Philemon

It’s No Small Message—Big Messages from Short Bible Books

By Jim Hammond

   Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. While breaking baseball's "color barrier," he faced jeering crowds in every stadium.  While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error.  His own fans began to ridicule him.  He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered.
   Then shortstop "Pee Wee" Reese came over and stood next to him.  He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd.  The fans grew quiet.  Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.[i]

Have you ever had a problem that was difficult and a good friend went to bat for you?  Today we are going to learn from another one of the small books of the Bible—Philemon.  But again we discover from this small book, that It’s No Small Message.

Focus:  (The Big Message) Christ’s community is the fellowship of the cross where the dividing walls drop.

Background:  Paul wrote Philemon, along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, from prison in Rome (see Acts 28:30-31).  Philemon was a wealthy Greek Christian landowner.  In his culture that made him an employer/slave owner.  He was a prominent member of the Church at Colosse.  The church met in his home.  Did you know that church buildings were not built until the 3^rd century?  Churches met in home meetings.  This is usually the case in a hostile world where Christians are being persecuted by the established government.   The occasion of the letter was this:  Onesimus stole money from his employer/slave owner, Philemon, and ran away to Rome.  Somehow he met Paul and became a Christian.  Paul urges Onesimus to make things right and sends a letter paving the way for reconciliation with his master who is a friend of Paul. 

I.  Running won’t solve your problems

It usually complicates your problems.  Naomi Judd wrote in the latest edition of Reader’s Digest about a friend’s advice to her at a time when she felt emotionally obliterated.  That friend happened to be a Nobel prize winning physicist , Dr. Leon Lederman.  He told her, “Don’t go around the pain, go through it.  Don’t deny it.  Don’t put on your brave face.”  He gave her permission to let the grief wash over her.[ii]

I wonder if it was difficult for Paul to convince Onesimus to return to Philemon, so that he could quit running and get on with living.

A.      “Useful” became useless but now he is “useful”

Onesimus means “Useful”.  Paul does a play on words with regard to Onesimus’ name when he wrote to his friend Philemon.

Philemon 1:10-11:  ¹⁰I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. ¹¹Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

II.  It requires Effort to Drop A Dividing Wall

Reconciliation is not easy; sometimes it requires the help of a Mature Christian.  How grateful Onesimus must have been to have Paul going to bat for him.  There was no way he was ready to stop running without some hope.  Paul was willing to go to the effort that it took to give Onesimus the hope he needed.

I Wish

Rabbi David A. Nelson likes to tell the story of two brothers who went to their rabbi to settle a longstanding feud.

The rabbi got the two to reconcile their differences and shake hands. As they were about to leave, he asked each one to make a wish for the other in honor of the Jewish New Year. The first brother turned to the other and said, “I wish you what you wish me.”

At that, the second brother threw up his hands and said, “See, Rabbi, he’s starting up again!”

Paul didn’t give the typical pastoral answer to Onesimus, “I want you to Pray about it.  And here, read this book, it really helped me.”  No, he got deeply involved.  I’m amazed at the lengths Paul went to on behalf of his new friend Onesimus.  Paul himself went to bat for Onesimus.  He was willing to take the risk, do the work, write the letter, and pay the bill if necessary. 

For the dividing wall to come down for Philemon two things needed to happen.  One, he would have to forgive Onesimus who had wronged him, and two, he would need to treat Onesimus as a brother rather than a slave.  A whole new outlook is required for someone to become Social Status Blind.  And that is what our unity in Christ does for us. 

Walter’s Wishes

Robert R. Kopp tells the story of Walter, a young man who went to work for the largest corporation in the world. The personnel director told Walter he must start at the bottom and work his way up, so he began work in the mailroom. Walter liked his job, but often daydreamed about what it would be like to be an executive, the president, maybe even chairman of the board! One day as Walter was dividing the mail, he saw a cockroach in the corner of the room. As he walked over to step on it, Walter heard a tiny voice crying out, "Don't kill me! I'm Milton the cockroach, and if you spare me I'll grant all your wishes." Walter agreed that was a good arrangement, and he spared Milton's life. Walter's first wish was to leave the mailroom and become a vice president, so Milton granted the wish. In fact, Milton granted wish after wish until finally Walter was chairman of the board of the largest corporation in the world, with an office on the top floor of the tallest building in the world. Everyone looked up to Walter and he was very happy. Walter often said to himself, "I am Walter, and I'm at the top. No one is bigger or more important then me." Then one day Walter heard footsteps on the roof, and went out to find a small boy on his knees, praying. "Are you praying to Walter?" he asked - after all, he was the chairman of the board of the largest corporation in the world - but the boy replied, "Oh, no. I'm praying to God," Walter was quite disturbed by this turn of events, so he returned to his office and sent for Milton the cockroach. "I have another wish," he told Milton. "I want to be like God." And so Milton granted Walter's wish. The next day Walter was back in the mailroom. [iii]

Onesimus had to go back to the mailroom, but so did Philemon.  Paul modeled to them both how to go to the mailroom when he did the same for Onesimus.  They all learned it from Jesus! Becoming status blind only happens when we are willing to serve anyone regardless of status for Christ’s sake.  Go ahead and surprise people by loving across the barriers.

III.  Keep the Circle of Reconciliation appropriately small

Because it is during the same imprisonment that Paul wrote the general letter to the Colossians, it is likely that there were multiple home groups in the church at Colosse, just like our church has multiple home groups, or a city has multiple worship gatherings.  We know from the general letter to the Colossians that one group in Colosse met in Nypha’s home (Colossians 4:15).  The group meeting in Philemon’s home was the group that got the letter to Philemon.  Paul didn’t feel a need to write everybody in the church about advice to Philemon.  So he wrote a more personal letter to who needed to hear it. 

I wonder why Paul didn’t write a personal letter to Philemon alone?  Notice that Paul addresses the group that meets in Philemon’s home (1:1-2).  I believe it was because the whole group would have to accept Onesimus as their new Brother in Christ.  The whole group would be affected by the reconciliation that needed to take place.  The whole group needed to learn how to become social status blind!  This decision was going to affect them all.  What will the other slaves think?  Don’t you know what is going to happen?  Soon they will have to treat all of them like brothers instead of slaves.  Exactly! 

Many people wonder why Paul didn’t use this occasion to speak specifically against slavery.  There are many reasons for that.  One reason is that Paul was more interested in the specific personal changes that needed to occur in Christian individuals, than he was in politics.  As a result the politics and whole economic structures were turned upside down.  The best way to turn your world upside down, is to turn upside down people right side up.  That’s what Paul did, and a whole movement of people changing, changed their world.

Back to the immediate point at hand, keep the Circle of Reconciliation appropriately small.  Paul was focused on the immediate need for personal reconciliation, and how that would affect the local church.  Only those affected and those who are part of the support community need to be a part of the reconciliation process.  Paul chose not to include the instructions to Philemon in the general letter to the Colossians.  A basic principle of reconciliation is to include only those affected by the sin in the reconciliation process.  If the small group is affected, handle it in the small group.  If only a few individuals are affected, handle it between those individuals.  Only include the larger support community if it needs to become involved for the reconciliation to be effective.  If the whole church is affected, handle it with the entire church.  If only a family is affected make it only a family matter.

Jesus was telling us the same thing in the Matthew 18 passage about reconciliation.  Keep the circle of reconciliation as small as you can keep it and still be effective.

IV.  Only through Koinonia Is Christianity fully Experienced (1:6)

The word Koinonia is the Greek word translated here “sharing” in verse 6. 

Philemon 1:6  ⁶I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

You might get the wrong idea, however from this English rendering.  We usually think in terms of evangelism with this word, “sharing”, but “sharing” is not primarily evangelism here.  Koinonia usually refers to the sharing of oneness, the sharing in common that comes as a part of a unified fellowship.  Fellowship is two fellows in the same ship, rowing together in the same direction.  Koinonia is Christians giving to one another and caring for one another because they belong to one another.  Koinonia for Philemon included the fact that he shared his resources.  He opened up his home and his heart to the believers and tried to help them because he felt a oneness with them.  Now Paul is about to introduce to him a new brother, one who was not a brother before, and someone Philemon was still mad at.  Paul is about to show an incredible principle.  Paul the Apostle, and Philemon the Landowner, and Onesimus the runaway slave but forgiven thief, belonged to one another in the Body of Christ.  This is Koinonia.  This is the oneness of sharing life together as family.

A.  People miss out on the blessings of the real thing when they do not experience the koinonia of community

Are you active and effective in sharing with others your faith, your resources, and your love?  Do you belong to a community of believers where you are growing to care for one another?  If not, you are missing out on the “full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (1:6)  Yesterday was a funeral service for Ed Dunn who went to be with our Lord, last Sunday.  God did a remarkable thing when he wrote the last chapter of Ed’s life.  He brought Ed into the community of faith.  I can’t tell you how much that community of faith meant to Ed.  He was amazed by the sharing,  the caring, and the praying, and the many tangible and loving ways “strangers” became friends and family to Ed.  Ed’s whole world of relationships was expanding while his mobility and abilities were shrinking.  Some people go through the trauma of illness without community because they are spiritual orphans.  They live and die lonely people.  Don’t miss out on the blessings of the real thing.  Involve yourself in the Koinonia (sharing, fellowship) of community.

B.   Community Costs Something

It cost Paul when he was willing to help Onesimus.

It would cost Philemon as Philemon forgives.

It takes effort to care for people, to mourn when they mourn and rejoice when they rejoice.  But the dividends are well worth it.  You miss out on the full understanding of all the good things we have in Christ if you don’t have a Koinonia community like this!

Samwise Gamgee

The movie Lord of the Rings is big right now.  The image of Samwise (Sam) Gamgee at the end of the movie was a powerful picture of the Fellowship (Koinonia) of the Ring.  Sam saw himself as a friend and servant to Frodo.  Sam was willing to sacrifice himself for his friend.  It didn’t matter to him if Frodo was going to Mordor.  It didn’t matter if Sam didn’t know how to swim, he would rather die then let Frodo go it alone.  He made a promise to Gandalf and that promise was to support Frodo.  He wasn’t going to let Frodo face the life threatening challenges alone!  I loved that powerful and climactic scene of the power of friendship in the movie.  Pulled to safety, Sam sat dripping wet in the boat determined to follow Frodo even if it killed him.  Frodo asked why he did it.  Sam choking with emotion, replied,  “Gandalf said, ‘Don’t you lose him, Samwise Gamgee, and I don’t mean to Mr. Frodo.  I don’t mean to.”  This was a picture of a remarkable friendship.  But it is more than a picture of friendship.  This was Tolkien’s picture of Koinonia!  Koinonia means Fellowship, and that is why Tolkien entitled the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, “The Fellowship of the Ring.”  We are a part of a fellowship also.  It’s not the fellowship of the ring, but the fellowship of the Cross!  Like the Fellowship of the Ring, our Fellowship also is trying to save the world.  J.R.R. Tolkien was not just writing fantasy, he was writing about analogous realities that the story helps us to learn.[iv]

Paul was Sam Gamgee to Onesimus.  He entered into Koinonia Fellowship with a slave.  That amazes me.  Paul loved Onesimus and was willing to pay his bill if need be.  Paul was urging reconciliation and restoration to include Onesimus in the Fellowship of the Cross, the Koinonia Community.  As Barnabas once helped Paul become part of the Fellowship, now Paul was helping Onesimus.

C.  But Reimburses with Refreshing Returns (1:7, 20)

Just as Samwise Gamgee refreshed Frodo who had before been dark hearted yet determined to go to Mordor, sorrowful and anxious, so also Paul expected that Philemon would refresh him.  Some people are just refreshing to be around.  Like iced tea on a hot day or cold water on a hot desert hike, this Christian brother, Philemon, knew how to be refreshing, and Paul was counting on him again.  His love and generosity had replenished and stimulated others before.  Now Paul was looking to the big heart of  Philemon to refresh him again, and to refresh Onesimus. 

It is refreshing to see this kind of oneness between Apostle, Wealthy Leader, and lower class servant.  Christian love and unity has the power to bring the walls down.  Christian love has the power to bring people into the embrace of God.  We saw that with Ed Dunn.  It was a joy to be a part of his life.  Even as his health was failing, his family had grown in size and impact when he identified himself with the family of believers.  Both Ed and Peggy saw the Lord work in wonderful ways through these last number of months bringing them answers, and peace, and strength, and courage, and all kinds of tangible support from you, their friends and family. 

Jim Cox

The last two days have formed a stark contrast for me.  Yesterday was an emotional goodbye to my friend Ed Dunn.  But on Friday, another scene took place that still bothers me.  Across the street kitty corner to our house lived a man by the name of Jim Cox.  Jim Cox was a man of routine.  He had regular habits you could count on.  Living alone, he would wake up at 5:30 and sit on his front porch with a cup of coffee or a cigar or both.  I’d usually wave to him on Sunday mornings and Wednesday mornings on my earliest start days.  For the last few days Jim Cox was not there.  On Friday it became obvious something was wrong.  There was water coming out of the front of his house under his front door.  There were water stains three to six inches up from the base of the house.  I went over and rang the doorbell.  No answer.  I knocked loudly, no answer.  I checked the door, it was locked.  I went around the house to see if another door was unlocked.  Everything was locked.  But while walking around there was water pooling out all sides of the house.  At one place it was literally coming out the base of the house, pooling in very large puddles around the house.  I called 911.  The firemen who came found a way to break into the house.  They found a large and noisy leak in a broken filter above the water heater in the utility room.  Just when I was feeling relieved thinking Jim was merely out of town, they discovered Jim laying in his bed.  He was gone. 

Do you know what struck me hardest.  I may have been a friend to Ed Dunn.  I enjoyed the refreshing returns of blessing from being his friend, but I sure was not a Sam Gamgee to my neighbor Jim Cox.  Sure, I was friendly, I waved.  Sure we were cordial.  Sure, I gave him a Jesus video one time.  I was friendly, but I never became his friend.  There’s a difference.  And I’m hoping that for Jim it wasn’t an eternal difference.

Would you look around you, please, and ask the Lord to help you look around you.  There are people dying for a friend.  God’s call on our life is to expand our Koinonia community by being a friend to one more.