Forgiving a runaway slave - Frank Brancato

Invite your attention to a passage found in the book of

Philemon. And I want to begin reading

there with you. In verse 8, Philemon, and verse

8, 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 a one as Paul the agent and now also a prisoner of Jesus

Christ. I appeal to you for my son

onesimus, whom I begotten wild in my chains who was once

unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you.

And to me, I am sending him back, you therefore receive him.

That is, My own heart for a little while from this one

chapter book here. This letter from the great

Apostle Paul to Philemon, we want to talk about two things

from this story. We want to talk about the

qualities of a forgiver. And number two, the actions of

forgiveness will simply call our remarks.

This afternoon for giving a runaway slave Philemon was a

Christian in colossi. Earlier we find that he was

converted by the great Apostle. Paul, his wife's name was Sophia

and his son's name was archivists.

And the Bible says that the church met in their house, you

know Philemon is family, evidently was well off, at least

enough to own slaves and one of those slaves was named onesimus.

I don't know how old this slave would have been at the time but

we find that one day in search of his freedom.

He decides to flee. Lee thinking he can go and get

lost in the underground of Rome and perhaps blend in as just

another faceless run away. But little did he know

providentially or not? Providentially or not he would

run into the it would run into one of the greatest preachers,

the world ever knew he runs into the great Apostle, Paul, who

teaches him, the gospel, he believes the gospel, he obeys

the gospel and he becomes a child of God and changes his

life forever. Onesimus.

Here, we find has changed his life, so the Apostle Paul

realizes his value and realizes also that he was of Great Value

to him in Chains and in Bonks, but he realizes, he can't keep

him. He realizes that onesimus has

unfinished business with Philemon and he knows he has to

send them back. He knows that switch.

Right, so he writes a letter and he sends him back to Philemon.

In this letter, it really. It's a petition to forgive his,

The Plea to forgive what is society.

Say what in society, say, back, in those days about runaway

slaves, I read three things happened to you.

When you were a runaway slave, none of them was very good at

all. They were all terrible.

One of which and here's the extreme.

They were taken to a Roman cross, and they were crucified.

Remember this morning, I said that crucifixion was so awful

that the Romans literally shuddered even think about it or

even speak about it. The terrible thing it was so bad

that a Roman citizen could never be crucified.

We know all that. What if we said for years we

have said crucifixion was for foreign slaves and criminals

that was his fate perhaps to be crucified.

Secondly, there was another thing that would happen to

someone that became a fugitive. A runaway slave.

He was taken, he was bound and he was Cast into prison.

But thirdly, there were something else.

Now, I got to tell you. I grew up around horses and

cattle my entire life. I have branded more cabs than I

could even count. I know what it's like to take a

hot Branding Iron and put it in the fire.

I know what it's like to string a calf on the ground and brand

him on his hip. I know what that's like.

I know the smell of the burning hide in flesh.

I know that too. But I can't fathom what was

happening to fugitives or runaway slaves back in those

times. You know, what they would do,

they would take a hot Branding Iron and it would be the letter

F and F represented. Fugitive, they would take that F

and bore it into the forehead of that slave.

So he would be scarred for the rest of his life.

So, no matter where he went, everybody knew he's a fugitive

and you can't trust him. Terrible.

Things happened to run away. Slaves.

But in contrast, to all this Paul saying I want you to

forgive him, I want you to forget about it.

I want you to forgive him. And really what Paul is saying

is and this is interesting to me.

He's expressing his confidence in Philemon.

Watch this. He's saying in essence, I know

you can forgive onesimus because you have forgiving qualities in

verse 4. He says I thank God.

Good for you. I know you're someone that can

forgive because you have these qualities little side note here.

I never understood. By the way, I never understood

when an older person would withhold praise to someone that

was younger. That was deserving.

I didn't, I've never gotten that.

I don't understand that. I've heard older folks say, to a

younger person. I don't want to give you too

much. Praise because I don't want you

to get the big head. What a dumb thing to say.

If somebody is worthy of praise you give them the praise.

What is Paul doing here? When he talks about the

forgiving qualities that Philemon has.

He's giving him legitimate praise.

Did you know that legitimate? Praise is somebody's greatest

encouragement. I have people in my life that

gave me legitimate praise. Now I'm not talking about

flowery stuff. I'm not talking about fake

stuff. I mean legitimate praise.

That's well deserved and given greatest encouragement.

Withheld. Praise that somebody has coming

is somebody's greatest. Discouragement legitimate,

praise is very important. It becomes two things.

Number one, a nourishing food for virtue, and a strong

antidote against sin. You know why?

Because it Praises someone for the qualities that they possess

and it sets the standard that they need to live up to later on

give you an example. Thought about this just a little

bit ago, I'm a little sad. I was talking to shy about this.

My youngest is 18 and just graduated from high school.

I have been a part of my kids lives.

Both of them are there 1821. I've been a part of every single

thing they've ever done. I've enjoyed it.

I've loved it would have done it another way.

But now I'm going to have to in college very soon.

And all of those days of having the relationship with a your

young child is gone. All I can hope for next is

grandchildren and that's even better because you can just

spoil them rotten and send them back.

So that's coming up. Let me give you an example about

legitimate praise. What if one of your children

goes and there's something that happens and they're going to get

in trouble, but they have the courage to stand there on their

own two feet. Look you in the eye and tell you

the truth. They're going to get in trouble,

but they tell the truth when you praise them, legitimately for

telling the truth. Number one, they have it coming.

Number two, it sets the standard for later on.

They want that reputation. They want to continue with that

reputation. My dad thinks I'm a truthful

courageous person and it's an antidote for future sin.

The Apostle Paul is giving legitimate praise and not only

is well deserved, but it's also extremely brilliant because he's

going to ask him to forgive this runaway slave and just a little

bit number one for having quality that he says, he has.

He says, I know you can forgive because of your concern for the

Lord. Look at verse 5, I have on the

screen hearing of your love and faith, which you have toward the

lord Jesus, Again, well-deserved compliment, absolutely, but it's

extremely brilliant. Paul in essence is saying, I

know. You can forgive Philemon because

of your concern for the Lord. You're a faithful member of the

body of Christ. You are aware of all the things

that the Lord has done for you. You have a desire to honor the

Lord in your life because of your love for the Lord.

Now, if you look at the words up there, you have it in the

present tense. Meaning you You two have.

In other words, this is your reputation.

I thank God for you because you continue to have a concern for

the Lord in Ephesians chapter 4, and verse 32, it says, and be

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving one

another, even as God in Christ, forgave you, in other words,

God, forgives us. Not because we're deserving, but

he does so for Christ's sake. So what does Paul say in

Ephesians? He says, forgive one another As

God, forgives you, and he did. So, for Christ's sake, having a

concern, for the Lord would cause somebody to forgive

Colossians chapter 3 and verse 13.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Bearing with one another and forgiving one, another, if

anyone has a complaint against another even as Christ forgave

you. So you also must do.

So, the first characteristic of a forgiver is to have a concern

for the Lord. Number two to have your concern.

For people in verse 5, it says hearing of your love and faith

which you have toward the lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

I got to say something about love.

First of all, I got to say, what love is not.

You know, love is a lot of things.

But let me talk about what love is not.

Love is not ecumenical. What's that mean ecumenical

ecumenical love is really a denominational or worldly term

and it actually means this, it actually means a, an acceptance

of someone, regardless of what they believe regardless of what

they practice and regardless of what they teach.

Sometimes people say that we should accept people that teach

false Doctrine, because after all, we love them and love being

a queue medical. We And that is not in the Bible,

it doesn't say that at all. In fact, the Bible love that we

read about is always a got Bail of and it's always commanded

love. It's the love.

That is always attributed to God, a love of service and

sacrifice for others. I heard a preacher say one time

about love and I know it's difficult to sometimes folks.

Sometimes people are just not going to give you the warm

fuzzies, it's the way it is. I heard a preacher say one time

there's some people that you love because you really feel

that way and then there's some people that you love because God

said you had to and that's a fact, the kind of love I'm

talking about, though deals with how you treat people.

In fact, that's the difference between love and hate, it's how

you treat. Eat them.

You can say that you feel a certain way, but your Dem, the

demonstration of your actions will prove really what you are.

It is the outward manifestation of what you are on the inside.

So we love her hate someone based upon how we treat them.

Agape love. Concern for people, your love

for people. Paul says Galatians, five and

six for in Christ. Jesus, neither is there

circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but Faith

working through love. And first, John 3:14, we know

John 3:14

that we have passed from Death to life because we love the

Brethren, he who does not love his brother abides in death.

Again, you have the capacity to forgive because of your concern

for the Lord and your concern. For people, but there's more.

Thirdly, your concern for Fellowship.

In verse 6, it says that the sharing of your faith may become

effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in

Christ Jesus. Now the sharing of your faith

means the joint sharing of one's Faith with another Paul saying

this. I want that joint sharing to

become effective and we Vine says that word means powerful

active in action. It's a matter of having an

active faith that has the power to produce.

In other words, Philemon will be able to share his faith more

effectively if he exhibits. The proper spirit in the matter

of hand. Now, Barn says this, he explains

that Paul felt that this case was an opportunity for Philemon

to show the world how much he was governed by the faith of the

Gospel. But number four, he also had the

capacity to forgive because of his Concern for honoring Christ.

First six, again that the sharing of your faith may become

effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in

Christ, Jesus some translations, say for Christ's sake and

literally in the Greek it says unto Christ or for him.

In other words the chit the Christian Life with all of its

Deeds with all of its Joy's with all of its works with all of its

responsibilities is for the glory of Christ or for Christ's

Now, I want to notice this. Now I want to notice the actions

of forgiveness. Here's the thing.

Notice this thing. First of all, beginning in verse

8, let's read that passage First beginning in verse 8, 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 as being such a one as Paul the agent and

now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Now, Now. Instead of commanding Philemon

to forgive onesimus, he says I appeal to you out of love and

then he says some other stuff. We're going to get to in a

minute. Now, picture the scene picture

the scene Philemon is reading the letter.

Standing right in front of him is onesimus.

The runaway slave that had wronged him.

Perhaps ticha kisses standing there?

Who brought the letter to the Colossians Church?

Perhaps he's there as well. But that's the thing now, Paul

says, I come to you as Paul the agent.

What does that mean? Now if somebody said I am so and

so the agent I'm thinking chronologically you're talking

about an old man, you know, Scholars.

Tell us that about the time of this writing, the Apostle Paul

would have been about 60 years old, they say they're about to

give or take and he's writing to a man Philemon that was also

about 60 years. Years old and yet Paul says, I'm

coming to you out of love, as Paul the agent.

What does that mean? Now also in addition to that,

Philemon had her son, our campus, and he is described in

Colossians chapter 4, a son in the ministry, he's a preacher.

Colossians 4 · chapter mention

So you have a man that's old enough to have a son, that's a

preacher, 60 and 60, the two men, Paul and Philemon, but Paul

says, I'm coming to you as Paul the agent, what does that mean?

The word agent? Here carries the idea of age

that has been accelerated By experience.

Give you an example. I rodeoed most of my life until

my I think the lat I like I said at lunch today, the last year I

roped. The Team Roping Tanner was 18

months old. Now he's 18 years old Rodeo,

most of my life. It was a story about to bronc

riders, one of them was a rookie just getting started and the

other was an older bronc Rider, but he was only really like 30,

but he looked old and he looked weathered.

He looked beaten had wrinkles on his face and he's talking to

this young bronc Rider and the young bronc Rider thinks he has

to be at least 60 and he says to him, you're how old are you

said, well son, I'm 30. He said man, you look way older

than that. He said, it's not the years,

son, it's the miles, it's about aging, by way of experience,

that's what Paul was saying. I know for a fact a little bit

about that, I know, I don't look like an older person, but I know

I look a lot older now than I did seven years ago.

And cancer did that I think cancer aged me.

I think some of the experiences that we have, in life age us,

they turn our hair gray, they make our face wrinkled.

Sometimes we are aged by experience.

That's what Paul was talking about.

What else did Paul say? He said, I bear in my body, the

marks of the Lord Jesus, in other words, the experiences

that he had, that's what he's talking about.

And he's getting to the tender heart of Philemon and he says,

I'm coming to you not by command.

And by the way, Paul could have commanded by Apostolic authority

to say, you take him back, that's the way that it is.

And that's what you're going to do, and he doesn't do that.

He said I could have done it that way. but I come to you out

of love as Paul the agent, you know it kind of rattled the

change a little bit but then he goes on a little further if

that's not enough he says oh and by the way I come to you as a

prisoner of Jesus Christ. Have you ever noticed that Paul

never said prisoner of Rome? He always referred to it as a

prisoner of Jesus Christ. He's appealing to him out of

these things. Paul the agent and a prisoner of

Jesus Christ. Out of love in verse 10, here's

the request. All that being said.

Now here's the request I appeal to you for my son onesimus, who

might be gotten while in my chains?

Now, there are three actions of forgiveness, three actions of

forgiveness. Number one is reception is

reception read with me, verses 11 through 14, who was once

unprofitable to you, But now is profitable to you and to me I'm

sending him back. You, therefore receive him.

That's my own heart whom I wish to keep with me that on your

behalf he might minister to me in my change for the gospel, but

without your consent I wanted to do nothing.

That your good deed might not be by compulsion as it were but

voluntarily. So why take him back?

Why take him back? Because of three things.

Watch this. He is repentant, he is

transformed and Is proven faithful three things.

He is repentant, he's transformed and he is proven

faithful. Now, you might say, wait a

minute, where is it's a repentance?

Where does it say that there's repentance there in the life of

onesimus? I think it's implied, it's

implied twofold. Number one, it's obviously

implied in the very fact that he's now a Christian repentance

is a changing of the mind that leads to a change of life.

It's a matter of changing In your heart and that's the mind.

The very fact that he was a Christian.

Now demonstrates, that he is different, that he is changed,

that he is repentant. I think by his actions, he's

done that. Remember John the Baptist said

to the scribes and Pharisees to show the fruits of repentance

and not just say the words, you know, my father shot his

grandfather. I never really paid attention.

I never really realized how much I was listening to my father,

over the years when he was guiding me and raising me.

And some of the things I have to freely admit to you.

Some of the things that my father said to me over the

years, I didn't like here. Like I go and make a mistake or

I would do something and perhaps I would do it over and over and

over again. And then I would come to my dad

and I'd say a sorry, dad and my dad would say things like why

don't you be sorry before you do it or or time will tell if you

really are sorry because it will manifest itself in better

Behavior. Listen, I believe in the

philosophy. I believe in the concept that we

are what? We are.

Absolutely I tell my kids that I told them that their whole life.

You are what you are. Why, because you do what you do.

Man, my kids hated hearing that but you know what did I tell

him? You know what?

If you don't like the reality change, the reality and you can

do that. But you are what you are because

you do what you do. That's what my father was saying

in time, it'll show if you really are, sorry, because you

keep doing the same thing over and over in time, it'll show if

you really are repentant and you've really made the change

nothing. I used to hate hearing, my dad

says this, are you sorry really or are you?

Sorry, you just got caught. My father was pretty brilliant

at the time. I didn't think he was but he was

pretty brilliant. This man is changed in his

behavior. And that brings us to the second

part right there and that is. He's transformed he's

transformed Paul says receive him back.

Take him back because he's repented and secondly he's

transformed in verse 11. Who was once unprofitable to

you? But now is profitable to you.

And to me, in other words, he's not the same guy.

You know what's interesting about the words in English

useless and useful, they kind of sound similar, but they're

different. Okay, you know, they had a name

for slaves to, you know, it's interesting in the Bible is

usually Bible names meant something.

We can go back to various When Rachel gave birth and to a son

she died in childbirth and son was called benoni or son of my

sorrow later. Changed to Benjamin son of my

right hand. What about mephibosheth?

Mephibosheth. His name actually means

dispeller of Shame which I don't understand.

Because he was really the object of Shame.

But names in the Bible usually meant something.

Did you know that the word onesimus also means something,

it actually means useful. I understand too that we slaves

were slaves back then if they would have a useful slave they

would be given the nickname onesimus in other words, he is

useful. And if over a period of time,

they continued to be such. They actually bore that name in

a Permanent way. What he's saying is he's

transformed. He was not useful to you before,

but he is useful to you again onesimus.

Now. Why?

Because he's transformed and he's profitable for you, he can

serve you in the right manner. For the right reasons, listen to

Colossians chapter 3. And by the way, this would have

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

been brought at the same time this letter, 22 and 23.

Listen to this Bond servants obey in all things your Masters

according to the flesh. Not with eyeservice as men

Pleasers. But in sincerity of heart

fearing God and whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord

and not to men. So Paul is telling Philemon that

onesimus is now useful because he's now living up to his name.

Why he's transformed? He's repentant he's not the same

guy but number three. He's proven faithful, proven

faithful verse 12. I'm sending him back.

You therefore receive him and then it says that is my own

heart. All right, got to make a point

about heart. That's from the new King James.

Now, sometimes people say this things like this, they say, I

know what the Bible says, but I just feel it in my heart.

Okay, that's not the heart of the Bible, the heart of the

Bible. All deals with the person's

intellect. In fact, the heart of the Bible

thinks reasons believes and will base among other things, as with

the heart of the Bible is so a person that changes their heart

is a person that changes their mind.

It is not a better felt than told process.

Okay, that's the heart of the Bible, that's not what this word

is. When Paul said in the new King

James that is my I want you to receive him back because of all

those things. That is my own.

That's not the same word. In fact, the King James.

I think it's a better translation of that word.

It says that is mine own bowels. In other words it refers to the

deepest feeling in your heart. It'd be the same thing.

If I went up to Shahi and I said Shaw, hey, I'm asking you to do

this. I know it's difficult but I'm

asking you from the bottom of my heart.

That's exactly what Paul is saying.

That's what he says when he says that is mine.

Own heart. That word in the Bible, when

it's used is always referring to the deepest part of a man's

emotion. Not the heart of the Bible,

different word, verse 13, watch this whom I wish to keep with me

that on your behalf he might minister to me in my change.

Paul said, even though I keep him here for myself, I would

love to keep him here for myself.

I can't do that. You know, I think what he's

saying is to, he is so valuable this ex-slave of yours.

He is so valuable and useful that he helped me in my chains.

Just as if it was you, that was there.

Doing the very same thing. I count it as if it was you He's

transformed. He's proven faithful.

But in verse 14, But without your consent, I wanted to do

nothing. That your good deed.

Must be by compulsion as it were but voluntarily.

So the reason you should receive him, he's repentant transformed

and proven faithful. But the second part, the second

action of forgiveness is restoration restoration.

Beginning in verse 6, 15 for perhaps, he was departed for a

while for this purpose that you might receive him forever.

No longer as a slave but more than a slave of beloved brother.

Especially to me. But how much more do you both in

My Flesh? And in the Lord, now,

commentators will say that. The entire thing that happened

was providential and why not? Why could it not be?

Surely, it could be providential.

I heard Joe. Hisle say one time recently, he

said everything's providential, he said the difference between

coincidence and Providence is coincidence, is Providence

incognito. Okay.

I'll accept that. Why could it not be

providential? But even still, if it wasn't it,

at least the saying he departed for a while and it was a good

thing that he departed for a while.

Because now he's a faithful member of the body of Christ.

He's a Christian and I'm sending him back to you to be restored.

A brother in Christ. In fact, where it says restore

forever to receive forever. Always means eternally.

In other words, you now Have this relationship with him in

this life and also for eternity. It's at least that.

Now here's the third one and this one's hard.

Here's the third one, the third and final one.

Restitution. Verses 17 and 18.

If you count me as a partner, Receive him as you would me.

But if he has wronged you were owes you, anything put that on

my account now. There's a wrong done, obviously

needs to be made right whatever file in the Philemon is out

financially. He's got it coming back to him

and what would he have been out financially?

Well, number one, there would be the price that he paid for

onesimus. The first time, the price of the

slave, number two, it would have been the price of his

replacement. Now, we can read back when

Joseph was sold into slavery. He was sold by his brothers for

20 pieces of silver, the price of a slave, when Jesus was

betrayed, he was betrayed and sold for 30 pieces of silver.

The price of a slave I read at the time of this writing that

the price of a slave would have been about 500 denarii.

I or 500 day's wages so he would have been out at least the price

that he paid for onesimus the price that he paid to replace

him. But there's more, you know,

during this time there It was a, it was very common that people

that had slaves, people that had slaves, sometimes those slaves

would prove themselves to be worthwhile and worthy over time

and they would free them. In fact, in a 30-year period,

five hundred thousand slaves were released to Rome So you

don't roam said, Rome said, so it doesn't become an

overwhelming problem. Does you got all these homeless

slaves coming into Rome? This is what you're going to do

and it was under the idea of manumission it was the idea of

the freeing of the slaves. This is what you're going to do,

you can free the slave, but you o five percent tax on his value

had to pay taxes. So can't you see, watch this,

the price of onesimus, the price of his replacement and the

taxation. He would have paid as a result.

He is at least out all of that. Now some commentators would say

that onesimus stole money from Philemon, on the way out the

door and that's what he meant when he says what he owes you.

There's there's no evidence of that to me.

There's no evidence. But Philemon is out some stuff,

right? And here is this slave.

And he's got nothing. But he's a Christian now and

Paul sends him back and says accept him back.

You know, restitution is what has always been important.

Remember when Zacchaeus and Luke chapter 19, you know he was a

Luke 19 · chapter mention

tax collector, he was a publican.

And Zacchaeus as it climbs that sycamore, tree to see the king

to see Jesus. You remember what Zacchaeus said

it's has been Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord Lord look

I'll give half of my goods to the poor.

And if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation,

I restore fourfold. Jesus said today, salvation has

come to this house. Paul is saying if you consider

me a partner which means a fellow Christian, then receive

him as you would me. And if he has wronged you or

owes you anything, I love this. He says put that on my account,

don't you see a little picture here?

Can't we see a little picture? In this little scenario,

Philemon represents the one that's wronged.

In this little scenario from a spiritual perspective, it

represents God who has been wronged onesimus run.

Represents the sinner that ran away from God.

God has been wrong, God is wrong.

When we sin there, had to be somebody to pay the price Paul

represents. Jesus Christ in this when he

says, put it on my account and incidentally, I like what

somebody said, one time he said you never become more like God.

Than when you forgive. And you never become more like

Jesus than when you pay the price for somebody else.

Paul said he's got nothing. I want you to take him back

because he's repentant, he's transformed, he's proven

faithful, he's a faithful friend.

He had to leave for a time. Providentially probably, he had

to leave for a time that you can receive him forever.

Not only in this life as a fellow Christian but also in the

life that is to come eternally. Receive and forgive this runaway

slave in closing this afternoon, you know, we don't hear any more

about Philemon. We only hear about his son our

campus, but I believe that he forgave onesimus.

I believe that He restored him. I believe he forgave his debt

and by the way, you know, when the Bible says to owe, no, man,

anything I'm going to close with this, but when the Bible says

owe, no man, anything but to love one another you know,

there's a, there's something in there that we have to look at

When it says owe. No man, anything, it's talking

about depths now. It doesn't mean that you can't

pay on credit. It doesn't mean you cannot pay

overtime. I've heard people interpret it,

that way, you can't do anything, you have to pay cash for

everything, that that's not what that means.

What it means is we have to honor all of our debts.

We have to honor all of our obligations.

So when it says owe no man, anything it means.

I'm gonna honor my obligations to a person that I owe it to and

I'm going to A on it for the rest of my life until it's paid

off. But then it says, but to love

one another that is the debt that we pay that we will never

pay off forever. Forever.

Now, if somebody says, I'll just use shy, if Shahi, I owed Shahi

money and I said, I can't pay And he said, pay me a dollar a

month and I do, I've satisfied that debt but what if shot he

says that's okay. You don't owe it.

I forgive you the debt. Okay, I'm not liable and I'm off

the hook in that regard. He forgave me, the debt that I

could not pay. From a spiritual perspective.

Folks. This is really the entire Point.

Jesus paid a price. He didn't know because we had a

debt, we couldn't pay. In this scenario, in this

scenario he was a runaway slave that couldn't pay his dad.

Either. Paul said, put it on my account.

Forgiving a runaway slave.