I’ll tell you the music has been incredible the past few weeks. I think I can say without question that I am right where I am supposed to be today. If you have your Bible, turn with me to the Book of Philemon, near the end of the New Testament, just after I & II Timothy, and Titus, just before the Book of Hebrews. As we’ve been looking at the book of Philemon, we’ve been introduced to Paul, “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” We’ve meet Apphia and Archippus, with Archippus being a “fellow soldier” in the ministry. We have also talked about this man Philemon, a man of means, a man who has THE church in his house. Philemon has a servant named Onesimus who has done something that has caused him to run, not only from his master, but to end up in prison, where the Apostle Paul is.
- Paul is in prison because of the Gospel
- Onesimus is in Prison because he did something wrong – probably due to a crime being committed.
As we continue in this study on Reasons to be Thankful, we are going to look at how God has touched the life of this man Onesimus, as I share this message titled “I’m Thankful for the Gospel Message.”
Isn’t it amazing how the Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches all men. It doesn’t matter how rich you are, or how poor you are; how educated you are, or how uneducated you are – the Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches us all. And I can say Thank God that Jesus Christ is a “friend of sinners!” And the story before us is going to reflect that. Look with at Philemon, beginning in verse 8:
“8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, 9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;”
Paul says in verse 8, “, though I might be much bold in Christ.” In other words, Paul is saying, “Philemon, I’m about to ask a big thing of you.” Paul is writing to a man who was the owner of Onesimus. Perhaps he purchased him, perhaps Onesimus had done something and was indebted to Philemon. But Onesimus, for what ever reason has run away, and by Roman Law, he could be executed for that.
Whatever he did, whatever he took, has now landed him in jail. We don’t know exactly what he did, all we know is that Paul said of him : “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought; put that on my account.”
So Paul is writing to Philemon, and Paul says to him, “Philemon, I won’t you to take this brother back in.”
- “I don’t won’t you to take him in as a servant”
- “I won’t you to take him back in as a brother.”
- “And not just as a brother, but take him in as my own son.”
- “And not only as my son, but receive him like you’d receive me.”
Church, I am glad this morning that I am accepted in the Beloved, not on account of anything that I have done, but on the basis of Jesus Christ has done.
- Not my worth
- Not who I am
- Not what I’ve done
- Not what I have to offer God
I am just like Onesimus, he didn’t have anything to offer Philemon. I’m glad I serve a God who accepts people on the basis of His Son.
Paul says, “Though I might be much bold in Christ, to enjoin thee that which is convenient.” That word “enjoin” it’s not quite the word command, and not quite the word authority, but it’s like laying something on somebody, putting the ball in their court so to speak.
“To enjoin thee that which is convenient. Yet for love’s sake, I rather beseech thee.” Paul does a lot of beseeching on behalf of other people. He risks things for others.
And what Paul is saying here is that he is doing this – on the basis of love. Paul says, “I’m asking you for a big favor. I’m asking you to take Onesimus back in, on the basis of love.” Paul is not asking him to do this on the basis of duty, he is asking him to do it on the basis of love. Remember back in verse 5 he said, “Hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus Christ, and toward all saints.”
The Bible says, “For God so loved the world . . .” THAT WAS HIS CHOICE. And so Paul is appealing to Philemon and he is saying, “Philemon, do it for loves sake.”
Paul is saying, “Philemon, God loved you when you didn’t love Him, and you ought to show God’s love to somebody else in the same manner.” So Paul is appealing to do it for the sake of love.
But then he goes a little further, and he says, “Being such an one as Paul the aged.” “Philemon, do it because I’m getting old.” How many of you resemble that remark?
Paul’s been around awhile, he’s been down the road a little further. He’s getting old now, his time is running out.
“Philemon, if you can’t do it because of love, and if you can’t do it because I’m old, then do it because I am “now a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” “Philemon, it’s come at a great cost to me to be in ministry.
Now look at verse 10 and Paul is going to repeat these words, “I Beseech thee (I’m begging you) for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.”
Paul is referring to Onesimus as his own son. Now, how many of you parents appreciate it when someone is kind to their children?
You know one of the greatest things about being born into the family of God? It doesn’t matter if you were born in Georgia, or California, or New Jersey, or North Carolina or South Carolina, WHEN YOU BECOME “BORN AGAIN,” you are now born into the family of God – you are my family.
Then Paul goes on and says in verses 13-14, “Philemon, I would love to keep him with me, because he has been a tremendous encouragement to me in my bonds, but there is no sense in us both sitting here in prison, so I am sending him to you. So don’t receive him like you doing it to fulfill a debt, but do it with joy in your heart, do it willingly.
Now paraphrasing Verse 15, “I know he left you for a season, but I’m telling you he’s coming home a new man. He isn’t the same guy that he was when he left you. I promise you he’ll never leave you again and he will be a friend to the end.”
Now let me summarize the final verses this way:
I don’t know about you, but I can say that for Joe Moore, I still stumble and fall at times. And every time I do, I can see the devil going to God the Father saying, “Look at ole Joe fall AGAIN. He doesn’t deserve Your love, and he doesn’t deserve Your grace. He doesn’t deserve Your mercy.”
And I’ll tell you folks, if I had to stand on my own merit, I’d be in a world of trouble. But thank God this morning that I have and Advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous. And every time I stumble, and every time I fall, and every time I come up short, Jesus steps in and says, “Dad, I took care of that!”
- Every time I go to Him and say, “Lord, I failed you again.” He says, “I Know.”
- “Lord, will you forgive me?” He says, “I did.”
“Philemon, I’m sending Onesimus to you. But Philemon, when you receive him, I want you to receive him as if you were receiving me. If you’re my co-laborer, receive him like you would me. Give him the respect you’ve given me. Don’t be mad at him, and if he owes you anything – put that on my account!”
Now, let’s bring that over into the spiritual realm. And I can see Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for Joe, and I imagine Him saying something like this:
“Father – DAD – I know he ain’t much. I know he’s done you wrong. But when he comes to You, I ask you to receive him as if you were receiving Me. Dad, I paid for his sins. If he owes you anything – put that on my account!
Fighting for My Pea Patch 