Listen, I’m going to read this verse one time because it’s a big one. But out of it, I want to draw our prayer uh today. Good morning, Ruth from UK. So, it’s Phileiman. When was the last time you read the book of the little book in the New Testament called Phileiman? It’s a great book really. Um, take the time later today to read it if you can, but listen to this.
Phileiman uh chapter 1:es uh 12-15 Paul is speaking and he’s he’s pleading with his friend uh to treat this runaway slave that had been um what’s the word just on foot running away from Phileiman And so Paul is saying, “Hey, listen. Uh, this slave that you have that’s run away. I met up with him.” And guess what? He’s a believer now in Christ. So, here’s the deal.
I’m sending him home back to back home to you. But you’re not going to treat him like a slave when he gets home. You’re going to treat him like a brother. And if that’s not enough, you’re going to treat him like you would treat me, Paul, if I came into your house, Phileiman. Because remember, Paul pulls out the trump card because remember, we are brothers in Christ.
And you and I are free men. And so we’re going to treat this brother who’s been liberated by Jesus who was formerly your slave. Well, while he was running away from you, he got saved. So now receive him back. We don’t know exactly how that played out in the long run, but it’s beautiful. Go ahead and read Phileiman. And you know with human slavery, what according to specialists who know this stuff according to human slavery, there’s more human slavery happening now than ever before.
I don’t know how they test that. I don’t know how they know that, but it does make sense if you think about it. Human slavery of all kinds of types. There’s the human slavery of the Chinese uh sweat shops. There’s the human slavery of the sex market. There’s the human slavery of child trafficking, horrible. Well, Phileiman 1:12.
Again, I’m going to read it once, so pay close attention and then we’ll pray it. Okay? Paul says, “I’m sending him back to you. You therefore receive him.” That is my own heart. I love this guy Paul. Excuse me. Whom I wished to keep with me. This is uh Phileima or Orphorus is his name. I wanted to keep him with me that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
Paul is imprisoned at this time. Um, and also always chained to the cross, a slave to the cross. But without your consent, I wanted to do nothing that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. For perhaps he on this departed for a while for this purpose that you phileiman might receive him forever.
What do we what’s the takeaway? What’s the prayer on this one? It’s this. You had this man working for you and he ran away seeking freedom. So, he split and while he was escaping and while he was running away, who knows? I’m making this next part up, folks. Paul could have been at at some some inn or some place of refreshment or some lodging and bumps into this guy who’s a believer.
