Sharing in Christ • Philemon
58:22 Teaching begins
Notes
Why in the world would you want to go to church?
You get that from people who can’t believe you want to go to a dilapidated building, fall asleep while some guy yaks endlessly at you, and then drink bad coffee and eat stale biscuits. You really like that?
I like going to church because I love sharing in the life and love of Jesus Christ. I love getting all my problems solved without yelling, screaming, and somebody making me do something I don’t want to do. I love when people help me and encourage me. I go to church because it’s the best thing on the planet. You don’t get this sharing of life and love anywhere else.
Church is sharing in Christ.
I’m reading the first three verses of Philemon.
1. This letter of Paul opens with a normal enough salutation, but it points to a miraculous sharing in the life of Jesus Christ, vv. 1-3.
A. The normal part is who is writing, to whom, and a blessing.
1. It’s Paul dictating, Timothy writing it down.
2. It’s to Philemon, and to Apphia, maybe his wife or his sister, Archippus, the pastor of the church, and to the whole church. It’s to a community as much as one guy.
3. The time Paul wrote this is the time he wrote the church in Colossae. He’s in custody in Rome, waiting for his first trial before the Emperor. The date is about 60 A.D.
B. Notice how often Paul makes reference to sharing.
1. Paul is a prisoner of Jesus Christ, because he is sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
2. Timothy is Paul’s brother because he also shares in the life of Christ. They all have the same Father.
3. Paul calls Philemon fellow worker, they share in the work.
4. Apphia shares in Philemon’s life.
5. Archippus is Paul’s fellow soldier, they share the same work because they share in Christ.
6. Paul is sharing this epistle and responsibility with the whole church that meets in Philemon’s house.
7. That’s six references to sharing in three verses. In 25 verses there are 22 references to sharing. This letter is about sharing in Christ.
2. Paul acknowledges that Philemon already shares his life in Christ with others, vv. 4-7.
A. Philemon loves and trusts in the Lord Jesus.
1. We always love Jesus because He loved us first. He laid down His life for us, to take away our sins. He paid the greatest price to solve our greatest problem, which is, we were dead in our sins and transgressions against God.
2. Philemon believed the love that Jesus had for him. He received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, and found that Jesus received him to Himself. He began to share in the love of God and the life of the Lord Jesus.
B. Paul thanked God for Philemon and prayed that his sharing that faith and love would be effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing that’s in him because of Jesus.
1. This kind of knowledge comes by experiencing every good thing of Jesus for yourself.
2. You experience mercy from God. God’s faithfulness, never rejecting you but always accepting you in Christ. God’s love, His truth, everything you need to have a good relationship. You know this by experience.
C. Then Philemon shared that life and love of Jesus with all the saints.
1. He accepted those who trusted in Jesus just as Jesus accepted him, to the glory of God. “These guys aren’t worthy, they’re sinners, yet Jesus accepted me when I was still a sinner. I’ll share my acceptance with God with them.”
2. Philemon also shared Christ with them practically. 1 John 3:16-20 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. That’s costly, but it was costly for Jesus, wasn’t it? Okay, I’ll help these guys out.
C. The result of Philemon sharing in Jesus was refreshment.
1. The word there means “rest”, to give a break in your work so you can renew strength, renew your life.
2. When Philemon shared in Jesus he gave new life to those around him. Paul, just hearing about it, is refreshed.
3. This sharing that Philemon does builds up others and it builds up himself. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Philemon found that this sharing in Jesus didn’t exhaust him, it vitalised him. You get tired in the work but not tired of the work. There’s more where that came from. This is wonderful, sharing in the life of Christ.
3. Paul has a problem to share—it’s Philemon’s own problem slave, vv. 8-10.
A. In this age we think, wait a minute, isn’t the problem that Philemon has a slave?
1. Ancient slavery was a fact of life since the dawn of man. It wasn’t the degrading, ethnically focused slavery of the 1700s and 1800s.
2. In the Roman Empire you couldn’t tell who was a slave just by looking. They might be sewer-cleaners or street pavers or cooks or cleaners. They also might be tutors of all ages, doctors or nurses, managers of estates and shops, salesmen, contracting agents, administrators of public funds and personnel, or executives with decision-making powers.
3. Roman laws regulated and protected slaves from severe cruelty. And most slaves were set free and could become Roman citizens by age 30. One writer I read said slavery was a way for foreigners to become citizens, learn a trade, set themselves up.
4. It wasn’t outrageous that Philemon was a believer and had a slave. However, that institution of slavery is going to be transformed by the gospel doing its work.
B. Onesimus had some problem in his life which made him unhappy.
1. We don’t know what the issue was. But he was not a good slave. His name means “useful” and Paul says he used to be useless to Philemon.
2. Onesimus made some bad decisions to solve his problem. He probably stole money or possessions from Philemon and ran away.
3. Like all our own solutions to life, his solution didn’t solve his problems at all, it only added to them. Now he’s a fugitive thief, and in danger of being arrested and punished.
C. We don’t know how long Onesimus was on his own, but somehow from modern-day Turkey he made his way to Rome and met Paul in house arrest waiting for his trial before the emperor.
D. Paul solved Onesimus’ problem. You have no relationship with God. You are dead in your transgressions and sins. Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead. You need to receive Him as Savior and Lord. Onesimus received Jesus, and sharing the life of Christ solved his biggest problem. He’s right with God.
E. But now Onesimus is still a thief and a runaway. He sinned against Philemon. Paul says, “You have to make it right with people, too.”
4. Paul asks Philemon something really extraordinary—to solve the problem by sharing with him in Jesus, vv. 12-25.
A. Paul would like Onesimus to stay with him because he’s become a great help to Paul. But Onesimus is Philemon’s property. It’s not right to have someone else’s property.
B. Paul has the authority in Christ to command Philemon.
1. He could settle this himself by force, one-sided. “Nice slave. He is helpful. I’ll keep him. Best wishes, signed Paul, the apostle of GOD.”
2. That’s the old way of solving things: the guy with power decides to benefit himself and you can’t fight him. That’s not fair to Philemon. He was wronged by Onesimus. More wrongs won’t be fair. Paul doesn’t want to solve this with force by himself.
C. Jesus solved the problem of sin by paying the cost of sin for every person, which is death. He paid for your sins against God. Now God is paid back, He receives anyone who comes to Him through Jesus. That’s more than fair. That’s gracious and merciful. Jesus made peace through the blood of His cross.
D. Paul says, “Let’s share in Jesus to solve this.” He takes the place of a beggar who is powerless, and just begs for grace and mercy.
E. First he sends Onesimus back to Philemon. He lets him go. Philemon can make the decision and Paul agrees in advance with that decision. Paul wants what Jesus wants, not what he wants. Jesus will work this out to everyone’s benefit.
F. He says receive him as my heart, as if he were me. If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
1. Receive this runaway slave as if he were the Apostle Paul? Value him like the guy who led Philemon to the Lord?
2. The only way Philemon can do that is to value Onesimus as Jesus values him. Not because of who Onesimus is but because of who Jesus is. Give Onesimus the value Jesus gives him. Philemon can do that because he believes in Jesus. Jesus treated him just like this.
3. Even if he doesn’t send Onesimus back to Paul, Paul says you have a different relationship now, he’s more than a slave, he’s a brother. You both have the same Father in heaven now. He’s a beloved brother. This is going to destroy slavery, not because there’s a law against it, but because the sharing in Jesus says, “He’s a brother. You really want your brother to be a slave? What would you want?”
G. Paul says, “I’ll make it up to you for all that Onesimus did to you.” He’s taking all Onesimus’ debts on himself. That’s costly but it’s like Jesus, who took all Paul’s debt on Himself. What would you say if the Apostle Paul in prison said, “I promise to pay all his debts. I’ll make it up to you.” Would you really let Paul do that? Or would you forgive Paul and forgive Onesimus? “C’mon, man, you even owe me your own self, but hey, not going to mention that!” Yeah, but he just did! Audacious, this sharing in Christ.
H. Refresh my heart! I know you’re going to do more than I say. By the way, make up a room for me, because the Lord’s going to answer your prayers and they’re going to let me go.
I. Did Philemon do it? There’s Paul putting it to him. There’s the whole church watching him. Jesus is watching him. Of course, Philemon accepts Onesimus! Of course, Philemon sends Onesimus back to Paul! It is more blessed to give than to receive! Jesus is sharing His life with the church! It’s glorious!
5. So what? Church is sharing in Jesus Christ.
A. Do you share in Jesus? If you don’t know, make sure. You need to solve your biggest problem, which is, you are dead in your sins against God. Receive Jesus as your Saviour. Be forgiven, be reconciled with your Father in heaven. Be filled with His Spirit, His love, His life. Only Christ can solve your problems with God and with people. Only He has love, mercy, forgiveness.
B. Do you know every good thing that is in you for Christ’s sake? Then give it to others.
1. Have you experienced His mercy? Then give mercy.
2. Have you experienced His faithfulness? Then you be faithful to others.
3. Has Jesus received you? Then receive others, to His glory.
4. Has Jesus helped you? Then help others.
5. Every good thing in you that you have received, give it to others.
C. Then enjoy refreshment, new life, the life of Jesus.
1. Acts 3:19-20 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
2. Those times are right now.
Paul knew this refreshment that comes from the presence of the Lord.
Philemon knew this.
Onesimus knew this. So did the whole church.
Do you know this refreshment?
Let’s pray.