Paul’s Little Letter to Philemon

Transcript

GR 1129
7/19/1998
Paul’s Little Letter to Philemon
Philemon l-3
Gil Rugh

I want to direct your attention this morning to the little book of Philemon. The best way to find Philemon is go to the book of Hebrews, in about the last third or quarter of your New Testament, the book of Hebrews, and just before the book of Hebrews is the little book of Philemon. If I were arranging the New Testament, I would have put Philemon back right after Colossians, but no one asked my opinion. I=m not sure why it=s placed where it is except that it=s in some of the personal letters written to individuals by Paul, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, but it goes together with Colossians which we recently studied.

Philemon was a man who lived in the city of Colossae. The letter to Philemon was written at the same time as the letter to the Colossians, was arrived at Philemon’s home about the same time the letter to the Colossians arrived at the church at Colossae.

Philemon is one of those letters we call a prison epistle. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, letters that were written during the time we call Paul=s first imprisonment. Evidence of the New Testament seems to be that Paul was imprisoned in Rome the first time as is recorded at the end of the book of Acts. Then he was released and carried on continuing ministry in other places and then he was arrested and re-imprisoned in Rome again and was subsequently executed at the end of that imprisonment. Second Timothy, for example, would have been written during the second Roman imprisonment, but we usually call Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon the prison epistles, written during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.

Philemon is a little letter. It doesn’t get a lot of attention because it’s not a doctrinal letter. It doesn’t deal with major or significant doctrines that have to be explained or defended. But Philemon is of great interest to us because it is the most personal letter that the apostle Paul wrote. It is a letter from Paul personally to Philemon personally, and Paul is making a personal request of Philemon, he=s asking a favor. He=s not telling him what he needs to do. He=s not instructing him that this would be required of him. But here you see the apostle Paul asking for a favor, if you will. But he=s not asking it primarily for himself, he=s asking it for a man who has become his friend, a man named Onesimus.

Onesimus is the subject of the letter. Philemon is the recipient of the letter. But Onesimus is the man that Paul is interceding on behalf of. Paul had met Onesimus in Rome. It turns out Onesimus was a slave of Philemon, who had evidently run away. It was not uncommon in New Testament times. Slaves who ran away would make their way to the big city of Rome, which was very cosmopolitan, and that would enable him to blend in and get lost, if you will, in the crowd. How Paul came to meet Onesimus we don’t know. Onesimus was not a prisoner evidently, because Paul sends him back to Philemon with the letter. But in some way there was contact made, perhaps through mutual contacts, since Paul, through his ministry in Asia Minor, three years, remember, at Ephesus, a city not too far from Colossae, had met a number of people who lived in Asia Minor. He had come to know Philemon evidently during that time, even though Paul never personally was in Colossae. So perhaps mutual contacts brought them together. Paul had the privilege of leading the slave, Onesimus, to salvation by faith in Christ, and now Paul is writing to ask Philemon to give special consideration to Onesimus, and receive him back, not only as his slave, but as a brother. The letter is about Onesimus, a slave. The letter is not about the subject of slavery. Some writers have seemed to forget that or overlook that fact. The book of Philemon is not about the subject of slavery. The book of Philemon is about an individual slave, and as we=ll see as we go through the letter, Paul does not tell Philemon that it is wrong for him to have slaves or that he is obligated before God as a godly man to set this slave free. In fact the bible does not anywhere, deal with slavery in that kind of way.

Slavery is a factor in the Old Testament and the New Testament. For example, Exodus, Chapter 2l sets down guidelines for slaves in Israel. It was an accepted fact there were slaves in Israel, Jews and non-Jews, there are guidelines for how a Jew is to be enslaved, how long he can be enslaved. A person could sell themselves into slavery. There are guidelines for those who are non-Jews and so on. So, slavery was a fact of life throughout the Old Testament. It was a fact of life in the New Testament world as well. In the Greek and Roman world slaves were a very common part of life. It has been estimated that one in five people living in Rome were slaves. In fact, during early times there was a consideration in the Roman senate for having the slaves dress in special clothing, so that they would be identified as slaves. That was voted down because of a fear that there might be some kind of revolt if the slaves realized how many they really were. So, a large number of slaves in that time. Slaves came from a variety of sources. Originally slaves were primarily captives of war, and that would be true in Roman empire originally. But now the empire is somewhat settled, and slaves came primarily from other sources. A person could sell themselves into slavery to pay off his debts. There were slaves taken by pirates and brought and sold in cosmopolitan areas.

The primary source of slaves, however, were as birth. A woman who was a slave who gave birth to a child, that child was a slave. The child took the status of the mother. So if a free man and a slave had relationships and produced a child, the woman passed on her status. So if she was a slave, the child born to that relationship was a slave. It was also an ugly, but real practice in New Testament times, that babies were abandoned. As said by some writers that there was not a night where there were not babies abandoned at the Coliseum in Rome. Babies born today we abort children. In those days the baby born, they decide they didn’t like the sex or whatever, they’d take it and just leave it at the Coliseum. It would either die from exposure or be picked up by someone. The most common to pick up a baby that had been abandoned would be a slave trader, who would raise it until it was of salable age and then sell the child, and naturally the child then is a slave.

So, a variety of ways that people were slaves. Also want to note that we know there are ugly aspects of slavery. From time to time I’ll read illustrations to you of how a slave was abused, but you ought to understand not every slave was in a wretched, vile, despicable condition. In fact many of the slaves had better positions than free people and that=s why sometimes people sold themselves into slavery, why some people who could have become free exercised that prerogative to commit themselves to perpetual slavery. Many of the people in important positions where slaves, not so unlike our structure today. I’m not minimizing the unpleasant side of slavery, but just because you don’t own the company, doesn’t mean you don’t have a good job in the company. You may be doing fairly well. So, there were slaves who were doing well. But when all said and done, a slave was not free, a slave could not vote, and so on.

I’m saying all of this because my understanding of the scripture’s dealing with slavery is, it does not deal with slavery positively or negatively. It just deals with it as a reality. I do not believe it is biblical to call slavery sin. That will not happen in the book of Philemon.

Be careful. I’m not saying there are not sinful things done in the context of slavery. I’m not minimizing the unpleasant side of slavery. But the bible neither condemns nor condones, in that sense, slavery. It doesn’t say you should have slaves, or you shouldn’t have slaves. It does give regulations and guidelines. The New Testament, in particular where we’re concerned, tells believing masters how they must treat their slaves. But it does not tell believing masters they must free their slaves. It tells slaves how they must serve their physical masters if they=re believers. But it does not say that they should not be slaves. So those kinds of guidelines are given.

Come back to I Corinthians, Chapter 7. Our purpose today is not to do a study of slavery, but it is in the background of the book of Philemon. I Corinthians, Chapter 7. Today slavery is again a subject, not because it is legal in our society, but because now it is politically correct to apologize for the existence of slavery from l00 or 200 or whatever years ago. And I realize that in the days when coming up to Civil war and so on, people used and abused and misused the scripture to support a variety of positions on the subject of slavery, and that always brings discredit to the word of God when we mishandle it. But we don=t balance that by being unbiblical in another way. Note what Paul says about the subject in I Corinthians, Chapter 7, verse 20. The context here, people get saved. How does my becoming a believer in Jesus Christ, a member of the family of God affect my social conditions, such as marriage. If I get saved and now I’m a member of the family of God, a child of God, and I’m married to an unbelieving wife or husband. Here you have a child of God, joined to a child of the devil. Now that I get saved, shouldn’t I leave that unbeliever. Paul deals with that in Chapter 7, and other kinds of social conditions primarily.
Look down in verse 20. Let each man remain in that condition in which he was called. In other words, what was your condition when you were called, talking about your, I’ll use the word social condition. Were you married when God saved you? Well then, stay married. Were you single when God saved you? Fine, stay single. Does that mean you can’t get married? Don’t get saved until you’re married? No, it means you don’t have to get married. You know, a person will say, well look, it’s God’s intention in Genesis that a man get married. So, you got saved, you better get married. Well, there are other factors involved. The point is that doesn’t change. Salvation doesn’t change your married relationship. Nor does it change the issue of slavery and masters. Verse 2l, Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. Fine. And it was common practice by this time, that slaves were able to earn for themselves a certain income, was the common practice, and they could set that aside until they had saved up enough to purchase their own freedom. It was becoming rather common practice, even during New Testament times, that slaves were able to purchase their freedom after a given number of years. So, you’re not saying, well, you became a Christian while you were a slave, you can’t become free. But, it’s not the issue, slave or not slave. That’s not affected by your getting saved.

For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman. He who was called while free is Christ’s slave. So, you understand if you are a master, if you are a free person and you get saved, well you’ve become Christ’s slave. If you’re a slave when you get saved, you’re free in Christ. So, your spiritual condition is what matters, not your physical condition. You were bought with a price; do not become the slaves of men. If you just had that verse stand out, you’d think it was forbidding physical slavery, but the context obviously makes clear that that’s not the case. According to verse 22 he’s talking about the spiritual condition. You see yourself in light of your relationship to God, even though you’re carrying out your physical responsibilities. So, brethren, let each man remain with God in that condition in which he was called. So, the prime concern is that if you’re a slave, you be a godly slave. If you’re a master, you be a godly master. And the purpose of Christianity is not to alter the social conditions, but to transform the life.
All right, I said enough on that to be in trouble, let’s go back to Philemon. I know by Monday at lunch it will be around that Gil Rugh at Indian Hills believed and preached that you should have slaves and that it’s biblical, but at least it gives somebody something to talk about. Philemon, we’ll get more into this as we get into the letter, the subject of slavery will come up. The first three verses give us the salutation, the introduction, the greeting to the letter. It identifies the writer, the recipient and gives a greeting. We usually put these at the end of our letters today. We say dear whoever, at the beginning but at the end then, we’ll say, you know, so and so with me says hi. If I’m writing a letter, I’ll say Marilyn said hello, say hi to your wife and your kids, trust you’re in good health, yours truly or something like that. We usually do that at the end. In biblical times in letters, whether they’re in the bible or outside the bible, it was common you put that all at the front generally. Usually at the end you have some other greetings, but Paul here identifies himself, first person, Paul. I think it’s amazing, still today, this past week, get a letter in the mail. What do I do? Open up the letter and I gotta go to the back to find out for sure who wrote it. They ought to do like this. Start out, Gil, pastor at Indian Hills, says hi. So, if you get a letter from me maybe it will be a little different.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul is the writer. No more well know figure in the New Testament than the apostle Paul, saved dramatically by God on the Damascus Road in Acts, chapter 9 and he becomes the dominant figure in the development of the early church. As he writes this letter, he identifies himself as prisoner of Jesus Christ. He is talking here in the physical sense. He’s not using a spiritual picture here, that I’ve been spiritually imprisoned.
No, he’s talking physically. A prisoner at Rome and the idea is because of Jesus Christ, because of my testimony for Christ. We read the book of Acts, starting in Chapter 2l, you’ll see how Paul was arrested, because he was identified with the message of Christ, and when he stood and had opportunity to address the Jews and talked about carrying the gospel of Christ to Gentiles, they go into a frenzy. So, he’s in prison because of his testimony for Jesus Christ.

Down in verse 13, the end of the verse, he’ll talk about my imprisonment for the gospel. Same idea. I’m in chains because of the gospel. I’m in prison at Rome because of my relationship and testimony for Christ. He identifies himself in this way in writing to the Ephesians in chapter 3, verse l and chapter 4, verse l, he refers to his imprisonment. You know, it’s hard to study the life of the apostle Paul and not be aware that he had a difficult life. He had a very affective life in ministry, but it was a life in ministry carried out in the context of difficulty and trial and hardship.
Go back to the book of Acts, chapter 9 when Paul was saved. Acts, chapter 9. After he is confronted by the Lord on the Damascus Road, God sends the prophet Ananias to speak to Paul and he gives this message to Ananias in Acts, chapter 9, verse l5. The Lord said to him, to Ananias, Go, for he, Paul, is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. Paul is going to have a dramatic and affective ministry to Jews and Gentiles, to kings. Then note the next verse. For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake. You know if I’d received a message like that and God sent someone to me and said I want you to tell Gil he’s going to testify on My behalf before all kinds of people, Jews and Gentiles alike, he’s going to represent Me before kings. Boy, I would be saying, Marilyn, we got to go get some new suits. I have some important things. I’m going to be rubbing shoulders with the up and outers. But you know how Paul’s going to bear testimony before kings? In prison. While he is a prisoner on his way to Rome, he’ll testify before Festus, the Roman governor, so to speak, before King Agrippa. He’ll impact the household of Caesar while he’s a prisoner at Rome. It’s through his suffering and his hardship and his trials that Paul carried on most of his ministry.
Come over to II Corinthians, Chapter ll. Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Chapter ll. We come to this passage often, because here Paul gives in a condensed form a summary of some of the things he had to go through. He is comparing himself to those who are false apostles but are attacking his ministry. And he says in verse 23 of II Corinthians 11, Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as if insane) I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Now we read that but you understand, in the Old Testament for certain punishment you could get forty lashes to a man. The Jews always limited it to 39, because if you gave him 4l lashes and he died, you were accountable for his death, because you had gone beyond what the law allowed. So, the Jews always subtracted one in case they miscounted. But that gives you an idea of how serious a lashing could be, you could die from it. Now Paul got that, not once, not twice, not thrice, not fourth, five times. Imagine what his body looked like. No wonder, in Galatians, chapter 6, verse l7 he says in my body I bear the brand marks of Christ Jesus. In other words, Paul is saying that these physical scars are like brand marks, a brand that says he belongs to Christ, because they were part of my suffering for Him. Three times I was beaten with rods. That was a severe punishment. As a Roman citizen, he should have avoided this. Once I was stoned. Can you imagine was his body looked like. I mean, can you imagine Paul taking his shirt off, say, put it back on, good grief. I was shipwrecked three times. He spent a night and a day floating on the wreckage of a boat. I’ve been on frequent journeys, dangers from rivers, robbers, countrymen, Gentile city, wilderness, sea, false brethren, in labor, hardships, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, often without food, in cold, exposure. Those are just the external things. Then I’ve got the pressure of the churches. Every time a believer falls into sin it weighs upon me and I have intense concern.

So back in Philemon, chapter l when Paul says a prisoner of Christ Jesus, we can read that and we pass over it. For Paul it’s an identifying mark of truly belonging to Christ. While he wrote to Timothy in his later imprisonment and says all who will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. In II Timothy, chapter l, verse 8 he exhorted Timothy. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Here he’s back in prison in his second and final Roman imprisonment as he writes II Timothy, chapter l, verse 8. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, according to the power of God. I just mention this because again, I think it’s important that we keep before us that effective service for Christ does not usually mean easy service. It’s inconvenient, it’s hard, it’s filled with pressure, can mean sleepless nights and so on. We’ve got an artificial Christianity today that is passing for the genuine, and the idea that you really are in touch with the Lord, and He’s really using you, you’re life is just happy, happy, happy, and smooth, smooth, smooth, and oh I love it, rich, rich, rich, and it=s just not the typical picture. And so, rejoice that often our most affective service is carried out in our most difficult times. And we find here Paul mentions the fact of his imprisonment, but you don’t find Paul’s letters being self-absorbed. My troubles are so great, I don’t know if I can make it. You don’t know, I couldn’t even get a good night’s sleep last night, it’s cold, it’s damp, I haven’t had enough food. I mean you get, you know, a section where he’s just reviewing for you the evidences of his genuineness and his commitment to Christ.

But in the letter to Philemon he’s interceding on behalf of someone else, and the only time he brings up his situation is to use it as leverage, so to speak, to get a favor for someone else.
You know, part of what makes our service for Christ so much more difficult today is we=re so self-absorbed in our society, that we become self-absorbed in the church, and the difficulty and the trials become a discouragement. For Paul just plows right on through,

I’m in prison and here’s what I got to say, here’s what the ministry is doing. Paul is not alone; Timothy is with him. Thank God for faithful friends and companions. And Timothy is with Paul and joined with Paul in the greeting. Timothy evidently knew Philemon. Paul had never been to Colossae. Evidently Philemon had met Paul, maybe Philemon had come to Ephesus doing business, we don’t know. In Acts, chapter l9, I believe it’s verse 22, we’re told that Timothy was with Paul for part of his three years stay in Ephesus in Asia Minor. So there evidently Timothy became acquainted with Philemon. We also know Timothy ministered in Ephesus. At any rate, he’s joined in the greeting here to Philemon. But Timothy is not the joint author of the letter. In every verse from verse 4-24, Paul uses the pronouns I, me, my in writing, singular pronouns, referring to himself, except verse l5. It’s a personal letter from Paul himself. Timothy is mentioned here just as one who is joined in the greeting, if you will. They’re writing to Philemon, our beloved brother and fellow worker. We don’t know anything else about Philemon, except what’s contained in this letter. We do find out from the letter, down at the end of verse l9, You owe to me even your own self as well. That Philemon was evidently converted under the ministry of the apostle Paul. We’ll see when we get there, Paul is saying we don’t want to mention your indebtedness to me, but you owe your very life to me, your salvation. That ought to influence your willingness to give me the favor I’m asking.

Philemon is a godly man. He’s one who is beloved, a beloved brother, one well loved by Paul and Timothy. Here he does use the pleural, our beloved brother. And love is a key theme in this letter. Philemon is loved by Paul and Timothy. Down in verse 5, I hear of your love. Philemon was one who demonstrated godly character in loving others. Verse 7, I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love. Verse 9, I appeal for love’s sake. Verse l6, receive Onesimus as a beloved brother. So, this concept of love is a key one in the letter and he starts out by expressing the love that they have for Philemon. He is a beloved brother, one who is well loved. He is also a fellow worker, a fellow worker.
This is a term that Paul uses often of those who are joined with him in the ministry of the gospel.
When he calls them a fellow worker, he’s identifying him as one who shares in the ministry of the work of God with Paul.

Jump back, just as an example, in the book of Romans, chapter l6. Just take this as an example.
In verse 3 of Romans l6, Greet Prisca and Aquila, Prisca being a shortened form of Priscilla, Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. These are those who are joined with me in ministry for Jesus Christ. Verse 9, Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ. Verse 2l, Timothy, my fellow worker greets you. And he does the same in II Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, identify certain individuals as fellow workers, those who are joined with him in the ministry of the gospel. Now we don’t know how Philemon carried out the ministry. But he is a fellow worker of the gospel. You note, just as a side, I think it’s of significance to note that Paul’s friendships were based on and developed out of a shared commitment to the work of the ministry of the gospel. You know, quite frankly, you only have room in your life for so many friends.

I mean, the true friends, you just can’t have 2,000 friends. You can have 2,000 acquaintances maybe, people you know, but you can’t be close, you can’t have that many friends. And Paul’s friendships were based upon a common shared commitment to serving Jesus Christ. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be friendly to many other people, but I’m saying your friendships ought to be developed out of something significant and important, a shared commitment to serving Jesus Christ. You can be friendly with many people, friendly with many unbelievers. But your friendships, if they’re not being developed out of your shared commitment to service for Christ, you’re living a shallow life. That’s why most of our friendships develop, what, within the body, because, there we are, what, sharing the ministry together, and friendships ought to develop in that kind of context, true, genuine friendships. That seems to be the apostle Paul. Here’s a fellow worker. We’re writing to Philemon, one we love, who is a fellow worker in the gospel. You don’t have time in life to fill it, quite frankly, with just the other things that create friendships on other basis. Life devoted to service.

Also, ought to note here. Paul calls him his fellow worker. Paul didn’t see his ministry shutting down because he was going to prison. You know sometimes we think oh I could really have a ministry for the Lord, if this would only change. But if God is sovereign, and He is, then your work and service for Him is to go on no matter what your situation or circumstance. If Paul had shut down his ministry because he had gone to prison and just spent his time there telling people how they ought to pray that he gets released so he get on with his ministry, we wouldn’t be studying the letter to Philemon. We wouldn’t have Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians and II Timothy, and on we go. Onesimus wouldn’t have gotten saved, because Paul would have been having a pity party, instead of sharing the gospel. You know sometimes I get tripped up because I think, boy, the pain is bad, the situation is unpleasant, the heartache is there. But I forget, the ministry goes on. God=s work in my life goes on. God using me as an instrument for His service goes on.

Don’t get discouraged, don’t give up. Paul says he’s our fellow worker now. Not he’s the worker since I can’t, he’s a fellow worker, because my work goes on even though it goes on with me being in prison in Rome. And he goes on with his work where he is.

There are some others addressed as well. Philemon is addressed and Philemon is the recipient of the letter. Make note of that and evidence of that in a moment. But he addresses Apphia. You know we’re always looking for different names, here’s a name I don’t run across for a girl. Apphia, our sister. She is a Christian. Our sister, doesn’t refer to Paul’s physical sister, but it’s a sister the way Timothy is a brother in verse 1. Greetings include Apphia in writing this greeting, as a sister in Christ. Most commentators have taken it that Apphia is probably Philemon’s wife, because the letter is a personal letter. It deals with personal matters relating to Philemon and would be natural to include his wife here, but unnatural to include just somebody from the outside, and so I assume it probably so. It doesn’t change anything; she doesn’t come up any further in the letter. But the fact she is mentioned here you’re reminded of this godly woman, as a sister in Christ as Paul identifies her, greeted here.

Archippus is also greeted and he’s a fellow soldier and again since the letter is a personal letter, it’s been assumed that this is a family, husband, wife, and a son probably, Archippus. That is an assumption. It fits well with how intensely personal the letter is, that they would be family that are greeted here, but we don’t know for sure. Archippus is identified as a fellow soldier. A fellow soldier would indicate he had played an important role in ministry with Paul. Only one other person is identified this way in the New Testament, and that’s Epaphroditus in Philippians, chapter 2, verse 25.

Back up to the end of the book of Colossians. Archippus was mentioned at the end of the book of Colossians, where Paul writes, And say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it. So, a challenge and an encouragement to the church at Colossae to encourage Archippus to carry on his ministry and see it’s fulfilled, don’t give up, don’t quit, bring it to completion. Some assume that maybe Archippus had assumed the role of pastoring the church at Colossae. That may well be, we just don’t know. But he evidently has a significant ministry and Paul identifies him here as a fellow soldier. You know, I would be honored, if the apostle Paul was here today and wrote a letter and I was going to share it with you and it said, you know, I want to give greeting to Gil, a fellow soldier. You say, wow, Paul views him as a fellow soldier, that’s high praise, and it is. It declares that Archippus was one who labored in a special way with special diligence in the ministry of the gospel.
Archippus, our fellow soldier.

And the third, or let’s see, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, the fourth is the church in your house, the church in your house. (The church in the house, is it not warm in here. I see some of you fanning. It’s really warm. This is just the way to get the old camp meeting feeling of . . . We may put some funeral fans in the back of the bench to give some of the old timers a feeling of nostalgia. Next week we’ll have the men open the windows and get a little air. We’re working on it, just not quite sure why it’s not quite. . . It’s warm up here too, so be encouraged.) The church in your house. The you here is singular, so it goes back to Philemon. So again, a reminder, Paul mentions Timothy and then he’ll mention Apphia and Archippus. Now the church in your house, Philemon, the church that meets in his house and the house that he presides over. The letter is not addressed to the church. Beginning with verse 4 and down through verse 23 Paul will use the singular you. In Greek you could identify, in English you have to tell by the context. When I say you, do I mean you singular or you pleural. But in Greek they have a different form, so you always know whether it’s you singular or you pleural. It uses you singular in verse 4, down through verse 23, in every verse except verse 9.

So again it’s from Paul personally, from me to you, Philemon. Not to the church, you pleural. Not to Archippus and Apphia along with the church. This is between Paul and Philemon. But the church is greeted here in this form, the church that is in their house. In the early church, New Testament times, down to the third century, they didn’t have church buildings. So, we have several references in the New Testament to the church meeting in your house. There are people today that have what is called a house church movement. Since the early church met in a house, the biblical way to have church is in a house. You know, Paul took his trips either by walking or by boat. Therefore, the way to carry the gospel today is either walk or go by boat. It’s just that kind of logic. No argument, the early church met in homes. The early, early church in the first part of the book of Acts met at the temple, until that was no longer possible. Because, remember, the early church, until Acts, chapter l0 was Jews. It was natural, they met in the portico meeting places of the temple. They could do that, they could assemble there. So, they met in homes. They didn’t have buildings. Doesn’t say that it’s more biblical to have a church that meets in a home than it is in another building. That’s just the way the early church did it. You have to sort it out. There’s certain instructions the scripture gives, you can’t limit to culture.

The role of men and women. Clear instructions are given on what those roles are. Well, I can’t say I ignore them because of culture. But the fact certain things are reflected, they wore sandals. Therefore, we ought to wear sandals, because John the Baptist says I’m not worthy to unhook His sandal. The really most biblical kind of shoe is a sandal. Well, you know, that’s . . . I wouldn’t mention it except this kind of movement makes an impact on people. Now the bible doesn’t say you have to meet in another building other than a home. So, I’ve been in churches that were meeting in homes. Fine. But to say it’s more biblical to meet in a home is not biblical. So, Philemon, the church met in his home. Fine.

The church could meet in whatever was convenient. The normal place was in homes until they developed other buildings. Today this site is no more sacred. If someone does have a church that=s a biblical church and they=re meeting in a home, that=s fine. The physical site is not the issue. There was an article in the Lincoln paper here a few months ago on a house church, a family that was having a house church because they thought that was more biblical, because the early church met in homes. That kind of logic does not do honor to an accurate handling of the scripture.

All right, the greeting. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a standard greeting, grace and peace, standard for the New Testament, the Greek, grace and the Hebrew peace, together in a greeting that expresses the desire for that person. Now to say it’s standard does not mean that it is superficial. What is being conveyed here is of great importance and it is recorded under the direction of the Spirit of God as part of inspired scripture. What Paul says when he says grace to you, he is asking for God’s provision for them in every situation and circumstance of life. May God richly bless you and provide for you. May God sustain you and uphold you. It’s God’s grace and His enablement for us in every circumstance and situation.

Back up to II Corinthians, chapter l2. The apostle Paul had experienced this grace in his life.
It’s the grace that comes to sustain and enable you in a variety of circumstances. We’ll talk about dying grace and so on. I believe there is a biblical concept of that. You know, I’ll see people suffering certain things and I say, I don’t know if I could do that. Well, God has not given me the grace to go through that. He is giving them the grace to go through that. But God’s grace is always sufficient for us in a situation He places us. Paul experienced this in II Corinthians l2:7. He says, Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me - to keep me from exalting myself! What this thorn in the flesh was we don’t know. I think Paul is purposely directed here by the Spirit not to record it, so that it can have a broad application. Paul prayed intensely that God would give him deliverance. I’m sure it seemed to Paul that his ministry could be much more effective if he did not have this affliction of one kind or another.
Verse 9, He has said to me, God said to me, My grace is sufficient for you. In other words, my grace, my enablement, my strength, my power, that will be enough. The answer is no. The answer is no! I won’t remove the thorn in the flesh, but I will give you the grace to live with that thorn and to serve Me effectively with that thorn. The answer is yes, while the answer is no. No, I won’t remove the thorn. Yes, I will use you in your life to honor Me. Paul said, that’s what I really wanted. Most gladly, therefore, I will boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. And you note Paul says this has broad application, whatever the weakness. I=m well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ’s sake. I mean, bring on the weaknesses, whatever they are, as long as the power of God would dwell in me. What you can see is God=s grace is sufficient. So, you see a statement and Paul says grace to you. Paul would not say that lightly. Like we sometimes do say lightly, God bless you. We don’t even give a thought what that means. Do we really want God to bless them or are we just filling in a blank space. Grace to you, the enabling, sustaining grace of God be with you, and that grace is sufficient for you. It’s sufficient for me.

I say, Lord, it’s too much. Lord, I can’t take it. Lord, your grace is insufficient! No, I couldn’t say that. Well, then don’t say it. Lord, I cannot take it without your grace. Lord, I will not be faithful without your grace. Grace to you. Isn’t it amazing. God’s grace bestowed upon us in all of its sufficiency for us. And with that, and peace. Peace, refers to that inner tranquility, inner peace of heart and mind. That is God’s portion for us in every situation and in every circumstance. Jesus said in John l4:27, don’t turn there for time, Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I have an overwhelming peace to give you. You have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. Our God is sovereign. He reigns. He works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Is Paul in prison in Rome because there’s been a lapse in God’s power? No. He’s in prison in Rome just as much as by God’s divine appointment as he was when he was proclaiming the gospel at Ephesus for three years. So he can rest in the prison in Rome with peace and tranquility of heart, that my God has me here in His plan for His purpose.

So Paul could write to the Philippians another prison epistle and say in Philippians 4, 7 and 8, be anxious for nothing, Philippians 4:6 that is, verse 7, and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall stand guard at your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Wonderful! Here’s a man, writing from prison, and he’s saying, Oh, I want you to experience God’s peace in every situation and circumstance. And he was one who could write and say, don’t be anxious about anything. Here he is in prison, telling people you don’t have to be anxious, you can have the overwhelming peace of God in your heart and mind and life. This grace and peace comes from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Another evidence of the deity of Christ. What would you think if this said, Grace and peace to you from God the Father and Gil Rugh the pastor. You would say that’s a mockery, of course. I can’t give you sustaining grace. I can’t give you peace. But almighty God can and that peace is always mediated, that grace is always mediated through His Son, Jesus Christ.

That’s why the beginning of the experience of God’s grace and peace is when you come to bow before Him, believing in His Son, Christ as one who loved you and died for you. You must first have peace with God and then you experience the peace of God. And we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 says. You know, I want to note something here. There’s a difference, the world has a counterfeit, the devil has a counterfeit for everything God does, replaces God’s infinite, sustaining, enabling grace with the power of positive thinking. Think positive. Motivational tapes, motivational seminars, you can do it, I can do it, human potential. That’s a counterfeit for God’s sustaining grace. You know, when Paul prayed for the thorn in the flesh to be removed, God’s response was not you can do it, think positive. It was my grace is sufficient. Even those who profess to be believers, even the church, they’re putting on motivational seminars. They’re teaching you how to think positively, how to be a winner. We’ve replaced the grace of God with the ideas of man. And I think the same thing is happening with peace, and that’s coming into the church. We’ve got drugs that calm us for everything. I’m not a medical doctor. I’m not saying there’s never a need for drugs, but I’m telling you, it’s out of hand. And even the world is realizing something is wrong. We’re starting to give the drugs to the young age and the old. We’ve got Christians who think they got tranquility of life because they’re on drugs now. Again, I’m not a medical doctor. I’m not saying there is never a need for drugs in a life. But I’m saying something is wrong. It’s wrong in the world. I just received this week a packet of articles dealing with the concern. They’re all from secular sources, doctors and so on, of how we’re running mad with drugs. Everybody thinks they ought to have, you know, inner peace and happiness and joy and there’s a drug to do it all. It doesn’t surprise me that the world is doing that, but I am afraid for the church.

Paul’s desire is that Philemon experience the peace that comes from God and from our Lord Jesus Christ. And there are counterfeits. But only the sustaining grace of God develops you within. Only the peace that He gives brings true tranquility of heart and mind and that only comes from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, what a rich beginning to a letter. A man who is a prisoner. The very circumstance reminds us that God uses us wherever He places us, in whatever situation He places us, in whatever our condition, as His children, submissive to His will, we can be his affective servants. And He puts us in the context of others, others who minister with us, like Timothy who was with Paul, those we minister to, like Philemon and Apphia and Archippus and the church that meets in their house. And the ministry takes place in the context of other likeminded believers and is carried on in the context of God’s enabling grace, and His all-encompassing peace. And that is just as true today as it was 2,000 years ago.

May God grant that we would be a church that models and manifests this kind of characteristic, that our faithfulness in service goes on in easy times and in hard times.
May we not be intimidated, shrink back from suffering for the gospel, if that should be called. And I know of no way to carry on an effective ministry of the word of God without trial and difficulty and opposition, minimal as it is for us in these days at this time.

We praise God for those who are joined together in ministry, that we minister with and to and may we always realize its only possible with His sustaining grace and His all-encompassing peace. Let’s pray together.

Thank you Lord, for who you are. Thank you for the work that only you can do in a life. Thank you for the transformation of the apostle Paul. Lord, for the commitment of a life that was sold out to service to you. Thank you Lord, for the way that you used him in trial and pain, hard times, to bear a testimony that continues down to our day and may we be faithful to bear a steady, firm, unshakable testimony in this day for Jesus Christ as well.
Thank you for those that we minister with and to and thank you Lord for grace and peace in every circumstance and every situation. Lord, I pray for those who are here who do not know the grace and peace that only you can bring to a life. They may even be here today with fear, with turmoil, with, Lord, the unrest that goes on in a heart and mind. Lord, I pray that they might come to the salvation that’s in Christ and experience the peace with God that is provided in Christ Jesus, that they might know the peace of God that is brought to the life of every child of God. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.