OJHS: Journey Without Jesus Philemon

OJHS: Journey Without Jesus

Philemon

Context/Background:  Paul is in prison in Rome. He was under house arrest for 2 years AD61-63 and writes to the churches at Colossae and personally to Philemon. He sends a personal letter to his friend Philemon about someone he meets in prison.  The someone happens to be Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus.  Onesimus had stolen from Philemon.  Paul wins him to Christ, then makes an appeal on his behalf.  Then sends him back.

1.  Our life without Jesus can take us far away from our planned journey.  Philemon 12 - 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

a)  Sin can sink your ship!

b)  Sin can delay, postpone, and eat up your time. 

2.  Only Jesus can turn your journey into His-story/history. 

Philemon 12 - 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you

3.  Only Jesus can turn your breakdowns into breakthroughs. 

Romans 8:28 - 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

a)  With Jesus, your life will become useful.

Philemon 11 - 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

b)  With Jesus your life will become profitable.

Philemon 11 - 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Matt 25:20-24 - 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more….; I will put you in charge of many things. …!’22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’23 … I will put you in charge of many things. … 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

4.  Winning souls requires a partnership.

Philemon 12, 13, 19 - 12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

2 Cor. 3:2-3 - 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

5.   Salvation makes you better than before.  Philemon 16 - 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

a)  Salvation makes you sin/debt free

b)  Salvation makes you financially debt free. 

6.  God’s story always makes our journey more than enough. 

Philemon 21       - 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

7.  It takes more than one to save one. 

Philemon 23 - 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. 

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