In 1905, Thedore “Teddy”
Roosevelt, became the first sitting president to visit the post-Civil War
South. Roosevelt was raised in New York and the impact of the Civil War had a
drastic impact on his life. His father sided with the Union while his mother,
Georgia born and bred, leaned towards the confederacy. Teddy’s Uncle James
Roosevelt was a prominent leader in the Confederate army. Growing up as a child
during the Civil War helped shape Teddy’s future bravado in dealing with
foreign affairs, but not for the reason many may think. Teddy Roosevelt had a
deep respect for his father. In his 1913, autobiography, Roosevelt wrote,
My father … was the
best man I ever knew. He combined strength and courage with gentleness,
tenderness, and great unselfishness. He would not tolerate in us children
selfishness or cruelty, idleness, cowardice, or untruthfulness.[1]
His sister Corinne later recounted how Teddy said that he never made a
serious decision for the country without first thinking what step his father
would have taken. Although he dearly loved his father, there was one thing for
which he probably never forgave him.
His father, Thedore
Roosevelt Senior, was a wealthy businessman and paid $300 for someone to take
his place in the Union Army. It was a common practice of the day and Roosevelt
Sr. was probably convinced by his wife, Mattie, not to fight in the conflict
against her family and to risk losing his life, leaving her distraught.
Regardless of the reasons for Roosevelt’s decision not to fight, it deeply
affected young Teddy. His sister Bamie wrote that Teddy, “felt that [father]
had done a wrong thing in not having put every other feeling aside to join the
fighting forces.” And his sister Corrinne added that he was determined to build
a strong military reputation for himself to compensate, “for an unspoken
disappointment in his father´s course in 1861.[2]” It would not be a stretch
to say that Teddy’s unforgiveness of his father’s decision shaped his political
life. One act of unforgiveness changed the direction of Teddy Roosevelt’s life.
I wonder how many of us
are like Teddy Roosevelt. We may be
appear well-adjusted and successful, but in reality are driven to make a name
for ourselves because of our own unforgiveness. Maybe our lives have been controlled
and shaped because we have been unable to forgive or maybe because we feel
unforgiven? Are there people in your life you have not forgiven? I heard a
story this past week of a man whose whole life was shaped by his anger towards
God. He lost a child and for years could not forgive God for allowing it to
happen. Friends, forgiveness, or the lack there of, will have a dramatic impact
on the direction of your life.
The Apostle Paul knew
that, which is why he penned this brief letter to his friend, Philemon. Paul
loved Philemon dearly and wanted him to forgive for his own good, for the good
of the church and for the glory of God. I pray as we look at Paul’s friendly
appeal for forgiveness that you would be challenged to pursue forgiveness with
the people in your life.
Appealing for Love’s
Sake
Paul begins this plea by
not appealing to his status as an apostle, but rather on the basis of love.
Philemon 8-9, “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to
do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an
old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus.” Paul was not afraid to
command Philemon to obey his words. There are times throughout Paul’s letters
that he uses his position as an apostle to command obedience, but here he appeals
on the basis of love. He wants Philemon to make the right decision for the
right reason. God cares why we do what we do. If Paul commanded Philemon,
Philemon could have begrudgingly obeyed, but that would not be complete
reconciliation. As we will see, Paul wants Philemon to be fully reconciled with
Onesimus.
Paul is giving Philemon
an opportunity to show him love as well. He writes, “I, Paul, an old man and
now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus.” These words would have been weighty for
Philemon. The impression is that he does not have a lot of time left on the
earth. He is an old man facing the end of this life stuck in a Roman prison.
Philemon’s love for Paul should encourage him to honor Paul’s request. I know
of many stories within this church when a father looked at his child and said,
“Take care of your mother when I am gone.” The love that a child has for their
father motivates the child to care well for their mother. Paul is appealing to
Philemon’s love for him as an old man who has labored well for the gospel even
to the point of imprisonment.
This is instructive for
us because we also should want people to love others from the heart rather than
out of mere duty. We obey the Lord out of love. It is a joy and a privilege to
be able to obey God. We should not obey begrudgingly, but should delight in
honoring our Master and our Savior. We cannot make anyone do anything. We
cannot control a man’s will. We, therefore, should not try to constrain a man’s
will by force, but appeal on the basis of love: love for one’s fellow man, love
for one’s fellow brother or sister in Christ and love for our Savior. The basis
of our Christian obedience is love. We love God and others, because He first
loved us. When we were sinners deserving of wrath, God gave us mercy in Christ.
Love should be the motivation for the entire Christian life.
Appealing for a Son’s
Sake
Paul appeals on the
basis of love for someone he loves and who has become like a son to him. The
English translations of the text change the word order to make it sound more
like we speak today, but the original Greek places Onesimus’s name at the end
so it would read, “I appeal to you for my child, whose father I became in my
imprisonment – Onesimus.” It appears that Paul kept Onesimus’s name out of the
letter until he had sufficiently appealed to Philemon. You can almost imagine a
collective sigh or gasp among the people when his name is mentioned. It is like
the buildup of the NFL Draft when the commissioner walks to the podium and
says, “With the first pick of the NFL Draft the Carolina Panthers select out of
the University of Manitoba, Onesimus Smith.” Sounds of shock and disbelief
would most likely fill the room. With the calling of Onesimus’s name, things
just got a lot more interesting.
Remember the congregation
would be listening to this letter and they would have known the back story of
Onesimus. Onesimus was one of Philemon’s slaves who appeared to have stolen
from Philemon (we see that alluded to in verse 18). We do not have exact
details on why Philemon left, but we can assume that he left because he desired
a reconciliation with his master. There was a law in the 1st century
Roman Empire that a slave could appeal to a friend of their master if they
believed they were being mistreated. The Apostle Paul would have been well-known
to Philemon as he would have heard his name often during their church meetings
in the house. It appears that Onesimus left Philemon’s house in search of Paul,
for if he was looking to escape with Philemon’s money or goods, he would have
pulled a Jonah and gone in the opposite direction of Paul. Although it is
possible that Onesimus randomly and by Divine coincidence ended up in the same
prison cell as Paul in Rome with God orchestrating his steps. It is possible,
but unlikely. Onesimus went in search of Paul so Paul could help bring about an
earthly reconciliation with Philemon.
Onesimus met Paul and
was reconciled to God. Paul says that Onesimus became my child clearly
referring to him becoming a child in the faith. Onesimus wanted reconciliation
with Philemon only to discover his reconciliation with God. Friend, before we
move on, have you been reconciled with God? Do you know of your need to be
reconciled to God? The Bible says that everyone has stolen from the Lord. We
all have robbed him of His glory and therefore deserve to be punished for all
have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I
give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” God has to rightly
punish those who steal his glory. It is a matter of His justice. And yet, God
meets the demands of our thievery by sending his Son to die between two thieves
on dark Friday afternoon. Jesus called out on the cross, “It is finished,” and
gave up his spirit. He paid for our sin in full. And we know God accepted that
payment for our sin by raising Jesus from the dead. Jesus now sits at the right
hand of the Majesty on High ready to forgive anyone who would turn from their
sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
Friend,
Onesimus was a thief, but he was a forgiven thief. Jesus paid for this theft on
the cross so Onesimus could be a free man. So Onesimus, a slave, had to go to
prison to find freedom. Friend, you can find freedom from your sin today by
trusting in Christ. Let me appeal to you as a friend: for love’s sake come to
Christ. Come to Christ and experience freedom.
We
know that Onesimus truly believed because of the change that happened in his
life. Onesimus literally means useful. It was a common name of a slave so Paul
is using a play on words in verse 11, “Formerly he was useless to you, but now
he is useful to you and to me.” Something happen to Onesimus when he heard the
gospel. He believed and his life was changed. He was serving Paul in the same
manner Philemon was known for serving Paul; with love. Roman prisons were awful
during the 1st century. Our prisons today require three meals a day
for every prison. A Roman prison did not offer food or blankets to its
prisoners. If they did not have someone on the outside to care for their needs,
they would starve or freeze to death. So Onesimus is one who is no longer
stealing, but giving back to those in need. Reminiscent of Ephesians 4:28, “Let
the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his
own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”
Onesimus was changed.
Paul
desired to keep Onesimus with him, but preferred rather to send him back to
Philemon. Verse 12-13, “I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I
would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on
your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel.” (Philemon 1:12-13) First
notice, how Paul speaks of Onesimus, “sending my very heart.” Have you ever led
someone to the Lord or watched someone grow tremendously before your eyes? Have
you seen someone grow and development from immaturity to maturity? If you have,
you probably know what Paul is talking about here. Paul dearly loves Onesimus
as he dearly loves Philemon. He has seen them both come to Christ and grow in
their love for Jesus and his people. Paul notes that the care he has received
from Onesimus is similar to the service he would have received from Philemon
himself.
Isn’t it remarkable
that a wealthy businessman and a slave have become equal through the cross? The
cross is the great equalizer. The cross does not value the wealthy over slaves,
but all can be useful in the kingdom. This equality makes Christianity
revolutionary. Mrs. Lavinia Bartlett was a lay teacher at the historic
Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. She began her ministry with 3 prostitutes
that she met on the street. After six months her class grew to over 600 people.
Women with social and moral problems were repenting of their sins and coming to
Christ. After 16 years of labor, Lavinia Bartlett died leaving scores of her
students in her wake. Her faithful teaching led countless women to the mission
field and to become teachers. Metropolitan Tabernacle was known for their young
gifted preacher, Charles Spurgeon, but the women were drawn to the humble
wisdom of Mrs. Bartlett. Over a thousand people attended her funeral showing
their appreciation of her influence on their lives. Mrs. Bartlett did not look
at people’s worldly value, but their value in God’s kingdom. Man looks at
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Are you seeing people like
Paul saw Onesimus or how Mrs. Bartlett saw those prostitutes? Are you seeing
people through the lense of the cross?
Appealing for the Spirit’s Sake
Paul wanted to keep
Onesimus, but instead sent him back to Philemon. This may appear strange in our
understanding of slavery. If one escaped from slavery, why would they be sent
back their master? Is Paul affirming slavery? Paul did not outright oppose
slavery, but he undermined its practice. The reputation of Christians among the
world was that of insubordinate rebels. Christians were characterized as those
who stir up trouble in towns and bring social unrest, seen repeatedly in the
book of Acts. Paul wanted Christians to honor the government so that there
could be a great spread of the gospel of Christ. Paul encouraged slaves to
submit to earthly masters so that they could adorn the doctrine of God our
Savior. And yet, although Paul did not directly oppose the institution of
slavery, he undermined it in this letter to Philemon.
Paul sent Onesimus back
to Philemon so that Philemon could act out of his own accord by the Holy
Spirit. “I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might
serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred
to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by
compulsion but of your own accord. (Philemon 1:13-14) Paul wanted Philemon’s
goodness directed towards Onesimus to be done freely without compulsion. The
goodness shown from Philemon would have been a sign of the Spirit’s power at
work in his life. Only the power of God can change someone’s heart to extend
true mercy and grace to someone that does not deserve. Onesimus was a thief and
a useless one at that. How could Philemon welcome him back? He could only do it
by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is
from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
Those who are born by the Spirit of God love one another.
Paul was giving Philemon
an opportunity to show the goodness of his conversion freely asking him to love
a repentant brother in Christ. Onesimus is no longer a bondservant, but a
brother in Christ. Do you view conflict and reconciliation as an opportunity or
trial? I think most people view conflict as something that is only negative,
but conflict in the church always comes with an opportunity. Peter makes this
point in his first epistle in that how we experience trials now prove our faith
in Christ, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your
faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be
found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus
Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) Philemon is given an opportunity to show his faith in
how he handles this conflict with Onesimus, and the church has been given the
opportunity to witness a display of the Spirit’s power. By keeping Onesimus
with him, Paul would have robbed the church of sweetness of seeing true
reconciliation.
Paul is giving Philemon
a chance to show what really matters in his life. What matters more: his
runaway slave or his repentant brother? How about you? What matters most in
your life? Maybe the conflict in your life is giving you an opportunity for you
to learn what really matters in your life and to show that to the watching
world. Friend, if you have the Spirit of God, then you have the power of love!
I appeal to you to be reconciled to those in your life so that you can display
the manifold wisdom of God displayed and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Appealing for Sovereignty’s
Sake
There are always things happening that we do not understand. Although we
may not always understand, we can trust that God is moving in ways far greater
than we can imagine. We do not always know the why, but we do know that God is working
for our good, for He works all things for the good those who love Him and are called
according to His purpose. Paul doesn’t give a definitive reason on why Onesimus
stole from him, but he gives him a “perhaps.” Paul writes, “For this perhaps is
why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,
no 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. (Philemon 1:15-16) Paul reminds Philemon to have an eternal
perspective. Forgiveness has eternal ramifications. Paul encouraged Philemon to
look past what he lost in Onesimus’s sin, but rather what he gained in his
repentance. Philemon may have lost Onesimus’s labor temporarily, he may have
lost the money Onesimus stole temporarily, so that he could have him back
forever. Do you see how Paul is encouraging him to think with an eternal
perspective? How many times do we need this reminder?
Beloved, we do not
always know the plan and purposes of God. God’s ways are higher than our ways
and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Paul cannot give Philemon the
exact reason for the conflict with Onesimus, but he says that “perhaps”
something far greater than you can imagine is going on. Friend, can I encourage
you to dwell on the “perhaps” in your life? No one can give you the exact
reason why you are dealing with relational conflict, financial problems,
marital strife or physical pain, but “perhaps” God is using your struggles for
eternal purposes. Perhaps you may be suffering temporal loss so that you can
receive eternal rewards. Jesus Christ suffered temporal loss as he gave up his
spirit that dark Friday afternoon. And yet, looking back we know his temporal
loss brought eternal gains. His temporary death led to eternal life. His
temporary pain led to eternal payment. His temporary struggle led to eternal
salvation for all who would trust in Him.
Friend, you may be
struggling today, but perhaps God is using your temporary pain to bring eternal
pleasure. As Spurgeon said, “God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be
confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart.” God is
good and He is moving in ways we cannot imagine. Let me encourage you to trust God’s
heart. We will face temporary trials, but God promises an eternal resurrection.
Perhaps God wants you to view your struggle today in light of the God’s promise
of tomorrow. Charles Bridges writes, “That which should distinguish the
suffering of believers from unbelievers is the confidence that our suffering is
under the control of an all-powerful and all-loving God. Our suffering has
meaning and purpose in God's eternal plan, and He brings or allows to come into
our lives only that which is for His glory and our good[1].” Our pain is not
pointless, but under the sovereign power of Almighty God. Will you look at your
pain through the “perhaps” lenses of God’s sovereign all controlling power? We
do not live in the temporary, but set our hearts on the eternal. Jesus did not
come to solve our temporary problems, but to give us His eternal presence.
Following South Africa’s
Apartheid, Bishop Demond Tutu established the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission. During the Commission’s hearing, both blacks and whites testified
to their crimes of murder and torture. The crimes recounted were horrific and
heart-wrenching to hear. Two of those people who came to share their stories
were Mrs. Calata and her daughter. One writer recounts her testimony,
Mrs. Calata's husband
had been an advocate for black South Africans in rural communities. Because of
his work, he'd been arrested, detained, and tortured by the police numerous
times. But one day he disappeared. On the front page of the newspaper, Mrs.
Calata saw a photograph of her husband's car on fire. She cried so loudly
during the hearing, describing the autopsy's report about his torture, that the
commission had to be adjourned.[2]
When they reconvened, her daughter testified. It had been years since her
father’s murder and she had become a young woman. She pleaded with the
commission to find her father’s killer, but not for the reason you may think.
She said, “We want to forgive, but we don't know whom to forgive.” Rather than
seek out vengeance and revenge, Mrs. Calata and her daughter were looking to
forgive.
Paul wanted Philemon to
do the same. He appealed to him as a friend not to look for vengeance, but to
extend mercy. He wanted him to do what God had done for him in Christ. An
eternal perspective, which brings our minds to the reality that one day we are
going to stand before God to give an account for our own forgiveness and how we
have forgiven others, should lead us to look for an opportunity to forgive.
Paul appealed to Philemon and I appeal to you. Will you look not to vengeance
but to show mercy? Will you choose to follow Christ? Will you forgive?
[1]
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/13/theodore-roosevelts-divided-house/?page=all
accessed 8.6.2015 9:12 am
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