This is a personal letter Paul wrote to Philemon, seems that he lived at Collossee and there was another letter written to the church there but this letter was to an individual. Paul wrote that he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ and twice he writes of being in bonds. You would not know unless he said it, that he wrote from a prison. He wrote of being another type of prisoner, of Jesus Christ and in the bonds of the gospel and this inspires me, that he was not concerned about his conditions, about his diet for he had learned to be content. Paul had a sense of responsibility and being a prisoner of Jesus Christ makes us that way, he was responsible to his master, to his companion, he took this work very seriously. Titus my partner, my fellow helper, Paul recognised that he was in a ministry that was living and giving for others, he was a joyful prisoner, among those who were in the bonds of love and of service. Paul made mention of his companion Timothy and how thankful he was for him who stood by him.
Philemon was a bishop, an elder in the church where he lived, then also to Apphia his wife and he calls her beloved, the elders wife, someone highly respected who was backing up the elder. Then Archippus who was possibly their son and he could have been in the work as he calls him a fellow soldier and then he speaks of the church in their house. We today are familiar with all this language and we can relate to this setting for we feel it is a privilege ourselves to come into sanctified homes where the churches meet. Homes that are open to God’s people where the church that was purchased by the blood of Christ can meet. Paul knew what they were doing for he wrote of some of the qualifications for an elder and a deacon in another place where he gave instructions about ordaining elders and deacons. The deacons back up the elder, they step in to help the elder and this is a very responsible position, this is the right order. We have a great resource among our elders and wives for there are times when our young people have difficulties and they can go to their elders and wives and get help. They can help with marriage difficulties for they have had the experiences themselves. I believe our elders are an under-utilized resource for they have so much to share with those who are younger, there are no better marriage counsellors as happily married ones.
One qualification to be a good elder is a sense of confidentiality, not talking to others about the problem and I am glad that when I was growing up there were elders and wives like that and Philemon and Apphia were just like that. Verse 4. “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers”. A wonderful thing that in Paul’s situation, so far away and in bonds that his prayer life was not bound, as he was in the will of God, he could remember people in his prayers. Paul was watching for the souls of others, he was guiding over the church and sending a letter to encourage them.
Verse 5 “Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints”. Paul had heard and the best news we can hear is of your love and faith for as Paul could say there is great consolation in that. Paul was in a depressing situation but was content in the Lord’s will and now was refreshed and consoled at the thought of this elder taking great care of the church that he was responsible for. It gives us great joy when we know that the hearts of the saints are to do the right thing. Philemon was backing up the ministry; he had the spirit of wisdom and peace and refreshed the Godly desires of those whom he met. Pray for the peace of the city, pray that each dwelling may prosper, it means a tremendous lot to the people we meet with if we can pray for them individually by name before a meeting. If we can truly pray that their spiritual life would prosper, this is encouraging Godly desires in each other and brings God’s blessing to us.
The Corinthian church asked Paul about spiritual gifts and Paul encouraged them to excel in edifying the church and it does not matter about our situation the greatest gift in any church is to be a builder, to edify is to build up. The opposite to that is to be a wrecker, this is easy, it does not require a lot of effort to smash something up, it takes a lot longer to build something up than to wreck it. Philemon was a man like that, he could refresh the good and Godly desires in those he met with and many works in quite a cold place in the world, no spiritual help but God has provided a place where we can get help. Philemon often had cool water for someone who had been through the desert experience; he was able to pour balm into the wounds.
Paul wrote to Timothy that those who desire the office of a bishop desire a good thing and good to be able to be trusted in our place, to be depended on, a good desire to have to be a help to each other. David had the right attitude when he heard the news that Saul had been slain, he did not say that I am finally free of him and rejoice no, it is worth reading his reaction. He took hold of his clothes and rent them and his men followed his example, he could have rejoiced over the misfortune of Saul. They mourned and fasted together, David was genuinely sorry when the bad news had come, he referred to the beauty of Israel slain on the high places. When bad news comes to our ears, it is a sign of spiritual maturity to mourn. Often we want to know all the details and then pass it on to others. David said, “Tell it not in Gath”, he did not want the daughters of the Philistines making mockery of the way of God. When people come to us to tell us things that are distressing take courage and seek to edify, to build up the church.
Last year there were some distressing things being spoken about and we would dread some people’s company as it was always something negative and this does not unite us. It is just like two people seeing a puddle and jumping up and down together and all it does is get muddier, and so it is, get more confused. This is not how David did it, he fasted and put on sackcloth and mourned, that’ s how he felt about it. As soon as you jump in a puddle it is stirred again and if we do this our service is affected and people will dread our company, they will avoid us as they do not want to be disturbed again, they just want the water to settle.
Then Paul spoke of the reason that he was writing the letter, it seems that a man named Onesimus had been in his employment, don’t know if he was professing or not, however we do know that this man left on bad terms. We don’t know if he was dishonest but he had run away from the employment of Philemon and amazingly like the prodigal he came in touch with Paul in Rome, another country. We know that Paul preached the gospel to him and possibly also Timothy and he put things right and he loved the gospel story of Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote to Philemon of the spirit of gentleness, how we should handle each other, for sometimes we have to say something to each other and he was really interceding. Paul could have ordered him, he could have been that bold but he pleaded for love’s sake, he beseeched him. I admire the way this aged old servant of God handled the situation, twice he said, “I beseech thee”. Whatever the past may have been, he may have been unprofitable, he knew all about it, I’m sending him back to you and want you to know he has been a great help and encouragement to me. He had likely done the wrong thing but he desperately wanted to put it right, he had Godly sorrow, not the sorrow of the world where someone is caught out, they sorrow about it, but they do not change and this sorrow ends in death.
This Godly sorrow of Onesimus worked salvation and Paul encouraged Philemon to take him back, not as a slave but as a brother in Christ, he just wanted him to know that whatever he had done he had put it right. If you count me as a partner then receive him as myself, make him that welcome, show him the same refreshing, the same respect that you would show to me if I came, to Paul the aged. “Yea, brother, Let me have joy of thee in the Lord”, he did not appeal with flattery, he had a genuine respect for God’s people and he had confidence in his obedience, knowing that he would do more than he was asked to do. This is the spirit of the kingdom, the spirit of the servant to do more than asked to do and was so refreshing to Paul in Prison. Then Paul finished the letter by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”. Paul was so far away yet what remained with him was the knowledge of them, he knew their spirit and this brought the greatest comfort to him. That they had his grace and all his virtue, the lovely qualities that were seen in the life of Jesus that we admire in his life, they were in their spirit. We long that the same beautiful marks would be with our spirit.
Truth Archive 