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Paul meets the Prodigal

A message preached at the Young People’s Fellowship meeting in Kilskeery, Friday 1st December by Rev Ivan Foster.

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,” Philemon 1:10.

What I hope to say to you is something that I learned about a long time ago – in my second year of study as a student for the ministry. That takes me back to 1966 and to the class in the English Bible conducted by Rev John Douglas. It was his study outline of this book which gave me the basis of a message which developed and added to over the years. I first preached on this book in my first gospel mission in an old green army tent in a place called ‘Snowy Glen’ which lies north west of Carrickfergus. I was a student minister in Whiteabbey Free Presbyterian Church at the time. I preached in Larne on 19th November past and a man reminded me of that mission. It is nice to meet people who recall meetings from 50 years ago!

Now, having given due credit to Dr Douglas, I will endeavour to press upon you some precious truths from this tiny epistle which is filled with gospel gold and jewels.
We might ask why should such a small epistle and that of such a private and personal nature be included in the Bible?

God is pleased to set forth His truth in such a manner as will be easily understood by the youngest reader. This epistle deals with an incident in the home of a good man, Philemon, a Christian, a Greek and likely a convert of Paul’s. It was written from Rome where Paul was a prisoner, verse 1. It would have been written about the same time as the epistle to the Colossians because there are references to the same people with Paul at the time of writing both epistles, Phm 1:23,24 and Col 4:10,12,14 and Archippus, the minister in Colosse, is mentioned in both letters, Phm 1:2 Col 4:17. It was likely written in the year AD 60 or thereabouts.

That this incident of the runaway slave Onesimus being converted is included in the Bible reminds us that in his conversion, as in all our conversions, there is a setting forth of the great truths of God which is the central subject of the Bible generally.

The Bible is not a theological text book in which the doctrines of the gospel are set down in a systematic fashion but rather God is pleased to record some accounts of His dealings with men and women, and boys and girls, in everyday situations and thereby reveal and illustrate the grand truths of the gospel in a practical setting.

I want us to see that in this story we have:

I. A PICTURE OF THE SINNER’S PRIVILEGES.

The home of Philemon, where Onesimus lived and worked, was very like the circumstances into which many are born, especially you here in this meeting.
It was a home influenced and ruled by a good man and a good woman. Verse 1-2.

2. It was a home which Paul calls a church. The Greek word is ekklesia and means “the called out ones”. The ‘Church’ consists of those called out by the Spirit of God to faith in Christ through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are separated from the world. Paul uses the word to describe the household of Philemon for his home had all the marks of a church assembly. It was governed and ruled by the Word of God and was kept separate from the ways and fashions of the world.

3. It was a home where the saints of God were loved and refreshed. Verses 5, 7. (Bowels – heart.)
These are the privileges that you have enjoy along with many others in our land. What a mercy to be born into such circumstances. It is something we should never forget and ever praise God for.

The Prodigal of Luke 15, brought upon his head many miseries of which he later became greatly ashamed because he FORGOT the privileges he enjoy and strove to get out from under them.

II. A PICTURE OF THE SINNER’S PERVERSITY

Despite being surrounded by such mercies, Onesimus considered them of no value. Instead looked out enviously upon the world and desire to escape the home of Philemon and plunge into the ways of the world around.

In order to achieve this he was ready to steal from his master Philemon. He became ‘unprofitable’, verse 11. The attention and care lavished upon him bore no fruit. He wronged Philemon and stole from him and then ran away, verse 18.

III. A PICTURE OF THE SINNER’S PROVIDENCES

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,” Philemon 1:10.
He ran away but in the mercy of God he was guided to Paul.
What brought about the meeting we don’t know except it was a wonderful example of sovereign grace of God.
How wonderfully the gospel changes our circumstances. “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me,” Philemon 1:11.

Stream or download Paul meets the prodigal

The Parables #24

BECAUSE WE ARE THE  PEOPLE OF GOD WE ARE THE TARGET OF THE DEVIL. . . . .Continued.

We are called upon to endure the presence of sinful men and to seek their good. “But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them,” Matt 13:29. Were we to start uprooting those we considered the wicked we would make mistakes. We would permit “Judas” to stay and likely uproot the “Lots” of this world.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you,” Matthew 5:44.
The example of how we treat evil men is given us by the Saviour.“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” Luke 23:34.

As Peter teaches us: “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps,” 1 Peter 2:20-21.

That was the spirit of the apostles. Consider Stephen, who  “Kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep,” Acts 7:60. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good,” Rom 12:17-21. Here is God’s will for us!

Stream or download The Parables #24

The Parables #23

BECAUSE WE ARE THE  PEOPLE OF GOD WE ARE THE TARGET OF THE DEVIL. . . . . Continued.

The instinct of the believer when the  devil’s scheme is discovered. “The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?” Verse 28.

How wrong believers often are about the things of God. Here we find the servants not knowing where the tares came from and then seeking to dispose of them contrary to the mind of their master. How low and humble you and I must ever be!

The activities of the wicked are a vexation to the people of God. “Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood,” Psalm 144:11.

We must be jealous for the work of God but not overly so!

“And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us,” Luke 9:49-50.

“But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” Numbers 11:26-29.

“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God,” 3 John 1:9-11.

Stream or download The Parables #23