Wednesday, May 17, 2023

           ¹ From Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy – To our friend and fellow worker Philemon, ² and the church that meets in your house, and our sister Apphia, and our fellow soldier Archippus: ³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

           ⁴ Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God. ⁵ For I hear of your love for all of God’s people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. ⁶ My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ. ⁷ Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God’s people.

           ⁸ For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done. ⁹ But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake. ¹⁰ So I make a request to you on behalf of Onesimus, who is my own son in Christ; for while in prison I have become his spiritual father. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him back to you now, and with him goes my heart. ¹³ I would like to keep him here with me, while I am in prison for the gospel’s sake, so that he could help me in your place. ¹⁴ However, I do not want to force you to help me; rather, I would like for you to do it of your own free will. So I will not do anything unless you agree.

           ¹⁵ It may be that Onesimus was away from you for a short time so that you might have him back for all time. ¹⁶ And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord! ¹⁷ So, if you think of me as your partner, welcome him back just as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to my account. ¹⁹ Here, I will write this with my own hand: I, Paul, will pay you back (I should not have to remind you, of course, that you owe your very self to me.) ²⁰ So, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake; as a brother in Christ, cheer me up! ²¹ I am sure, as I write this, that you will do what I ask—in fact I know that you will do even more. ²² At the same time, get a room ready for me, because I hope that God will answer the prayers of all of you and give me back to you. ²³ Epaphras, who is in prison with me for the sake of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, ²⁴ and so do my co-workers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. ²⁵ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.                                                                                                                            Philemon 1 – 25

       That great Christmas hymn, O Holy Night, has a line that says: “Chains shall He break for the slave is my brother, and in His Name all oppression shall cease.”  This is Paul’s ultimate message to Philemon; Onesimus is truly Philemon’s brother, humanly and spiritually; thus, he must be received as such.  

       American society is dealing with the hangover of past racism and those who just won’t let it go.  First, there are those who just keep hanging onto it; they refuse to see the person before them as a brother or sister regardless of their nationality or the color of their skin.  There is still racism in America.  But then, there is also the hangover.  While some try to move on and move beyond our nation’s past sins, we are tied to an anchor by those who profit from not letting go.  Our politicians would rather keep us divided by skin color than to acknowledge that we are really one race.  Some benefit socially and economically by such divisions.  

       And then, there is the man in the mirror.  That’s the one I’m worried about.  I proclaim that I am not racist; yet, I have stereotypes.  I have friends of other nationalities and skin colors; yet, they are usually “like me.”  When will I learn?  When will I grow beyond this plain that I’ve been resting on for 58 years?  O God, help me live as though the Onesimuses of this world ARE my brother and sister, receiving them and living with them as equals in Your family.  Amen!

God is truly “no respecter of persons.”  He makes it “shine on the just and the unjust.”