Unpacking the Profound Messages in the Book of Philemon

What if we told you that the Book of Philemon is more than just a letter in the Bible, but a sweeping narrative of faith, redemption and brotherhood? Join us and our esteemed guest, Bro. Avery, as we journey through this remarkable epistle and unpack its profound lessons. Brother Avery masterfully guides us through the transformative tale of Onesimus, a runaway slave whose life was changed forever when he met the Apostle Paul. We delve into the intricate relationships and divine providence that shape this compelling story, exploring key verses that challenge us to reflect on God's purpose for our lives and the unifying power of the Gospel. 

Are we like Philemon, whose love and kindness refreshed and uplifted those around him? Bro. Avery urges us to consider this question as we contemplate the impact we have on our fellow Christians. In this stirring discussion, we explore how the Gospel levels the playing field, bringing about unity among believers. We also delve deep into the relationship between Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus, illustrating the transformative power of faith, forgiveness, and brotherhood. This insightful conversation is not just about faith and redemption, it's a call to action - a challenge for us to reflect and act on the lessons gleaned from the Book of Philemon.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

RSM Teen Podcast is a podcast to engage and encourage teenagers in their walk with the Lord. We desire you to crave God's word and embark on a journey of making it a daily priority in your life. Now meet your guest of the day.

Speaker 2: 0:22

What up teenagers? It's been too long since we had the opportunity to get together for our Rooted Student Ministries podcast and I want to take the opportunity to begin by going over just kind of what I see for Rooted Student Ministries podcast. Looking forward, I think we're just going to do maybe one episode or so a week and try to keep it at that pace for the time being, and I think that'll be a great blessing and encouragement. But I just want to walk through some basic passages of the Bible and try to just give us the opportunity to dive and head first into God's word. But it's Brother Avery here with you and I want to thank you for tuning in today. I will say I don't know where you're at in life or what you're struggling with, what is leading you to be discouraged at this very time in your life. But I will say go to the Lord, ask Him, tell Him about whatever it is that is hurting you and that you're struggling with. But this Friday we're going to be in the Book of Philemon and you think about the Book of Philemon and in order to understand this letter, there's some things that we should know about the circumstances that led up to this writing.

Speaker 2: 1:40

And so in the later years of the Apostle Paul's life, probably as a prisoner in Rome, he had met a runaway slave named Onesimus, and slavery was one of the curses of the Roman Empire, and it's said and believed that probably three quarters of the Roman Empire were slaves. And that's pretty crazy and wild to imagine or to think about. But it wasn't necessarily about pure possessions. And as we read between the lines we see that Onesimus was a fugitive from justice. He stole from his master, philemon, and we see also that Paul led Onesimus to Christ in prison. And in fact there's a whole chain of circumstances behind this epistle is a marvelous illustration of God's gracious providence. It was not by chance that Onesimus met Paul, nor was it by chance that Paul was acquainted with Philemon, a Christian and a member of the church at Colossae. And so as we get into this and we look at this a little bit, it's important to understand that God has a specific purpose for each of our lives and he has a purpose at an exact time in our lives.

Speaker 2: 2:59

Paul in verse number one, paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother un-to-philemon, our dearly beloved and fellow laborer. You see here that Paul is writing this letter and he's a prisoner for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and it's important to understand that he is writing to Philemon, his co-worker and the Lord, a fellow laborer and the Lord, somebody that proclaims and shares the gospel. In verse number two it says into our beloved Afiya and archipelago, our fellow soldier, into the church in thy house. I think there that it's important to understand that Afiya is Philemon's wife and archipelago is believed to be Philemon's son. Verse number three he says grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. No-transcript.

Speaker 2: 3:57

Verse 4 says I think my God making mention of the always in my prayers. He says I always thank God when I pray for you, philemon, I always thank God. In verse 5 it says hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toured the Lord Jesus Christ and toured all the saints. He says I am thankful for your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your love for God's people. Verse number 7, that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. He says I'm praying for you that you'll put to action the generosity from your faith as you understand and experience all of the good things that we have in Christ, for we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by the brother. He's basically going over and giving a thanksgiving. He's praying here in verses 4 through 7. And he says your love has given me much joy and comfort and your kindness has refreshed the hearts of God's people. I wonder if our kindness refreshes the hearts of fellow Christians, whether it's individuals that we are here at church with on a weekly basis, or it's the hearts of other individuals. Can it be said of you, when you are around somebody, that you refresh them, that you have lift their spirits, that you encourage them, that you love them and you're there for them? That's what Paul's telling Philemon. Hey, philemon, thank you. Thank you that you lift people up and you encourage people.

Speaker 2: 5:47

Verse 8, he says wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient. And he says I'm asking boldly a favor of you. And he said I could demand it in the name of Christ, because it is the right thing for you to do. He's kind of setting some expectations here. He's letting him know. And verse number 9, he says yet, for love's sake, I rather beseech thee, being such as one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. So he's basically saying but because of our love, I would rather ask you. I would rather ask you of these things. He says consider this a request, maybe. As an old man, I'm now a prisoner and would you please consider this.

Speaker 2: 6:41

In verse number 10, he says I beseech thee for my son, anesimus, who might have begotten in my bonds. He says would you please show kindness to Anesimus? And I was his father of the faith while we were in prison together. I was the one that discipled him, I was the one that cared for him, I was the one that was there to teach him the ways of the Lord and to instruct him in those things.

Speaker 2: 7:09

Verse 12, he says whom I have sent again. Thou therefore receive him. That is mine own bowels. And he says you know, anesimus wasn't much good to you in the past. He actually robbed from you, he took from you, he did all of those things. He didn't benefit you a whole lot. In the past he was a problem and he said but he is very useful now to both of us. The Gospel man, how it levels the playing field, how it sets straight the playing field, how it illuminates Individuals and brings unity. There's nothing that can unify People more than the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Paul is explaining that to him. You know he wasn't very useful in times past, but now he is very useful to both of us because he's proclaiming the gospel, he's saved, he's On his way to heaven and it's important that you understand this. Philemon. And verse number 12 he says whom I have sent again. Thou therefore receive him. That is my own vows. I'm sending him back to you and this comes from my heart. I want you to do this, please.

Speaker 2: 8:25

Verse 13 whom I have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. You know I wanted to keep him here with me, paul saying but I want to Would rather you know he helped me in my bonds, help me in the despair that I'm in and encourage me and uplift me and Be there to talk about the things of the Lord, but without thy mind. Verse 14 would I do nothing? That the benefit should not be, as it were, of necessity, but willingly. He said. But I didn't want to do anything without your consent. I wanted to help you because you were willing, not because that you were forced. I don't want this to be something that's forced.

Speaker 2: 9:14

Verse 15 for perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him forever, forever. Hey, maybe you lost the Nesimus for quite some time, but now you, you have a chance to have him back forever. In verse 16, though, it's interesting, he says, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved Especially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. He says he's not no, and he's no longer a slave. He is more than a slave, he is a brother, especially to him personally. Right, paul was saying especially to me personally. Now, he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. If thou count me, therefore, as a partner, receive him as myself. Wow, it's important to understand and to get. Verse number 17 welcome him in, finally, man, as you would welcome me in.

Speaker 2: 10:22

And then he goes on in verse number 18 and says If he hath wrong thee or oath thee, odd, put that on mine account. Look, if he wrong thee, if he did anything wrong, I will make it right. Put, charge it to me, allow me to take it. I, paul, have written it with my own hand. I will repay it, albeit I do not say to thee now Thou o'est unto me, even thine own self. Besides, it's important that we understand what a permissionary note is. It's when, according to the Roman law, the debt of another could be assumed only by a written contract, and Paul, prisoner though he was legally, took upon himself the debt of anessimus. He was willing to take that on, he was willing to pay that. And he's telling Philemon hey, I, paul, I'm writing you this with my own hand. You know, it's believed that Paul had trouble seeing that he couldn't necessarily have the best vision, but he was stressing to Philemon that I wrote this with my own hand. No one else wrote this. This is definitely 100% from me.

Speaker 2: 11:38

Verse 20, yeah, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord. Refresh my bowels in the Lord. Please do this favor. I ask of you, for the Lord's sake, give me this encouragement. And Christ is what he is saying Having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee knowing that that will also do more than I say. He's saying hey, I am confident that, as I write this letter to you, you're going to do even more than I'm asking you to do for anessimus. You're going to even exceed those expectations. Then he says, hey, but one more thing, but, with all, prepare me also a lodging, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. Hey, please prepare a guest room for me, and I'm hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return unto you soon. And then we see Paul's final greetings at the end of the chapter. Here it says Marcus, aristarchus, demis, lucas, my fellow laborers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. The Lord Jesus Christ has taken him upon himself.

Speaker 2: 12:54

The debt of our sin In the book of Philemon is, above all else, a striking parable of redemption. The wronged master Philemon stands for God, against whom every one of us has sinned. Anessimus, the fugitive slave, stands for us as a sinner bound to our sin with chains no human power can ever break. Paul, the interceding friend, stands for the Lord Jesus Christ, who says every sinner's guilt. I, christ, have written it With mine own blood. I have repaid it A young person.

Speaker 2: 13:33

I don't know exactly what you're struggling with today, but I will tell you that forgiveness is important and it's important that we would forgive individuals when they have wronged us. It's important that we be individuals that might go to bat for another Christian or somebody that's struggling and stand for them, encourage them, lift them up. We go to somebody that won't forgive and say, hey, man, will you give so and so an extra chance? Will you give them the benefit of the doubt? Will you allow them to make right what they have done to wrong you? The biggest thing that we have to understand is that the gospel levels the playing field. Everyone is equal at the foot of the cross. And when we get to a point where we can't see that, we can't understand that, then there will be times where we refuse to forgive, there will be times where we're not willing to forgive individuals.

Speaker 2: 14:39

So, young person, forgive somebody today. Give somebody the benefit of the doubt, give somebody another chance, somebody that maybe has been trying to make things right for quite some time. Allow them to make those things right. Hey, I love each and every one of you and I'm excited to get back into the flow of RSM Teens podcast. Hey, share this episode with a friend and that will be a great encouragement and blessing, god bless you all. Have an amazing, amazing weekend.

Speaker 1: 15:09

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