MPC 4th July 2004.Philemon - "The Heart of the Matter"
Maurie Cropper MPC 4th July 2004.
I don't know whether you've been to a family reunion, but over the last decade family reunions have become pretty popular.
The other day I did a bit of research on my computer and came up with 2,880,000 sites on the Google search-engine that referred me to information about family reunions.
Most told you how to get a reunion happening. Some sites tell you what pitfalls to look out for. And one site gave you the opportunity to rate your family reunion on a scale of one to five. One being terrible and five being fantastic.
There were some people who rated them fantastic, but listen to what a couple of others had to say.
"Generally over-rated in my opinion. Best kept as once a decade events... if that frequent. Hold them too often and you're likely to find out why the family moved to different parts of the country in the first place."
"Can often turn into free-for-alls, where old grievances are revisited. Alcohol may exacerbate the effect - or may numb the horror of being with these people you have moved halfway across the country to escape."
This little book Philemon, is about a reunion of a different kind. It's a great example of how a reunion can work out okay when it has reconciliation at it's core.
But let's start with a little bit of background stuff.
Philemon the man, was probably a well-to-do guy... he certainly had slaves - one of which was Onesimus who's run away.
In the first century, a slave who ran away could be lawfully executed.
A master might not enforce such a sentence, but a runaway slave who was caught could at least expect some pretty tough punishment.
Historians say the majority of slaves during the Roman Empire were foreigners - prisoners of war, sailors captured and sold by pirates, or slaves bought outside Roman territory. However, it wasn't uncommon for impoverished Roman citizens to resort to selling their children into slavery. Anyone was liable to become a slave at any time under certain sets of circumstances.
Slaves and their children were property of owners, and could be sold or rented at the owner's discretion. Their lives were harsh - they were often whipped, branded or cruelly mistreated, and their very lives depended on the whims of their owners. While Romans accepted slavery as the norm, there were those, like Paul, who cautioned that slaves should be treated fairly.
On top of being well-off enough to own a slave, we're told in verse two that Philemon's home was big enough to double up as a meeting place for Christians.
He may have been a businessman who met Paul through their travels - we're not told. But we are told in verse 19 that Philemon owed his "very self" to Paul. A clear reference to the ministry of Paul and most likely referring to the part that Paul played in Philemon's conversion to Christianity.
It's been suggested that Apphia was his wife and Archippus was their son. If this was correct, then we have a pleasant picture of a family united in the faith and service to Jesus.
It's no wonder that such an environment appeared very attractive to Paul's longing to be their guest, v.22... "Prepare a guest room for me..."
But this letter contains a lot more than just flattery - or describing a 'little house on the prairie', with great hosts, great accommodation, great views, even great food!
Let's take a closer look.
Onesimus is a slave, and not a very satisfactory one at that. In v.11 Paul says it as it was, that Onesimus was, and I quote: "Formerly... useless to you". And he's a runaway slave, who may have robbed from Philemon. Or at the very least, since running away, he's indebted to Philemon for outstanding work time.
To which Paul says: v.18 "If Onesimus has done anything wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me!".
You might remember Jubilee 2000. It was a Christian enterprise leading up to the the new Millennium. It was an international movement that advocated a debt-free start to the Millennium for a billion people. It called for wealthy nations to cancel unpayable debts of the world's poorest countries by the year 2000. Countries that had become enslaved to other nations.
Aside from his position as a slave, having runaway, Onesimus now owed a huge debt to Philemon. One that he would never be able to pay back. And so Paul says to Philemon. 'Whatever he owes you... "charge it to me".
Apart from these few comments the details about Onesimus are scant. Maybe he had previously met Paul at his master's house. Or had heard of Paul from others.
But since running away Philemon... Onesimus has met up with Paul who a prisoner under house arrest.
Whatever the circumstances... since running away and meeting Paul he has become a follower of Jesus. Onesimus is now a Christian. And Paul is keen to see him reconciled with Philemon. After all, Paul told the Corinthian church that God had committed to him "... the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). Reconciling people to God and to one another. Just as he's seen Onesimus reconciled to God, now he wants to see him reconciled with Philemon.
Paul's own relationship with Onesimus is like that of a father and son who are both working in the family business. And in their case, both working for God on Kingdom business. Pick it up at v.10
10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
But Paul knows that he himself could be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive. Legally... even morally, Onesimus must go back to Philemon and sort things out.
Verse 12.
12I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.
Picture the scene... it's a dramatic picture... sort of like a mix of Paul's own experience on the Damascus Road, and the story of the Prodigal Son.
Here's this guy, a slave, who's snubbed the loyalty expected of him... taken off from his place of work... broken the law, and now finds himself in the predicament of having to return and face the music. If you've ever eaten humble-pie, you might understand something of what Onesimus is going through.
But he's not the only one who has to eat humble-pie... so does Philemon. Yet it's more than humble-pie... isn't it? Anyone of us can do that begrudgingly...!
So Paul writes to Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus... knowing they are Christians, and commends Philemon for something very important. Reading verse v.7: "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."
Paul commends Philemon for his love and encouragement. Paul may be kilometres away under house arrest, but he has heard of Philemon's gift of encouragement, and how Philemon has refreshed and strengthened the people of his church community.
Paul knows he's writing to someone with a mature understanding of ministry; and someone who respects Paul's own authority as an Apostle. Paul could simply have ordered Philemon to take certain actions... but instead he appeals on the basis of their love for each other.
Isn't that a great example for us all? I mean, someone who's been to bible college might be tempted to say "I Know best"; or someone with a qualifications in 'this' or 'that' could use their qualifications to ride 'rough-shod' over people... but is that what Paul does here?
Not at all!
Look at verses 8 & 9 "...although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love."
Paul also points out that he ought to be respected for his 'age' and his willingness in being very serious about his ministry... not only an "old man" but also a "prisoner" for Christ... ministering on the edge.
Like Paul, we don't have to appeal to our qualifications when dealing with each other. They'll be recognised for what they are. Our appeal to each other needs to be always on the basis of LOVE, and on Love for the other person. We are family, as Paul states over and over: v. 1 "brothers", "friends", "workers", v.2 "soldiers", v.5 & 7 "saints", and v.23 "prisoners"... ALL IN THE LORD.
So Philemon is to welcome back Onesimus, something like the welcome the 'father' gave to the prodigal son! Philemon is to welcome him back as if Onesimus owed him no debt at all!
This is incredibly important to Paul. He wants Philemon to understand that this is no trifling matter.
It's a huge emotional wrench for Paul.
Because for Paul to send Onesimus back is like tearing out his own heart and giving it to Philemon.
Look at v.12 "I am sending him - who is my very heart - back to you."
This is amazing stuff! To send Onesimus away, to send him back to Philemon is like tearing out his heart. A very a graphic picture of what it was costing Paul. And Philemon isn't to reject his runaway slave.
For Paul it's almost like a heart transplant.
Back in the December of 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard made surgical history when he conducted the world's first successfull heart transplant. The recipient of the heart lived for only 18 days before dying of double pneumonia as a result of his suppressed immune system. So, although surgical history was made, it wasn't until a drug was found that heart transplant patients began to ward off rejection and live longer lives.
But unlike recipients of a donor heart who depend on the drug cyclosporine to fend off rejection... Philemon can fend off any rejection simply by welcoming & accepting Onesimus back into his home.
And Philemon is to accept Onesimus back... just as if it was Paul arriving. In verse 17 Paul puts it like this: "… if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me."
And what of our own experiences?
If we're honest with ourselves, isn't it true that when we are accepting of each other: friendship; fellowship; ministry happens. But if we don't accept each other - bitterness takes hold of the relationship, ....and friendship, fellowship, finistry - is ruined, is lost!
In fact, the heart of the church community is ripped out, stomped upon. It stops ticking!!
But this stuff is like a dripping tap to us. We've heard it all before!
You might be sitting there saying to yourself: "Come on Maurie, when are you going to tell us something new? When are you going to tell us something exciting?"
Well it's not like that. There's Paul, writing a letter to a mature Christian, a fellow worker in Philemon... and yet he is not saying anything new or exciting.
He's simply saying: accept and welcome Onesimus as a dear brother in the Lord. As it says in v.16 "no longer as a slave, as a dear brother. He's very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother".
Paul's appeal is this: Take back Onesimus, not simply as a slave, but now "as a brother in the Lord"[v.16].
And I reckon what Paul is meaning when he says Onesimus: "...is even dearer to you, both [1] as a man and [2] as a brother in the Lord." …is that as a "MAN" - Onesimus is a transformed servant; a trustworthy worker... in Philemon's earthly business.
And as a brother in the Lord - he's now a co-worker in the business of the Kingdom.
And as a brother and a co-worker in the gospel, Onesimus, whose name means 'useful', has gone from being useless to being useful! A point that Paul is very happy to make. Have a look at verse 11. "Formerly he was once useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me."
It's like Paul is saying:
'So come on Philemon! Accept this fellow worker who's serving God in useful Gospel ways'.
And even though there's been past difficulties between Philemon and Onesimus, Paul's appeal for Philemon's acceptance of Onesimus's return comes amid a backdrop of trusting God.
And we get a clue to this in verse 15. Where Paul says:
Perhaps the reason he, Onesimus, was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good - no longer as a slave but better than a slave, as a dear brother.
It's as if in God's grand plan, it took the event of this slave rebelling, running away... for him to come to acknowledge Jesus as his Lord... enabling him to return to Philemon as a believer. And Paul's words about having Onesimus "...back for good", again ups the ante on him being no longer a slave, and not just a "dear brother" in Christ, but as Paul goes on to say in verse 17, he's now to be thought of… as Paul himself is… as a "partner"… an extremely 'useful' co-worker in the Gospel, playing an integral role in the building of God's Kingdom!
There's much to learn from this little letter.
Like the 'tact and care' in which Paul exhorts reconciliation between Christians. It's a letter about faith & action, and about Christ-centred relationships.
It also emphasises that we who follow Jesus are a 'family'.
A family, made up of people, who are not to sit on our hands, but as verse 6 states - "are active in our faith" which leads to "a more full understanding of what we have in Jesus".
It's a letter that appeals to the heart of relationships; the acceptance of each other as brothers... sisters... workers, and for some... even prisoners in the Lord Jesus.
It is a little letter that is more like a short story. A story involving a handful of main characters - Paul, Onesimus and Philemon, and a few others in supporting roles.
The main plot to the story is... that only when our relationship with God is made right through Jesus... will our relationships with others ever have the opportunity to be made right.
In fact... must be made right!
And finally... the letter teaches us that - nothing can heal damaged relationships faster... than the gospel rightly applied!