Heroes: Onesimus

Speaker: Colin Boyd

Notes

Main thrust: helping someone to become what God intended.

Philemon vs 1-7, Philemon was contacted and appreciated as an old friend

The Onesimus situation was summarized - a runaway slave who may have stolen property but had changed on becoming a Christian. Paul sent him back to Philemon his owner. This was within the context that he had to face up to his past in order to enter the future that God intended for him. Paul was willing to pay for any losses and Onesimus was willing to take the considerable risk of going back to his master. Paul then guardedly asked for more from Philemon.

Demo 1 by the children on names, and how Onesimus could begin to live up to his name, which meant "USEFUL".

Demo 2 showed various tools, emphasizing that God can have different purposes for us that are uniquely varied. Under Roman law a slave was legally no more than a "living tool".

Demo 3, The jelly-baby search to show that help should be given by Christians especially to someone who needs a second chance.

Demo 4, Our postman delivered his first letter, underlining the equality of all Christians in God's eyes. The message is more important than the messenger.

Demo 5. Postman delivered a second letter, asking for more (hinting that Onesimus should be freed). Paul was being wise in his use of words in a society that still depended upon slave labour. Demo outcome was that our letter recipient produced his second packet of jelly-babies.

Demo 6. Kids held up verse numbers for congregation to spot the lessons. There were no right or wrong answers; simply points that struck me.

Application

How many other important points did you see in this letter that I missed or interpreted differently?

If appropriate would you share about if/when you have been given a second chance. Would you be willing to give somebody a second chance after they had let you down?

How do you encourage people to reach their full potential in God? Have you spotted gifts in people of which they are not fully aware?

Posted: 13 Sept 2009