How many of you have seen “Miracle on 34th Street”?  The 1947 original - black and white - with Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood?  Classic movie.  Won 5 Academy Awards.  Raked in a pile of money in 1947 dollars.

Which is ironic.  Because one of the main themes of the movie is about people being so focused on shopping and making money and stuff that they’re missing the true meaning of Christmas.  A message that many of us would agree with.

Miracle on 34th Street keeps repeating that people are missing the true meaning of Christmas and yet - typical of Hollywood and a lot of what we get exposed to these days - we’re never told what the true meaning of Christmas actually is.  Hallmark’s version of home for the holidays - Kodak moments - bells ringing and angels getting their wings - excessive consumption of food - football - kindness - goodness - sharing - love - warm fuzzy feelings.

All of which may be good.  But we Christians know what the true meaning of Christmas actually is.  “Jesus is the reason for the season.”  Which can be very arrogant.   

(cartoon)  “Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?!”

“Sure, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.  December 25th is associated with the birth of many pagan gods, including Mithra, Horus, Hercules, Zeus, and Sol Invictus.  The Roman Festival of Saturnalia would also end around this time.  Christianity imported many of these pagan myths and traditions into its own customs around 400 AD.

Today Christians express outrage that Christmas is losing its Christian roots.  This is ironic since it was Christianity that hijacked the holiday in the first place to make it easier to convert new followers.

Nevertheless, it is a wonderful opportunity to share our love with friends and family and commit acts of goodwill for those that are less fortunate.  It is a time for children to revel in their innocence and wonder about the world, and adults to find their inner child.  That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Question:  Reading the Bible from Genesis through Revelation - what would you say is the main message?  Put simply -  the main message is God’s love.  Isn’t it?  Reading through the Old Testament and the New Testament - what is overwhelming communicated is God’s love for us. 

Which is why we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  That message of God loving us is at the heart of Jesus’ birth - the incarnation.  God taking on what it means to be human - born in Bethlehem into human flesh - living and dying for us - taking our punishment for our sin on the cross - and living again - resurrection - giving us the certainty of life with God. 

We need to hold onto that truth at the deepest level of who we are.  God loves you.  Closer to home - say this to yourself:  “God loves me.”

Its difficult - at times - to think that God could actually love us.  In part - because it is even more difficult to think that we’re actually loveable.  And here’s the hardest one.  It is really difficult to even love ourselves.

God loving us is pretty easy to say - on an intellectual - theological - been to church heard that - been taught that - level.  But, deeper - at the heart level - maybe not so easy.

But the bottom line is that - regardless of the hang ups we have - God - THE God - creator and sustainer and sovereign over everything - God with a capital “G” - really does love you.

The sign over at St. Paul’s this past week - over on McKee - said this:  “Jesus is God’s gift to you.”

God’s love for us is outrageous.  Love that - as we try to process the immensity of what God has chosen to do - God’s love is shocking - stunning - excessive - over the top - it just takes our breath away - outrageous.  

Paul’s letter to Philemon - what we’re looking at this morning - Paul’s letter to Philemon is a description, in real time, of outrageous love.  The point of which - why we’re looking at Philemon this morning - is to help us think through what God’s outrageous love can look like in the day to day our lives.  Because God loves us outrageously there are outrageous implications for us in the day to day of where we live our lives.

Paul is in Rome.  He’s a prisoner.  He’s under arrest in Rome.  While he’s in prison Paul writes this letter to a man named... Philemon.  Philemon lives in the city of Colossae - which is about 1,200 miles east of Rome in what is now western Turkey.

Philemon is the shortest letter in the Bible that Paul wrote.  There’s no chapters.  Only 25 verses.  While it contains some pretty significant truths - this is not a theological doctrinal treatise like most of what we’ve come to expect from Paul.  We’ll see - as we go through the letter - that this short letter is a very personal letter.  Its addressed to a person not a church. 

Philemon is a dear friend of Paul’s - a beloved brother in Christ - someone that probably Paul had led to Jesus.  He’s a man that Paul describes as a fellow worker.  Someone that had slugged it out in the trenches of ministry.  There’s history here - between Paul and Philemon.

Philemon was a wealthy man who had opened up his home to the local church.  The Colossian church met regularly in Philemon’s home - to study - to pray - to share life together as siblings in Jesus.

Philemon also owned slaves.  One of whom was named Onesimus.  Who’s name means “Profitable.”  Which is an interesting name for a slave:  “Profitable.”  One wonders if Onesimus was given that name by his parents or an optimistic owner - like Philemon.

Apparently - at a time not too long ago in the past - Onesimus had stolen some money from Philemon and run away - eventually ending up in Rome.  Maybe hoping to blend into the crowds there.

Somehow - when Onesimus is in Rome - he comes into contact with Paul who’s in prison.  Paul leads Onesimus to salvation in Jesus.  And Onesimus becomes a disciple of Paul - a fellow worker in the ministry there in Rome.

Which presents a huge problem.

In the Roman Empire there were perhaps 60 million plus slaves.  Conditions for many of them were unbearable.  For many - slaves were looked at as living tools.  No more.  That wasn’t true of all slaves.  But enough of them.  A master could terminate their lives and no one would question it. 

In the Empire if a slave ran away from his master, he could either be put to death or shipped back to his master where the master could put him to death.  No questions asked.  Life as a slave could be very cheap.

Onesimus - as a run away slave - as a thief - Onesimus is a man with a past - actions which are indefensible.  Onemsimus is a man with a debt to be paid.  A sentence of death waiting to be enacted.  And yet Onesimus is now a dear brother in Christ.

So, Paul writes Philemon this personal letter and sends Onesimus - along with this letter - sends them back to Philemon in Colossae.

We’re together?

Let’s unpack Paul’s letter.  Verses 1 to 3 are Paul’s Greeting.

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister - who may have been Philemon’s wife - and Archippus our fellow soldier - probably the pastor of the Colossian church - and the church in your house:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice how Paul describes himself as a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 

Philemon was written about 62 AD.  About the same time that Paul wrote Ephesians and Colossians.  In Ephesians and Colossians Paul’s greeting - Paul introduces himself as “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”

Which is a pretty impressive top down authoritative - requires gobs of respect - heavy handed title - way to introduce yourself.  “Paul - hand picked by God almighty - creator and sustainer of the everything - author of our salvation - Paul chosen by God for His unique and special ministry as God’s ambassador.”

There is a huge difference between all that and “I’m serving Jesus as a prisoner here in Rome.”

Paul is purposefully putting himself on the same level as Philemon our fellow worker.  Timothy our brother.  Apphia our sister.  Archippus our fellow soldier.

This letter isn’t about emphasizing Paul’s apostolic authority.  Paul is writing to resolve issues - to restore relationships - an appeal between one brother in Christ to another brother in Christ.  This is personal.

Jesus - born in Bethlehem - doesn’t descend out of the heavenly realms with the armies of heaven behind Him demanding our obedience.  He’s born a baby and laid in a manger in an act of outrageous love.

Verses 4 to 7 are Paul’s Prayer. 

I thank my God always when I remember you - Philemon - in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.  For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Paul praises God for Philemon.  For his love and faith towards Jesus and all the brothers and sisters in Christ.

In verse 6 Paul prays that Philemon’s love and faith - the sharing of his faith - his loving generosity and partnership and the fellowship he has with others in Christ - Paul prays that all that would be used by God to reach others with the gospel.  That others - in Colossae and beyond - that others would come to know Jesus and to know God’s blessing and love and what it means to have abundant life because of Jesus.  Salvation and life and every good thing that God lovingly offers us in Jesus.

In verse 7 Paul specifically points out that Philemon has “refreshed” the hearts of the saints.

Short word study:  The word for heart is “splagchnon.”  Great sounding word.  Try it with me:  “Splagchnon.”

There’s another Greek word for heart which may be more familiar - “cardia” - as in “cardiovascular.”  The Greeks understood “cardia” as the physical heart and also the essential core of our emotions and will.

“Splagchnon” is even deeper than that.  Think “guts.”  Spilling your “splagchnon.”  It is the very core - the depth - the beginning point of everything that we feel.

“Refreshed” translates a Greek word that has the idea of just stopping - of total and complete rest.  Something most of us - as we’re running around like wild crazy people 25/8/366 - most of us would love to experience that kind of rest once in a while.  

Paul is experiencing joy and comfort because - even in Rome - 1,200 miles away - Paul is hearing how Philemon’s faith in Jesus and love for those in the church in Colossae - how Philemon loving on those there is bringing them rest at the deepest level of their being.

Don’t you long to be around people like that?  Who don’t require maintenance.  Who actually build into your life instead of draining off of it?  That’s Philemon.  That’s a demonstration of the kind of love - refreshment of life - that God offers to each of us in Jesus.  That’s just flowing through this faithful fellow servant brother in Christ - God’s love flowing through him to those in Colossae.

Put simply:  “Philemon - you the man.”  I praise God for you - what God is doing in you and through you.  I pray for you that others would come to Jesus through you.  Grab this:  “Philemon - you understand what it means to be loved by God and to share His love with others.”

Verses 8 to 20 are Paul’s Appeal.  Paul’s appeal on behalf of Onesimus - the runaway slave who one day shows up on Philemon’s door step holding onto this letter from Paul.

Verse 8:  Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,

Philemon let’s be honest with each other.  You know who I am.  Beyond the “prisoner for Jesus” relationship - I could command you to do what is the right thing to do.  And I would have no hesitation and every right to do that.

yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you

“Appeal” - the word in Greek - has the idea of someone coming up alongside us - putting their arm around our shoulder - and saying, “Let’s walk together for a bit and let me share a concern with you.  Consider something with me.  See what you think about what I’m about to share.”

Ultimately this is an offer that Philemon can’t refuse.  But we need to feel the sincere brotherly love with which the appeal is made.

yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 

In prison Paul led Onesimus to Christ.  Meaning:  “I’ve seen God - by His love - at work in Onesimus - saving him - transforming him.”

Verse 11:  (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)  I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart - “splagchnon.”  Which sounds like Paul is laying it on pretty thick.  Which he is.  But we need to feel the love behind all that “thickness.”

Paul specifically focusing on the change in Onesimus - who’s name means… “profitable.”  Formerly he was useless to you.  But now - since he’s come to Christ - he’s transformed.  He really is a changed man - profitable to the ministry - indeed useful to you and to me.

The behind the English word, Greek, has the idea of someone who is not just useful to have around the house.  Someone who understands how to fix a leaky faucet, change light bulbs, and does the dishes and dusting.

“Useful” goes deeper.  It touches the very character of Onesimus.  He is morally excellent - upright.  He has goodness of the heart.  He’s kind and pleasant to be around.  He’s a man of noble godly character.  In God’s hands profitable for the work of God’s kingdom - the ministry of the gospel.

Whatever useless was - worthless - immoral - ungodly.  Whatever useless was - because of Jesus - Onesimus is the complete opposite today.  He is someone you want - crave - from the heart - splagchnon - level to have with you as a brother in Christ - in the trenches of ministry.

There’s a church tradition - meaning there isn’t hard historical fact behind this.  But, Ignatius - who was a disciple of the Apostle John - Ignatius wrote about 50 years after this - Ignatius wrote about an Onesimus who was the bishop of Ephesus - about 100 miles west of Colossae.

Thinking about God lovingly transforming us - and usefulness in ministry - its interesting to consider if - this young thieving runaway slave - now an older man in his 70’s - might have been that same man - the pastor of the greatly significant Ephesian church.  That is a significant transformation.

Summing up verses 8 to 12:  “Philemon - I’m appealing to you on behalf of Onesimus.  Because of Jesus’ love he’s transformed - useful - to you and to me - to God’s ministry.”

Verse 13:  I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent…

Consent meaning without your understanding for yourself the transformation that’s taken place in Onesimous and you yourself making an informed decision about him.  “You gotta see this for yourself.”

...I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord - but of your own free will.

Do you hear Paul honoring Philemon - not commanding him - but placing the choice in Philemon’s hands?

“Philemon - when you experience the transformation in Onesimus for yourself, you’ll understand at the heart level what I understand at the heart level - just how transformed Onesimus is.  Your response to my appeal is not going to be because I kept Onesimus with me 1,200 miles away and commanded you.  But your response to Onesimus is going to be from the heart level because you’ve seen for yourself how God has lovingly transformed Onesimus.”

Verse 15:  For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Do you remember Joseph - betrayed by his brothers - sold as a slave - sent off to Egypt.  Joseph who ends up the #2 man in Egypt.  Joseph being the man God uses to prepare a place for His people in Egypt.

Joseph tells his brothers - when his brothers finally show up begging for food - Joseph tells them “It was not you who sent me here, but God…  You meant evil against me, but God meant it for… good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive.”  (Genesis 45:8; 50:20  He.

The brothers selling Joseph into slavery.  God redeeming the situation.  Taking what was a horrendous - hopeless - circumstance and making it into a destiny changing opportunity for a whole nation.  That’s the kind of thing that only God can and does do.

“He was parted” - verse 15 - literally means Onesimus was taken away from you.  Meaning that Onesimus was the one doing the parting. Meaning that Onesimus stole and ran but behind the scenes is the sovereign God who’s working through all that to lovingly redeem the situation - to redeem Onesimus - Onesimus who is now more than a profitable slave - but a fellow worker - a beloved brother in Christ for eternity.

That’s a God thing.  God redeeming us.  Don’t you long for that?

God taking us in our failure and despair.  When we’ve maybe even given up ourselves - wanting to somehow escape from our situation.  God taking us when we’re useless - ungodly - morally and spiritually messed up.  And transforming us into people of great usefulness - godliness - godly character at the heart level.  Useful not only in the day to day stuff of life living lives today that honor and point people to God - but of eternal value forever in God’s kingdom.  Why?  Because God loves us.

Verse 17:  So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.  If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.  I, Paul, write this with my own hand:  I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.  Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord.  Refresh my heart in Christ.

“I Paul write this with my own hand.”  Paul usually dictated his letters.  He was probably dictating this letter to Timothy.  Timothy writing down what Paul was saying.  We can almost see Paul - overcome with emotion - passion - Paul grabbing the stylus out of Timothy’s hand and writing this out for himself.

Hand written letters - remember those? - are way different that texts and emails.  Letters have been touched by the very hand of the author.  Paul’s love - his splachnon - is being poured out on paper.

Look at the depth of heart to heart relationship here.

Partner is the Greek word “koinonon” - fellowship.  Way deeper than acquaintance or friendship.  Emphasis on depth of relationship - spiritually and on every level - an eternal bond because of an eternal relationship secured through the blood of Jesus.

“receive” has the idea of acceptance.

You ever have the door bell ring and you’re in the back washing the cat or something - just not being in a convenient place to answer the door.  But you run to the door and here’s this guy standing there wanting to sell us a new set of knives or a vacuum cleaner or something.

There is a huge difference between that and opening the door and there stands the long lost relative that we dearly and deeply love who’s arrival we’ve been anticipating - longing for - desiring for months.

Slightly difference response.  Right?  Hugs.  Kisses.  Even the dog is happy.  We’re welcoming them in.  They’re family - every bit a part of our home.  That’s acceptance.

Onesimus is a run away slave - who’s a thief with a death sentence hanging over his head.  Philemon’s natural response - Onesimus showing up on Philemon’s doorstep - Philemon’s response no questions asked - is to have him bound - carried out back - and executed.  Horribly.

Paul writes:  “I get this.  He’s wronged you.  He owes you big time.  If that’s a deal breaker, charge what he owes you to my account.  Whatever he owes you I’ll pay it.  You need to accept him as you’d accept me - your partner in Christ.”

Let’s not miss the implications of that.

There’s an economic reality here.  What Onesimus stole is owed.  Moreso in the Roman world a skilled slave could be worth a whole lot of denarii.  And Onesimus has hugely wronged Philemon personally as a slave owner with at reputation and honor to uphold.  More so is that Onesimus’ very life is owed to Philemon.  This is a dead man walking.

Point being:  Paul is giving up everything - even his life - for Onesimus. 

Do you hear in that God’s outrageous love in real time?  God - because He loves us - even when we’re useless sinners - those who have deeply wronged Him by our sin - who have a death sentence hanging over us - our very eternal lives hanging in the balance - Jesus gives up His life for us.

Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  (John 15:12,13)

How deeply has Paul’s life been transformed by the love of God to be able to make an offer like this?  How deeply does Paul love Onesimus?  Philemon?  Paul writes, receive him - accept him - as you would me.  With the same depth of fellowship we have in Jesus - because of God’s love.

Paul’s appeal is a plea from a heart transformed by God to the heart of Philemon - transformed by God - a plea on behalf of Onesimus who’s heart has been transformed by God.

Verses 21 to 25 are Paul’s Farewell.

Verse 21:  Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.  At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

Verse 23:  Epaphras - who was from Colossae - my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark - the author of the Gospel of Mark - Aristarchus - one of Paul’s disciples - Demas - who ultimately deserted Paul - and Luke - also with Paul in Rome - my fellow workers.  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Grab Paul’s confidence that Philemon - regardless of the PC - how things are done in the empire - according to what might have been Philemon’s natural inclination of how to handle Onesimus - Paul’s confidence that Philemon will do the right thing.  Why?  Paul’s confidence is in God - God lovingly at work in Philemon.  What God has done in Philemon’s life.  What God will do in Philemon’s life.

Second grab that Paul has every expectation of being set free and his going on preaching the Gospel - even in Colossae.  How will Paul be released?  Paul writes, “through your prayers.” 

We know that Paul was released and went on for several years preaching the gospel before he was arrested again.  But, he probably never made it to Colossae.  The guest room at Philemon’s wasn’t God’s agenda.  Preaching the gospel elsewhere in the Empire was.

“Through your prayers” is all about Paul’s confidence in God.  Seeking to follow the will of the God who lovingly leads His people through life even when God’s agenda doesn’t match up with ours.

Paul’s final greetings in verse 23 are an expression of the deep relationships - the partnership in ministry that these brothers had in Jesus.  Sometimes that partnership doesn’t go the way we’d like it to go - as in the case of Demas who deserted Paul.  But, what comes through what Paul writes here is Paul’s confidence placed in the God who - by His love - because He is gracious - God who forges that partnership and is sovereign over how He God works in us and through us.

Whatever happens God still loves us.  Make plans.  Surrender them to the loving God.  Life is about the God Who loves us and about our following the loving God through life regardless of what may lie ahead.

What can all that mean for us this morning?  God’s outrageous love.  Paul’s description of outrageous love in real time.

The bottom line is that each of us needs God’s love. 

What we search for in life - our deepest longings and needs - are all met by God’s love given to us in Jesus Christ.  God’s love is even greater than our sin.  If God doesn’t choose to love us there is no hope for us in life.  Without God loving us life is empty - meaningless - mere existence - despair.

It is so crucial for us to come to the realization that God actually does love us.  To accept that reality.  Not just intellectually or as a kind of “read it in the Bible” religious wishful thinking understanding of things.  But to let the reality of being loved by God sink into our “splagchnon.”

The greatest thing that we can do in life is to accept what God has lovingly done for us in Jesus Christ and to enter into a relationship with God.  To know God’s love and to be in relationship with Him.  To receive the gift.  To open up our lives to God and let God love on us.

Second - looking at what Paul writes - God’s love transforms lives.

Paul - the persecutor of Christians is willing to give up his life for his brother in Christ.  Philemon the wealthy businessman is willing to forgive what is owed to him in order to free his slave.  Onesimus - the useless runaway slave is made useful in the service of God.

Just looking at our lives - who we are - how we feel about ourselves - the issues we face - each of us needs transformation - at the heart level.  At the core of who we are.  Don’t you long for that? 

We need what God offers us by His love:  Forgiveness - restoration - healing - going from our own feelings of failure and inadequacy and uselessness to His sufficiency…  usefulness…  knowing purpose and worth and value to our lives.  To be who God has created and called us to be.

God can and will do that and so much more in us and through us if we’d just let Him.  Trust that He really does love us.  Really does desire to transform us.  And that He will if we’ll submit our lives to Him.

Third - what can what Paul writes mean for us this morning?  God’s love transforms relationships.

What Paul asks of Philemon is huge.  Isn’t it?  How can Paul ask that?

I have enough trouble just forgiving people who cut me off in traffic.

If someone stole from us how many of us would be able to welcome him into our home as a beloved brother?  Completely forgiven?  Nothing but love between us?  Or, if someone were to trash our reputation?  Or treat us unfairly?  Speak harshly - cruelly - in anger - to us?  Maybe someone we work with or go to school with?  Or a spouse?  Or someone in the family?  Or the church? 

Persecutors and thieves and slave owners become fellow servants and dear brothers in Christ.  Its what God does as we surrender to His love.  The only way Philemon would be able to welcome Onesimus back into his house would be to love him with God’s love.

Distinctions of race and status and culture die at the foot of the cross.  Prerogatives - self - dies at the foot of the cross.  When we submit our lives to Jesus - the forgiven learn to forgive.  Those who are loved learn to love.

The message of God’s outrageous love is at the heart of Jesus’ birth.  That message - if we really understand the meaning of it - that message should forever change our response to God and forever transform our lives.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.