Note: Because of technical issues this weekend, we were unable to livestream our worship. Pastor Glenn preached on the Book of Philemon as part of our “Paul’s Greatest Hits” sermon series. Below is the Reading, Understanding the Reading, and the Sermon from the July 5-6 weekend worship.
Understanding the Reading
Welcome to Week 4 of Paul’s Greatest Hits, a sermon series focusing on seven of the Apostle Paul’s most memorable and impactful New Testament writings. Last week, Pastor Angela helped us to understand what it means to be the body of Christ using our body cells. She explained that each cell in the body is unique and that all are needed. This week, we are in the book of Philemon, the shortest letter by Paul but one of the most radical.
The letter can be summarized in this statement: Philemon, this is your sibling.
Here’s the back story…. After meeting Paul, Philemon (a Roman Aristocrat) becomes a follower of Jesus and starts a house church in Colossae and served as its presider. Philemon had wealth, power, privilege, and slaves. Slaves were a part of Roman society. Onesimus, one of Philemon’s slaves, had wronged him and runs away in fear. Onesimus is imprisoned in the same prison as Paul and—after listening to Paul—becomes a follower of Jesus, serving as Paul’s assistant.
As you will hear in the reading, Paul would like Onesimus to stay with him but knows it is only right that Philemon and Onesimus reconcile and forgive. Paul asks Philemon to welcome Onesimus back not as a slave but as a sibling. Forgive the mistakes of the past and work together as siblings. A former slave, now as a sibling, Paul challenges everything Philemon knew as a Roman citizen. Paul then demonstrates the love of Jesus by telling Philemon that he, Paul, will repay whatever Onesimus owes—money, property, life. Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like Jesus, doesn’t it? The one who sacrificed himself for the sake of humanity—that all might know the way of love. We prepare to hear the reading.
Scripture Reading: Philemon, Verses 6, 9-19
6 My dear Philemon, I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we[‘d] share in Christ. 9 I appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11 Do not hold his past mistakes against him, for he is now a sibling to us in the love of God. He is helpful to me and will be to you. 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved sibling—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand.
Sermon: “This Is Your Sibling”
Siblings in Christ, thank you for being the love of God in the world.
It was a faith forming event. I was a social work student doing field work in Gary, Indiana. Nitty Franklin, a Black man, was my partner. We learned a lot from each other. Nitty was from Chicago, and I had grown up in the lily-white dairy country of Wisconsin.
I ran into Nitty at the student union. “Hey Glenn, come meet my brother Neil.”
“Sure,” and as I walked up, I saw a white guy standing next to Nitty and asked, “Where’s your brother?”
Nitty pointed to the white guy standing next to him with a big grin, “Here,” he replied.
Embarrassed, I asked, “Oh, how are you related?”
He responded, “Oh, we’re not—just by church.” By church…
“Oh, what church is that?” I asked.
“Holy Family Lutheran Church, near Cabrini Green Project, Northside Chicago. We went to school there.”
“So, is that what you do at your church, refer to each other as sisters and brothers?”
Both looked at me a bit shocked. “NOOOO, it’s something we do,” Nitty explained. “God’s love makes us all family, so we call each other brother to remind us we are family.”
I’ve lost track of Nitty over the years, but the lesson and the faith it formed for me has not been forgotten. Paul’s letter to Philemon brought the memory back: we are siblings in the love of God.
The lesson I learned from Nitty and the teaching in our reading stand in stark contrast to what I see happening in the United States today. Human rights are being violated in the pursuit of control. Fear and violence are being used to subjugate people. A wise mentor advised me not too long ago that when things are not as I would like to stop complaining about what I don’t like and become what I would like.
July 4th weekend is a good reminder that followers of Jesus strive to be good citizens, holding up the vision that all have been created equal and that we must pursue liberty and justice for all. So, I strive to be informed, to use the power of my voice, my presence, and my vote to honor what the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and its Bill of Rights stand for.
The United States of America is a democracy and must never be a theocracy—the lessons of history are clear. Theocracies are too easily corrupted to the will of those in power. The love of God is never mandated or forced, manipulated or controlled. It is given as a gift. Faith and citizenship have a connection. Faith gives us a clear vision of how we are to care for neighbor, and citizenship provides the guard rails to do so.
So, let’s examine ourselves in the light of Paul’s instructions to Philemon. Onesimus is no longer a slave, no longer second class. He is family. We must welcome others as if we are welcoming Jesus. The Neighborhood Extravaganza coming up next Wednesday, July 9, at Windom Park is an opportunity to practice what we preach, loving God and loving neighbor. More about that in a bit….
Faith is clear, but what are the guard rails? The guard rails are our Constitution and Bill of Rights—forged in very difficult times. King George III of England was losing control of the colonies. Afraid, he demanded loyalty, using violence to intimidate and control the people.
The people had no voice. Judges were set in place who would only do the will of the king. Foreign soldiers, mercenaries, were deployed to harass and dominate the people, controlling them with intimidation and fear. Heavy taxes were imposed to pay for King George’s penchant for domination. The people of the colonies felt enslaved. “No taxation without representation” became their rallying cry.
Our forebears came pursuing personal and religious freedom, freedom from theocracy, where leaders shaped God in their image, blurring the lines between church and state.
Religious freedom was so important that it became the First Amendment of the Constitution. It states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
I bring this up because I am deeply concerned about the rise of Christian Nationalism. At first glance, it might seem honorable, holding up Christian values, but it is a movement that blurs the lines between religion and government, making way for theocracy. Proponents of Christian Nationalism are convinced that if America would become a Christian republic, America’s problems would be solved. It is important to note that conservative Christians who are active in religious practices such as worship, prayer, and Bible study are less likely to be involved in Christian Nationalism because Christian Nationalism is less about the will of God and more about power, control and order. Christian Nationalists value native-born over foreign-born Americans. They see a necessary hierarchy between men and women, and they seek to preserve a white supremacy.
Apostle Paul makes it clear in our reading for today that if we believe that God’s love is equal for all, as we see in Jesus, then we are siblings, and human rights must be upheld. Paul restates this truth in his letter the Galatians: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all are one in Christ Jesus.
Faith tells us who our neighbor is and how we are to love them. Citizenship holds onto the value that we are governed by the people for the people, helping us to live together in civility and respect. I know we have a lot of work to do before we truly reach a multiracial democracy, but I am hopeful. I suggest we practice what we preach this Wednesday, July 9th, at the Neighborhood Extravaganza. Come meet one new person, introduce yourself, and ask that person, “What is your name?” Repeat it, and spell it back to them, even if it is a simple name like Bob. It will help you remember. And if you sense they are reluctant to talk, thank them for coming. If you sense they are okay with a conversation, ask them what they like about the party and what brought them there? Remember: it is about seeing them as a sibling in the family of God.