NO LONGER SLAVES
Philemon 1-25
When people read this the immediate assumption for many is that slavery belongs to a bygone age.
It was a serious injustice we all agree but we are not responsible for it, you cannot be responsible for something carried out many years ago.
But the truth is in many parts of the world today there are still people out there who are slaves.
Slaves are people who are bought and sold as property as a commodity not as people made in the image of God.
In many third world countries people are so poor that to survive they sell themselves into slavery, there are gangs of child thieves.
Our small orphan project in Ethiopia has a guard on the gates with a gun to stop anyone trying to take the children.
Others, to feed their children, sell themselves into prostitution.
People who have or control slavery are not nice people so imagine writing to a modern day slave owner who claims to be a Christian and saying to them not to treat the poor as property but as brothers and sisters in Christ.
What sort of reaction do you think you would get? Probably not great, but this is exactly what Paul is asking this guy Philemon to do.
Onesimus was a slave, he had met Paul and got converted so was free in more than one way but he was afraid to return as he would be flogged and maybe killed.
Paul is effectively saying I converted you so I am your spiritual father.
He urges them to treat each other as brothers in Christ.
At this time Paul is also a prisoner in Rome but describes himself as a prisoner of Christ not the Romans.
Why does He say this? Well he had been taken prisoner by Jesus and had worked very hard for Him.
Secondly his preaching of the Word had led to his imprisonment.
But what is it that hold us captive is the question tonight, in our Bible Study looking at Exodus we discussed how the Israelites had assimilated into Egyptian culture.
Instead of sheep herders they had become brick makers instead of looking like an Israelite we are told Moses looked like an Egyptian.
They had been feared but were now so integrated even as slaves there was nothing to fear.
What sort of slaves were they anyway they had houses, possessions and wives and children that doesn't sound much like a slave to me.
No they had become comfortable with their situation and were embracing it.
Have we assimilated into the culture around us, do we look and sound like everyone else or do we stand out in the crowd?
The Christian life is concerned with freedom, we are no longer imprisoned by the law but by grace and the love of Christ.
So does that mean like the world we can just do as we like, does that mean we are tolerant of things held up as being good when at odds with God’s word?
Of course not.
All of the Christian life is concerned with freedom in Christ.
Freedom from slavery to anything in our culture that binds us and stops us from living life in abundance that Jesus wants for us.
Freedom from sin, some Christians actually like their sin and hold on to it but it blocks that relationship with Jesus we need to turn to Christ and cast it out.
Freedom from addictions, this is not just freedom from drugs and alcohol but anything in our life that is a life controlling influence.
Jesus always used to ask people going to Him what is it you want because leaders and elders can pray all day but if people don't want to be set free then they won’t be.
A commentary I looked at also spoke of compulsion and I looked up a definition of the word and it talks of being coerced into something or being oppressed.
I remember a AOG minister telling me once a Christian cannot be possessed but can be oppressed and so it effectively means being set free from outside influences.
Is there anything impacting on you that stops you having that fullness of Christ because the only one who can set us free is Jesus.
There was a chorus we used to sign "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God"
One of the lines said "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"
Often people have had negativity spoken in to their lives and have come to believe the lie, tonight Jesus is saying to you that you are sons and daughters of the living God.
In His eyes you are perfect let all the negative stuff just roll off you and leave it at Jesus feet.
Whatever may have enslaved you just let it go, you are not a slave but have been born again into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus loves you just as you are and wants to use you to work for Him to bring in the Kingdom of God in these valleys.