faithfulness needs to purposefully become effective to Onesimus too. The principle here is that Philemon has no excuse in respect to not being able to freely choose to do this. Christ set Philemon free to do this. Christ has set all of us free to do this. Once we have been discipled in God's word, we already know what we need to do, and we have been empowered to do it. Now, we need to choose to make faithfulness, and love, effective to the other members of the body. Unlike the people of the world, we who are born again, are new creations. We are not in bondage to sin anymore. We are free in Christ because we are in bondage to Christ. In theology, when it comes to salvation, people talk about the bondage of the will, or the freedom of the will. What is really meant is that we have been set free spiritually from the slavery to sin that all lost people experience in the curse of Adam. Without the change that God makes in our heart, where we are freed to love and faithfulness to Christ in spiritual understanding, then we remain slaves to lost deadness. As slaves of sin, people freely choose, but here is the clincher:
They always freely choose according to their slavery to sin. Therefore, their choices in lostness are always tainted by sin.
Conversely, as slaves of righteousness, we Christians freely choose, but here is the clincher:
We always freely choose according to our slavery to Christ.
All of this language can be confusing. This is why it is important to know that when we read about our "will" in the Bible, we are not reading about something that God made that is like a generator, or an emanation, or a spirit, or something like that. A "will" is not something that has chains on it. A will is not something that chooses.
Why?
Because a will is simply a choice and a determination. So, when we talk about "the" will, we are not talking about it as a thing that is somehow in bondage. We are also not talking about a capacity, as we find some definitions attempting to explain will. Biblically, in every single instance that will is used, it is in respect to choice and determination. Your will is your choice. Your will is your determination. So, when Paul speaks of Philemon loving, and being faithful, to Onesimus "of your own free will" what Paul means is that:
We Christians are to love and be faithful to one another according to our own freely choosing and freely determining from a spiritual state that has been freed from bondage to sin at the fundamental level.
From there, the gist of Paul's desire is that the compulsion to do what is proper should come from God and not from other means. We freely choose now because we are free in Christ to do so. We freely choose now because the power of Christ enables us to do so. But at the same time, we can be inconsistent. God does not want you to be inconsistent, so He teaches us to be consistent where His Spirit uses His word to direct us. In the sense that God used Paul to urge Philemon, Philemon should freely will to do according to the freed heart that is now in bondage to Christ. Here is the point: Your only compulsion should be the conviction of the Spirit to do what is proper.
/3/
This leads to the third principle for us to glean. Our manifestation of Christ's, love, and faithfulness, should be consistent with all Christians, showing no partiality,
5 ... your love and of the faithfulness which you have toward ... all the set apart ones [saints]. ... 7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the set apart ones [saints] have been refreshed through you, brother. ... 10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten [whose father I became ESV -- spiritually as clarifier in NET] in my imprisonment ... 12 I have sent him back to you ... that is, sending my very heart, ... 13 whom I wished to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf ... for the gospel ... 15 Because suddenly, he was for this reason, separated from you for a moment [literally an hour], that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, ... both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 ... accept him as you would me."
The life record of Philemon is that he was known for treating the saints in love and faithfulness. Some key questions we all need to check ourselves with are:
"Do I treat all Christians with consistent love and faithfulness?"
"Do I make distinctions between the brothers and sisters, and then meet out grace, forgiveness, and love, to certain ones in faithfulness, while ignoring others."
"Do I treat certain Christians with a subtle kind of contempt that whispers loudly through my actions: 'You are not as important as certain kinds of Christians that I hold in esteem because they look nice, and you don't'; 'You are not as important as the Christians who are my good friends'; 'You are not as important as the Christians I can get something from'"?
You may not say these things outright, but the essence of the questioning here is:
Do you whisper loudly in this way through the voice of the actions of your life?
The whisper of our actions speaks louder than claims and boasts.
Do you continue in consistency to show God's love and faithfulness to those who have wronged you?
In consistency with the Holy Spirit, no matter what wrongs have been done in the past unsaved life of Onesimus, Paul is explaining that Philemon should not show partiality--even though Onesimus is Philemon's property according to Roman law. When we are consistent with our freedom in Christ, we should freely choose to be consistent with our direction from the Holy Spirit even though wrongs have been done to us in the past by our brothers and sisters. Love, faithfulness, forgiveness, kindness, and all the other fruits of the Spirit, are meant for every member of the body of Christ. They are not only just meant for the people we particularly like a whole lot. They are not only just meant exclusively for those that we never have any disagreements with. They are meant for the unlovely. They are meant for those who we think have hurt us in some way. Paul is so strong on the consistency of treating all who have been miraculously changed in Christ in the same faith and love way, that Paul says that Onesimus should be accepted as Philemon would accept Paul. Think about that for a moment. In Philemon's day, a slave was considered to be chattel property. If you were a master, you could do whatever you wanted to a slave. If a slave stole from you, then the slave was punished severely. If a slave ran away, the punishment could be the death penalty. If a slave did both, then think about how despised such a person would be to a master. But, consistency is the key when it comes to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is saying,
"God wants you to accept Philemon like he is me--Paul the apostle--your friend, and brother, and no less."
Paul is not interested in the way that Philemon accepts, or treats, the lost. Onesimus is now a brother in Christ. He is part of the body of Christ. Just like Philemon, Onesimus has been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, Ephesians 1:3. Onesimus now has a special standing as one who is a living temple of God's life-giving Spirit, 2 Corinthians 5:17. Onesimus was like every other lost man beforehand. His life in lostness, was temporal, and dead spiritually. His life in Christ is eternal, and spiritually alive. In God's providential hand, Philemon will now have Onesimus back as an eternal being in Christ. Philemon will know Onesimus forever, as we all will. I want us to take a quick look at the phrase as it is in the NASB,
"15 For perhaps he [Onesimus] was for this reason separated from you for a moment, that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother..."
The word "perhaps" (Gk. tacha) that Paul uses here in this passage also means hastily, quickly, soon, and suddenly. This statement from Paul can also be accurately translated as,
"Because suddenly, he was for this reason, separated from you for an hour, that you would have him back forever."
When we take the force of the Greek to be Paul's intended meaning of "suddenly" rather than the weaker translation which alludes to merely speculating God's intention by translating it as "perhaps" here, then we recognize a powerfully dogmatic assertion of God's divine sovereignty over all the affairs of men; especially in bringing Onesimus to salvation through his actions of hastily breaking the law in running away from his master. Something else that points to God's providential sovereign determination in this, is the word "separated," (echoristhe). It is what is called in theology, a "divine passive." What this means is that "separated" here is a verb describing God as the divine agent Who separated Onesimus from Philemon by His sovereign will. This verb governs a "purpose clause." In other words, the purpose of the action of separation was always meant by God to save Onesimus through the ministry of Paul, and then for him to be restored to Philemon forever as an everlasting brother in Christ who is completely equal spiritually in all ways. The point is that only in light of God's sovereign orchestration, can Paul's statement make sense. This is the kind of sovereign control that we see with Joseph in the Old Testament. Joseph's brothers sold Joseph into slavery. Consequently, Joseph spent a long time in Egypt as a slave. During the time, Joseph went through many difficulties. Ultimately, Joseph was enabled by God to miraculously interpret dreams for Pharaoh. As a result, Joseph found favor in Pharaoh's eyes. In the midst of humbling, and wearisome, slavery, Joseph was promoted to the most powerful leader over Egypt next to Pharaoh. Years later, Joseph's brothers went to Egypt because of a famine. In God's providence, they met with Joseph. We read of the meeting in Genesis 45,
"4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Please come closer to me.' And they came closer. And he said, 'I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life." Genesis 45:4-5
@5 Though Joseph's brothers betrayed Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt, it was God who _______________ Joseph to Egypt to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5
What we see here are two very important truths for our teaching this morning. I want us to notice that first, when Joseph proclaimed the fact that God sent him before his brothers to preserve life, Joseph was proclaiming God's sovereign work in much the same way that Paul proclaims it in the life of Onesimus being separated from Philemon. The second thing I want us to notice is the essence of this third principle in the sermon. Joseph showed the love and grace consistently toward all of his family, even though they had done him wrong beforehand. But, there is more for us to glean. Joseph also said,
"6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance." Genesis 45:6-7
Again there are two truths here that tightly weave into the knit of this sermon. One is that what Joseph says here shows that God does this for His own sake. In like manner, when Joseph expresses faith and love toward His brothers, He is also doing if for God's sake. The other truth is that God uses all these events (like the fleeing of Onesimus) to preserve His remnant elect by His grace forever. But there is more. Joseph goes on,
"8 Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt." Genesis 45:8
Again, God was working all along, just like he worked in the life of Onesimus, and worked in Philemon's life and is working in our lives too. God takes what was previously despised and lifts it up to a place of honor. God took spiritually lost, physically offensive, and lowly, Onesimus and lifts him up to be a part of the body of Christ--seated in the heavenlies at the right hand of God in Christ, Ephesians 2:6. This is the way it is with all of us. We were all slaves of sin. We were all sons of disobedience. The evil spirit of the world was at work in us, Ephesians 2:2. God delivers us out of the domain of darkness and promotes us to the grace place of being in the "one new man" of the body of Christ. In him, we are now all eternally equal spiritually. We are temples of the Holy Spirit where God is now at work in us as sons of obedience. Our ultimate promotion will be in the after life where we will share perfection in a more tangible expression of sinlessness forever. Joseph goes on and says some more,
"9 Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.'" Genesis 45:9
Later, in Genesis 50, we read the famous quote. It is where Joseph says to his brothers after he receives news that his father Israel has died,
"20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:20
The point in our Philemon text is that Philemon is to now receive Onesimus back; no longer a slave, but more than a slave--as a much loved brother--preserved spiritually alive forever. So Philemon needs to be consistent with how he treats his new brother in Christ. We must, like Philemon, treat surprise package Christians in such a way as to honor them as fellow heirs of the grace of God. This leads to the fourth and final principle;
/4/
Our manifestation of Christ's love, and faithfulness, usually will require loss to our own selfish inclinations and require self-sacrificial giving of our own resources,
5 ... I hear of your love and of the faithfulness which you have ... toward all the set apart ones; 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faithfulness may become effective ... 7 ... the hearts of the set apart ones [saints] have been refreshed through you, ... 9 ... Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, ... 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 ... I know that you will do even more than what I say.
In this final principle, I want to point out that when we serve other Christians, we are serving the Lord. Paul only wants to receive benefit from Philemon "in the Lord." He only wants to have his heart refreshed "in Christ." In the Colossians Epistle that went out with this same bundle of letters to be delivered right down the road from Philemon's place, Paul said matter of factly,
"It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:24
@6 In salvation, we ___________________ the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:24
This starting point on this last principle is important because "serving" is the definition of ministry. Ministering is serving, and when it comes to Christian ministry, we are serving Christ first and foremost. It is as we serve Christ, that we serve others. To do so, we will have to let go of some comfort zones to minister authentic love and grace to them in living the gospel to them. Serving Christ by serving others is one of the most demanding ministry practices that a Christian can partake in. Philemon was an example of this. When it comes to Onesimus serving the Lord (manifesting Christ's love, and faithfulness) will require loss to any of his own selfish inclinations that may be hidden down deep in his heart. It will require self-sacrificial giving. Why? Because Philemon will have to die to any old ways of thinking concerning lowly slave Onesimus for wronging slave owner Philemon in any way. We also notice that Paul also demonstrates putting his own self aside. He shows his own willingness toward self-sacrifice in saying that he will repay anything that Onesimus owes to Philemon. Notice that Paul has even given of himself in some capacity in the past for Philemon. It evidently was to the point where Philemon owes Paul his own self. Paul is even assured that Philemon will recognize what is proper, will die to any carnal comfort zones, and go even further, and do more than what Paul says. All of these things point to the great necessity that will be required from us to give of ourselves in self sacrificial love for the Lord, so that we will minister to others properly. Ultimately, Paul points out that he is a prisoner for the Lord in his self sacrificial service.
I hope that these principles will stick with us in the years to come. Love and faithfulness are the primary virtues that we work from. Let's consider that as we operate in those virtues in the Spirit, we can easily command other Christians to do certain things that are proper. Instead we should disciple them, and exhort them from the word. If they have been discipled already in the basics, we should encourage, and even strongly urge, the saints to do what they already know to do as they are empowered by the Spirit. Always remember the second principle. Our manifestation of Christ's, love, and faithfulness, should come from our own free determination in our bondage to Christ in Whom we have been set free from bondage to sin and death. We are freed to choose to do what is proper as we serve Him. He expects that we will. The third principle is vital. Let's be making sure that our manifestation of Christ's love, and faithfulness, is consistent with all Christians--showing no partiality. Be expecting God to drop surprise people packages into your life. Finally let's be looking into our hearts. We need to be ready with the substance of love and faith when or heart is put to the test. Your manifestation of Christ's love, and faithfulness, will usually require loss to our own selfish inclinations. It requires self-sacrificial giving of our our own resources. We need to rise to the occasion. In doing so, we will further manifest the beautiful riches of Christ that are in us, out to others.
@1 As Christians, God wants us to be _____________________ each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven us. Ephesians 4:32
@2 The commandments of the New Testament were given by the _____________________ of the Lord Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:2
@3 God gives the ___________________ to us to love one another. John 15:17
@4 Paul appealed to Philemon to forgive and accept back Onesimus for ___________________ sake. Philemon 1:6-8
@5 Though Joseph's brothers betrayed Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt, it was God who _______________ Joseph to Egypt to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5
@6 In salvation, we ___________________ the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:24
