Obedience Steps Up to Opportunity

Transcript

GR 1665
1/20/2013
Obedience Steps up to Opportunity
Philemon 19-25
Gil Rugh

We are going to the book of Philemon, tucked right in after the book of Titus and just before the letter to the Hebrews, toward the back of your New Testament, easiest to find if you get to the book of Hebrews back there, a larger book, right in front of it is the little one chapter letter of the Apostle Paul to a close friend of his and part of the church at Colossae but he gets a personal, individual letter. That to say, as you read this letter and consider that it was written almost 2000 years ago, it’s amazing that a letter of this kind, this personal, was preserved. Probably indicative of the fact that Philemon treasured it and shared it with others which would indicate that he would have responded well to what Paul challenges him to do. It wasn’t a letter he took and stuffed into his pocket because he didn’t want to have to do what Paul encouraged him to do. This is speculation but if I received a letter this personal from the Apostle Paul and wasn’t going to do what he encouraged me to do, I would have hid it away or threw it into the fireplace. So, I think there is good indication that Philemon responded in a godly character that Paul said he had.

This is one of those letters that Paul wrote when he was in prison. As we have mentioned a number of times, the book of Acts concludes by telling us that Paul was a prisoner of Rome but he stayed in his own rented quarters for two years so it would be similar to what we might refer to as house arrest but Paul had the freedom to rent his own place, have a Roman soldier who would be stationed with him. He was a prisoner not viewed as a threat so that gave him great freedom. People could come and go. He could carry on a ministry. Now he couldn’t leave and travel but people could come and visit him and they did that. The other prison letters we have noted were Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians written during that same time period. Paul would write 2 Timothy at a later imprisonment but these were written during this imprisonment at the end of the book of Acts.

Paul wrote another letter during this time, the letter to the Philippians during this same two years he was imprisoned in Rome. In the letter to the Philippians he encouraged them to manifest the character of Christ; to live in humility; to think of others better than themselves; to follow the example that Christ had given and he unfolds it in Philippians chapter 2. Really, what Paul is writing to Philemon is along that same vain that you are going to put others ahead of yourself. Philemon has had a good record on this but now as we have noted, there is an extra challenge. This unfaithful, useless slave had finally compounded his uselessness by running away. We noted we don’t know what was entailed in that whether he stole from his master to help fund his escape and life on the run so to speak but he ended up in Rome. How he came into contact with the Apostle Paul we don’t know but he is converted through the ministry of Paul and that’s what the letter is about you remember. Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon and he is appealing on Onesimus’ behalf to Philemon to treat Onesimus as Philemon would treat Paul.

Verse 10, Paul said, “I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus,” his spiritual child and then down in verse 17 at the end of the verse: “Accept him as you would me.” I mean, that’s a strong appeal from the Apostle Paul as the indication is as we move along to the end here, he led Philemon to the Lord and now he appeals to Philemon. Here is one I consider my beloved child in the Lord and I’d appreciate it if you would accept him as you would accept me.

Verse 18, which is where we concluded in our last study: “If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account.” Any cost associated with his actions leading up to his running away, associated with his running away. This could have cost Philemon in material things. Paul says, “Charge it to my account. I will pay the bill.” Paul is going to continue this emphasis in the next couple of verse and then he is going to close the letter with some concluding remarks and greetings.

Verse 19 – Paul follows up what he just said in verse 18: “If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I Paul am writing this with my own hand.” And this is guarantee of the letter but more than that in the immediate context, it’s like Paul is signing the blank check. Here’s the guarantee in my own writing. He would recognize it. It had a uniqueness evidently, about it. I am guaranteeing payment. If there is any question, if this is an issue, if this would be a barrier to you.

We noted that Paul doesn’t give overt commands in this letter as an Apostle. He puts serious pressure on Philemon. You have the Apostle Paul saying, “Here, if the material issues are a problem for you in forgiving Onesimus, charge those material bills to me.” Now if you are Philemon you could make the choice but there is not much of a choice here. You are going to say, “Well here, Paul. Here’s what it cost me. I put it on your bill. You can pay me in payments.” Philemon is obviously a man of some means. He has servants. He has a church meeting in his house. Evidently he has a house that is above average and so on. But I am writing this with my own hand. This is an indication of authenticity.

Paul closes his letter to the Thessalonians saying, 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 17: “I Paul write this greeting with my own hand.” This is a distinguishing mark in every letter. This is the way I write, a way that Paul who often dictated his letter to a secretary, called amanuensis. A man who would write down as Paul in effect dictated the letter. Here this, “I am writing with my own hand,” served a dual purpose because he connects it to I will pay the bill and signs off that way. Now if that’s not enough pressure, “I’ll pay the bill,” but here when signing it, if you will, which will be like a blank check you have what we have in parenthesis which gives the idea, “not to mention, that you owe to me even your own self as well. I led you to the Lord. I mean you owe to me your new life in Christ.” It’s obviously a credit to God but Paul was the instrument that God had used and so Paul can say, “Not to mention, but I am mentioning it. You owe me your salvation.” Obviously God gets the credit. We understand what Paul is saying, when he said like he wrote to the Corinthians: “I become all things to all men that I might by some means save some.” Well God does the saving but we are privileged to be the instruments that He used and play that key part so “you owe to me even your own self as well.” This is the principle that comes up in Paul’s letters that those who receive spiritual benefit from the ministry of others incur a debt to those.

Come back to Romans chapter 15. We live, in often we say, a materialistic world and we do. That is the realm of the world, this world system, the realm of the unbeliever, that is where they dwell, but for Paul there is something more important than the material things of this world and it is the spiritual benefit we reap from the ministry of others in our lives in a variety of settings. In Romans chapter 15, verse 15: “I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again because of the grace that was given me from God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. Ministering as a priest, the Gospel of God so that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit;” so this ministry the Gentiles have benefited from, come down to verse 26: “For Macedonia and Achia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.” So now we have Gentile churches who have experienced the salvation power of the Gospel as it had been brought to them now taking a collection of material things to help the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem and then note what Paul says in verse 27: “Yes, they were pleased to do it and they are indebted to them for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things they are indebted to minister to them in their material things.” So you see that here and what? All of the Old Testament was given to the Jews. It’s the Jewish Messiah who is the Savior of these Gentiles. There were Jewish men gathered around Christ during His earthly ministry. Men like Peter, James, John, Paul who are ministering the truth of God as it had been revealed. These Gentiles have benefited in this spiritual ministry. Of course they ought to be supporting these believing Jews in need. You see the principal, the benefit of the material of the spiritual that’s a debt incurred. That’s the principle Paul is using with Philemon. You owe me your Spiritual life as the instrument God used and I’m asking for a favor, in fact telling him, you have a debt to me, I’ve offered to pay Onesimus’ debt and you understand you have a greater debt to me. His is merely material, of material things but you owe me your Spiritual life.

Come over to I Corinthians, chapter 9 just after Romans. I Corinthians chapter 9 Paul uses the same principle. Verse 11, “If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” You see the comparison? You’ve received spiritual benefit from my ministry, Paul said. Would it be too much to expect that you would provide for the material needs? So that principle is what he is using with Philemon. You received great spiritual blessing from me, your eternal salvation as I shared with you the Gospel. I mean your debt to me is much greater than Onesimus’ debt to you. Let’s keep it in perspective.

Come back to Philemon, verse 20 Paul continues: “Yes brother,” so this appeal. You know when you are dealing with other people even other believers, you can see Paul here puts pressure on but he wants to be careful not to cross a line. It’s Philemon’s decision. He doesn’t say, “God clearly says you have to do this.” So keeping the right kind of pressure on but yet the warmth of relationship with Philemon, “yes, brother.” So, you owe me your life in Christ in that sense but you are my brother. So in that sense Paul pulls back here to denote the equality they have. We are both members of the family of God, brothers in Christ. “Let me benefit from you in the Lord. So Paul has turned it around that you have opportunity to minister to me, for me to benefit from you in the Lord. “Refresh my heart in Christ.” You see this stress. “Let me benefit from you in the Lord” and in doing this receiving Onesimus as he should, Philemon will be carrying on a spiritual ministry. So you see now Paul pushes these material issues if he owes you anything, charge it to my account, I will pay it. But then he reminds Philemon you have an opportunity to minister to me, if effect, pay the debt. You’ve benefited from me spiritually. I would like to benefit from you spiritually, in the Lord, in Christ. Let me benefit from you. It would be a great encourage, a great blessing to Paul to know that Philemon welcomed Onesimus back and received him as a brother in Christ and held nothing against him for what he did and the damage he did in his unbelieving state.

Just a side, that word benefit is very similar to the name Onesimus. Remember we saw earlier in the letter the one who was useless has become useful. Onesimus - the name being profitable and beneficial. “Let me benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.” So what Paul was asking for is spiritual benefit and blessing from Philemon. “Refresh my heart.”

Now back in verse 7 Paul said, “I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love,” addressing Philemon, “because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” So he is just asking Philemon to carry on the kind of ministry that has characterized his life. Again, this is another step we have noted, another step of growth for Philemon. We get put in certain situations, we don’t know what damage was done to Philemon or his family through the action of this slave who had been a worthless slave and then ran away and we don’t know the cost and the damage. So now, you have had a ministry of refreshing believers. The saints have been refreshed through you. Now what I am asking is that you carry on that ministry to me, refreshing my heart. Thought we might say something about a breath of fresh air, renewing him, encouraging Paul. It’s a ministry you can have in Christ, another step. We can’t presuppose that because you did it in the past you will do it here because as we all know, every situation provides another opportunity for us and another challenge. Will I handle this in a way that’s pleasing to the Lord? I may have handled past situations as the Lord would have me handle it but now this is a new challenge and maybe it is a more difficult one for me to handle as I should and that is how Paul is approaching Philemon. You will have a spiritual ministry to me.

What an opportunity to minister to Paul and bring benefit to him, refresh his heart. Here’s a man in prison for the Gospel. He has endured an imprisonment that has lasted for years because there were three years leading up to the two years in Rome. How far into that two years we don’t know but now he is saying you can refresh my heart, give me spiritual benefit in the Lord if you will handle this properly.

A reminder, we know that’s true. Sometimes it’s not quite that direct but how often are we blessed and refreshed, encouraged by the ministry of other believers? And by them doing the right thing in difficult situations, sometimes for us directly but even indirectly, what an encouragement and blessing as we observe others doing that. That’s what had happened earlier in verse 7. Paul said he had had “much joy and comfort in your love because the saints have been refreshed through you brethren.” That was a blessing to Paul and now he has the opportunity for a more direct ministry to Paul and we establish that pattern of being pleasing to God and doing His will step by step. That prepared us for the next step and the next opportunity and we grow that way. “Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you since I know you will do even more than what I say.” Now wait a minute. I that Paul hadn’t given any commands here. He didn’t approach him as an apostle; tell him what he must do. No, he hasn’t but Paul uses a rather strong word here, “having confidence in your obedience.” He’s made clear what is the right thing for Philemon to do to be pleasing to God and to manifest the character of Christ in this situation. So while Paul hasn’t directly commanded him this is a matter of obedience for Philemon to the will of God for him and that’s why Paul has put the kind of pressure without giving a direct command. So it’s really not optional for Philemon although it’s his choice. Paul doesn’t feel free to tell him you have to do this and I’m telling you that by virtue of my position of an apostle. To that extent Philemon has freedom on the decision here but if he going to do what is pleasing to the Lord, what obedience as a slave of Christ would require, he has no choice and that’s what Paul has been guiding him in. To realize, what else could you do here? And he’s brought all these other things in to help Philemon recognize that; “Having confidence in your obedience.” Paul writes with the confidence that Philemon will follow through on this and handle it properly and when he says, “I write to you since I know you will do even more than what I say.” Again, that’s a pressure. You are going to do more. What Paul has done is put the pressure on Philemon to function in a godly way in perhaps the most difficult position Philemon has had to handle because of the impact it may have made in his own personal situation, his family and whatever. When he says, “I know you will do even more than what I say,” I don’t think people should imply from this, this means you will set Onesimus free from his slavery. I think what he is saying is, the welcome and reception you give to Onesimus will be even more than I have asked you to do. It will not just be Onesimus, bygones are bygones and I am glad you have come to trust Christ and we are just going to forget the past and go on. It will be a much more open and gracious welcoming back and Philemon will, how do we say? Manifesto Onesimus, a joy and excitement, how else to put it? Say you’re back. I am thrilled. It’s almost like no reason to bring it up and you can imagine Onesimus apologizing and Philemon manifesting all of that is the past. The thrill of my heart is that you have come to know the Lord. We are brothers in Christ. This doesn’t mean he isn’t still a slave. We looked at those passages, masters and slaves are going to be functioning in the church and that but there will be no hesitancy on Onesimus’ part as Philemon, you know, are things really okay?

You know you’ve had to deal with people and they tell you, “yes, that’s alright, you know, I forgive you. We are going on.” But it leaves you with that uneasiness. It’s not okay. Now you know. It’s still troubling them. Here Paul says, “I know you will do even more. You are going on just the forgiveness and acceptance,” the kind of welcome that Onesimus will get, the kind of relationship he will now have with Philemon as Philemon’s slave will be as a brother in Christ and Philemon will be thrilled with what God has done in his life.

Verse 22: “At the same time (Paul’s not done, a little more pressure and something for Philemon to anticipate) at the same time, also (the same time as what?) as you welcome Onesimus back and restore him to your home” (and so on) also prepare me a lodging,” a little more pressure now. Paul may be in my home in the near future. That’s added pressure for me to treat him as Paul has said he wants me to. It’s not, well Paul’s in Rome and I’m here at Colossae and yes, I’ll tell Paul, “yes sure, everything’s fine; everything is good.” But now, I’m going to have Paul in my home. He’s going to be staying with me.

The reality of all this is good pressure for us. You know, well I am not doing it to please men but I am. I want to have a life that is pleasing in the sight of other believers, of those believers that I look up to and respect and Paul is saying, “prepare my a lodging, I hope.” Now he doesn’t say I will be coming because he is a prisoner but his anticipation in his imprisonment is that he is going to be vindicated and released. In another of the letters written during this same imprisonment he told the Philippians that he planned to visit them shortly in Philippians chapter 2, verse 24. “I hope, (now note this), I hope through your prayers I will be given to you.” Great balance here in the sovereignty of God and the work of man. “Through your prayers I will be given to you.” And you will recognize the first part of this word translated, be given. It’s charis, which is the Greek word, grace and a reminder here God’s sovereignly in His grace will give me to you through your prayers. Now we sometimes struggle with that. If God’s sovereign and His hand is directing and controlling, Paul’s in charge. He will either have Paul released or He won’t. And Paul knew about the sovereignty of God. When we want to learn about God’s sovereignty in detail we go to some of Paul’s letters, Romans 9 and following and so on. But here he says it will be through your prayers that God will give me in grace to you. He sees God’s in control here. I will be given so it brings in the sovereignty of God here because who is going to give him, only God can do that but it will happen through your prayers. Paul is convinced that the prayers of God’s people are used mightily by God.

Come back to that prison letter that I have been referring to, Philippians. Not too far in front of Philemon, Philippians chapter 1. I was going to quote it to you but I would like you see the passages. I quoted to you from Philippians chapter 2, verse 24 where Paul had said: “I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly,” so his anticipation of being released.

Back in chapter 1 of Philippians, verse 19. “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” but he does say in the next verse: “According to my earnest expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in everything but with all boldness Christ will even now as always, be exalted by my body whether by life or by death.” So I am willing to die for Christ here but at the same time he has confidence through your prayers, verse 19. “I know this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers.” And then it will be the work of God’s Spirit in bringing it about. The prayers are only to ask God to act on Paul’s behalf and then talks about I am torn. You know to die would be a blessing “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” So I am torn. One side of me would rather go and be with the Lord. The other would like to stay so I could have a continued ministry to you. But verse 25: “I’m convinced of this. I know I will remain and continue with you for your progress and joy in the faith” and so on. But the point I want to pick up is verse 19, it’s through your prayers and the provision of the Holy Spirit.

I think we get to stand before the Lord and we will be surprised and perhaps somewhat disappointed that we weren’t more diligent in prayer. Remember Jesus said you don’t have because you don’t ask. God’s people, we have this wonderful invitation from God to come with confidence before a throne of grace and find what we need and we fuss and we fret and we get in this and we get in that. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have responsibility to be diligent but the first thing to do is what? Bring it before the Lord. Peter says, “Cast all your care on Him for He cares for you” in those situations. Paul says, I am in a situation, I’m in prison but I am confident. You pray for me and God will respond to your prayers, send His Spirit and my deliverance will be accomplished. We get taken up with trying to resolve the difficulty between man’s will and responsibility and God’s sovereignty. The way I would like to resolve it is I am responsible to pray and God’s sovereign to carry it out. I want to get to Him and tell Him everything I need to tell Him. Spend less time worrying and fretting and more time praying. I mean Paul’s in prison. Oh boy we ought to worry about what could happen to him there in that situation and how it could go wrong. Paul said, “Just pray for me and I am confident that I will be given to you. Pray for me, I’m confident the Spirit of God will bring about the deliverance. Don’t worry about it, pray about it.” It’s so simple, isn’t it, when I tell you, when you have to do it. Remember James chapter 5, verse 16? “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” What greater resource do we have as God’s people than the open invitation to come to the sovereign God who rules over-all and present our request to Him? That’s about as… I mean I have nothing as powerful a resource as that. Would I trade that for a billion dollars? Think of what I could do if I had a billion dollars. Well I could relax on the beach in Cancun and make a list of things I could do. No I can go to the God who controls everything, who owns everything. He said if I had a need I wouldn’t ask you. Everything in creation belongs to Him. I don’t need anything more. I can come to Him for everything I need so appreciate the emphasis Paul has here. You pray and God will work.

The best thing you can do for this ministry, pray for it. Pray for it. Pray God will bless the ministry of His Word. Pray He will bless our ministry together. Pray He will use us, pray, pray.

Back in Philemon, verse 23. Now we have some greetings from some people that they will know and are part of Paul’s life. Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, they send their greetings. So Paul is in prison but you see here he has men with him, associated with him in ministry. What a blessing it would have been to him. Restricted but here are those who are joined with him in the work.

The first is Epaphras. What I want to do is jump back to Colossians chapter 4 because these individuals are mentioned there. So if you want to come back here. First you will note that Epaphras is called my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, he greets you. He is called a fellow prisoner. It could mean that he was also in prison with Paul but there is doubt on that because when you come back to Colossians chapter 4, verse 10 Paul says: “Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greeting.” Well Aristarchus is mentioned in verse 24 of Philemon but he’s not called a fellow prisoner but Epaphras is. I think rather than saying they were prisoners with Paul, part of the time Aristarchus was, part of the time Epaphras, probably connects them for whatever purpose to the fact they were willing to be joined with Paul in his imprisonment.

Remember we read and you are probably familiar in Hebrews chapter 10 one of the things that the writer of Hebrews reminds these Jewish believers of that you were willing to visit those in prison because there is a certain cost. Paul is a prisoner of Rome because there’s charges that have been brought against him. There is a certain danger with being associated with Paul and you might get drawn in. Maybe things won’t turn out so well. This is going to happen at the second imprisonment of Paul. We will see with one of these people in a moment but at least we know that Epaphras has been willing to be joined with Paul in his imprisonment and he spent time with him there. Not be ashamed to be openly identified with Paul in that imprisonment.

What do we know about Epaphras, just a summary. Well he appears in Acts chapter 19. He’s traveling with Paul on the third missionary journey. He’s part of that band that is with Paul during his two years in Ephesus when all of Asia heard the Word. Now that’s significant because come back to Colossians chapter 1 and Paul says in verse 3 he’s giving thanks to God always, praying for them since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints, the hope laid up for you in heaven which you heard about in the Word of truth, the Gospel, the end of verse 5 and you understood, at the end of verse 6 the grace of God in truth and then note verse 7. “Just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, slave who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf.” So evidently while Paul was carrying on that ministry in Ephesus, remember he had fellow workers who went out into the surrounding regions and carried the Gospel, Colossae being another of the cities in Asia Minor and so Epaphras was evidently the one who carried the Gospel to Colossae and Paul credits him there. That they heard and learned the Gospel from Epaphras. So if you read in Acts chapter 19 you’ll read about Epaphras and his ministry. He’s identified as a member of the church at Colossae, verse 12 of Colossians 4: “Epaphras who is one of your number, a bond slave of Jesus Christ sends you his greetings.” So as we have at the end of Philemon, Epaphras is here, associated with Paul and his ministry. So evidently he has been with Paul for some time considering Paul’s travel since we find him on the third missionary journey and here he is with Paul in Rome as well. While you are in verse 12 you will note what kind of ministry he has. “He’s always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers.” That word transcribed “laboring earnestly” you may be familiar with. We get the English word “agonize” from it, the basic Greek word agonizmal so we just carry it over into English, “agonize.” And you note here, the serious work and energy that is given and serious prayer. He agonized for them, “labored earnestly for you in his prayers that you may stand perfectly and fully assured in all the will of God. For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” So you see he’s had a ministry reaching out. He’s carried that Gospel in to Colossae and surrounding Asia and served with Paul on that third missionary journey.

Let’s see, you else do we have here. I’ve got several lists. Mark mentioned in verse 24 of Philemon. We are familiar with Mark. We have the Gospel of Mark, that’s this man. He’s mentioned eight or ten different times in different passages in the New Testament. We are not going to look through them. Acts chapter 12 is the first meeting of Mark. Well you have to go back to Acts 12. We can do this. I hate to just tell you about it. When you see it you remember it better. Acts chapter 12 and this is that story where Peter was released from prison and he comes and knocks at the door where the believers are meeting. Verse 12: “And when he realized this he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark.” So he is sometimes referred to as John Mark although that is not a first and last name like we use but they put together. John would have been his Jewish name. Mark would have been his Roman name. So John also called Mark and sometimes referred to as John Mark which distinguishes him maybe from other Johns like the apostle John and so on. They were gathered there. So here in the book of Acts you find him in the context of a home with believers and has a mother who is a believer. Down in verse 25 he joins Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey and then down in verse 5 we are told that they had John Mark as their helper but then at the end of verse 13 he bails out and goes home. Then in chapter 15 when they are preparing for the second missionary journey Barnabas wants to take Mark, give him a second chance. Paul says “no, I have to have people with me that I can depend upon. I can’t take the risk with Mark. You know, I have to have somebody reliable so I can focus on the ministry. Not trying to salvage the person who may give up on me and they part ways and Barnabas takes Mark and they travel off. They no longer appear in the book of Acts. But it is encouraging, here is Mark appearing.

Come back in Colossians chapter 4. Barnabas’ cousin, Mark in verse 10. “Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’ cousin Mark about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him.” So interesting, Mark has been reunited with Paul. Here he is with him in his imprisonment as he sends the letter to Philemon and as Paul writes to the church as Colossae. You can appreciate why Barnabas had an added interest in Mark. There is a family connection here but you know failure doesn’t mean God is done with you. From Paul’s perspective and I take it its correct Mark did fail. He bailed out but that doesn’t mean God couldn’t use him and he’s going to be used to such a degree he will write the second Gospel, the Gospel of Mark, so encouragement there. He’s mentioned in I Peter chapter 5, verse 13. He’s mentioned in II Timothy chapter 4, verse 11 so he becomes a vital part of Paul’s ministry and the ministry going on in the New Testament. I love the way Paul’s last letter refers to Mark. That’s later in his last imprisonment he’s anticipating execution and he tells Timothy, “Pick up Mark and bring him with you. He’s useful to me for service.” The one who bailed on Paul, that Paul didn’t think he could trust on his second trip by the grace of God has recovered from that stumble and now Paul at the end of his life said, “I would like to have Mark with me. He’s very useful to me.” And we know God will use him to write the Gospel of Mark.

Back in Philemon: Epaphras sends greetings, Mark sends greetings, Aristarchus, back in Colossians 4, “Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner sends you his greetings.” So there you see Aristarchus is mentioned as a fellow-prisoner and then in the letter to Philemon mentioned Epaphras is the fellow-prisoner. Well they are both with Paul. Maybe they take turns staying with Paul since Paul was allowed to have guests and prisoners. Perhaps he could have one who would say, “Yes, I will take turns staying with Paul” while the others may have gone to other quarters and so on. We don’t know specifically what the details are but godly men. Some we know more about. Some we know less about but they are men that are used of God.

Aristarchus is with Paul on the third missionary journey and he’s a companion of Paul and when Paul’s dragged into the theatre in the ride of the silver-smiths, Aristarchus is Paul’s companion on that. He’s from Thessalonica according to Acts chapter 20 so a Greek city. Now he’s with Paul in Rome and he’s known among the cities in Asia Minor and the churches there.

So you see the breadth of ministry that God gave these men. He traveled with Paul and Luke on that long journey from Caesarea to Rome that will extend over a long period of time. He’s there with Paul and Luke.

The next name in Philemon addressed by Philemon is Demas. Demas is only mentioned here and the Colossians passage he’s mentioned in verse 14 of Colossians 4. “Luke the beloved physician sends you his greetings and also Demas.” Demas is the opposite of Mark. Mark starts off on the wrong foot and falls on his face but gets back up and becomes an instrument powerfully used of God in ministry. Demas is with Paul, with him in his first imprisonment, joined with him in this letter, sending his greetings but you are familiar, in Paul’s last letter, his second letter to Timothy and this is a later imprisonment, a few years have gone by. Paul is released and then rearrested and will die under the persecutions carried out by Nero and he’s in this final imprisonment, a much more serious situation and as you are familiar in the second letter to Timothy Paul does not expect to be delivered from this imprisonment. He says the process has already begun, what will culminate in my execution. So different than his earlier prison letters that I anticipate being released through your prayers, coming to see you shortly and so on. Here the process has already begun and I am anticipating the end to be execution.

Well you know what? Demas had been with Paul in his first imprisonment. Several years go by and he’s with Paul for a time and then in II Timothy chapter 4, verse 10 he tells Timothy in verse 9: “Make every effort to come to me soon for Demas having loved this present world has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” Final word regarding Demas so just the opposite of Mark who failed early but recovered and Paul uses strong language here. He just doesn’t say, “Demas left me, he deserted me.” He sees it as an abandoning of Paul and his ministry. It’s like we are talking about in the letter to the Hebrews. You know every situation becomes a challenge like we have been talking about with Philemon. And it just got more than Demas could take. It’s one thing to be with Paul prior imprisonment, travel with him in his ministry. Be with Paul now. He’s arrested again but this is getting more serious. Nero’s going crazy and Paul’s going to die and where’s this going to end? And he just bails out. You know, he seemed to have an extensive ministry with Paul from the reference, gone on over years. Close enough to Paul and well enough known in these churches that Paul sends greetings from him but here now is a test that he fails from Paul’s perspective. He deserted me and I take it under the inspiration of the Spirit that is an accurate presentation of his action.

And then we have perhaps the best known man, Luke sends greetings. These are all out of Philemon but we’ve gone to Colossians because these same ones are mentioned. So if you are still in Colossians chapter 4 you see verse 14. “Luke, the beloved physician sends you his greetings.” He’s the one who is so prominent in the book of Acts, the “we” sections of the book of Acts. Luke is the instrument God uses to write the Gospel of Luke to write the book of Acts and many people he is the author of the letter to the Hebrews as well. It is speculation but you see how he is used of God. He travels with Paul during major sections of the book of Acts. They are called the “we” sections because Luke is the author we know and when he begins to talk about “we” you know he has joined Paul and here he is with Paul in his imprisonment and he called him “the beloved physician.”

Isn’t God good to give Paul a personal physician? He needed it. You read his letter to the Corinthians, II Corinthians chapter 11, what his body went through. I’m sure it was helpful to have a physician here to help patch him up time and again. Now here in his imprisonment and the Romans gave Paul freedom. He could have his own rented quarters, pay your own bill, get your own room and the soldier will be staying with you. They are not taking responsibility for all his needs and all here but God is gracious and gives Luke, the physician and interestingly in the grace of God from what I have read the knowledge of medicine here reached a peak, a high point that won’t be reached for many, many centuries following so here having Luke to care for Paul is part of God’s gracious provision for him. What else can we say about Luke? We know enough about him from the book of Acts and so on.

So as you come back to the end of Philemon we wrap it up. These are with Paul so he is not alone. Blessings, the sad name here in Demas, knowing what the future holds but he’s a fellow worker at this point. Paul concludes on this note, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

Back in the beginning of the letter, verse 3: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” And we want to end of that note, “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Philemon had been saved by grace now Paul’s desire is that God’s grace would be provided for him in every area and it will be God’s grace as Philemon exercises his will in drawing upon that gracious provision of God to enable him to do what doesn’t come to us naturally in our human state. That will enable him to do and to be all that God wants him to do.

As I mentioned, it seems that Philemon would have taken this note seriously and responded according to the instructions and evidently shared it with others perhaps the church at Colossae and so on that enabled it to be copied and recopied and passed on and preserved. He was happy for them to share with them, “here’s what Paul has said to me and written to me and I want you to benefit from it.” Paul had early started in verse 2 and addressed Philemon and evidently his wife and son and the church that is in your house and Philemon evidently shared it with the church and other believers and here 2000 years later we read and benefit from this letter and learn how we are to function and be instruments of God and to grow and face every challenge with the grace that God gives us.

Let’s pray together. Thank You Lord for the riches of Your Word. Thank You for this small letter, a personal letter. It would seem easily lost, discarded, kept personally by Philemon with his personal effects but You’ve seen fit in Your sovereignty to direct Philemon in his handling of this precious letter to share it, to guide in its preservation so that we could have it almost 2000 years later to study it, to learn from it, to benefit from it and to grow by having it applied to our own lives. We pray the riches of Your Word will guide us as we serve You this week. We pray for the challenges that different ones in our own local congregation are facing. The challenge to trust You, to draw upon Your grace, to commit these matters to You that they are facing so there might be an opportunity for further growth. We praise You in Christ’s name, Amen.