How many words to describe this picture?

Philemon 8-20

Remember: Forgiveness

• One of the main benefits of salvation is forgiveness.

Philemon 8-20 gives us a better understanding of what forgiveness looks like. 

We are wretched sinners. Every one of us. On our own, we deserve hell. But...

• In Christ alone – we can be forgiven. 

And that’s the theme of Philemon.

• Sub-theme: Community

Four things about Forgiveness:

1. We owe God

Psalm 51:3-4, Acts 17:30-31

It’s God who we have sinned against. And:

• It’s God’s forgiveness that we really need.

If we don’t have His forgiveness, then all the other people, while they might be nice, they’re not going to solve our deepest problem and they won’t meet our greatest need.

2. It’s not an idea, it’s experienced.

Like carrying something heavy. When it’s lifted off of you. It brings relief. 

Well - remember - we owe God first, right? He’s the one who lifts that burden.

• Part of our experience of being forgiven involves being a forgiver.

The OT sacrificial system was very experiential. Imagine being there when 1,000 animals were sacrificed. Now - it’s the once-for-all sacrifice. And still - it’s something we experience.

• We experience it most fully in community

Hebrews 10:19-25 

• Remembering what He did on the cross

Focusing on that. Thinking about that. Meditating on that.

• Engaging in community.

Being involved. Deeply involved in each other’s lives.

3. It brings radical change

2 Corinthians 5:17 –  the old is gone, the new has come!

We are all completely sinful and depraved without Christ:

Romans 3:11-12   Ephesians 2:1  Jeremiah 17:9   1 Corinthians 2:14 

(It won’t make sense before you’re forgiven)

Charles Spurgeon says it this way:

We declare, upon Scriptural authority, that the human will is so desperately set on mischief, so depraved, and so inclined to everything that is evil, and so disinclined to everything that is good, that without the powerful. supernatural, irresistible influence of the Holy Spirit, no human will ever be constrained towards Christ. (man he had a way with words!)

But when you experience forgiveness - it brings RADICAL change.

• Not just a little adjustment here. A little tweak there. It’s a complete turnaround. 

• Romans 6 says we were slaves to sin. Now we’re slaves to righteousness.

We have a new master. His name is Jesus. 

4. We must acknowledge our sin

1 John 1:10 – If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 

It doesn’t get much clearer than that.

The verse before 1 John 1:10?

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

So what is the foundation for this picture?  This is a very practical kind of book. Just let it paint a picture.

Foundation: Your Forgiveness

verses 10-14

He’s sending him back.   He doesn’t want to keep Onesimus without Philemon’s permission

YOUR consent   YOUR goodness   YOUR own accord.

• The foundation for forgiving someone else is your own forgiveness.

I think Paul knew Philemon would do the right thing. 

Onesimus had to talk to Paul face-to-face. 

• We should seek forgiveness

Forgiveness begins with going to the one you have offended. It involves acknowledging your sin. 

God draws us unto Himself and gives us what it takes to come to Him in faith and repentance.

Framework: Unity

verses 15-16 

Now this really is the center of it all. 

Paul points out the sovereignty of God. Everything flows out of God’s plan and purposes.

Now that Onesimus is back, now that he’s saved...

• There can be a unity between them that wouldn’t have been possible before. 

He’s saying that he’s more than your slave. He’s your beloved brother. It’s now a deep bond. 

I think this should put a smile on Philemon’s face.

• Who doesn’t want to see others get saved?

Who doesn’t want a close friend. One who could be described as a beloved brother?

And as close as Paul and Onesimus had become - and that’s pretty close - Philemon and Onesimus should be even closer. 

Their relationship will have this new, wonderful dynamic. 

They can serve Christ in new ways. Side by side. Paul is very excited about that. 

Finishing: Relational Realities

Here it all comes together.

verse 17 – if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 

We can’t forget who Paul was before he was saved. Paul’s career at one point had him throwing Christians in prison and doing everything he could to stop the cause of Christ.

The end result:

My heart will be refreshed in Christ. because:

• Forgiveness Refreshes

To see your relationship not only tension free, but fully restored. And not only restored, but this beautiful unity that works together and serves together. 

Because you are forgiven, you should forgive.

When you forgive - Unity is the result. When there’s unity, it’s refreshing.

John 13:35 – By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Forgiveness and Unity

Their bond is now closer than a brother you grew up with. The forgiveness that came from Christ flowed through and is now a part of both of them. They are forgivers. 

• Because of (that) forgiveness, there is unity and because of that, there’s a new relational reality.

As you look around at your brothers and sisters in Christ here at Fellowship Baptist. And even those who aren’t here today. They are people for whom Christ died. They have experienced God’s forgiveness.

When God looks at them - He sees the perfect life of Jesus. 

• How can we hold something against someone else when the creator of the universe Himself has forgiven them?

Remember that 

Psalm 51:3-4

Ultimately, our sins are against God. And while we do sin against other people, our sins are primarily against God. And when God has forgiven - it’s done. 

• So. We. Must. Forgive.

And Paul knew that Philemon would have this attitude. He might need to be reminded from time to time (just like we need to be reminded about things from time to time - daily in fact). 

Reflection Questions

• Are you easily offended?

Do people have to tip-toe around you so that they don’t say the wrong thing?

• Are you becoming a quicker forgiver?

You will need to forgive someone soon (if not already)

Are you getting better at forgiving sooner?

• Are you requiring less forgiveness?

Meaning - don’t be someone who others need to forgive often. Don’t be the offender.

• Are you growing in your understanding of forgiveness?

Meaning - are you growing in your understanding of the Gospel?

• Has your experience of forgiveness resulted in your unity with the Body?

Are you an active, engaged member of a local church?

• Are you striving toward the picture this passage paints?

Understanding forgiveness

Expressing it - extending it

Seeking unity. 

Being a catalyst for unity and reconciliation

God is very concerned with the unity of His children. We should be too.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Rob

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Philemon - A Letter of Forgiveness

Filet Mignon

(but without the ign)

Philemon 1-7

• Who: Paul to Philemon

It’s Paul’s shortest book. Written from imprisonment in Rome.

• What: Not doctrinal but practical

Colossians, Ephesians, & Philippians are doctrinal. 

Philemon isn’t absent of doctrine, but has a more practical side.

• When/Where: 60-62 AD (with Colossians)

This letter was written at the same time as Colossians

From Rome. It was sent back to Philemon with Colossians 

• Why: A request to Philemon

Onesimus had run away. It’s likely taht he was a lazy slave and apparently made off with some of Philemon’s money.

Onesimus met Paul somewhere along the way and got saved.

Now, he needs to return and make ammends for his sin.

Kent Hughes - a commentator - says this: The letter to Philemon was the most brilliantly nuanced, compelling letter of reconciliation in ancient history. It is a model of grace and charm. As such, it can be a great help to us all if we care to enhance our human relationships—especially those in the Body of Christ where we have special stake in each other’s lives. 

• We have a special stake in each other’s lives. 

As believers - as fellow members of Fellowship Baptist Church - we have a special stake - a special interest - a special connection to each other’s lives.

There’s a central theme in Philemon 

The Theme: Forgiveness

And along with that – Fellowship. 

• True forgiveness will lead to fellowship. 

When you have fellowship - it will both require and be a result of forgiveness. 

• Forgiveness should be a primary characteristic of a believer.

If you don’t forgive:

1. It locks you in the past - what they did to you, how you were treated. It keeps your focus in the wrong direction.

2. It makes you bitter. The more you dwell on what someone has done to you, the more bitter you will become. Bitterness and anger, while not the same thing, are certainly brothers.

3. Opens the door to Satan. 

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 – what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 

It opens the door to what he would do in our hearts

4. It affects our relationship with God (negatively)

You can’t be right with God if you don’t forgive others.

There are at least 75 different word pictures of forgiveness in the Bible. 

• Forgiveness must saturate who we are 

as believers and especially as fellow members of Fellowship Baptist Church

We are to be intimately involved in the details of each other’s lives.

The primary thing we see here is 

The Character of Philemon

• Here we have a profile of the character of someone who is worthy of emulation.

Paul is pointing out all the good things he’s heard about Philemon right here in the beginning. He’s thankful for these thing.

verses 4-5 – I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,

• Strong faith (in the Lord)

Paul knew Philemon. He had led him to Christ. 

Epaphras was with Paul and as Philemon’s pastor, could tell him what he was really like.

• Faith in Christ is faith that He has saved you and that every detail of your life is from Him. 

• Love for the church (the Body of Christ)

One of the things that was evident in Philemon’s life was that he loved the church. 

He had a love for Christ - and right along with that - for all the saints - for the church. He’s talking specifically about the Colossian church - Philemon’s church.

We should have this kind of love for those in our church. 

• The most practical ways our love for Christ demonstrates itself is in and through our love for the brothers and sisters in our own congregation.

We need to love what Jesus loved and hate what He hated.

verse 6 – and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective 

• Desire for Community

the sharing of your faith - 

The word for sharing here is koinonia - fellowship. 

The idea is fellow participation. Participating with each other.

• Technical Definition - an association involving close mutual relations and involvement

You know these people. You’re involved in their lives.

It’s more than just enjoying each other’s company.

The verse goes on to say: 

for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

• Knowledge of Scripture

We’ve talked many times about being saturated with Scripture. It’s a theme that comes up again and again.

The word for knowledge is epignosis - a deep, rich, full, experiential knowledge. It’s a thorough knowledge. Not just you know a little about it. 

• When we follow the truths and instructions of the Bible, it brings spiritual maturity. 

But when we turn around and forgive ourselves, when we forgive others - we’ll have a deeper knowledge of and understanding of forgiveness.

• No matter where you are, you need a deeper, fuller knowledge of Scripture

The end of verse 6 - for the sake of Christ

• The Glory of Christ

• Everything we do should be done for the glory of God.

Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, 

Q: What is the chief end of man? 

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him 

     forever.

verse 7 – For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. 

• A Genuine Encourager

Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear

In Philemon 7, we see one way that passage is worked out. One way it is experienced in community.

Joy - the result of someone whose desire is to build up and give grace.

Refreshed means – to cause someone to become physically refreshed as the result of resting from work

Now what is refreshed is the heart. In the deep core of who we are we have been refreshed. 

And how were they refreshed?

Through Philemon, someone who has:

• Strong faith (in the Lord)

   it’s expressed through:

• Love for the Church (the Body of Christ)

• Desire for Community - wants to see people drawn together and deeply involved and invested in each other’s lives.

• Knowledge of Scripture - growing in this.

• The Glory of Christ - seeks to glorify Christ first.

• Remember Forgiveness

Remember at the beginning of this message when we talked about what forgiveness is not?

What it doesn’t look like?

• bitterness

• wrath

• anger

• clamor

• slander

• malice

BUT

• forgiveness looks like

• Kind, • tenderhearted and • forgiveness

just like Christ forgave you.

The Theme of Philemon is forgiveness. We have to keep that in mind.

• We never look more like Christ than when we forgive others. 

You will be wronged.

You will have people do things against you.

Sometimes it will be intentional.

Sometimes it won’t be.

If claim to be a believer, being a forgiver MUST be something that can be said of you. 

Remember - Forgiveness and Fellowship are not synonymous, but they do feed each other. They’re like two halves of a circle that go together and lead to each other. 

• Forgiveness leads to fellowship leads to forgiveness leads to...

• Don’t miss this: Prayer is a Must

All of this is framed and wrapped by prayer. 

We see prayer over and over in Paul’s writings. 

Just like forgiveness is part of the picture, so is prayer.

Acts 2:42 – And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers

We must be devoted to prayer. 

Reflection Questions:

• How would you characterize your faith? 

Are you convinced of God’s sovereignty in your life?

Do you really believe that what is happening is for your good?

Are you trusting in Christ for forgiveness?

• Do you love the Church?

Specifically - Fellowship Baptist Church Do you love the congregation here? 

Do you wrap your life around this place? Around these people?

Are you genuinely involved in their lives?

• Are you making effort toward Koinonia?

This goes with loving the church. 

Are you fostering connectedness?

What specific things will you do this week toward the goal of being knit together in love more than you are right now? When you come in to this room next week, you should be closer to someone in here because of something you did this week.

• Are you growing in knowledge of the Scriptures?

How? What have you learned? How are you learning it?

How are you becoming more saturated with Scripture?

• Are you becoming more and more focused on Christ and glorifying Him?

Remember - Christianity is about Christ

If you’re truly devoted to glorifying Christ, how should that change things? Daily decisions, details, etc. 

What are the details that should change?

• Are you encouraging others?

Is your life a picture of Ephesians 4:29 and Philemon 7?

Make plans right now to encourage others. 

• Are you praying with others?

Specifically - your brothers and sisters at Fellowship Baptist Church?