We have been experiencing God’s blessings over the last month. Among other things, soul’s have been saved, Christians’ hearts have been stirred, and visitors have permeated our services. The catalyst to these blessings hasn’t been anyone’s preaching, or changes in our prayer lives. There is no doubt in my mind that the primary human aspect to this period of revival has been the sharing of people’s testimony of salvation. Beside the inexplicable intervention of the Lord, the key has been the communication of your faith. Some of our visitors, both men and ladies, have shared how the Lord brought them to Himself. And some of you have described the way the Spirit carried you out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. There has been emotion; there has been scripture; and there has been the power of the Holy Ghost. Let us pray that these divine blessings continue – to the glory of God.
A couple of months ago I looked at Paul’s epistle to Philemon as an illustration of salvation. I tried to use it as a presentation of the gospel. This morning, once again, I’d like to point to the presentation of the gospel, but from a different perspective. There is a word in verse 6 which I’d like you to notice. It points a finger back toward those testimonies which we heard during camp and the weeks following. It points a finger toward the woman at the well, who said of Jesus, “Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ.” It points a finger toward the new believer in Gadara, who was told to “go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”
The word I’d like you to consider is “communication.” “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers… that the COMMUNICATION of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Evangelism is all about the communication of our faith to others who need the Saviour. And in that regard, remember that Philemon was not the pastor of the church of which he was a member. He doesn’t appear to be ordained; he was not an elder in the church. Paul was not referring to his stirring sermons. Nowhere in this letter or in the Epistle to the Colossians, is there any indication that Philemon was a “professional minister.” And yet that didn’t keep Paul from speaking about his ministry. What can we learn and apply to our ministries from this passing remark?
First, consider the words and language which Paul used – “the communication of thy faith.”
The Greek word translated “communication” is “koinonia,” and it is employed 20 times in the New Testament. Four out of every five times, it is translated either “fellowship” or “communion.” “They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
“Koinonia” refers SHARING – the sharing of peoples’ love, joy and God’s blessings with one another. And with that we can understand how it might be applied evangelistically as sharing the GOSPEL. But Romans 15:26 uses the word differently again – “It hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.” The saints in Corinth, Thessalonica, Berea and Philippi were sharing their prosperity with their suffering brethren in Judea. The same idea is conveyed in Hebrews 13:16 – “To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
What is it we are doing when we share our salvation testimony – one-on-one, or in a small group? We are creating a kind of fellowship that is unique and special. It is not like preaching – where a man authoritatively appears to tower over a group of people. Testifying – this kind of communication – is personal and intimate. It is so intimate that it may involve opening our hearts and revealing hidden and unknown things, which we might think could repel others, but which actually create bonds which tie us together.
Why has the Lord redeemed and saved any of us? The first answer should contain something about His glory. “We have been saved to bring glory to God.” There is a vertical aspect to that purpose – words of praise to God; love toward the Saviour; a desire to do those things which please our triune Redeemer. There should be praise to God for saving us. But there should also be a horizontal aspect – the glorifying of God before our neighbors. And there should be a communication of our faith – a sharing – with people around us.
It was Paul’s prayer that the communication of Philemon’s faith would be “EFFECTUAL.” The Greek word translated “effectual” is somewhat rare, but it is as interesting as “koinonia.” It is “energes” (en-er-gace’) and perhaps you can already hear its transliteration – “energy.” Twice the Greek is translated “effectual.’ The only other time we find it in the Textus Receptus it is translated “powerful.” “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
It was Paul’s prayer that the communication of Philemon’s faith would be powerful. And that should be our prayer as well. We have been saved and left upon this earth in order to glorify our Saviour. And that includes through the GOD-EMPOWERED communication of our faith. When we say something like, “This is how the Lord saved my sinful soul,” it should be with the prayer that God take that communication and make it come alive in heart of someone else.
Besides prayer, Paul mentions a couple practical steps towards that effectual end.
Without diminishing the importance of the Holy Spirit in our testimonies, Paul speaks of human ingredients. First, “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers… that the communication of thy faith may become effectual – BY the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” As I listened, recorded and sometimes transcribed various testimonies during this past month, I heard hints of theology from some of the more mature saints. But from the new believers, it was just praise and statements of God’s saving grace. “Every good thing in you” might include an understanding of God’s providence or His sovereignty. But the person listening to our testimony is going to be far more interested in your joy, your peace, the change in your treatment of your loved ones and your attitude to your old job and your boss.
Learning from this encouragement of Philemon, we should, “tell others what the Lord has done for us.” Acknowledge “every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Share with that other person the joy and relief which God gave you after He broke your heart of its rebellion. Speak with him about the peace you now have – in contrast to the fear which you used to have. If possible talk about the communion you have with the Lord through prayer and the answers to prayer the Lord has given you. If you like, share with him the fellowship you have with good Christian brethren. It should be a part of our spiritual lives to contemplate the Lord’s blessings to us. And it should be a part of our ministry to share those contemplations with others, “acknowledging … every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
Paul then spoke of another helpful ingredient to Philemon’s testimony – “The bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.” I suppose that some people would interpret that statement in the most literal way. In which case it would refer to Philemon’s assistance in the feeding of people less privileged. But the word is again used in verse 20 where that could not be the case – “Yea, brother let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord.” Paul was not referring to financial assistance or a care package of food, but to the joy he might have if Philemon did what Paul was asking him to do. The spreading of joy should be a part of our ministry – helping to create it in others.
I suppose that a Christian’s “witness” might be confined to his words – his verbal sharing of the gospel. But, Biblically, our “testimony” is much more broad than that – it encompasses everything about us. Our neighbors should recognize that we no longer commit the sins which once characterized us. In fact, those close to us should see that we fear and root out those former sins. Our neighbors should see positive things in our lives, and hear our words of praise to God. Perhaps our music and entertainment should change – and the way we relax at the end of the day. There should be a more joyful, peaceful, helpful attitude in us. Simply put, our testimony before the world should make us appear to be new creatures.
Some time ago, someone told me about visiting a certain church – one of the churches of Christ. When he walked in no one greeted him; no one smiled or offered their hand. No one asked about his health or welfare or showed any interest in him whatsoever. Despite hearing a good message, our visitor didn’t leave the service feeling any spiritual refreshment. Yes, I know that we should seek our blessings from the Lord and the preaching of the Word. But every member has a part in the ministry of a church, even when they aren’t doing the preaching.
Philemon was an ambassador for Christ both inside and outside the church meeting house. Ordinarily he left people better off than when he first ran into them on the street or in the market. Paul encouraged that to continue. These sorts of things can be a part of any Christian’s ministry.
There are other things in this letter which relate to our ministries:
Some of them are a bit of a stretch in application, but they still fit my theme, and they are echoed Biblically. For example, there is a lesson here about imprisonment. “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” “There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus.” Someone might think that his life is too narrow – too confined – to be of use to the Lord. “I am TOO YOUNG to be of service to my Saviour. Some day when I am older, I’ll be more useful.” “I am TOO OLD to be a good witness for Christ. My health won’t permit me to go knocking on doors.” “I am TOO POOR to be able to contribute to the Lord’s cause.” If we are looking for excuses not to serve the Saviour, Satan will gladly supply them. And sometimes they are rooted in real stuff in our lives.
Paul really was a prisoner. Is there anyone more restricted or confined than the prisoner? I suppose it depends on how you define or picture his restrictions – our own restrictions. Most prisons have multiple inmates, and who needs Christ any more than criminals? Every home has family members even before we get out to meet the neighbors. Every person has a few acquaintances, even though we may not be out in the world to any great extent. All our friends and neighbors should know that we are children of God.
Even in prison, Paul had an epistolatory ministry – he could write a letter to a friend. Did he ever write to someone whom he knew to be lost? No, he never put a scripture into a post on Facebook, but would he have if he could have? Yes, the cost of postage has gone up to 78 cents, but it was a lot more to carry a letter in Paul’s day. You might say that he did what he could with his cards and letters.
Someone says, “But what good are a few well-intentioned words written on a sheet of paper?” They may have NO ability to touch the heart of anyone, until the Lord steps in. What can God do with the printed page? What has He done with His own written Word? We have a friend who visits from time to time from the west side of Washington, who has told me on more than one occasion that the Lord saved him through a gospel tract which he found in a phone booth. Paul wrote to his Christian friend, Philemon, but he might have also written that day to someone who was lost. And in both cases, he would have implored the Lord for His blessings. “Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers…” It is all right to tell our lost friends that we are praying for them. Before he passed away, I had a friend in Seattle with whom I spoke on the phone every couple weeks. After a while he wasn’t surprised when at the close of the conversation he heard me say, “God bless you, Howard” or “I’m praying for you.”
It is the power of God which makes any ministry more than a mystery. It is the power of God which makes the communication of our faith effectual.
There is another lesson here about the ministry, but it comes toward us somewhat negatively.
Paul has led Onesimus to the Saviour. The former servant, thief and prodigal, has become a new creature in Christ. Then to Philemon Paul says, “I beseech thee for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.” That man was no longer just a servant, but “a brother beloved.”
And this new Christian was being been sent from Rome to Colosse carrying Paul’s letter. Imagine the thoughts which must have gone through Onisemus’ head during the weeks it took to make that journey. There is no indication that any other brethren were with him; he may have been on his own. He had every opportunity to change his mind and run once again. But he is now a Christian with the responsibility of making things right with his former employer. I assume that when he reached Colosse, he simply walked into the house he had known so well, and with his hat in hand, and with his heart in his throat, he presented himself and Paul’s letter to human master. In that, I see an indication that Onisemus is not the man he once was. Philemon would certainly have seen his run-away, thieving servant before he saw and read Paul’s letter. Paul was convinced of the man’s salvation. BUT what would others think?
At that point it was, again, the testimony of Philemon which became the center of attention. Reading between the lines, it seems that Paul wasn’t sure how that meeting would end. He had his hopes, and possibly, his expectations. But would Philemon refuse to listen to Onesimus? Would he order his immediate arrest, casting him into chains? Here was a test of the testimony of the older saint. Despite all the theologically correct words he’d uttered in the past, they could all be negated by his response to his prodigal slave. All the kind deeds and the joy he had given to others might have unraveled like a bad sweater if he didn’t behave like a Christian at this point.
There are so many professing children of God who undo their good testimony by single acts of sin. A sudden burst of anger can destroy a person’s reputation before a lost coworker. Any number of sins can effectively blow the words of the gospel away like gust of a mighty wind. And to deny that God can save someone who has personally offended us, proves our theology to be faulty. That God cannot save the worst of sinners, suggests that God cannot save even the best of sinners. “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:… Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels.”
Christ can redeem the drunkard, the drug addict and the criminal, like Onesimus. He can save and restore the adulterer and the wicked woman, like the one at the well is Sychar. The woman of Samaria can become a useful member of the Lord’s church – a deaconess to others. And when other Christians refuse to see that, they effectively destroy their testimony to any other party.
Paul expected good things from the future life of Onesimus. And he expected just as much, or perhaps even more, from Philemon. “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers… that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
Each of us have our own special ministry or service for the Lord. We have been given gifts to use for the glory of our God and our Saviour. We can enhance those gifts and that ministry. Or we can sully and destroy them. And for how we use these gifts we shall be accountable at the judgment seat of Christ.