journey onWord with us

Last year I was given the great challenge and opportunity to contribute to a writing project which would be given to adults who had just been baptized, most of whom were young in their faith.  Early in the process a thought came to me and I asked whether it might also be useful to write material that was more suited to youth.  I was quickly given the green light and thanked for my generous offer to write it. 🙂

Almost immediately, the parable we are reading today and tomorrow came to mind.  Its powerful truths about the role your heart plays in growing your faith are plain and approachable for someone of any age, and is easily illustrated in things which are common to children.  It was, perhaps, the most fun I’ve ever had in writing.  I titled it, A Story About Dirt: and what it has to do with getting baptized (that unfortunately doesn’t involve mudpies!).

I wonder how you would describe the “dirt” of your heart right now.  I share the highway with a great number of people who seem to be traveling on hardened paths or rocky roads.  I stand in the grocery line behind a fair amount of gardeners whose lives seemed to be overrun with thistles and thorns.  I think it’s fair to say we have a bit of a farming crisis in our world right now, and I’m pretty sure it’s not all someone else’s problem.

Cultivating our faith is hard work.  It’s back-breaking, exhausting, and costs far more than a pound of flesh.  Actually, I believe that last part is the key to our “dirt issues.”  It’s the source of the rocks, thistles and thorns in our lives.  It’s the reason our hearts become pressed and packed down like the path in the parable.   It is our flesh that wars against the activities essential to cultivating the soil of our heart.  When prompting comes to pick up our Bible, when the need arises to hit our knees in prayer, what seeks to distract, disarm or disable those urges?  What stops them short of becoming daily disciplines in our lives?  Our flesh.

We must return to the “earth” and make cultivating a priority in our lives.  We must till the ground and walk the field picking up rocks.  We must get on our hands and knees and invite our Savior to join us in pulling the thorns and thistles out from their root.  We must join our neighbor in his/her field and invite them to join us in ours.  The kingdom harvest holds great promise.  May we choose cultivation daily and care not whether it us our hands which are blessed in reaping what we have sown.

When is Jesus coming back?  It’s a question as old as “the Church” itself.  It’s a question Jesus took time to answer even before He left the earth the first time He came.  Yet we continue to ask and consider it to this day.  Are we simply anxious for the day He will return to make things right?  Are we so fed up with the evil and brokenness around us that we just want Jesus to turn over some proverbial “temple tables” and fix this place?!  Are we wondering if it will pre-date our retirement, so we can stop worrying about not having saved enough?  There are so many reasons why end-times prophecy is a fixture in every age.  In our’s, there is no shortage of books or websites focused on answering the question that Jesus already has.  When will we begin trusting His answer and begin caring less about “when” and more about now?

Jesus used a fig tree to attempt to illustrate the truth of His coming again to the disciples.  Just as the new life of tender fig branches and leaves give evidence of the coming of summer, so it will be of signs He shared with the disciples and His coming for the second and final time.  Jesus’ ultimate answer to the question? … you won’t know the details of when.  “Stay awake,” is as close as He gets to being specific about it.

I love that Jesus knows us so well and is so gracious when we continue to focus on the wrong things.  The question of when began many verses earlier when the disciples were commenting on the beauty and permanence of the buildings outside the temple.  Jesus was quick and clear in responding, that those impressive buildings would not stand forever.  They would one day be reduced to rubble … the day of His return.  “Do not fix your gaze on the grandeur and might of this material world,” I can hear Jesus say.

While Jesus was clear that we will not know the day or the hour, He was equally clear about several fundamental truths:

• Don’t be deceived. There are many who will claim to be him, and many will be fooled.  Read the Word.  Know the Word.  Test their claims against the Word.
• Do not fear. There will be a great deal of unrest and evil at work in the world as its end approaches.  God knows.  God will allow.  God remains in control.
• Be faithful. The severe trials and tests of our every day (and especially of that time) will cause some to fall away.  Be faithful.
• Stay awake! Every moment is a moment closer to forever being present with God.  Every passing moment is one less to reach someone who is lost.  Do not grow indifferent or comfortable with the time you’ve been gifted here.  God has measured your days and those of this present world.  Be about the work of the kingdom in each and every moment you are given.  Do not take any of them for granted.

One of the truths I have learned in losing someone I loved in this life, is that if I had known the exact measure of time I had with them, I would have chosen to spend more of it with them.  We need to live this way in light of the kingdom.  We need to live each breath as if the next will be in eternity.

Trust Jesus’ answer that we will not know the day or time of His return.  Live as He said — with discernment, fearless, faithful, always alert, adding to the kingdom.  Live each breath as if the next will be in eternity.

Do you ever wonder or care what people think of you? Of course you do! We want people to respect us, value our opinions, and hopefully see that our faith works. But we are often tentative to share the most important aspect of our life – our faith! This week I was challenged from a distance about being an ambassador of my faith. One of my clients, a missionary to another country, was asked about his profession in completing a life insurance application. His answer probably stunned the underwriter but explained the passion and goal of his life. He responded, “telling people about Jesus,” which is now emboldened in his life insurance policy. Bold words for sure, but words that matter … for eternity!

Consider the small world that surrounds you on a daily basis. The people (whether at work, in your home, in social settings or with neighbors) who all get an opportunity to see your faith in action. Acknowledging that all these people are a part our personal journey is daunting, but it’s absolutely true. On a daily basis others will be watching to see if we mean what we say, practice what we preach, and generally live according to our faith principles. What a great opportunity! What a solemn responsibility!

Many would say to me, “I’m just a silent witness,” or, “I don’t want to push my religion on someone else.” The truth of the matter is, everyone around you “sees” what you believe and how you view the core issues that make life worth living. My purpose is not to instruct anyone to start parading their faith, but rather to start embracing who you are. If you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior, God’s design is for you to represent Him well. And never forget that those in your small world may just be seeking what you have … a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ who gave His life to redeem them.

Great counsel was given in the book of I Corinthians by the apostle Paul. It frames our responsibility well. Since it’s a given that our lives will be on display, let’s use these admonitions as our pattern.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
I Corinthians 16:13-14 (ESV)

In our small world, being spiritually alert is imperative. Living with indifference will hinder the cause we are called to represent. It’s interesting that the verse above talks about standing firm in the faith. Our world wants, and often demands that all paths be acceptable. Truth is relative and dependent. That worldview is diametrically opposed to the Bible, and is therefore false. In our small world of relationships, never shy away from standing firm in your faith. It may be daunting, but the truth is the truth. Embrace the opportunity to be salt and light.

To stand firm and really make a difference, we must do everything in love. Strong faith, administered with a loving heart is a powerful witness. So, since others have sized us up anyway, why not embrace the challenge of practicing our faith and speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). My client’s answer on the insurance company form really is the fundamental “job description” of all Christ-followers … telling people about Jesus.

Ask the Father for the boldness to tell others in your small world about what and who changed your life!

On the mental highway that we all travel, a litter of broken promises, harsh words, painful memories and wounded relationships can be found. What we choose to do with the litter will, without a doubt, guide our emotions and be evident on our spiritual journey. No traveler is exempt! We’ve all heard the words, “I’ll forgive, but I will never forget.” And, when considering the unwanted pain and hurt that others have caused us, we’ve all thought, “There is a limit to how much I will take.” My personal experience has led me to believe that one of the greatest emotional struggles anyone faces is with forgiveness. When I offend or hurt someone, I am “all in” on being forgiven. But when someone has wounded me … well, forgiveness then becomes a different story. C.S. Lewis once said, “Forgiveness is a beautiful word until you have something to forgive.”

In studying a parable on forgiveness for the past week, I was struck by the words Peter asked which prompted Jesus to share a story.  Peter’s words reflect the mental highway that you and I travel. See if you can relate to his question found in Matthew 18…

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
v.21 (NIV)

Was Peter placing a limit on how often he should forgive someone?  Of course he was.  And you and I could easily have asked the same question. We can all confess to thinking, “How much should I have to take?” when someone has wronged us repeatedly.  You would be interested to know that Peter’s focus on forgiving up to seven times is more than the rabbis taught. Their teaching was, “you must forgive three times, but the fourth time you must not forgive.” Both Peter and the rabbis were wrong, and I believe that Jesus’ answer to Peter conveyed continual forgiveness … no limits. And there is the emotional burden that confronts us all. Do we travel through life believing Jesus and continually releasing others, or do we hold on to all the litter of broken promises, harsh words and painful memories?  The answer may be easy, (release and forgive those who hurt you), but our choice is more difficult.

Emotionally, we all have reasons as to why we won’t forgive. We can all think of extreme situations which make forgiving very difficult. But God has chosen forgiveness as the best way, the right way and the only way! Forgiving doesn’t mean we ignore reality or want to be close friends with someone who has wounded us. Gary Inrig, in his book The Parables, states it well –

“The reason for forgiveness is found in the
forgiver, not the forgiven. It is an act of grace.”

Doesn’t it make sense that if the will of God is forgiveness, He will enable us to do it, and bless our commitment to His plan? Quite frankly, the person you forgive may not deserve it.  But the choice should still be to forgive.

One of my favorite sayings from author John Maxwell is, “Forgive everyone, every time, for everything.” Forgiveness should not be three times or seven times, but every time! I believe Jesus would concur. On the mental highway you are traveling, is there litter scattered along the way due to painful, wounded relationships? Do you believe Jesus, or have you created limits?  Forgive without ceasing and travel in freedom!

Can you imagine a more frightful or frustrating surprise than to be awakened out of a sound sleep by a phone call? Your mind races as you fumble to find the phone in the pitch dark. Will it be serious or just another annoying wrong number? Ten years ago this fall, the phone rang at 3 a.m. and our daughter was crying and quite upset. She had just moved to New York City for college, and was living on the upper west side of Manhattan in student housing. She was not prone to homesickness and had never given us a late-night scare. But this was different; it was the rats!  They had invaded her building, and she and her roommates were scared to death of them. So what did I do? I went to NYC the next day and rat-proofed the dorm room … just what any other caring father would have done. The Bible is full of stories of how the Father cares for His children. One of Christ’s parables gives us insight into the heart of God.

After Christ had finished praying in a certain place, one of His disciples said, “Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus gave them a model prayer and then launched into a story.

Then he said, “Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don’t have a thing on hand.’  “The friend answers from his bed, ‘Don’t bother me. The door’s locked; my children are all down for the night; I can’t get up to give you anything.’  “But let me tell you, even if he won’t get up because he’s a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he’ll finally get up and get you whatever you need.
Luke 11:5-8 (NIV)

Always study parables in their period
context. Remember they are told in the
experience of daily life in the first century
and not our 21st century Western culture.

From my study, I have surmised that the bold request would have been a result of wanting to show hospitality (part of the culture). Picture the person knocking at the door of a friend living with his family in a one room peasant’s house. I can picture the scene and the frustration that would have ensued. Jesus explains that although he would be reluctant, the sleepy neighbor would respond to this boldness and persistence. Please be careful not to interpret this story as a parallel of our Father’s care for us when we come to Him, but as a contrast. We have an un-weary Father who desires that His children come with their burdens. Can you believe your Father wants you to continually come to Him? Do you believe He will answer? Have you given up hope? 

After giving the parable, Jesus, invites them to come boldly to the throne of grace. His words are timeless, and we don’t have to wait for midnight emergencies. He is waiting for His children to call on Him. 

Here’s what I’m saying:  
Ask and you’ll get; 
Seek and you’ll find;
Knock and the door will open.
Luke 11:9 (NIV)

In studying this passage, we find that the tense of these admonitions is to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. Are you living persistent in prayer, with a settled confidence that He is committed to meet your needs? If not, start by faith today.

If my daughter calls at midnight with another rat emergency, I will be on my way quickly. So would you! With great power and divine care, God is ready for our emergencies, and every other need. So why do we hesitate to really seek Him? If you are in Christ, know that you have a good and loving Father who is not reluctant to answer your prayers.

Who is your neighbor? Throughout the course of our marriage, Genel and I have had some good neighbors, and well … some not so good ones. As we were getting ready to sell our home in Florida and move to Ohio, the family who lived next door to us painted their brick ROYAL BLUE!  We had great neighbors once we got to Ohio, but eventually they moved. One of our new neighbors liked miniature collies … lots of them!  Their dogs loved to “speak” late at night. We moved!  I could go on with stories of the good, the bad and the ugly, but I’m sure you also have plenty of your own. In the course of His earthly journey, Jesus was confronted with a question by a religious lawyer. The lawyer wanted to justify his actions, and asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In response to the man’s question, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. We have all heard the phrase “Good Samaritan,” but in the story I wonder which role you and I would have played. Jesus relays the story of a man going from Jerusalem to Jericho. The trip is 17 miles with an elevation drop of 3,300 feet. The trail has rugged terrain and is called the Way of Blood because of all the dangers. A man is robbed, beaten and left half-dead by some thieves. A priest passes by on the other side of the road. Then a Levite passes by on the other side of the road. What’s the deal?! These religious men passed by a hurting soul and ignored his needs. Then a Samaritan comes by … and helps the man. We can surmise that the beaten man was Jewish. His own people left him, and a hated Samaritan was the one who stopped and cared for him. You can read the entire parable in Luke 10:30-37, but we must ask the same question which Jesus asked; Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? (Luke 10:36 – ESV)

Parables typically are intended to teach one main point!

If we are looking for one main point from this parable, what would it be? I would suggest that it surrounds the answer to the question, who is my neighbor? The simple answer is anyone I can help. Defining our neighbors geographically, culturally or ethnically gives us the excuse to ignore the needs of others. The Good Samaritan helped the one in need, while the religious men left him to die. You and I may not be passing half-dead, wounded souls, but we daily pass by neighbors (anyone I can help) who need our mercy and care.

As a little boy, I was a holy terror … but a friendly one! The day my new neighbors (the Combs) moved in over 50 years ago, I was sitting on their porch waiting for them. I am sure Mrs. Combs was not excited to have me as the welcoming committee. A few years ago, Genel and I visited my home town and stopped by the Combs’ old house.  We walked into the yard and heard Mrs. Combs say, “Mike Nichols!”  It’s been nearly 38 years, but she remembered the little hyperactive neighbor boy. From a physical standpoint, I was a good little neighbor and she never forgot me. For all the neighbors (anyone I can help) that pass me by, I want to still respond like the little boy I used to be.

You and I are routinely confronted with “neighbor” issues. And by now, you know I am not speaking about those who live to the left and right of us. Our choice will be similar to the one detailed in Jesus’ parable. Will we walk by, keep going, or ignore the issue?  Or will we stop, maybe get dirty and risk some time, money and comfort? The choice we make will have a direct (and possibly) profound effect on that neighbor (anyone I can help). Is it worth being a 21st century Good Samaritan?  Of course it is! The Mrs. Combs of the world won’t forget you.  And most importantly, the Father will be pleased. Be a good neighbor! And let his story be your story.

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.  He has precious few steps left before He will walk the cross road and willingly offer His life as a ransom for ours.  He has restored the sight of blind Bartimeus and there is one more eye appointment he must keep before leaving Jericho.

News of Jesus’ visit must have circulated around town and quite certainly reached the ears of a vertically challenged tax collector.  I get the impression from reading Scripture, Zacchaeus was more than just passively curious about Jesus.  There is no back story to confirm it, but the lengths to which Zacchaeus goes to get a glimpse of Jesus suggests he is seeking something more than just a face to put with a name.  Zacchaeus’ eyesight may be keen and clear, but it’s obvious he is seeking healing for an altogether different kind of blindness.  He has had it all his life.  He was born with it, and the riches he’s accumulated as a tax collector cannot buy a cure.

In reading the story backwards (with his actions and intentions in full view), I found it interesting that this man who climbed a sycamore tree takes a posture quite kindred to the beggar, who Jesus met on his way into town.   Zacchaeus’ confession and promises to Jesus do not suggest the hardened heart you would expect from a tax collector.  The power and wealth of his position have not caused him to scoff or hide, when the news of Jesus’ visit finds him.  He walks out into the light.  He seeks a spot from which to see the Great Healer.  And although he does not cry out to him, as the blind beggar did, he presents himself plainly to His Savior.

“So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.” (Luke 19:6 – ESV)  This was Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus.  He was seeking, and he had been found.  The darkness which Jesus removed from the eyes of the blind beggar was now being removed from Zacchaeus’ heart.  Where the blind beggar rose up and followed Jesus, Zacchaeus’ half portion was the evidence of his healing.  He would sell half of all he had and give it to the poor.  He promised four-fold reparations for any he had defrauded — paid in full from his remaining half.  This is 20/20 kingdom vision.

These are no tall tales.  They are a beautiful biography on blindness — never beyond the notice or power of the Great Healer.  As you continue reading the stories this week, I pray that your “knowing” is deepened and your eyes are further opened.  And for the one who has not yet believed, I pray you will climb the tree.  For the Savior is passing by and wants nothing more than to come to your house today … and stay.

How must it have been to be an ordinary fisherman approached by the One who breathed the world into existence and to hear the very voice of God invite you to come follow Him?  What would it have been like to be a pedestrian standing on the street corner catching a glimpse of the God of the universe in human flesh as He walked by?  Can you even imagine looking into the face of Jesus?  As I sit in my favorite reading and writing spot on this glorious fall morning, the sun is streaming in.  Everything in me wants to get up and adjust the blinds.  The sun is intense.  The air outside is chilled, but the sun is hot on my face.  I can barely focus on my computer screen through the spots in my eyes.  I choose to stop typing.  I fight to keep my eyes fully open and turn to face the penetrating rays.  Memories of Old Testament stories describing the blinding light of God’s “face” flood into my mind.  My morning experience pales in comparison, but seems a gift from God in light of my choice of characters and subject matter this week.

Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for the last time in His earthly life.  The time has come for Him to walk the final steps of God’s great redemptive plan.  The journey to Jerusalem passes through the city of Jeicho, and Jesus has sacred appointments to keep.  As I think about the two we will consider this week, I am reminded of Jesus reading from the scroll of Isaiah one Sabbath day in the synangogue.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
Luke 4:17-18 (ESV)

As Jesus approaches the city of Jericho, a blind man sits amid a small crowd.  Scripture tells the story that as the group who is following Jesus passes by, the blind man asks someone near him what all the commotion is about.  He is told Jesus is walking by, and immediately the blind man begins calling out to him.  “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38)  Some in either the group traveling with Jesus or the one gathered around the blind man attempt to quiet him.  “Don’t make a scene!” they are likely thinking in their hushes to the blind beggar.  “This is Jesus!  This is the Master!  He has a schedule to keep, more important places to be, and more important people to be with!”  But the man who is only blind physically, cries out even louder, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:39b)  He will not be silenced, because He believes in the power of the Great Healer.  In reading his conversation with Jesus, it is clear this man has spiritual sight.  The loss of physical sight was his condition in this life, but He had heard of Jesus and already believed.  As an answer to the man’s cries, Jesus stops and heals the man’s physical sight.  In the man’s response of following Jesus after being healed, his spiritual sight is confirmed.

There is a brief and beautiful passage in a book I have from my grandfather Robb’s personal library.  Bible Characters contains excerpts from the sermons of three great preachers of the 1800’s.  In D.L. Moody’s section, there is an entry for Bartimeus (the blind begger of which we speak).  Mr. Moody tells a short fictional story based on the exchange between Bartimeus and Jesus.  In it, Bartimeus is speaking with a friend who is suggesting “There is a man of Israel who can give you sight.”  Bartimeus quickly responds, “Oh, no!  There is no chance of my ever receiving my sight.  I never shall see.  In fact, I never saw the mother who gave me birth.  I never saw the wife of my bosom.  I never saw my own children.  I never saw in this world, but I expect to see in the world to come.”

Mr. Moody’s story suggests Bartimeus never believed his healing would come on this side of heaven … but he did believe it would come.  The story of Bartimeus and Jesus has multiple layers of resonance and application in our lives, and one of them reminds us of that truth.  If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus (and you are suffering on any level today), your healing is coming.

I can vividly remember standing next to a friend and brother who lost the love of his life in this world to cancer last year.  I remember him telling multiple people that although God did not choose to heal her here, she was healed now.  What incredible courage and faith, my friend.  What incredible courage and faith, Bartimeus.  Take heart, you who are suffering and yet remain faithful.  Your healing is coming.

She is one of the most immoral characters in the Bible.  Her name is always preceded or followed by “the harlot.” She made a lot of money from her business, and as far as we could see she had very few, if any, outwardly redeeming qualities.  Yet she is mentioned three times in the New Testament, twice honoring her faith.  Let’s look first at two of those Scriptures and then at the background of this woman.

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Hebrews 11:31

And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
James 2:25

Rahab lived on the famous wall of Jericho, part of the wicked Amorite Kingdom.  The wall was wide enough on which to build homes, stores and even a road.  It was a prime retail spot and rent must have been pretty pricey, but it seems that everyone knew of Rahab’s place.

Jericho was a crucial location in the process of taking the Promised Land for the Jews.  The Israelites, now led by Joshua, needed to conquer the city, but the famous wall had the reputation of being impenetrable.  They needed a closer look to find a weak or unguarded spot to attack.  So Joshua and Caleb entered the city at night shortly before the gates were closed.  Scripture gives every indication they simply walked in; this could have easily been the case because Jericho was a bustling town with people going in and out constantly.  The other interesting occurrence is that the two spies went to Rahab’s place; there could be several explanations for this:

1. The location on top of the wall was a prime spot for spying
2. The location offered a way of quick escape
3. No one would think anything unusual about two men entering Rahab’s abode

Scripture is short on detail, but scholars surmise that the two spies told Rahab exactly why they were there and what was going to happen; they also told her about their God. I believe God had prepared her heart and she was ready to hear and accept what they had to say.  The true test came when Rahab had to make a choice. Somehow the spies had been discovered to be in the city and at Rahab’s house.  You know the story – she hid them on the roof and then lied to the city officials at her door telling them she knew nothing of any spies.  Then, before lowering them down the wall to safety, Rahab made a deal with Joshua and Caleb to spare her own life and those of her family when the Israelites attacked.

Rahab lied, she was a prostitute, and is honored in the New Testament three times … what??!!

Rahab was honored for her FAITH, not her morals.  Am I saying it’s okay to lie? No, of course not. But Rahab’s faith was in its infancy; she was only beginning to learn about God and lying was a way of life to that point. In the King James Version, Hebrews 11:31 says she, “received the spies with peace.” That means she embraced their cause – and she saved their lives.  From that day on Rahab lived a completely new life.  Her knowledge was limited, but her faith was strong. And Scripture gives her a place of honor.

I mentioned that Rahab is named in three places in the New Testament.  The third is in Matthew chapter 1 … in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You see, Rahab was the grandmother of Boaz who was the grandfather of Jesse who was the father of King David … and then 28 generations later, Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ.

Prostitute, Liar, Believer, Woman in the family tree of Jesus – Grace abounds where faith is strong!

Do you ever miss the days of personal letters?  It was so special to receive words from someone who cared deeply about you. It was also nice to say some meaningful words to those who influenced and blessed your life.  Letters were a picture of how we really felt about someone. To me, words typed and sent via email or texts just don’t have the same meaning. I have been amused and a bit embarrassed when my wife shows me or reads to me from the countless letters I sent to her pre-marriage. The letters were filled with words like darling and honey, but they were far more special in my handwriting than in a sterile email. Centuries ago, a man little known to most Christ-followers had a meaningful letter penned to him. We call it the book of Philemon.

Philemon was privileged to receive a personal letter from the Apostle Paul. This masterful letter also listed Apphia (his wife) and Archippus (his son), plus the church that met in his home as recipients. This letter from God through Paul challenged Philemon to do the right thing with his runaway slave, Onesimus. The letter left no doubt about what Paul wanted Philemon to do. It reminds me of the dilemmas you and I face in the 21st century.

Philemon was probably an elder in the church at Colosse which met in his home. He had been saved under Paul’s ministry. My study tells me that he was a wealthy and generous man. Philemon was also a slave owner. His slave ran away to Rome and came to Christ through the Apostle Paul’s ministry in that city. There is reason to believe that Onesimus didn’t just run away; he had stolen money from Philemon. Paul’s letter challenges Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ. It is easy to read the story but harder to consider forgiveness and restoration if we had comparable circumstances.

Rather than give you the outline of Paul’s letter, I offer several verses from The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language.  Note verses 8-22:

In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ’s ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn’t hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I’d rather make it a personal request. While here in jail, I’ve fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter—Onesimus! He was useless to you before; now he’s useful to both of us. I’m sending him back to you, but it feels like I’m cutting off my right arm in doing so. I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I’m in jail for the Message. But I didn’t want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn’t willingly agreed to. Maybe it’s all for the best that you lost him for a while. You’re getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you. So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would me. If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account. This is my personal signature—Paul—and I stand behind it. (I don’t need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?) Do me this big favor, friend. You’ll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good. I know you well enough to know you will. You’ll probably go far beyond what I’ve written. And by the way, get a room ready for me. Because of your prayers, I fully expect to be your guest again.

What masterful words written as part of Paul’s letter. There is no question what Paul (and God) wanted Philemon to do. And Paul felt Philemon would do right! The question for you and I to consider is this: Faced with a 21st century version of Philemon’s dilemma, how would you and I respond? Biblically, I hope!

Is there an Onesimus in your life who needs forgiveness?