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PHILEMON 22
(Reading: WCF. Art.26; Phil.1:18c-30)
One Thing That Means Everything!
Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ…
It’s almost seems an incidental remark the way our text begins.
Paul writes, “And one thing more…”
It is almost like saying, “Well, while I’ve got you on the ’phone...”
Not that they had ’phones then, but isn’t this put in that way we can often remember things just before we’re about to say goodbye?
And isn’t it when we remember that other thing in our communicating that we get back to more normal things?
Just like this brings in a more everyday Christian matter.
Because the plea for Onesimus was a special case.
That’s really why Paul has written to Philemon.
But, since he’s writing anyway, he also mentions an everyday detail.
It’s a phrase which literally translates as, “And at the same time…”, or “meanwhile”.
In our language we would say something like, “While you’re at it…”
It is about a different thing altogether.
One of those things that you use to fill in.
“Oh, by the way,” says Paul, “there’s just this one other thing.”
Or is it?
Just a nice thing to say, helping to fill in the end of the scroll?
Or could it be Paul has something quite important to say?
Something about how Paul is looking to come and see how things are going?
This is not such a direct hint, still it leaves something hanging there in the background of their hearts and minds.
It seems simply a practical consideration.
Something often done at that time.
But he says it so keenly!
In fact, he puts it most positively, “Prepare a guest room for me.”
The confidence of verse 21 carries on.
And why shouldn’t it?
This is part of the whole picture.
And the scene as a whole is rich with expectation.
When he writes, “Prepare a guest room for me,” the apostle looks towards this.
This is our first aspect to our text.
THE APOSTLE LOOKS TOWARDS THIS.
You see, we don’t hear in this words any “maybes”.
This is not, “I think I might be able to come,” or, “perhaps they’ll release me soon.”
This is most definite!
And why shouldn’t it be?
Our Westminster Confession of Faith, in Article 26, has the same climate, the same longing anticipation (cf. Belgic Art.28).
There we also hear of seeking the precious communion of the saints.
Mind you, perhaps you’re still wondering how that ties in here?
Where, you ask, is the connection between this imprisoned apostle expecting to visit the Colossian Christians, and our obligations as church members?
Whatever does our Confession of Faith have to do with this?
The answer lies with the need to meet together.
Paul knew that as much as he was able it was his calling to equip the Church across the Roman Empire to be a faithful witness for her Lord.
And he knows that a vital part of this is to be there with them.
Paul has just written about the need for Onesimus to be accepted into the church.
Now he asks that they will receive him also.
“Prepare a guest room for me,” he says.
The apostle will bend his neck together with these under the yoke of the Jesus Christ.
He will serve to build them up, using the gifts God has given him for that.
And he’ll be able to do that exactly because they are showing an important side to the Christian life.
You see, Paul will have somewhere to stay with them.
Despite what could be a hostile world against the early believers, yet they’ll look after their own.
In the words of Romans 12, verse 13, they practised hospitality.
Out there on the dry and dusty road, you knew you would always have somewhere to stay if there were believers in the next town.
They lived out the words of our Lord himself in Matthew 11, verse 28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
And certainly they lived out the further words of Jesus in Mark 9, verse 41.
There he told his apostles, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”
Philemon faithfully followed the footsteps of the Master.
In fact, he was known throughout the churches as a most generous man for hospitality.
We picked up an indication of this in the verses 4 and 5.
There Paul had written, “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.”
And further down in verse 7, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”
Whatever his gifting was, it was directed towards the special care of others.
Isn’t providing hospitality exactly that?
Congregation, today we shouldn’t be ashamed to say the same.
There are some among us who are more gifted socially.
They can straight-away make a visitor feel special, and have them over to stay.
But we all need to practice hospitality.
It’s not without reason that being hospitable is a compulsory aspect to the qualifications for eldership in Titus chapter 1, verse 8.
That’s how important it is.
The leadership of the church are modelling the way as to how to look after the Lord’s own.
So it’s quite natural for Paul to have this expectation.
There will be a room waiting.
At the same time Jesus promised those places waiting for us in the mansions of glory above, he also said that he would look after us until then.
THE APOSTLE LOOKS TOWARDS THIS.
He sees that he needs to be doing the Lord’s work there.
He recognises how the Lord has provided those among his people to receive him and care for him there.
That’s why, in the second place, THE APOSTLE LABOURS FOR THIS.
After Paul says, “Prepare a guest room for me,” he writes, “because I hope.”
Now, at first, this can seem to contradict what he’s just said.
If he has given such a precise instruction why does he then “hope” it will happen.
Doesn’t he believe the Lord will do it for him?
Actually, that’s why he says it this way.
In the words of John Calvin, “Although we don’t know whether Paul was released from prison, this statement has nothing absurd about it, even if his hope in God’s temporal kindness wasn’t fulfilled.
“His confidence in his release was always on condition that it should seem good to God, and he always kept an open mind till events should make God’s will plain.”
Paul honestly hoped that he would share communion with them.
He planned exactly for that.
He had to.
It was his calling.
He knew it was the work the Lord gave him to do.
This was what we heard him say to the Philippians.
While he was still alive, he says to them in chapter 1 verse 21, it’s all for Christ.
That means ‘fruitful labour.’
You might know the saying that goes, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll be sure to hit it!”?
Well, it couldn’t be more the opposite here.
This hope was prayer at work.
You see, Paul knows it is in God’s hands.
If something was meant to happen it would.
That’s why he was going on the way he should.
This is how we come to the next aspect in verse 22.
In the words of a third aspect to this verse we see ... THE APOSTLE LIVES THROUGH THIS.
Congregation, note how the text ends.
The apostle says, “because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.”
And we especially note that the “you” here is plural.
So the whole Colossian church is laying before the Lord their pleas for Paul.
Like we would do it with our prayers, so were they.
Because how do we pray?
When anyone among us is sick or injured, or there’s a separation between husband and wife, or fellow believers in the Lord are divided, don’t we ask for healing?
Of course!
That’s how we know we look to doing the Lord’s work again.
That’s restoration.
That’s the most tremendous thing!
The N.I.V. 84 can confuse us at this point, however, with this word “restore”.
Because here it’s not translating the normal word for “restore”.
Actually the original word here is the word “to give.”
And it’s a word here that’s both passive and future.
So the English Standard Version conveys it well when it says, “for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.”
Paul is certain of the prayers of all the Colossian saints on his behalf.
And he knows that it’s in answer to their prayers, and, indeed, the prayers of many other believers, that he will be set free.
Through this vital connection with the Lord he would hear an answer.
Would there be “restoration”?
Could he be with them once again?
Well, he knew his prayers would be answered.
Perhaps not the way they had specifically prayed.
But there’s always an answer.
And this is an answer which is for their ultimate good.
When he wrote to the Philippians Paul knew that he would die soon, even though he’d prayed often that it wouldn’t be so.
But listen to the spirit he has underneath it all!
As we read in Philippians 1 verse 25, “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.”
Until the Almighty God had finished with his maturing in the faith, on this earth, he has to stay!
He’s still got work to do for his Lord.
There’s yet more prayer we need to offer to him so that we are open to being led by him, and to witness by our praise to him.
You have still to be given for the benefit of others.
That’s how Paul saw it, and so must we!
Our calling is nothing less.
Following on where our Saviour and Lord has been, we too are being poured out as living sacrifices.
Does this verse 22 mean we should have more people around for coffee?
No - not just that.
Congregation, it means that we provide the way through which other believers can give themselves even more for the Lord.
If that means sharing with them over coffee, do it!
And as much as you can!
And if it means opening our homes to other believers, who aren’t related to us, and whom we might not get on so well with, then maybe we’re called to be sacrifices that way.
And not so that they can abuse what we have.
We’re not meant to be some easy push-overs!
This is so that they can use what they have to the further glory of the Lord.
Friends, that’s what the spiritual, Christian family is about.
We accept each other, not for the sake of each other, but because we’re related in faith.
It’s true what they say.
You can’t choose your family.
And that’s how it is also in our church family.
But, you know, it’s just as well.
Because then we would never ever have chosen the Lord in the first place!
It’s only in his Spirit that we can live and have our being.
May we be strengthened in that tremendous assurance again today!
The Lord opened his home to us, when we didn’t have anywhere to stay.
And he’s done it so that we’ll also share our homes with other family, too.
What else could you do?
Amen.
PRAYER:
Let’s pray...
Dear Friend of sinners, you have prepared Paradise for us - weak, difficult and stumbling believers though we are.
Lord, do stir in our hearts that as we’ve got that eternal home in glory above, that we’re not mean in sharing these temporary physical houses we have now.
But make us use all you have given us now so that the greater glory may be to you.
For great things you have done - and great things you will surely do!
Because it is in your great name we pray, the name above all names, the name of pure unmerited favour, the Name of Jesus.
In his most precious and saving name, we pray.
Amen.
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Sjirk Bajema, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
The source for this sermon was: www.rcnz.org.nz
(c) Copyright, Rev. Sjirk Bajema
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