Philemon 1-25

Let My People Go

Let me introduce myself – I am the Bishop of Ephesus … I am nearing the end of my ministry.  So, I am glad to have everyone here.  My name is Onesimus. You probably haven’t heard of me.  Most haven’t. Or if they have, don’t remember me. But I am a featured player in one of the shortest New Testament books of the bible called PHILEMON.  It is only 25 verses long. 

It’s actually … probably the least quoted book from the Bible … and that’s too bad – as you will discover this morning. The Epistle of Philemon tells about my relationship with Philemon and with the Apostle Paul. But let me start from the beginning … first,  a little background:

I’ve had an interesting life, to say the least.  I haven’t always been a Christian. In my younger years I was anything but. I was born to a poor family in the city of Colossae.  I had just the one sister.  My dad was a hard worker but barely brought in enough money to keep food on the table. Then one day he died.  Just like that.  I guess he worked himself to death.  My mother couldn’t find work and ended up selling me to a rich man named Philemon – so that my sister and she could survive.  I was only twelve, but I was big for my age and I was strong.

I didn’t like being a slave.  I didn’t like being told what to do and when to do it.  But I didn’t have a choice.  Many people in town had slaves … and Philemon had more than most.  He was rich and he was demanding.  At least I thought so … well, he was at first.  Before Paul started visiting.  I worked in the house.  They found out that I wasn’t much good out in the fields … I wasn’t good with my hands and although I was strong, I was pretty lazy. I suffered through enough beatings for my laziness to fill a lifetime – but it never did any good. My name actually means “useful” – but I wasn’t much use as a slave.

Anyway, they decided to put me to work in the house – I guess I responded better to female instruction!  Well…there was this man named Paul who started coming around.  Philemon was intrigued by him and had him over for supper often.  Paul talked to my master about a man named Jesus.  A man who healed the sick and raised the dead and forgave sins.  Sounded like a bunch of hooey to me – but Philemon ate it up.  Said it was what he had been looking for all his life. And you know, it changed him.  He became more human.  He treated us with a measure of dignity. He became more like what his name meant – “affectionate one.”  I didn’t get beat near as often after Philemon became a follower of “The Way.”  That’s what they called it back then… followers of Jesus.  And he became more than a follower – he became a leader and had church services right there in his home. 

One day, when I was about 20 … I decided I was tired of all this “slave” stuff and decided I was going to run away.  This was not a very smart move on my part … runaway slaves who were usually caught, got branded on their foreheads … and some were even crucified. Slaves stuck out like a sore thumb … we had a kind of look to us.  We dressed as you would imagine a slave would dress.  But I had an advantage – since I worked in the house – I had access to the master’s wardrobe.  So I took some of his clothes, and some money he had left laying around … he’d never miss it … and took off. Where was I to go?  I had to get out of Dodge or for sure I would be caught and I didn’t want to think of what would happen then. 

I had heard that Rome was a place where you could easily get lost in the shuffle.  But Rome was 1000 miles away. I was determined and stowed away on a ship bound for Rome.  It took weeks and weeks to arrive … and I had to use what little money I had to bride some of the crew for food. Finally we arrived in Rome.  I have to admit I did feel just a tad guilty running away like that.  I know that I shamed my mother and sister … And certainly my master had to be perplexed at why I would do such a thing.  But now I was FREE!!!

Freedom, I quickly learned, wasn’t all I hoped it would be … yes, I was physically free – but I was hungry and still scared…There were lots of “bounty hunters” who made a good living picking up runaways like me… and I still felt “useless.” I met other runaways … and heard that there was this man who helped them … so after feeling sorry for myself longer than I should have, finally went with one of them to see this man.

Guess who it was?  Right … it was Paul.  I was a little ashamed to see him … worried that he might recognize me and send me back … but my friend assured me he would do no such thing. Paul did recognize me – and welcomed me with open arms.  He gave me a roof over my head and food to eat.  I was grateful.  He told me about a freedom more powerful than physical freedom.  He told me about Jesus … just like he had Philemon.  This time I guess I was ready to listen.  I was tired of my life … and maybe, just maybe, Paul was on to something.  The more I heard, the more I liked.  He talked of a God that loved all people – even slaves …even runaway slaves.  He talked about a God who forgave sins – like running away.  He talked of a God whose grace superseded all things … who had prepared a place for even people like me in heaven…He talked of a spirit that would convict me of the truth.  A spirit that would stay with me and comfort me and lead me…

And one day – I not only believed with my head – but believed with my heart.  I felt what it was that changed my master Philemon.  I was now changed too! I couldn’t get enough … and there was not enough I could do to repay Paul for the gift he gave me.  Paul, did I tell you – was under house arrest – for living out his faith.  I offered to be his “outside” man.  I ran errands for him, I took his message of hope and of love to the men and women of the underworld where I used to live, if you could call it that.  See, ALL were welcome in God’s kingdom …even the least of these – even me.  Wow!!

Then he completely floored me when he told me I would have to go back to Colossae to face Philemon.  I thought I had been freed … and now I had to go back?  Paul assured me that he would write a letter and tell Philemon how I had changed, how I had gone from being “useless” to “useful”, how I was now a brother in faith, and amazingly how he, Paul, would repay any debts I owed Philemon.   But he also said I had an obligation and had to live up to it. His letter was amazing. Listen – here is what it says:

(read PHILEMON)

Paul appealed to Philemon, his friend, using the rule of love. He wasn’t coercing Philemon to treat me fairly – but raising the question: WWJD?  He was asking him to revalue our relationship. With his endorsement, with the letter, with Paul backing me, I had renewed confidence and left to make the trip back to Colossae to face Philemon.

When I arrived, I expected Philemon to be angry … that I would have to quickly put the letter in his hand before I was sent away for a beating or worse … But he was anything but.  It was like he knew I was coming.  I felt kind of like the prodigal son.  He would say later that he could see the change in my eyes.  He knew before he ever read the letter that I was a Christian.

I would love to say that he immediately gave me my freedom and he treated me like a brother.  No … but I was given more freedom and more responsibility and I grew in the faith.  I was eventually set free and given a small stipend to begin my life as a free man.  I moved to Ephesus and started a small business that sustained me and my family and I connected with the Christian community there.  Philemon even gave me a letter of introduction.  It was amazing.

I stayed active in the church, always growing and learning and becoming a better and more grace-filled lover of my fellow men and women and of God.  When our Bishop died, they asked me to fill that role.  Which I did … and served until this very day.

Well, that my story.  I hope you can take courage, take hope, take sustenance from it.  I was about as far away from God as a person could be.   My life amounted to … well, not much.  I was a runaway, a thief, useless … but God did not desert me.  God loved me, was patient with me, forgave me.  And that can be true for you too.  There is nowhere you can go that God isn’t.  There is no crime you can commit that will alienate you from your Savior.  There is no habit you may have that is too debased that God will leave you alone.  We are all slaves to something.  But God wants you to be FREE! God will be there … God will walk with you and help you set things right.  There is a real difference between being useless and useful.  NOW I would choose useful every time.

Isn’t it time to let go and let God?  God put Paul in my life – and it started me on a journey, although not always easy – always gratifying.  God will put a person in your life to start or continue you on your way.  Just be open to it.  Thank you for indulging me for these last few minutes.  I am blessed with the knowledge that God loves me … no matter what. And he loves you too.  Believe it!

AMEN!