Reaching the Lost and Troubled — Don Wilkerson

The Lonely Book of Philemon and Changed Lives

Turn with me in the new turn to Hebrews. That's not where I'm going to speak to you from. But I want you to that'll get you headed in the right direction. I'm gonna speak to you out of a book tonight one of the loneliest books in the Bible.

Because I in all of my Christian experience and all of my ministry I've probably heard fewer Messages. Fewer scriptures read out of this little book. Go to Hebrews and turn left to the little lonely book called Philemon as tonight I want to talk to you about reaching the lost and the troubled but really this is not a how-to message it's really about changed lives and How we as Christians and how we in the church are to deal With people who have had a changed life and how we are to welcome them into the fellowship of the church.

That among other things we'll find in this little book of Philemon, which interesting it does not deal with any doctrine. Paul does not deal with any issue it's just a private letter and Let's read through it a few verses here to set the background for What we want to share with you tonight.

Paul apostle. Excuse me, Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timothy our brother to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker. Verse 3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always Making mention of you in my prayers. Because I hear of your love He's talking to Philemon now and the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the Saints. And I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake.

For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love because the hearts of the Saints have been refreshed through your brother. Therefore though I have great I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper.

Yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you. Since I am such a person as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. Appeal to you. This is the basis of his message or his letter. Is an appeal.

I appeal to you for my child whom I have begotten or whom I have in My imprisonment. His name is Onesimus. Who formerly was useless? I think the King James says unprofitable who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful or Profitable both to you and to me and I have sent him back to you in person.

That is sending my very heart Whom I wish to keep with me that in your behalf. He might minister to me here in my imprisonment for the gospel. But without your consent, I did not want to do anything that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion but of your own free will for perhaps he Onesimus was for this reason parted From you for a while that you should have him back forever.

No longer as a slave. But more than a slave a beloved brother, especially to me. But how much more to you both in the flesh and in the Lord? If then you regard me a partner accept him as you would me.

But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything charge it to my account. I Paul am writing this stop there epistle letter Was addressed to a layman businessman by the name of Philemon and This remarkable letter is from a friend to a friend asking the second friend to receive back into fellowship and into friendship a former cheating employee now.

Specifically the three main characters in the letter is Paul who is in a Roman prison. He's under house arrest in Rome. The second main character that he's writing in behalf of is Onesimus a runaway homeless fellow and Philemon who is an upper-class Christian businessman of some means and influence.

He probably he might have been. It would be the equivalent of today. He was probably the presidents of the full gospel business businessmen's chapter in his town and in this triangle of Relationship are some remarkable lessons in the power of Jesus Christ to not own attitude Towards the change that has taken place that has taken place in that sinner.

Philemon as Hope for Failures and the Troubled

Now there are some other things about this this letter and by the way What's interesting about this letter? Is that it was a private letter? It's we kind of it's like being able to open Paul's mail and read it and When he wrote this he never expected that you and I would be reading his mail tonight in 1987 in Times Square but we're privileged to be able to.

This letter was was kept as a part of the canon of the scriptures and It teaches us among other things that if you feel for example tonight if you're here and you feel that your life is of no account if you feel that you have been a failure and Specifically if you've committed sins not only against God but against the society or Against particular persons then this letter of Paul's is hope to you that God can change your life and He can turn it around and make a complete brand new person out of you.

And I want you to know if that's your situation tonight. You couldn't be in a better place. You've come at the right place at the right time among the right people because we've got the right message for you.

And then Paul's letter deals with the problem of how do we in the church? Address the problem of runaways and the homeless as Well as the lawless and something very surprising to indicate or that is revealed to me in this letter about our treatment of runaways and homeless and Ex-drug addicts and so forth and we're gonna look at that and then also Paul talks about how do we as Christians?

Who may have been a victim of a crime you personally tonight may have been injured by somebody spiritually emotionally even physically and Now that person gets saved and maybe they've been off somewhere.

Maybe you're the spouse and they've gotten saved and all of a sudden they come riding back into your life. Like a knight in shining armor and they say to you here I am I'm a brand new person and you have to deal with what you knew them before they came to Christ with that situation.

So consider these issues as well as others as Paul gives us some tremendous insights. In this book of Philemon that I love very much first of all Let me give you a word about Paul look in the first verse.

Paul the Prisoner of Jesus Christ

And just keep your Bible open because we're gonna stay right here in this little little book this little official. I Like how Paul opens His letter to Philemon and he says Paul a prisoner of Rome no, he says a prisoner of Jesus Christ and Then in verse 9 it says Paul the so a prisoner of Christ Jesus now.

The Paul is talking about aged. He is somewhere between the age of 49 and 55. And one of our pastors on the platform can identify with this and two of us can but in the original it is believed that that term aged is somewhere between 49 and 55 and He's under house arrest in Rome.

He's going to be on trial for the fact that he has preached the gospel he because he preached the good news. They they brought him to Rome and he's his very life is at stake as a result this attending trial but notice that in spite of his circumstances that he calls himself a prisoner of Christ Jesus and You know what that means to me is that when you and I accept the fact That God has put us where we are.

You see, how can you complain about the state or situation? You're in if Jesus is your prison keeper you see to be in prison or Prisoner of Jesus Christ is to be highly honored and privileged. I think it's a line of a song I don't know where it came from.

But somebody has said where heaven where Jesus is to heaven there and Paul you see would not win government nor the devil nor anybody after Testimony, can you imagine the censor who had to read his mail if they did it and Paul writes and he says Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Can you imagine the censors are saying what kind of follows this prisoner of Jesus Christ. He wouldn't he would not give knowledge to that acknowledgement of that. You know when I was studying this the Lord put it on my heart to say tonight that if you're a prisoner.

Then you're not really a prisoner. You're a prisoner of Jesus Christ. And I said Lord, how can I say that? I'm not preaching to any pretty aren't any prisoners here tonight but then I was reminded of these tapes and I just felt led of the Lord to address myself to somebody who's going to listen to this tape in Prison and I want to say to that young man or young lady that knows the Lord Jesus Christ.

That you are a prisoner of Jesus Christ. And when you're a prisoner of Jesus Christ, that means the state doesn't bind you or nothing else binds you. But you're bound to the Lord Jesus Christ and that can make your surroundings much better when you're a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah now Paul from prison engaged in prison ministry. Because he was given certain freedoms within his confines. Outsiders had regular access to come to him. They could come and they could go now he couldn't but they could.

I'm sure that he had guards but it was a relatively and a He as I said, he was under house arrest. And so he had was not a normal kind of prison situation now apparently some Christians in Rome were engaged in outreach street evangelism in the Times Square of Rome and They came across this apparent Homeless some way we're not told we don't know we just can read between the lines.

But some way they brought him to Paul and said here Paul Here is someone here is a Here's somebody right? Here's somebody hungry and this person turned out to be this fellow Onesimus. Now Onesimus was in fact a runaway slave who Look again at verse 18.

We know this. When Paul sends this letter, it says if he has wronged you in any way to my account might say in those days The the Roman government depended a great deal on their economy. They had depended on slaves.

Therefore, they were very harsh on slaves that would run away. They couldn't let this get out of hand they couldn't let slaves take matters into their own hands and in some cases depending upon the situation if you were caught as a runaway slave it was death by crucifixion or at best The slave would be branded with a red-hot iron on the forehead with a letter F standing for fugitive or runaway and somehow Onesimus found his way to Rome.

It's believed that he stole amount of money in order to make his way to Rome a thousand miles is a long walk. It's believed that he stole something in order to Pay his fare or whatever to get there. And He lost himself among the throngs of people in the city of Rome.

No doubt hanging out with other homeless people in an area where people like that go and hang out and then thank God some Christians went and witnessed to him in that area and Apparently one of the believers as I said brought him to Paul and led him to Christ.

The Gospel Transforms Onesimus from Useless to Useful

Now three things happened to Onesimus when He entered when he was introduced to Paul and introduced to the gospel first of all Paul received him without condition or Apparently asking any questions about his past.

I Don't believe that anybody knew and Nesimus did not offer the fact that he was a runaway slave. Otherwise, why would a man be willing to go visit a preacher in prison? If he told Paul and the other believers that he was a runaway slave.

It was too risky for him to do that. And also it was against the law to provide refuge for a runaway slave. So that fact at first Apparently was hidden. But Paul Not knowing it didn't really matter to Paul.

What he was. Paul did not treat him as a slave. He did not treat him as a runaway. He did not treat him as a criminal. But rather he treated him as somebody who needed God. Now tonight listen to me. It doesn't matter if you're here tonight if you're homeless or you live in a penthouse.

If you're living in sin. Then you're lost and you're in trouble and you need to be saved from your sins and if you come to us you come to this altar and You say to us. I am a homosexual. I am a drug addict.

I am a runaway. I am a criminal. It may help us to know something about your problem, but Jesus does not save Homosexuals or drug addicts he saves sinners. You see neither our badness nor our goodness impresses God or is a criteria of acceptance before God.

You may feel so bad that you feel unworthy of Christ. Other people feel so good about themselves. They don't sense a need of Christ. But the issue is not your feelings. It's not your social status. It's not your lack of Of a status symbol if you have one or don't have one the question is without Christ you are a runaway from God and If Christ has no place in your heart, then you'll be homeless for all of eternity now Paul accepted onesimus.

But only the gospel could change his heart. Note how affectionately Paul talks or speaks of his convert in verse 16. He says I'm sending him back to you for a limit. He's no longer as a slave, but more than a slave.

He's a beloved brother. Especially to me, but how much more to you? You see Paul did not see him as a runaway or as a criminal. He opened his heart he opened his cell he opened his arms to accept this sinner with his love and Yet I say to you with all of Paul's love as strong as it was it could not transform and change this young man and Neither can a mother's love change the sinner's heart.

You can't love them church. We can love them and reach out to them. But as much as we might do it as much as I've said to young men at the teen challenge center I've seen them wanting to leave and I've said to them at times I'd say to that.

I wish I could put chains or handcuffs on your arms and Chain you to the bed and make you stay. Or something. I'd like to pick them up and shake them a little bit and then love them. I'd like to. I'd try to do anything and I've seen mothers and parents and others in the church.

Even some Christians that get a burden for somebody and they play a game that I call ready or not. Here I come. Ready or not. Here I come. I Got the message. You're the sinner you need saved and I'm gonna save you by hook or by crook or one way or the other and You see that's fine you must be motivated but by love and yet that in itself will not and think of all of the human and the social and the government of private efforts to reach the unreachable of our society.

Somebody from a from a magazine and they wanted to know the success of teen challenge and I remember she tried to explain it away. She said reverend. She said I think the bottom line of it all is is that they get changed because you love them.

I said bless your heart lady. I appreciate that. But I sure don't have a personality that can change and make a drug addict want to change his life. Thesom has had a miraculous encounter with the Living God.

Paul received him and then Paul pointed him to this is what the testimony was. Look at verse 11 who formerly was useless. Another good title of this message tonight would be from useless to useful. From unprofitable to profitable.

You see the last thing the gospel is designed to do is to produce aimless worthless lazy inefficient people. But it produces people whose lives are changed and that only God can change your life tonight.

If you're in that situation and when he changes you not only will you be ready for heaven. You'll be ready for earth. Not only will you be ready to die. You'll be ready to live now. Jesus will change your life around how these famous means and that's very interesting because he turned out to be anything but useful and Paul writes to Philemon and he said hey, listen, I know that this fella has never lived up to his name.

I mean, it's almost a joke to call him Onesimus. He's useless. He's unprofitable. He is useful only in name only. But now Paul is able to introduce the fact that Jesus has come into his life. He's now a brand new person.

Old things have passed away and behold all things have become new. Jesus makes you useful. Hallelujah, David. You'll remember I go back way. To the beginning. I don't know how this popped into my mind.

You know Harvey the first Jewish fellow I guess because I I just heard about him recently. Harvey was a was the first Jewish fellow that came to us out of Williamsburg and you talk about a Fellow who was useless.

As far as his mother was concerned and society was concerned Harvey stole everything that wasn't nailed down in his house. And he came home one night and he found that his mother hadn't moved. One day she just decided to move.

She didn't tell him he came home and lo and behold. She didn't live in the same apartment anymore. She had moved someplace else didn't tell him. Because she couldn't take it anymore. And Harvey ended up in prison.

And he wanted to come to teen challenge because some of his friends in the neighborhood. He had heard that they got religion. He didn't know what it was. But he he knew they were changed and he wanted to come and so we sent one of our staff to interview his mother.

To get her permission. He he finally he did locate her as a mother. Even though she moved he located her and we wanted to get her permission and we said to her look if Harvey comes to us he had been bar mitzvahed when he was At the proper age and grew up as an Orthodox Jew but then got involved in drugs and so one of the staff went and explained what teen challenge was and What would happen to him and she thought for a moment?

She says well, he's useless to me now. If you're Jesus and he's dead to me now if you're Jesus can bring him back to life again. I'll be very glad to have him do so and That's exactly what happened to Harvey and that's nearly 30 years ago.

He lives in California and he's still serving the Lord and working. He who was unprofitable the useless became useful because that's what Jesus Christ can do in your life. But you know a further evidence that Christ had changed only Onesimus life is that he came clean.

He confessed his deepest darkest hidden secret. As I said, I don't believe that Paul knew the whole story about Onesimus at first. He didn't need to know it but I believe that as a result of having introduced him to the gospel and as a result of The conviction of the Holy Spirit Into that cell and the Word of God is that it brought it out and Onesimus finally one day, I believe he opened up and he said listen Paul.

I've got to tell you something. I am a runaway. I Am a slave. I've stolen some money. You see the true evidence of a new life in Christ. Is that we're willing to repent and come totally clean and honest and open before God.

Repentance, Confession, and Restitution

Now the reason why we have some people now some David mentioned before about some who have come and confessed things here. There are others who have come. They've come to this altar. They've prayed and there's not been a change in their life because they have not confessed specific sins.

You see John the Baptist called repentance laying the axe to the root. In other words, it means to getting down to the nitty-gritty and coming totally clean before the Lord. Because Proverbs 28 and 13 says he who conceals his transgression will not prosper.

But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. There's a sister here tonight. She hasn't. I'm sure she will not. Bear me repeating her testimony that we gave some weeks ago. Very early on in one of our meetings the Lord convicted this sister Christian.

About taking money from her husband and giving it to the poor. She would just take it and at one point she confessed it to her husband. He he just laughed it off and didn't say anything but one night in this service when the scripture was read about steal no more and She got convicted and and the Lord said to Holy Spirit said to her not one penny more.

And she came to the altar and the Lord the Lord made her because she came clean she came clean. But let me take it a little step further. A further evidence of Onesimus has changed life is that he was willing to go back to the person that he had wronged and Asked forgiveness and make restitution.

Now Paul grew to love Onesimus. He must have really progressed on the Lord because Paul wanted him to stay with him. Look in verse 13. It says he said I'd rather he stay with me. Whom I wish to keep with me that in your behalf.

He might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel. But listen, we've been saying it on this pulpit. Please hear me out. Righteousness means That Onesimus had to go back to the scene of his wrong.

He had to face up to what he had done. He had to face up to who he had done it to and Paul taught Onesimus proper biblical principles and the Word of God got under his skin. I'll never forget. My dad was a preacher one time.

He took over church and he said listen. He said I can't sing. I got no fancy personality. I can't play guitar. I can't sing. He said I'm all I can do is preach the Word. He said I'm gonna preach the Word and I'm gonna preach the Word until it gets under your skin and it changes your life.

And if you aren't open to it, then this preacher will get under your skin. Take your pick it's either the pastor or the Word and the Word of God got down to the nitty-gritty in this man's life and Onesimus and in teaching righteousness He refers to Onesimus as one whom I have begotten in the faith and that word begotten means That you give the law.

You teach the law you teach the whole counsel of God. And you see if you love somebody when you disciple them, you'll do what Paul did. He required him to go back to those. He had wronged and asked forgiveness and Even when possible.

Yes, it must include restitution and What a testimony it is when the sinner goes back like the prodigal son and he says I have sinned against heaven. But father I'm not even worthy to come back into your house.

Let me give you a testimony tonight of a young lady she'd been a teen challenge and she's Moved on now to the next phase of her rehabilitation. This young lady that the Lord started convicting her about her past and some of the things he had done.

And so on one occasion she wrote a letter to one of her sisters. Did she had stolen from and asked her to forgive her? And the Lord released her from that. But then the Holy Spirit began to probe deeper and said no I want I want you to deal with something else.

She had some outstanding criminal charges from a department store that she used to shoplift from in fact for 17 years. She shoplift from this store. Sometimes three to four hundred dollars a day and as I said, the Lord began to convict her and so she wrote a letter to the judge and confessed to the charge in fact.

It was I think she Was due to go to court. But she went ahead and she Sent a letter to him. And so the judge Called her called her back. Responded with a letter and said come to court and called her name.

And he began to question her and ask her if she really knew what she was doing. Because I don't believe that judge probably had ever gotten a letter like this in his life. I mean, can you imagine here's not.

Here's not a policeman or here's not the law bringing somebody to court here's a girl writing and saying hey, I have wronged I've done something wrong and Volunteering herself and throwing herself at the mercy of the court.

And so he said to her do you know what you're doing because she had a long as I said a long long record but then one of our counselors Yolanda was there and introduced the fact that this young lady was a teen challenge and that she wanted to change her life and so The judge said well go back and talk to the department the the people at the department store and See if you can work it out with them.

And in the meantime, he would not let her plead guilty.

This is the end of side one. Turn the tape over to continue this message on side two.

Because I guess if she pled guilty you'd have to send her away. And so he postponed the case and so they went to talk to the department store and department store says no we never reduced charges. So that had looked like that was it.

Finally she was given a day to come back into into court and I have her testimony here before me and They showed up. The department store was there the DA was there and everybody was there and the judge was so impressed with a fact.

And as the scripture says He that can seals his transgression will not prosper. But he who confesses and forsakes will find compassion. The judge let her go find her $30 and Let her go. But you know what I appreciate about Yolanda the counselor when she got back she said, all right.

There's one thing you got to do. You had to get away all those clothes. Don't you dare wearing those clothes that you stole you give them away. But she made restitution and you see sometimes that's the evidence when you go back and you make right.

Something that you've done wrong or somebody that you've wronged that's a part of having a changed life. But then Paul dealt with something else in this letter. Note how Philemon fits into the story and into this message.

The Church's Welcome for Restored Believers

Philemon is the slave owner. Onesimus had run away from him and as I said had robbed him of certain amount of money. Now this is a true story, this is not a parable and In this true story Philemon is a type of the church.

It's a type of the Christian worker and what it says to me is this and what I want to say to you in regard To it is how are we to respond to the unprofitable that? Become converted and in the eyes of the Lord he calls them profitable.

How do we respond to them now. Philemon had a good testimony. Look at me again. What Paul says about this man in verse 5? He says I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints in verse 7 He says for I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love because the hearts of the Saints have been Refreshed because of you brother now this man.

This man qualified you might say as a deacon or as an elter. His conduct in the house of God as far as Paul was concerned was unquestionable. But Paul is not concerned about onesimus love for other Christians.

He knows that he said the Saints the hearts of the Saints are refreshed by you. But now Paul is writing to him and he said Philemon, I know that you love I Know you personally. I hear the report, but now I'm gonna stretch your love.

Now I'm gonna test you because I'm about to tell you about a situation. I'm about to tell you about a person and I'm about to test you. I know you love Saints, but what about Inc's, you know, that's. You know something little something in the process of being a saint you love the people in the church.

But what about runaway? What about this other fella? Now Philemon is not the first who has been tested in this regard. So are we so is the church. Are we able to accept and to love and embrace the onesimuses that maybe?

We knew them before conversion but now they've come back and Paul has some things to teach us about what to do in this regard and I want to show I want to share them with You just in closing three things that we need to observe in deeding with a new convert who was once unprofitable.

Receiving Restored Believers as Brothers

Now I want you to listen to me carefully. First of all in verse 15 Paul says That thou shouldest receive him back forever. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved especially to me. But how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord?

You know what? This says to me is that Christ breaks down the wall of petition between us. There is a spiritual brotherhood between all true believers. I think that's a beautiful testimony about this church.

And that's the vision that we would have for the Times Square Church that no matter what our culture. No matter what your race no matter what your status in life is. That we're all of the children we're all God's children and We have the same Heavenly Father and each of us has the same rights and privileges before our Lord.

We ought to love one another as brethren. Remember a fellow said to me one time After he got saved he was worried about after he got saved would he still be culturally what he was. I said, don't worry brother.

You'll you'll still have a rice and bean stomach after you're saved. Don't worry about it. You know and some of you although who after conversion one still likes rice and beans another like soul food another like something else.

But you see the Lord breaks down any barriers that there might be because of our outward differences. Paul says to Philemon. Onesimus returns to you. Yes as a servant in fact. But he's something more now.

He's a believer and you're to have a new relationship with him. He's like a brother beloved to me. And if he's a brother to me, then how much more should he be and he says to Philemon? Are you willing to lay aside all these other trappings in his life?

Are you willing to lay aside the fact that you're the employee and he's the employer? Are you willing to lay aside the fact that you're the owner and he's the slave although that would not change in actuality.

Yet in Christ that doesn't matter anymore. And I like what Paul says to him all Paul is so it. So insightful look at verse 6 and 16. He says he's no longer as a slave. He's more than a slave. He's a beloved brother, especially to me.

But how much more to you and now I want you to receive him back both in the flesh and in the Lord. I want to tell you something tonight. I could love every one of you in the Lord. Sometimes it's in the flesh that I have problems and I'm tested.

But but Paul says I want you to love him in the flesh. Yes, he comes back. He's still a slave. But don't treat him like a slave anymore. Yes, he may be this race or he may be that race. He may have been a criminal.

He may have been that but now those things don't matter anymore. Christ breaks down the wall of partition between us. Hallelujah. Do some people love others only in the Lord? Not in the flesh. We break bread together as a symbol of being one.

That means that we're one in the Lord. But my friend that's not just love in the Lord. That's also when we go out of here soon as we go out of the house of the Lord. We're in the flesh. I mean in the good sense in the natural sense and therefore we must love one another and accept one another.

Financial Charity Guided by Wisdom

And then Paul also Had something very interesting to say about Philemon's financial obligations and Paul himself was personally willing to get involved financially in this case and Therefore Paul teaches us something about charity.

Look at verse 18 and 19 again. But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything. Charge that to my account. This is the first example in the Bible of a charge account. Paul set up visa master charge.

He said he said charge it to my account. In fact, he signed it. He said I Paul am writing this with my own hand. I Will repay it Paul. He's talking about money. He's talking about he's gonna take it out of his own pocket.

And then he said in case this doesn't work he puts a parentheses notice. It says lest I should mention to you that you owe me even your own self as well. I love Paul. Now there's a twofold lesson here and hear me out.

Christians ought to help other Christians financially. Christians ought to help other Christians financially. That's number one number two. Wisdom ought to be exercised in doing it. Wisdom ought to be exercised in giving his funds.

Paul gave based on knowing the purity of Onesimus heart. He had discipled him. He knew Onesimus over a period of time. He felt Onesimus deserved to be helped because now his convert was willing to go back and work.

He was willing to go back and make certain things right that had been wrong. And I say to you tonight friends beware of how and who you give to. Not the other person in the church you're giving funds to.

Because you and I realized in my life at times. I've given people money. When they needed to have discipling in their life and certain character changes before that money would mean anything to them. Let me ask you this.

Let me take you back to the Old Testament. And you remember the prophet who ran away and Ended up in the belly of a well Jonah, all right, Jonah. All right, suppose you had been witnessing down by the docks where the ships where he went down to get a ship and He had come along and given you some story and he would have had some story and said brother.