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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (22-8-1976 Strandtown Baptist Church)
All the other letters of Paul are written to churches or
church leaders, and are official correspondence. But the letter to Philemon is
personal and private. It is brief, with no doctrinal instruction or spiritual
exhortation. It contains a delicate request arising from Paul to his friend in
particular circumstances. It was intended only for the eyes of the recipient. He
would be surprised to know it has been preserved for over 1900 years.
Some writers like Chrysostom and
Jerome had to defend the canonicity of Philemon against those who said that
private letters had no place in the New Testament, because the church could not
be edified by it. Yet it is very valuable because of the light it sheds on Paul.
We are going to look at the circumstances behind the letter, then learn three lessons from it.
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus
Christ in Rome, wrote four “captivity” letters – Ephesians,
Colossians, Philippians and Philemon. But in this letter, he does not call
himself an apostle to stress his authority. He drops his official title and
writes to Philemon, friend to friend. Later he even describes himself as Paul
the aged.
The recipient is Philemon our
dearly beloved, and fellow labourer, a well-to-do man. Apphia and Archippus
were probably his wife and son. He was a man of outstanding Christian character.
Paul had heard of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus,
and toward all saints. He was hospitable and friendly, and so Paul can ask him to
prepare lodging in hope of his release. Philemon’s home was the centre of the
Christian church (there were no church buildings till the third century, so
believers met in each other’s home.)
Philemon had a slave who had run
away. The slave had met Paul in Rome, and through Paul had been converted. Now
Paul requests that Philemon should accept him back, not as a slave, but as a
brother beloved. Philemon should forgive his past, and offer him a new start. In
this situation, Philemon had absolute power of life or death over his slave. If
a slave ran away, at best he would be branded with a letter “F” (“Fugitivus”)
on the forehead, and at worst he would be crucified, a tortuous death. Paul
offers to compensate Philemon for what he has lost because of Onesimus’s
flight.
We do not know if Paul’s
appeal on behalf of Onesimus was successful, but most likely it was because the
letter has been preserved. Paul writes with absolute confidence that Philemon
will accede to his request.
It is a helpful and interesting
picture of early church life. The warmth of fellowship and love and activity
between the people mentioned in the 25 verses cannot escape our notice. There
are the interesting descriptions – “Brother”, “dearly beloved”,
“fellow labourer”, “fellow prisoner”, “fellow soldier”. And Paul’s
prayerful interest in his friends: I thank my God, making mention of thee
always in my prayers. There is the practice of hospitality. And what a
sermon could be preached on “the church in thy house”! Even though we do not
meet in private homes, yet there is much to learn from the idea of the Christian
home as a church where all worship together, instruction is given, unity, love
and care abound, and there is concern for outreach to others.
It makes us ask the question
whether life of our churches today has the quality of the New Testament church,
not only in sound doctrine, and Christian standards, but also in warmth, love
and care.
Now we look at three features of this story which show the power of the Gospel and the nature of God’s work in men’s life and circumstances.
In the eyes of authority, as a slave, Onesimus was an
utterly degraded creature, of no value at all. He was not a person, but only a
thing. He had worked in a Christian home, but he had been dishonest. Having
stolen some of his master’s property, Onesimus ran away as quickly as possible
to Rome. He could easily be lost there in the back streets and dark haunts, and
never have to face the consequences of his crime.
While there, Onesimus heard the Gospel from Paul, and
came to a personal knowledge of Christ. Hence Paul’s description: my son
Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. Paul’s situation in Rome is
described in Acts: Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching
those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man
forbidding him (Acts 28:30,31). Thus the grace of God reached the heart of
the wild, dishonest and rebellious man, and made an immediate change. He was
entirely renewed and altered because the grace of God can turn a lion into a
lamb, a raven into a dove.
So, previously unprofitable, now
Onesimus is profitable, both to Paul and to his former master, Philemon. His
service was no longer grudging, or as a “man-pleaser”, but in singleness
of heart, fearing God (Colossians 3:22). Once he was useless, now he is
useful. The very name “Onesimus” means useful. Therefore at last he was
living up to his name. Indeed he was so useful that Paul would have liked to
keep him there in Rome to help him, but he realizes his duty is to send him back
to his master.
Onesimus was willing to go back
with the letter, even though it would be a dangerous risk. Since his escape, he
had been free, but now since his conversion, he would be going back to slavery.
He had a duty to make restitution for the wrong he had done. Clear evidence of
true repentance is when someone is willing to undo the wrong they did, however
much it might cost. The once useless man had become humble, honest, upright and
obedient. Onesimus by name, and Onesimus by nature.
This is another example of the
power of the Gospel, and one we so often forget. We easily remember the big
names of the Bible – the Peters and Pauls. But we easily forget the useless
and worthless slave, made useful. “Christianity
is the power which can make bad men good” (Denney). It does not produce vague,
inefficient, dreamy people who are “so heavenly minded that they are no
earthly use”. It produces people who are of use. They are better husbands,
better wives, better workers, and better employers. “I wouldn’t give a
ha’penny for a man’s piety if his dog and cat were not better off after he
was converted” (Rowland Hill).
How very relevant the Gospel is.
It can do in men’s lives what pleadings, threats, parliament, laws,
restrictions and inducements can never do. It changes men from within. It alters
their whole outlook. They become new men, created in righteousness and true
holiness, new creatures, dead men made alive, quickened, risen with Christ. Men
who were once dark in understanding, alienated from God, are now illuminated in
mind, empowered by Christ, sharing the life of God.
Do we know the power of the Gospel? Do we love God? Do we have respect for God’s law? Are we concerned to do God’s will? Do we love believers? Do we love all men? Are we concerned to avoid sin? Do we strive to be like Christ? Do we measure all by the standard of God’s Word? Do we draw from Christ our daily peace and strength? Is there self-denial? Is life lived in fear of God? Are we faithful in all duties and relationships of life? “I do not understand how a man can be a true believer unto whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow and trouble” (John Owen)
Onesimus had no right to rob his master, but God was pleased to make use of that crime for his conversion. He stole, ran away, went to Rome, met up with Paul, heard the Gospel, and was soundly converted. This does not excuse the sin. Sin is sin, even though it is overruled. Christ’s crucifixion has brought the greatest blessings, but it was performed by wicked hands. The selling of Joseph into Egypt was the means of saving Jacob’s family in times of famine. But the brothers’ guilt is nonetheless real.
Yet it is heartening to see how God does overrule folly
and sin. Onesimus had a good home, a Christian master, yet theft got the better
of him, and he lost his home and chance of hearing the Gospel. If he was known
as a runaway, he could lose his head very quickly, and then death and eternal
destruction would have been his. He truly had done his best to ruin his life in
every way. However it was in the purpose of God that Onesimus would respond to
the Gospel heard from the lips of Paul and not from his master Philemon.
How often this has happened.
Children have rejected the Gospel from their parents, but they go to the other
end of the world, or into the forces, or away to college, and there they hear
the Gospel from a new influence, and they respond. Equally, some Christians live
a sleepy existence at home, but when thrown into new environment, they advance
by leaps and bounds in the Christian life. This happens every autumn in colleges
and universities. It is not always despair – the worst can happen to a young
man or woman – but sometimes the best thing can happen. They feel alone and
helpless, and for the first time in their lives, they realize they need to be
prayerful and consistent.
God can overrule our sins, and often overrules the sins of others. A recent article (Life of Faith 14-8-76) demonstrated how the church grows when it is being persecuted. In Korea, despite suffering during Japanese occupation and the Korean War, there are now 80 seminaries, the largest of which has 900 students, Seoul has 1700 churches compared to less than 50 before the war, and during the Billy Graham crusade, more than one million attended one meeting – the largest mass meeting in church history. All this, despite losing 600 pastors and 10,000 church members during the war. The suffering of many during the war actually turned them to Christ. The article concluded, “Many are thankful for the war because it was used of God for conversion or spiritual revival. Out of poverty and human desperation they learned where to turn and how to kneel.”
Philemon was asked to receive him forever, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved. The curse of slavery was present throughout the Roman Empire. Society was founded on it. There were 60 million slaves. They were living tools, not people. They were whipped, tortured, branded, made to work in iron chains, crucified – all at the whim and for the amusement of nobility.
The practice of slavery is utterly inconsistent with Christianity, which says we are to do to others as we want them to do to us. But it has not always been easy for Christians to stand against it – if they took a stand, they risked causing a slave war, and terrible slaughter. Various ways of dealing with the problem have been tried, from frontal attack, to attack from the flanks. The Christian church did not directly oppose, but did help to undermine slavery. It has done this by way of conversion and teaching people that slaves are brothers beloved; that we are neither bond nor free in Christ. The ending of slavery was not something that could be suddenly achieved. It took time for the leaven to work.
The Gospel proclaimed new relationships in which “master” and “slave” are unimportant. Human relationships are all changed in Christ. Social grades are unimportant. All are brothers beloved, treating one another as Christ would treat them. The Gospel is the only real answer to all strife, tensions, class war, selfishness and oppression we see everywhere. Social wrongs are only rectified when men are changed and altered. Relationship with Christ transfigures all other relationships in home, family, commerce. Christ touches everything in life, and transforms it.
The specific circumstances of this brief letter may have no relevance to us – but there is much in it that surely justifies why it is in the canon of Scripture. When we look beyond the surface, what a wonderful lesson it teaches us about the power of the Gospel to change lives, resulting in right relationships with others. How it comforts us that God’s providence can overrule even when we sin.
