The Millennium

In history, there have been a few men who have made an impact in their quest to rule the world.  Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great and Hitler are names that come to mind.  There have been others who have made a significant impact as they sought to expand their political influence.  History is most notably marked by the wars that accompany the expansion of kingdoms.  Granted, once political power is consolidated under one head, then peace and prosperity tend to grow. 

The Bible talks about a time when swords will be beat into plow shears, men will not practice war anymore.  Isaiah 65:25 says, “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.”  (NIV)

The apostles and followers of Jesus were looking for Jesus to usher in this time.  In Acts 1:6, we are told about a meeting these disciples had with Jesus.  It says, “So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (NIV) The apostles and early followers of Christ continued to teach on this subject.  Jesus will return.  According to Revelation 20, He will set up His kingdom for 1,000 years, during which time the devil will be bound.  At the end of that time the devil will be released from his chains to deceive the nations once again.

The thousand year reign of Christ on Earth is called the Millennium.  A millennium is a thousand years, and this is where the Millennium gets its name.  Besides the Revelation 20 passage we are looking at today, there are other Scriptures that speak of this period of time.

Why a Millennium?  When we try to understand what God is doing we must first realize that His ways are not like our ways, and there is no way we can fully understand.  This being stated let me give you a picture of what I think happened and is happening.  First, God put a man and a woman in a perfect environment with just one test.  Do not eat of the fruit of one of the trees.  Because mankind failed this test, God removed man from the Garden, and men depended on their consciences to direct their behavior.  This continued up to the time of Noah when God destroyed the Earth because of the wickedness of men.  God made a covenant with Noah and made the law that the man that killed a man was to be killed by Man.  This established an age of human government in addition to conscience.  As the rule of conscience ended with the flood, the rule of governments culminated in the Tower of Babel and the division of nations. God then chose Abraham and made him the father of a nation.  Through Moses, God gave the Law and the people entered into a covenant of works where at Mt. Sinai they promised to abide by all that was written in the Law.

These were four separate administrations that God had used with men:  First the perfect environment of the Garden, then conscience, then human government and then the Law.  There has always been only one plan of salvation and that is faith in Jesus Christ.  Adam and Eve knew Him only as the promised seed and those under the Law of Moses knew Him as the coming Messiah, the Anointed One. 

God set up these different administrations for mankind’s sake. 

Acts 17:26-27 tells us:

26        From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

27        God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (NIV)

God set up these administrations so that men would seek Him.  All the things that happened in history are examples for us that we might learn.

Speaking on the history of the Children of Israel, 1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” (NIV) This principle of teaching through history has remained constant as God has dealt with mankind.

So how did men do?  Well at the end of the time of the Covenant of Law God’s chosen people and the gentiles together rejected God’s Messiah, the Anointed One and crucified Him.  God has an everlasting covenant with Abraham but because of their rejection of the Messiah the nation of Israel was wiped out and dispersed throughout the world in 70 AD.

 

Since this time, there has been a new administration.  We call it the Church age.  Prior to this time in God’s administration, the plan of salvation was but dimly known.  Now it is plainly laid out for every person.  All that is required for any person is to accept what God has done through Christ.  In each and every age, mankind has rejected God’s administration.  When left to his conscience mankind sought evil until God destroyed the world.  When God established human government, mankind banded together and built a tower setting themselves up as supreme.  When God set up the Law, mankind rejected and crucified the Messiah.  Now that God has established His Church and sent His Holy Spirit to live among us, has the whole Earth yet bowed the knee to God and sought His kingdom and His righteousness?  Of course not, and we know that this age also will come to an end with the judgments of the tribulation.

There will be yet another administration set up, and this is why the Millennium.  In this administration the prophecies of Daniel will be fulfilled. 

Dan 7:27

27        Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.' (NIV)

As we read in Revelation chapter 20 the devil will be bound during this period.  He will not be allowed to deceive anyone for 1,000 years.  Everybody going into this kingdom will be redeemed.  They will have children.  And then at the end of the 1,000 years Satan will be released.  Let’s read again what happens.

Rev 20:7-9

7          When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison

8          and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-- Gog and Magog-- to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

9          They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (NIV)

Can you imagine this?  After 1,000 years of perfect government, godly parentage and all the lessons of history the rebellion that follows Satan will be like the sand on the seashore.  Even now it is almost unbelievable that as much as God has foretold, men still do not believe.  By the time of the end of the Millennium there will be even more history to show fulfilled prophecy, but it will not soften hard hearts.

So what is the point?  Why does God take the time to tell us all this?  Let’s look at Revelation itself and see what God says about why He is telling us this. Revelation 22:12-17 says,

12        "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

13        I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

14        "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

15        Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16        "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

17        The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

(NIV)

Will you look at verse 17 again?

The Spirit is God Himself.  He says, “Come.”

The Bride is the Church, which is us.  We all with one voice say to all who will listen, “Come.” 

“Whoever is thirsty, whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”

God is not willing that any should perish.  In every age, in every administration God has said this same thing.  He has taught us through History that the problem is not the system or the administration.  The problem is not with God.  It is us.  It is sin. 

Rom 3:10-12 explains it this way.

10        As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

11        there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

12        All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (NIV)

The history of the world teaches us that we are without excuse.  And still we make God our enemy.  Throughout history man has gathered himself together to oppose God.

The message of the Church and the Bible is simple.  Let me give you a synopsis.

It is found in John 3:16:

16        "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Won’t you accept His free gift today?  The water of life is free.  God wins in the end.  Why would you put yourself on the losing side?  God loves you and wants you so accept His invitation today.

Others First

Philemon 15-20

Philemon was a Christian man living in an unbelieving world.  Philemon lived in a world not unlike ours.  In many ways, we have advanced.  Medicine and technology are much different today from what they were in Philemon’s day.  However, the hearts of men and women are much the same.

Working our way through Philemon, we have seen that Jesus and the Gospel unify Christians.  In addition, Christians are compelled by love to serve Jesus in the ministry of the Gospel.  Today, we are going to see how this same Gospel compels us to put others first for the sake of the Gospel.

First, we see that kingdom values compel us to put others first.

In verses 15 and 16, Paul is speaking to Philemon about his slave, Onesimus, and he says:  

15For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.1

Onesimus ran away.  This is the human reason behind why he was parted from Philemon for a while.  I want you to consider this human reason with me.  Onesimus was a slave.  Concerning slavery in the Roman Empire, Professor Keith Bradley wrote:

Their role was to provide labour, or to add to their owners' social standing as visible symbols of wealth, or both.  Some slaves were treated well, but there were few restraints on their owners' powers, and physical punishment and sexual abuse were common.  Owners thought of their slaves as enemies.  By definition slavery was a brutal, violent and dehumanising institution, where slaves were seen as akin to animals.2

Rome acquired slaves by her wars and by conquering foreign lands.  In the same article quoted above, Professor Bradley says:

In Rome and Italy, in the four centuries between 200 BC and 200 AD, perhaps a quarter or even a third of the population was made up of slaves.  Over time millions of men, women, and children lived their lives in a state of legal and social non-existence with no rights of any kind.  They were non-persons … and they couldn't own anything, marry, or have legitimate families.3

As slave and slave-owner, a great gulf separated Onesimus and Philemon from the human point of view.  As was noted in Professor Bradley’s article, slaves were seen as akin to animals.  

Philemon, according to Paul, owed Paul his very soul.  We take this to mean that Philemon was converted under Paul’s ministry.  For this reason, it is obvious that Philemon was not always a Christian.  We do not know what kind of a slave owner Philemon was before he knew Christ.  However, we do know that Onesimus ran away.  Obviously, Onesimus was not content as a slave.  I am not accusing Philemon of abusing Onesimus, but I am saying that slavery was an evil, oppressive institution.  Because of the evil, oppressive nature of the institution, there were huge obstacles to be overcome for Onesimus and Philemon to become brothers.

Paul says, “that you could have him back forever.”  Another way to translate this would be to say, “that you might possess him forever.”  In this statement, Paul plays on the thought of one person possessing another.  However, he continues the sentence with the thought, “no longer as a slave…but as a beloved brother.”  He is switching the discussion from human or earthly values to Kingdom values.

Paul is not saying it in the same words, but he talking about the practical application of Philippians 2:5-8:

5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  6Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, 8he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  NLT4

Philemon was being called upon to lay aside his personal interest, profit and property rights in the higher interest of the Gospel, for Kingdom values.

In our day, the obstacles are many.  There are cultural obstacles, religious obstacles and social obstacles.  

For example, most of us will have only a few opportunities to interact with a Muslim, and then only on a passing basis.  However, what is our attitude toward Muslims?  Are we willing to overcome the obstacles that exist between us for the sake of the Gospel?  

A missionary works for years to overcome obstacles of language, culture, religion and history.  This has been the role of the Church since its beginning.  The Gospel started among the Jews and spread to almost every language and nation on earth.  Someone had to overcome the obstacles of language, culture and religion.  Jesus promised that this work would be accomplished.  He said, “…I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  (Matthew 16:18, ESV)  These gates of hell are the obstacles that humanity and the devil have built, such as slavery, but no such obstacle can stand against the mighty power of the Gospel.  Many men and women of God have given their lives in overcoming various obstacles.

The obstacle of slavery was so great that Paul suggests that it was necessary for Onesimus to be separated from Philemon for a while in order that he could receive him back as a brother.  The higher value was the eternal soul of Onesimus and gaining him as a brother.  Whatever the cost to Philemon, the Kingdom value of the soul of Onesimus was worth more.

Many of us stop short because of the obstacles or the cost of overcoming obstacles.  The gospel calls us to look at Kingdom values, to set our minds on things above, to lay aside self-interest in favor of kingdom interest and to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus.  

Along with Kingdom values we also see our partnership in the Gospel that compels us to put others first.

In verse seventeen, Paul says:

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.  ESV

The root word for “partner” in this verse is the word that is normally translated “fellowship.”  It references and draws our minds to our fellowship in the Gospel.  The Gospel is the unifying factor among us.  It draws us together and makes us one.  

In writing to the Philippian Church, Paul references this partnership when he says:

3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  (Philippians 1:3-5, ESV)

Jesus, Himself has called us into partnership with Him.  In John 15, He says:

14You are my friends if you do what I command.  15I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves.  Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. NLT

As believers, we are tied together by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  We have a partnership in the Gospel.  We are ambassadors for Christ, and Jesus calls us His friends.

We will do many things for friends that we will not do for strangers.  When we have worked with others for a number of years, the bonds of friendship grow deep and we become more and more willing to sacrifice on behalf of those we love.  In the case of Jesus, as we walk with Him, we grow in partnership or fellowship.  He died for us.  Is there anything that we would not do for Him?  He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  Every day when we get up, He is there.  Every night when we go to bed, he is there.  He supports us in every battle and difficulty we face.  He cares for us when we are weak.  He encourages us when we are discouraged.  We have a partnership with Him that is closer than a brother.  Since Jesus was willing to give all for us, and since He continues to be with us every day, is there anything that we can refuse Him if He asks?

It is based on this partnership that Paul asks Philemon to accept his runaway slave back.  Here is a strong call for Philemon to put others first.  He is being asked as a partner in Gospel ministry to put others first.

As if Paul has not already made a strong enough appeal, he brings up the money.  It is not really about the money though – it is about forgiveness.  Paul says:

18If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.  19I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT.  AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!

Here is another huge obstacle.  Onesimus had wronged Philemon.  

When someone has offended us, it makes it difficult to put them first for the sake of the Gospel.  This in a sense is what forgiveness is.  It is putting others first for the sake of the gospel.  

Paul imitates Jesus when he says, “I will repay it.”  Jesus taught us to forgive because God has forgiven us.  It is the same thing Paul is saying when he says, “And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!”  (verse 19)  The offences of others against us are some of the hardest obstacles to overcome.  There were men who fought the Japanese who were never able to overcome the obstacle of their offences against us, and there were others who became missionaries to Japan and lived their lives for those who had sinned against them.

Your neighbor may have sinned against you and they may owe you money.  Is this an obstacle to the gospel?  

Because of Kingdom values, because of the eternal value of a soul, any price is worth paying.  Jesus was willing to lay aside His glory.  Paul considered all things but rubbish next to the surpassing value of knowing Christ.  Think about what Jesus was willing to pay for you.  He willingly gave up His glory.  He willingly set aside what was His from eternity and took upon Himself your sin.  What are you willing to give up for Him?

The name “Onesimus”  means profitable or useful.  Paul brings his appeal to a close with the statement:

Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.  (Verse 20, NLT)

The word translated “favor” here is translated “benefit” or “profit” by some other translations.  It comes from the same root as the name “Onesimus.”  Paul is using a play on words to ask Philemon to be useful for the sake of the Gospel.

What obstacles are standing between you and usefulness to the Gospel?  What obstacles are you being called upon to overcome for the sake of the Gospel?   

______________________________

1. Unless otherwise marked Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/slavery_01.shtml. Accessed September 21, 2017.

3. Ibid.
4. Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation.  Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.

Compelled by Love

Philemon 8-14

Why do we serve Jesus?

The motivation should be something like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “For the love of Christ controls us…”  ESV

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  (John 14:15, ESV)

The Apostle John taught us, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.  So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters...”  (1 John 3:16, NLT)

In the opening verses of Philemon, we saw that the unifying factor in the mission of the Church is the Gospel.  This week we are looking at the motivation behind our service.

A mission is a job or a task that one has been given to do.  The mission or the task that we have been given to do is all about the Gospel.  Another way to state it is that the mission of the Church is all about Jesus Christ.  It is the first job of any Christian to know Jesus and to love Him.

As we continue on our journey through Philemon, we see that the motivation for our mission is love.

In order to understand this love better, we will look at several aspects of our motivation.  The idea behind these aspects is that our motivation involves the whole person: mind, emotion and will.

The first aspect of our motivation that we see in Paul’s address to Philemon is the authority. Authority has to do with the mind.  Whatever we set out to do, we have to justify it in our minds.  We have to see the reason for it.  We have to believe it is right.

In verse 8, Paul says:

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required…  ESV

Paul is saying that he is confident that he could order Philemon to do what Paul wanted.  This is a reference to Paul’s authority.  In addition to personal authority, Paul also references moral authority by saying, “what is required.” Another way of saying this is, “to do what is proper.”

Let’s look at these in turn.

First, Paul’s authority is derived from his position.  Paul is an Apostle.  He has every right to ask Philemon to do what he is asking.  He was chosen by Jesus and directly instructed and commissioned by Him for the founding of the Church. 

The Apostles were unique in that they were entrusted with the transmitting and recording of the Word of God to the Church, the New Testament.  Their authority was unique.  For example, when Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter, they were struck dead.  (Acts 5)  This same sort of authority was seen in Moses when the followers of Korah rebelled and were consumed by fire form the Lord.  (Numbers 16)  This same sort of authority was seen in Elijah when King Ahaziah sent 50 men to command Elisha to come and the 50 men were struck dead.  (2 Kings 1)  The thing that Moses, Elijah, Peter and Paul all had in common is that they spoke directly for God.

Since the time of the Apostles, there is not a man alive on earth who speaks directly for God.  This is why we see the example and teaching of the New Testament of a plurality of elders.  It is also why the decisions of the Church are made by the whole Church.  In Matthew 18, we see that the authority to remove a person from fellowship belongs to the body of believers as a whole.  The local church’s authority lies in the Word of God, the Bible.  At special times, such as the time of Moses and the time of the Apostles, God invested His chosen instruments with unusual authority.  According to Revelations 11, this authority will once again be given to two witnesses during the time of the Tribulation.

As churches were established under the ministry of the Apostles, there was a group of elders selected to lead each church.  The elders answered to the body of believers, and accusations against elders could be entertained only on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  In other words, even the elders were subject to the authority of the Word of God and the body of believers.  This is why we operate as we do in this church.  The elders and pastor are subject to the authority of the Word of God just like everyone else.

Paul was an Apostle.  He could command with authority and therefore he could be bold.  Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)  With such absolute authority, Paul would have had every right to order Philemon to do what was right, but he chose instead to appeal to Philemon based on love.  However, he points out his authority to Philemon because Philemon’s whole person, including his mind, was involved.

This is instructive for us as a church, as leaders and as parents.  It is easy for a person in a position of authority to abuse that authority.  I should say it is common for authority to be abused.  Anytime we use our position of authority for our own benefit rather than for the benefit of those under us, we misuse our authority.  Authority is given for the benefit of those under it.  It was much, much more beneficial to Philemon to do what was right by Onesimus out of a heart of love than to have done it out of compulsion or grudgingly under orders.

The same can be said of moral authority.  Doing the right thing because it is the right thing often leads to Pharisee-ism. The Pharisees, who set out to be morally perfect, ended up being hypocrites simply because no one is perfect. 

The authority for our mission is there.  The authority for the mission satisfies our minds.  We have every right to proclaim that there is only one way to be saved.  However, the motivation for the proclamation is not our right or authority.  The motivation for the proclamation is love, love for God and love for our neighbor.

The next aspect of our motivation is affection.  Affection has to do with our emotions.

A person is made up of mind, emotion and will.  We are created in the image of God, and we see in Scripture that God also expresses mind, emotion and will.  Each one of these is a gift from God and is to be understood as such.  It is a mistake to emphasize one of these to the detriment of the others.  We see this in what I will term the modern portrayal of love.  Often, television shows and movies portray love as a physical thing or as strong affection, and it is a physical thing and it is a strong affection.  However, it is not strong affection to the exclusion of mind and will.  The results of excluding the mind and will are seen in babies born out of wedlock (mind) and marriages that do not last (will).  True love involves the whole person.

Our motivation for the mission involves the whole person.  Paul’s address to Philemon draws out the strong role that our emotions play in our motivation.

First, we see an appeal to Philemon’s emotions when Paul says, “I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus…”  (Philemon 9)  Next, we see another appeal to Philemon’s emotions when Paul says, “I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.”  (Philemon 10)  Additionally, we see an appeal to Philemon’s emotions when Paul says, “I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.” (Philemon 12)

This is a very emotional appeal.  The Gospel is also a very emotional appeal.  Who among us is not moved to tears at the thought of Jesus, His suffering and death upon the cross?  When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?” Was this not an emotional appeal?  If the message of the Gospel does not move our emotions, then we have not understood it, or internalized it.  If the message of the Gospel does not move our emotions, then we have not applied it to ourselves.  Our affections, our emotions should motivate us in our mission.

The Scriptures teach us that we love Him because He first loved us.  (1 John 4:19)

When a sinful woman anointed Jesus’s feet with perfume, kissed His feet and wiped His feet with her hair, the Pharisees around Him were indignant.  They thought that if Jesus knew what kind of woman this was, He would not let her touch Him.  Jesus said to them, “I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love.  But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”  (Luke 7:47) 

We have been forgiven much so our emotional motivation is great.

Since all authority in Heaven and earth has been given to Jesus, and since He has forgiven us so much, we have a tremendous obligation to be about the mission He has given us.  We owe Him our very lives.

Paul talks to Philemon about his obligation to Paul.  He says in verse 19, “…to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.”  From this, we understand that Philemon owes his life to Paul.  Onesimus would have been useful to Paul.  Paul wanted to keep Onesimus with him because with Paul in chains, it was useful to have someone to help him with the work.  In verse 11, Paul states that Onesimus is useful, and then in verse 13 he says, “I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.”  (NLT)  Because of authority, because of affection Paul could appeal to Philemon to do what was right.  In addition, Paul could have kept Onesimus and just let Philemon know, “Hey, I have your slave now, thanks.” However, as Paul says, “But I didn't want to do anything without your consent.  I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.” (Philemon 14, NLT) 

We see in this the importance of the will in our motivation for our mission.  We are obligated.  We could be ordered to do what is right.  However, God does not force us.  He rather appeals to us as His children.  He calls us His friends and asks us to obey out of love for Him.

Because He does not force us, many of us live with things in our lives that displease God.

For example, let us imagine that when Paul sent Onesimus back that Philemon had had Onesimus put to death.  Legally, Philemon would have been within his rights as a master.  There would have been no financial consequences for Philemon.  However, what would have been the spiritual consequences?  His relationship with Paul would have been broken.  Would the church in his house have continued to thrive?  How would his family have been affected?  We do not know, but it would have been costly.

In our case, we are called to live for Christ.  First, we are called to know Him and love Him.  Next, we are called to live for Him in this present evil age.  God does not force us.  He invites us to serve Him willingly.  But, what happens when we do not?  Does the world come to an end?  No, and we may not suffer any visible consequences for a while.  But, what about our spiritual health?

You and God know where your will is being challenged.  Perhaps, you have an Onesimus in your life that you have every right not to forgive.  Yet God is gently appealing to your love for Him to give it up for His sake.  He could order you to, but He wants your service to be willing.  The authority of the Word of God should satisfy your mind that it is the right thing to do.  The fact that Jesus has forgiven you of much more should move your emotions to see the obligation you have, but are you willing to forgive?  God will not force you.  He wants our willing service.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says:

¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  ²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The Unifying Factor

Philemon 1-7

Let me introduce you to some very diverse people.

First, there is Paul.  Paul is a Jew.  Educated under the top Rabbi of his day, Paul grew up as a Pharisee.  Before becoming a Christian, he was the most zealous Pharisee around.  He is also educated, so educated that the Roman procurator said to him, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”  (Acts 26:24)[i]  Paul is the equivalent of a PhD of our day.

Then there is Timothy.  Timothy is a disciple of Paul.  He is the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father.  Forbidden by Mosaic Law, mixed marriages were not accepted by Pharisees.  However, this did not stop Paul, the ex-Pharisee, from loving and working with his young protégé.

Next, there is Philemon.  Philemon’s name is Greek.  Of course, normally Jews like Paul would have nothing to do with Greeks.  Philemon lived in Colossae and was well to do, a slave owner.  He had a church in his house.  His wife was Apphia and his son’s name was Archippus.  Philemon was converted under the ministry of Paul and Paul calls him a beloved fellow worker.  Tradition has it that he was martyred for his faith.

Colossae had been a leading city in Asia Minor several hundred years before Paul’s day.  However, by the first century A.D., Colossae had diminished to a second-rate market town and had been surpassed long before in power and importance by the neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis.  During Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus, Epaphras was converted and carried the gospel to Colossae.[ii]

It was in this town of Colossae that Philemon and his family lived and worked.  Here is where there is more about Archippus.  When Paul wrote to the Church in Colossae, he said:

And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”  (Colossians 4:17)

So, not only was his father a leader in the Church, Archippus had a ministry in the church as well.  The word translated “ministry” here is the word “διακονίαν” from  which we get our word “deacon.” Some take this to mean that Archippus was a deacon in the church.  According to tradition, Archippus was later the bishop of Laodicea.

The final character I wish to introduce to you today is Onesimus.  His name means useful.  He is a slave.  Slavery was common in those days.  According to the “Ancient History” website, 1 in 5 people were slaves across the Roman Empire.[iii]

These people were all from different cultural, social and economic backgrounds.  They come from different countries, languages, cities and families.  They are as diverse as can be and should have nothing in common.

However, we will see that they are the most loving and unified group one could imagine.

There was one unifying factor involved and I want to look at it with you and look at how it worked in each of their lives.

The one unifying factor was Christ or the Gospel.

As diverse and different as these people were, they were unified in purpose.  This is the first thing necessary for a mission.  A simple definition of “Mission” is:  a task or job that someone is given to do.[iv]

What we have in Philemon is a picture or a vignette of people living out the mission in their daily lives.  Paul and Timothy were in Rome.  Philemon, Apphia and Archippus were in Colossae, and they were all living out the mission.  Look at how Paul addresses them.  He calls Philemon, “our beloved fellow worker” and he calls Archippus, “our fellow soldier.” They were all workers in the same cause.

Now, as for Paul, he calls himself, “a prisoner for Christ Jesus.”

First of all then, it is important for us as Christians, living in light of our mission, to realize and keep in mind that all of our circumstances can serve and do serve the mission. 

Paul was a prisoner of the Roman Empire, persecuted by Jews who hated the mission he was on and the message he preached.  The very ones who had crucified the Lord Jesus Christ now sought to have Paul put to death.  But, Paul does not consider himself their prisoner.  He considers himself Christ’s prisoner.  In Philippians 1, writing about his imprisonment he says:

¹²I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, ¹³so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.  ¹⁴And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

God is in control of all of our circumstances.  Paul rejoiced that his chains served to advance the gospel.  They were all workers in the same cause, fellow soldiers in the cause of Christ.  Paul set the example by seeing every circumstance as a God given opportunity to advance the gospel.  The unifying factor in purpose and circumstances is Christ. 

However, reading Philemon, we see that these people are much more than fellow workers.  They are family.  Timothy is called “our brother.”  Philemon is addressed as beloved and Apphia is called “our sister.”  Look at what Paul says in verses 4 and 5:

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

Look at the reference to love and compare it to what Paul says is 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.” 

The bonds of our mission run deep. 

We said, “It is important for us as Christians, living in light of our mission, to realize and keep it in mind that all of our circumstances can serve and do serve the mission.”  It is also important to realize and keep it in mind that no one of us should or can go it alone.  Paul was a prisoner, but he had Luke, Timothy, Epaphras, Tychicus, Justus, Mark, Demas and others either with him or delivering messages for him.  (Colossians 4)  Paul was part of a Christian community that he considered his family.  We see this community at work in the exchange of letters, messages and prayers.  At the end of Colossians 4, Paul says, “And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.”  (Verse 16)  Here, in the exchange of letters and communications between the Laodiceans and the Colossians, we see the tight knit fellowship of the family.

We see the family community in operation as Paul says he derives much joy and comfort from Philemon’s love.  We see the family community in operation as Paul says the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through Philemon.  We see the family community in operation as Paul boldly tells Philemon to prepare a guest room for him in verse 22.

Jesus set the example.  He called His disciples brothers.  In Matthew 28:10 He says, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”  Hebrews 2:11 explains to us, “So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.  That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.”  (NLT)[v]  It is because of Jesus’s example that we know what love is and how to relate to each other as brothers and sisters.  We read in 1 John 3:16, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

This family community is an essential part of the mission.  We belong.  We are a part of something big, powerful, world changing, and we are important to this family.  The mission is who we are.  We are the people of Christ.  That is why they call us Christians.  When our missionaries are in far off places, they are our flesh and blood serving, on behalf of Christ and on our behalf, our brothers and sisters in Christ who we have yet to meet.  In addition, you and I should be no less dedicated to the service of Christ.  Every day we get to serve Christ wherever we are, and we have a wonderful family to love, support and encourage us, to walk with us along the way.

The unifying purpose in all our circumstances is Christ.  The unifying factor in our relationships is Christ.  Christ is the mission.  He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6)  We find a beautiful expression of this truth in Philemon 6.  I like the King James Version of this verse:

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

The word “communication” here is an interpretation of the Greek word “κοινωνία” which is usually translated “fellowship.”  The idea of verse 6 is closely tied to verse 5 and Paul’s thanksgiving every time he prays for Philemon.  The faith and love expressed by Philemon are going to result in the full knowledge of what is in us because of Christ.  The knowledge of what is in us because of Christ is effective, life changing and powerful.  It breaks down strongholds.  It sets prisoners free.  It changes us into His image.  Let me list a few things that are in us because of Christ.

Because of Christ, we are God’s children.

Because of Christ, we are beloved.

Because of Christ, we have eternal life.

Because of Christ, we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven (1 Peter 1:4)

Because of Christ, we have the mind of Christ.

Because of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit of God living within us.

Because of Christ, we have the power of God.

These and so much more are ours because of Christ.

Christ is our mission.  Christ is the unifying factor.  All true Christians agree that Jesus is Lord.  He is risen from the dead and He is Lord.  If you find yourself on the outside looking in, then perhaps you do not yet know Jesus.   Perhaps divisions and strife among us mean that we do not yet know Him, as we should.  Our first job or mission or purpose is to know Him.  When we know Him and love Him with all our heart, then we can make disciples, disciples who will know Him and love Him with all their hearts. Philemon actually made disciples as a natural outgrowth of his life because he knew Jesus and loved Jesus with all his heart.

Do you know Jesus?

Do you love Jesus with all your heart?

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[i] Scripture quotations are taken from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

[ii] The NIV Study Bible, copyright 1985 by the Zondervan corporation, pg. 1851

[iii] http://www.ancient.eu/article/629/, accessed August 28, 2017.

[iv] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mission. Accessed September 1, 2017.

[v] Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation.  Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.