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The Bible Breakdown
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The Bible Breakdown
Philemon 1: Forgiveness is Wroth It
Forgiveness is not just an emotion; it's a powerful choice that can transform lives. In this episode, we uncover the often-overlooked book of Philemon, where the Apostle Paul makes a heartfelt plea for mercy and reconciliation during his imprisonment in Rome. We dive into the story of Onesimus, a runaway slave who finds his way to Paul, converts to Christianity, and faces the daunting task of returning to his master, Philemon. Through Paul's compassionate letter, we explore the deep implications of forgiving and accepting those who have wronged us, anchored by the profound teachings of Christ and the thematic cornerstone of Philemon 1:6.
We further dissect the transformative power of forgiveness, offering a step-by-step approach to embracing this life-changing decision: seeking divine guidance, making a daily commitment to forgive, and praying for those who have caused us pain. To illustrate the far-reaching impact of forgiveness, we share a compelling story from church legend about Philemon and Onesimus, showcasing how mercy can mend broken relationships and inspire change. We close with a prayer for courage and healing, and invite you to join us next time as we embark on our study of Ecclesiastes, chapter one. Don't miss this enlightening episode as we uncover the true power of forgiveness and its role in our spiritual journey.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Hello everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today. The little book of Philemon and today's title for chapter one is Forgiveness is Worth it. Forgiveness is Worth it. I love this little book that doesn't really get talked about a whole lot, but, man, there's a powerful idea in this book. I can't wait to share with you. We're going to get all that in just a moment. But if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share, subscribe this book. I can't wait to share with you, and we're going to get all that in just a moment. But if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share, subscribe to the podcast, make sure you're going on the YouTube channel You're leaving comments on the YouTube video so we can interact with one another and make sure you're going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook.
Speaker 1:Because, man, the more we dig, the more we find, and it's especially in this often overlooked book called Philemon. So, if you want to get in your Bibles and open up with me, it's right after the book of Titus and right before the book of Hebrews. It's this little bitty book and I want to give you a little bit of a background to let you know why it's so very powerful. So the Apostle Paul is writing this book to a very particular person, and Philemon is someone that he's really hoping will show forgiveness. So to give you a bit of background, that toward the end of Paul's life he's been arrested, he has been taken from Jerusalem all the way to Rome and he's in a Roman prison at this time. Well, while he's in this Roman prison, there was a guy called Epaphras who lived in a town called Colossae, and he is going back and forth to Colossae, to Ephesus, and as he's going to Ephesus he becomes a Christian, a Christ follower, and he's going back and forth and he ends up possibly starting the church in Colossae where we actually now have the book Colossians, and for some reason he ends up going to Rome to visit Paul. And while he's visiting Paul, we don't know if this guy that we're going to be talking about, this slave. We don't know if this particular slave kind of stowed away with Epaphras or if it was kind of planned that way. We don't know. All we know is that by the time Epaphras got to Rome, there was a stowaway that was with him one way or the other, and in the process of being with Paul in Rome, while Paul was in prison, he ends up leading this person to Christ. Paul does, and so now there's a problem because now there's a Christian and as a Christian he doesn't need to be a runaway slave. He has an obligation to go back to his owner. We'll get into that in just a moment. And so what happens is is Epaphras is going to talk to Paul and Paul writes a letter to the church at Ephesus. He writes a letter to the church of Colossae and he also writes a letter to a guy named Philemon who probably lived in the town of Colossae. And when Epaphras comes back to town, he delivers the letter that we now call Ephesians to the church in Ephesus. He delivers the letter to the house church in Colossae that we now call Colossians and he goes to a guy's house named Philemon with this young man, and Epaphras is talking about this young man named Onesimus.
Speaker 1:And what's happening is and we have to remember that in the Roman world there definitely was unfair situations where you had very unfair circumstances with slavery and all of this, but for most of Rome, slavery is not what the average American at least thinks about. When we think about slavery, we think about deep South pre-Civil War slavery, just all the atrocities that happened there. Well, a lot of times in that aspect, it would be simply someone who worked for someone else, who owed them money. So it would be like, if you worked for a company now, if it was the same thing back then, it would be you are enslaved to that company. It was you now work for a company now. If it was the same thing back then, it would be you are enslaved to that company. It was you now work for them. So it was more of a working relationship and less of what we think about with all the horrible things, right. And so basically, what it was is for some reason, onesimus works for Philemon. It could be he owed him money. It could have been something else that had happened. Whatever it was, there was a reason why Onesimus was enslaved, worked for Philemon, and so the fact that he deserted him was a bad thing, because Philemon had the opportunity. He could have had Onesimus put to death. He could have had him beaten severely. There's all kinds of bad things that could happen.
Speaker 1:And so what Paul is doing is he is writing a letter back to Philemon and he's saying will you forgive Onesimus. Will you forgive Onesimus? And I love kind of the theme verse of Philemon, which is Philemon 1, verse 6. It says this I am praying for you that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. So he's saying I wonder if you will forgive him because of the generosity you've experienced. So let's read this together and as we end, I want us to talk about what forgiveness is and what it's not. Are you ready?
Speaker 1:Philemon, chapter one, verse one Paul says this this is a letter from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the good news about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. So pause, so Timothy is up there with him as well. It's entirely possible that Timothy might have traveled with Epaphras as well. All right. Next verse I am writing to Philemon as well. All right. Next verse I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, and to our sister Epia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house. May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, give you grace and peace. So it's possible that the church that was in Colossae might have been meeting in Philemon's house and that might have been how Epaphras and Onesimus got to know each other. So that's how it's all connected. Ready Verse 4.
Speaker 1:I always thank my God when I pray for you, philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people, and I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me so much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God's people. That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ, because it's the right thing for you to do, but because of our love, I prefer to simply ask you. Consider this as a request from me, paul, an old man and now also a prisoner. For the sake of Christ Jesus, I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.
Speaker 1:Onesimus hasn't been much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart. 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. 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, it seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever.
Speaker 1:He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave. He is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, welcome him, as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.
Speaker 1:I, paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it and I won't mention that you owe me your very own soul. Yes, my brother, please do me this favor, for the Lord's sake, give me this encouragement in Christ. I am confident, as I write this letter to you, you will do what I ask and even more. One more thing please prepare a guest room for me. I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. So do Mark, architus, demas and Luke, my co-workers. May the grace of our Lord, jesus Christ, be with your spirit. So a couple of things. When we talk about forgiveness, number one notice in verse 19. It says I write to you in my own hand.
Speaker 1:Remember that Paul's in prison. So it's entirely possible that this prison didn't have any light, and so what he might've had to do is stick his hand out the window and kind of write that part down. He's not in a really good situation. We can't think of a modern prison, we've got to think of a horrible place. And so he's having someone write this as he's dictating it. But he's making sure they know this really is me, and so they knew what was going on. The second thing is is the idea of him saying hey, don't forget that God used me to have a benefit in your life. You kind of owe me a little bit here, but he's pleading. Whatever it is that has caused Onesimus to be enslaved, to have to now work for Philemon, he's like just charge it to me, I'll take it. I'll take it because you really don't need to be doing this, and it's really interesting to see how Paul is willing to go to bat for Onesimus. So let's talk about forgiveness and then I want to tell you the rest of the story.
Speaker 1:I think one of the many reasons why so many of us struggle with what Paul is asking Onesimus to do to forgive is because we don't have a proper understanding of what forgiveness is. For instance, forgiveness is not saying what they did was okay. Notice how Paul is not saying oh, you know, it wasn't a big deal. He was saying it was a big deal. Forgiveness is not saying that we're just going to act like it never happened. Paul's not doing that. He's saying hey, he owes you, whatever it is. Let's be real, it happened. He owes you something. Forgiveness is not saying it wasn't hard and it didn't leave a wound. Paul is writing because he knows this is a big deal. What forgiveness is saying is I am no longer going to be defined by what you did to me.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness is saying I am going to give you to the Lord. Forgiveness is primarily between you and the Lord. When you say God, I am going to let them go and I'm going to give them to you. That's what forgiveness is. I think many of us would have an easier time starting the process of forgiveness if we realize that it's okay to forgive and still be sad. It's okay to forgive and still be wounded. It's okay to forgive and not be friends again, have a proper boundary in our life. Forgiveness is releasing that person to the Lord.
Speaker 1:I heard someone say one time that unforgiveness is like setting yourself on fire and hoping the other person dies of smoke inhalation. Right, all it does is destroy us. And so forgiveness is what Paul is saying. Is he's saying yes, these things happened. Yes, he left you. Yes, it was not good. I'm asking you to show mercy, charge me, put it on me, I'll take care of it. That's what forgiveness is. It's saying let someone else, the person we're saying is let God, let God deal with it, let God handle it. That's what forgiveness is. So I want to encourage you.
Speaker 1:Do you have someone in your life that you're walking in unforgiveness over? Remember, verse 6 says we show generosity, forgiveness, because we have received so much generosity and forgiveness. That doesn't mean it's easy, but let me give you a couple of ideas. If you're struggling with forgiveness, first of all, tell the Lord, confess that unforgiveness. God, I'm so sorry that I'm holding on to this. You have forgiven me of so much, and so I make the choice to forgive.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness is not an emotion, it's a decision. So the first thing is go to God. Number two realize it is a decision, not an emotion. So it's okay. If you don't feel it, you start with the decision God, today I choose to forgive this person. And then, number three, make that choice every day.
Speaker 1:And if you want extra credit, start praying for that person and don't pray that they die. May the flies of a thousand camels find their armpits. No, don't pray that prayer. Instead, pray for them, god. I pray for healing in their life, I pray for just whatever it is. And I'm telling you, if you give it to God, you make a decision, you do it every day and you start to pray for them, the process of forgiveness will begin. And there's no telling what God may do in your heart to heal you and what he may do in their heart.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you the rest of the story Now. Of course, this is all legend. We don't know for sure, but according to church legend, when Philemon got this, he forgave Onesimus and he set him free. Not long after Onesimus was set free, he traveled and made his home in Ephesus, and there is a record that after Timothy died, who was the pastor at Ephesus? There was someone by the name of Onesimus who became the next bishop in Ephesus. So it's possible that someone who was a slave, because of the forgiveness of Philemon, became the second bishop of the church of Ephesus. There's no telling, when you take a step of forgiveness, what God might do, not just in your life but in so many other people around you.
Speaker 1:Let's pray together, god. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that we can start the process of forgiveness because we have been forgiven by you. I pray, god, for the courage to look at those dark places, to look at those difficult, hurtful places and to walk in the beginnings of forgiveness, and let you heal us so that we may be healing to others. In Jesus' name, we pray amen and amen. Well, once again, the overall theme verse of Philemon is Philemon verse 1 and 6. It says I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for Ecclesiastes, chapter one.
