Week 3 – God in Disguise A Study in Philemon

I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever. – Philemon 10-15

How did God bring you to Him and what is He doing in the lives of those around us? We must understand the ways of God so that we don’t fight against His ways. Philemon 15 – “…he was parted from you…” Everyone serves God whether they like it or not. Jesus said, “…all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” – Matthew 28:18 God works in accidents and uses sin, though He never condones it.

Moses – commits murder and disappears for 40 years God worked in those circumstances to use Moses and bless Israel. David – Psalm 56 “…You number my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me…”

Philemon might ask, “God, why didn’t you make me prosper? I have been tithing. All you did was empty my safe!” We can be so taken back with reaction to something that we miss God’s action in a situation.

Prodigal son – the hogs pushed him to repentance C. S. Lewis – The Horse and His Boy Do we see and recognize God in life?

1.! How have you seen God work in unexpected ways and how has that affected your life?

2.! Do you see God at work in the lives of those around you and how can you be an agent of God in their lives?

Onesimus had to come to the end of his own devices…the end of what he called life and happiness. The grace of God is always leading us to despair of our self-sufficiency. He brings us to helplessness and total dependence on Him. Paul understood this concept: He said he was a prisoner of Christ Jesus, not Rome. (Philemon 1)

Philippians 4:13

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” We don’t sit in the bleachers cheering God on while He does all the work. Paul knew that Onesimus on his doorstep meant that God was in that circumstance and he was ready to receive him and act.

Romans 8:28

The love of God makes itself responsible for it’s object:

Verse 10 – Paul “adopts” Onesimus.

verse 18 – Takes responsibility for all debts

verse 22 – He will go check on his “son.”

Onesimus God is for me to give me hope.

Philemon God is in me in order to forgive

Paul God thru me in order to bless people

1.! Onesimus was a common thief who eventually became Paul’s “own heart.” How do we account for such a change?

2.! Some might argue that the situation between Onesimus and Philemon was none of Paul’s business. Paul obviously felt otherwise. What are the implications of this for us?

3.! Considering the three main characters of this story(Paul, Philemon, Onesimus) who do you identify with the most and why?

4.! In what relationship might God be leading you to serve as a peacemaker this week?

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