Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Philemon & Colossians 1
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, and ⁓ we are continuing our journey through scripture. ⁓ and we are gonna be in the the little short letter to Philemon and then the first chapter of Colossians. So just a couple of chapters to ⁓ talk about today. and you we are at that point where you know we're kind of We've been skipping through Acts at different times. Paul now is at in prison at in Rome. We've there's d debate on exactly when a lot of ⁓ nearly all of these letters are written. They we kind of know between a ten to fifteen year period. ⁓ we just know that they were written whenever he was imprisoned. It's a matter of w where he was imprisoned. ⁓ that's kind of the the debate. ⁓ but th this kind of makes sense that he was ⁓ probably ⁓ imprisoned in Rome. He talks about how he's getting a little bit older ⁓ and things like that. So so that does make sense. ⁓ this letter, ⁓ Philemon, ⁓ is ⁓ definitely collect connected to ⁓ Colossians. A lot of the same people are mentioned ⁓ here. ⁓ so as we ⁓ look at Philemon, it's important to kind of talk about the The general theme that people freak out about because we are not a mature society anymore and can't ⁓ you know, there's certain buzzwords that are used that immediately cause everyone to freak out. And one of those is slavery. And so whenever you're dealing with slavery and you see that word, it jumps off the page. And ⁓ the simple thing to do is ⁓ you know, say, ⁓ well, we all hate slavery, that's horrible. ⁓ how could anyone participate in that? And I I agree. I I am glad that because of the Judeo Christian principles, yes, because of the Judeo Christian principles that have spread across the Western world and across the whole world, w most countries and people now view slavery as abhorrent. It wasn't until Judeo Christian principles ⁓ spread across the world that that happened. ⁓ it's important to remember that. ⁓ but we also need to know that the slavery we're talking about here ⁓ is not the same slavery that we had in the United States. It was it was a very different. Now, does that make it right? No, but it is it is a a different thing. And it's important for us to to recognize that and know that. And I say that because some people will use this letter as ⁓ how how could Paul ⁓ Paul is not ⁓ condemning slavery. Why isn't he condemning slavery? ⁓ there's many people that will use that excuse in scripture, ⁓ that scripture doesn't isn't condemning slavery. Well, it it does in different ways. ⁓ a lot of times ⁓ it's talking about indentured servanthood, which that is different than slavery. this situation you have ⁓ Philemon And it is ⁓ talking about a hit one of his slaves who escaped by ⁓ the name of Onesimus ⁓ or Onesimus. and you so you have you have an interesting situation here. So this slave was probably a household slave. ⁓ household slaves ⁓ actually had ⁓ some rights. ⁓ they could ⁓ they were paid. They ⁓ could and end up buying their freedom, ⁓ and that that happened quite often. and and so there there was clearly something going on here. We don't know exactly what, but it seems like Onesimus decided to ⁓ to to escape, ⁓ which again was not all that hard to do because they were free to go around and and They would go and do shopping, they would go and ⁓ conduct business for the the ⁓ household. ⁓ and so for s whatever reason he decided to run away, found Paul. Paul knew Philemon and was close to Philemon, ⁓ and Onesimus ⁓ becomes a a Christian and now Paul is telling Onesimus to go back to Philemon. Now you may say, why in the world would he do that? Well that that's actually what you you were required to do. ⁓ by by law. ⁓ the law said if that you were to return a slave to its owner. ⁓ also it was normal for whenever something like this happened is that the slave would find an advocate who would write a letter for them to give to the ⁓ slave owner ⁓ imploring them to show mercy, giving a reason what what what was going on, ⁓ why the slave left, but it was an advocate. Well clearly Paul is being an advocate for Onesimus ⁓ as he's writing to Philemon. And ⁓ it says in verse eight, Therefore though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you, being such one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner ⁓ of Jesus Christ. I appeal to you for my son Onesimus who I have begotten while in my chains, who was once unprofitable to you, but now is profitable you to you and me. So he's saying he is he is ⁓ a a Christian. Paul is saying, I'm sending him back to you. ⁓ and I encourage you to receive him with my as if my own heart. ⁓ I wish to keep him with me but without your consent I want to do nothing that your good deed might not be a compulsion as it were not voluntary. or i as if it were voluntary, for perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord? And then he says, But if he has wronged you or owes you anything, put that on my account. ⁓ right, so Paul is clearly being an advocate here. This is a cultural thing that is going on. And he's encouraging Philemon to do what is right. ⁓ so then we move on to Colossians. ⁓ Colossians is a a ⁓ a really concise letter talking about who Jesus is. ⁓ one of the things that happened in that time, and frankly, I think is what ⁓ we're experiencing a a lot of now is Gnosticism. Gnosticism is ⁓ was all about finding secret knowledge, right? It was a spiritual thing, but that you could find knowledge. ⁓ And what Gnosticism kind of started doing is said, well, Jesus was is an example of someone who found that secret knowledge and so therefore is closer to God and is more connected to God and so we can learn from him. It denied that Jesus was God. In fact, Gnosticism really doesn't believe that there is a God. It's kind of the whole goal is just knowledge, finding the secrets that are out there, these spiritual secrets. ⁓ this is what when people kind of ⁓ take ⁓ hallucinics ⁓ and ⁓ i i in a spiritual way, that's that's basically what you're doing. You're questing for some secret knowledge. ⁓ and so Colossians ⁓ Paul is ⁓ addressing that and addressing who Jesus really is. So as you see there in ⁓ chapter one, it starts off with kind of the normal Paul and his normal greeting. Then starting in in verse nine, he really starts giving some some very strong truths about Jesus. And and if you've been listening to this, you probably believe in Jesus. ⁓ but it is so important that we ⁓ really understand who. who he truly was, because he he is he is God, right? And and that we never take that for granted. ⁓ that that that we we make sure that we keep him in the rightful place, which is ⁓ seated in the throne throne room ⁓ of God. All right. So in verse nine it says, for this reason, ⁓ since the we day we d ⁓ heard it, we do not cease to pray for you and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Okay, so he's saying that that's okay. Right? It's we want you to to have knowledge and to ⁓ understand spiritually, ⁓ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthening with all might, according to his glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy and Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness, conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. All right. So he is explaining we should seek wisdom. We should gr grow in our knowledge of who Jesus really is. But Jesus is our Savior. He is God. Verse 15, he is the image of the invisible God. Right? So the Gnostics, they want to seek wisdom and knowledge as well. But their goal is different. They are seeking to find that from something that doesn't exist, that is, that is human-made, rather than understanding that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for by him all things were created. This is verse sixteen. All things were created that are in heaven and are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, Jesus is above all of that. All things were created ⁓ through him and for him, and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is at the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, what in all things he may have preeminence. Does he have preeminence in your life? Is he above all things? Then it talks about being reconciled in Christ. So Christ is preeminent, but he is also the one who reconciles us. That in him all fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven having made peace through the blood of his cross, and you who were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you whole, holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight. Now this is interesting. It does say this. It keeps going on. If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you hear heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. Now, just real quickly, I'm not not going to get into a huge theological debate here. ⁓ you know, bumper th bumper sticker theology is always dangerous. There's the bumper sticker that says once saved, always saved. ⁓ and ⁓ and I I d I tend to agree to with the point of that that once you give your life to Christ, He is not going to let you go. ⁓ you you know, just because you sin after you have given your life to Christ, doesn't mean you have to be saved all over again. No, you are saved. ⁓ but sometimes if we're not careful, the unintended consequences of that bumper sticker type theology, people say, ⁓ once saved, always saved, so I made that profession. I believed. Now I can go and do what I want. That that there's no evidence of that in scripture at all. ⁓ this being ⁓ one of it it's such a beautiful picture of how Christ has reconciled us to him that we can't do it. We are wicked, we don't have the strength to ⁓ to overcome that gap, but yet he has reconciled us, and then it just immediately goes, if indeed you continue in the faith. Grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard. So we have the responsibility to continue ⁓ to live in light of being reconciled in Christ. ⁓ then ⁓ he goes on ⁓ talking about ⁓ serving, I now rejoice in my sufferings, verse 24, ⁓ for you and fill up in in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church. of which I became a minister, according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. And so he's saying, God has given me ⁓ the the calling to go and minister to his church. ⁓ that I I'm a being a good steward of what God has given me. It says the mystery which has been hidden from ages f and f and from generations, but now has revealed to his saints. Now again there's there's some Gnostic language here. The Gnostics they they believed that there was hidden wisdom and his hidden mysteries. Well Paul is saying that's found in Christ, right? You you don't have to search anymore. You've you found him. Verse twenty seven to them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Right. That's that's the answer. That's what the Gnostics were trying to find. Paul is giving them the answer. Here it is, right here. The Christ is in you, ⁓ the hope of glory. That is our hope of glory, that Christ reconciles us. It is Christ who ⁓ fulfills that mystery, who who gives us meaning and purpose in life. It is being in Christ that has done that. And when we are in him, he is in us, and that is the hope. of glory. Verse 28, Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Right? So there is that warning that hey, there are consequences if you try to do this on your own. This hope is found only in Christ. All right. We're going to finish out Colossians next time. ⁓ so just read ⁓ verses or chapters ⁓ two, three and four and ⁓ we'll see you on