THE GOSPEL BRINGS RECONCILIATION

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A sermon outline

Presented to

Instructor: Bobby Liddell

Memphis School of Preaching

Memphis, Tennessee

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As a Requirement in

Hebrews - Philemon

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By

David Jiménez

October 8, 2020
INTRODUCTION

1. One of the most ignored epistles of Paul contains one of the most important messages for

our time.

a. In a society full of fear and division, the letter proclaims a gospel which brings

reconciliation and joy.

b. It brings us a lesson on how our social and personal relationships should be when

we are in the Lord.

2. In the letter Paul appeals for his son in the faith Onesimus.

1. He was a slave in the house of Philemon, a prominent member in the Colossian

church (v. 1-2).

2. Onesimus came in contact with Paul who was in prison, he had presumably run

away from his master. In their encounter Paul converts Onesimus to the Lord (v. 8-

10).

3. Paul entreats Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a brother

in Christ (v. 11-20).

3. We can find three elements in this account about how the gospel works in our life:

a. The gospel brings encounter.

b. It brings reencounter.

c. It brings reconciliation.

I. THE GOSPEL BRINGS ENCOUNTER (v. 10-12)

gospel.

1. Had not Paul been preaching Christ all around the world, he would have

been in that prison (v. 1, 9).

2. He could not have been able to meet this young man who was seeking for

help to get up again back on his feet.

3. The life of faith that Paul lived brought him up to this point where he

could be able to encounter a man that needed him.

B. The situation in which both of them were not the best but were appropriate for

Onesimus to know the gospel.

1. From the world’s perspective both Paul and Onesimus were in a condition

not at all desirable.

2. One was a prisoner in the midst of persecution against his faith and the

other was a fugitive slave that could be in serious danger for his life.

a. The masters had the right to punish and even kill their disobedient

slaves.

b. His life could have been at the stake.

3. But God used these two situations for their own good and the good of the

church.

4. Through this unexpected encounter Paul could bring another disciple to

the feet of Christ. This was an encounter in the providence of God.

1. He looked at him, first of all, as a fellow human being, not as a fugitive

slave that was disobeying the law.

2. He looked at him as someone of whom he could be a help, as someone to

whom he could show kindness.

D. Paul saw Onesimus as someone to whom he had to preach the gospel.

1. He did not only see Onesimus’ physical needs but he saw that his spiritual

needs were more urgent.

2. He did not let this opportunity to slip away.

3. If it is possible to imagine a scenario of how the conversation could have

gone, I imagine that:

a. Paul asked why he had not been baptized even when his master

hosted the meetings of the church? (v. 2).

b. Onesimus’ might have told about his doubts and struggles and

Paul addressed them to finally teach him what he was in need of

doing.

4. How wonderful it is to read how dear and close Onesimus was for Paul in

such a short time.

E. The gospel should make us aware that we share the world with others.
 1. The gospel should bring encounters in which we can also show our

kindness, our care and our urge to preach Jesus Christ.

2. Our life in Christ should make us go out into the world and meet the

people that we ought to help (Gal. 6:10).

II. THE GOSPEL BRINGS RE-ENCOUNTER (v. 12-15).

A. The separation between Onesimus and Philemon had caused pain in both of

them.

1. We do not know the causes for their separation, but surely something had

gone wrong in their relationship of master and slave.

2. Probably Onesimus had done something wrong against his master, and

that forced him to run away, but probably Philemon had done something

wrong to Onesimus forcing him to escape.

a. Some have said that Onesimus stole something form his master, or

probably the mere running away was in itself something wrong

against Philemon.

b. Could not be also that angrily and bitterly Philemon “fired” and

sent away Onesimus for being useless or unprofitable?

3. Either way, something had been broken in their lives when this

relationship had failed.

B. For many this separation would have been the most helpful solution: everyone

takes its own road.

together again is a good and peaceful solution as we think Paul thought in

Acts 15:37-41.

2. But this is not attitude of Paul in regards to Onesismus and Philemon.

3. The new situation in which Onesimus is, should be a new opportunity to

recover what he had in the past. A new beginning to make all things right.

4. A reencounter had to happen.

C. God worked this reencounter for good for Philemon, Onesimus, Paul and the

church.

1. Paul’s statement in verse 15 “perhaps he therefore departed for a season,

that thou shouldest receive him forever”, sums up what a reencounter in the

gospel should be.

2. Paul knows that this separation can be hurtful for both as well as for the

church. What could happen in the church at the house of Philemon knowing

that one of his slaves run away?

3. This might be room for murmuring against the Lord, both from people

within and without.

4. But Paul is confident that this short separation became the perfect

opportunity for a perpetual reencounter, for the glory of God.

D. Sometimes separation brings a more joyful reencounter in the future when we

trust in God.
 1. Paul’s words and actions should be the example for us.

2. Let us trust in God and look for opportunities to reencounter those with

whom we have had conflicts in the past.

3. The gospel gives us the possibility to make things right in those

relationships that have failed in the past.

4. As Paul did with Mark at the end of his life (2 Tim. 4:11).

III. THE GOSPEL IS RECONCILIATION (v. 16-21).

A. The life of Onesimus changed radically.

1. Spiritually, he had found the only means that could bring salvation unto

him, he has found the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Socially, he has the hope that his master might set him free due to the

appeal of Paul.

a. Paul saw as a logical response to the saving call of the gospel to

set him free from his earthly bonds.

b. The gospel changes every aspect in our life.

B. The Gospel made possible a liberation from sin and from the bond of physical

and spiritual enslavement.

1. In Christ God reconciled the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19).

2. And thus he has made us free from sin and death, in order that we might

live a life of obedience to God.

longer subjects to the powers of this world, since the Lord of all is Christ

(Matt. 28:20; Acts 10:36: Here Paul realizes that since salvation has been

brought to Gentiles, Jesus has to be Lord of all).

4. And so He has broken down all walls of partition between nations. In him

we are one in Christ (Eph. 2:19; Gal. 3:28).

C. The Gospel healed the wounds in both men.

1. With the appeal of Paul, the return of Onesimus should be wonderful

news for Philemon, in that he no longer has a slave, but a brother in Christ!

2. And this return and reconciliation between the two, will bring joy to the

heart of Paul (v. 19-20).

3. Notice how Paul calls Philemon to do this “in the Lord”. This is not

something external or just a side note to the work as a Christian. This is what

the gospel is about!

D. The Gospel is what can heal the wounds that we have inflicted on each other.

1. Knowing that we have been made right in our relationship with God, we

should strive to make right our relationships with others!

2. We should be noted by our quickness to forgive and to ask for

forgiveness, as we strive to reconcile the world unto God.

3. A world that is not reconciled within itself, cannot be reconciled to God.

And this is what Christ came to do through the gospel!

wounds to become one people under God.

CONCLUSION

1. The letter to Philemon draws a picture in which the gospel brings to our life:

a. Encounters to aid those in need and preach the gospel.

b. Reencounters that fill our heart with joy

c. And reconciliation that heals the wounds between us and God.

2. May we all let the gospel shape our life in our relationships between us.

a. So that we might become a world of peace.

b. So that one day we can be one people of God for eternity in heaven.