Mick Roberts - Class 3: I Love My Master

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   It's with great pleasure that I'm able to now call upon our brother Mick Roberts of the Ashton de la Zeus Ecclesia. And I said it wrong after practicing. My apologies. Ashton de la Zeus. I think I got it better that way. Anyways, as he leads us administrations on the topic, I love my master.

2. 0:24

   Brother Jim did practice. If ever we come back, God willing, I promise we'll move to another Ecclesia. So, brothers and sisters, I think one of the things which I'd like us to try and do is, because I know that the way your gathering works is that there will be some people who are here today for today's meeting, but not necessarily around for tomorrow.

3. 1:04

   So, I just want to make sure we've connected some of the things up that we've talked about as we progress. Maybe one of the things that we need to be conscious of is, particularly as we've looked at the Old Testament examples so far, it's also true when we move to the New Testament.

4. 1:22

   But the world was clearly very different with regard to the whole question of serving and of slavery. The ancient world, of course, slavery was widespread. And over centuries, the whole idea of taking captive other people who have been conquered and using them and exploiting them for the benefit of yourself was commonplace. It was normal practice.

5. 1:53

   Human life didn't mean an awful lot. It wasn't precious. And when we come to the law that we've read and we've come to the way in which God requires his people to be different, it's perhaps quite hard for us to fully comprehend the stark difference which is being given to the children of Israel by which he wants them to live.

6. 2:23

   Unlike the peoples around them, unlike their culture that was about them, they were to be completely different. And the verses that we've read, and we'll look at some others shortly, it is quite hard, I think, for us to read those and truly comprehend how radical a message this may have felt to the children of Israel when they received them.

7. 2:48

   Those who had been in power and those who had overtaken other nations and peoples were often cruel and exploitative in their approach. They would enslave. They would break up families. People would be owned. They would be like property. Individuals would be helpless. They would have no rights. They would have no value. They would have no redress.

8. 3:17

   They would have no helper. And yet, for God's people, the law is implanted and provided that they are not to be like that. And in the way they are to deal with those who are weak and in suffering. Those who are struggling. The servants, the slaves, have particular blessings and help enshrined and embedded into the law.

9. 3:43

   It was absolutely radical. It was a new approach. It was a new moral code. It was divine regulation for how people were to deal with people. And so, we have some lessons here which we might say, well, the world is so far removed from our generation. That we could dismiss the laws and push them to one side as being not terribly helpful, not full of messages for us.

10. 4:16

    But I think there's one or two benefits that we can pick up as we think about more lessons from servants. Let's just take a little look, first of all, at Leviticus and chapter 25. One of the things that comes across here straight away is that for those people who often found themselves in situations of becoming a servant, it was because we might say on the surface life had treated them badly.

11. 5:02

    So, we read it in verse 39 of Leviticus 25, that if one of your brethren who dwells with you or by you becomes poor and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you and shall serve you until the year of Jubilee.

12. 5:37

    So, straight away there is built in, in this moral code and this distinction that God sets out for his people, the attitude and the way in which they would deal with their brethren. And that there was also built in freedom into that position. Verse 41, he shall depart from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family.

13. 6:04

    He shall return to the possession of his fathers. Why? For verse 32, For they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear the Lord your God. And as for your male and female slaves whom you have, from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves.

14. 6:43

    Moreover, you may buy the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land. And they shall become your property. So, brethren and sisters, as we see this distinction which is made, there's clearly implicit that there's a requirement for those who are among the brethren to be treated in a particular way, not as slaves.

15. 7:09

    And the reason that God gives in the law is because they had come out of Egypt. They are my servants. We might say that as a nation, Israel are presented as servants, a servant nation. We looked at Abram's household and talked about his servants, and now we've got the concept of the nation being as servants.

16. 7:36

    And of course, if we extend that wider to all those who would be of the seed of Abraham, and part of that great family of a spiritual Israel, we start to get the same idea of lessons. Of being servants. Faithful. And ensuring that we are responsible in how we are with one another.

17. 7:59

    Our attitudes and our dealings with our brethren. It seems then that for many of those who came into this situation as a result of poverty. And had nowhere else to turn, and had nothing else to give to pay the debts. All they had was their service. That's all that they could give. And the echoes start to roll out, brethren and sisters, don't they, for ourselves.

18. 8:29

    Of the debts that we have. When we were spiritually bankrupt, and we were without Christ. And a price had to be paid, and redemption had to be bought. And we couldn't afford it. We had nothing to give. All we have is our self.

19. 8:55

    If we look at the reading of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 15. Again, I had the bigger part of that chapter read for us. It does convey, again, this idea of being built into the law. The mercy and the generosity. The concern for the poor and those who were in need. And again, that's why when we come to verse 12.

20. 9:27

    If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you. Six years, then in the seventh year, you shall let him go free from you. And then he goes on, and when you send him away. You don't send him away empty-handed. You shall supply him liberally from your flock.

21. 9:53

    So let's just get this into context, brothers and sisters. The whole idea of somebody who owes us something. Who can't pay. Who comes and serves. And we might say, well, that's fine. You've done your job. I now have to let you go. To then give to that individual.

22. 10:19

    And to give willingly. And to give liberally. And let's just, again, brothers and sisters, as we know the law is meant to bring us to Christ. And just to think about what is being given. If you are to release that slave, to release that servant from your service. Verse 14, you shall supply him liberally from your flock.

23. 10:48

    From your threshing floor. And from your wine press. So our brains start to tick over, don't they, brothers and sisters? The lamb. The bread. The wine. You liberally. You provide. For that individual. Who was a servant. In debt. Unable to sort things out. For himself. And pay what was owed. And there in the law is a glimpse for us.

24. 11:25

    Of God's mercy. Liberally. How our cup runs over. Shaken down. In an abundance that we're given. From our heavenly father. And there it is in an echo. In a pattern. Contained in the law of how they would deal with their servants. Liberality and generosity of spirit. Giving from the flock. And from the threshing floor.

25. 11:53

    And from the wine press. They come in to life, as it were, with nothing. And they leave blessed. And we can see ourself here, brothers and sisters. We come with nothing. But by God's grace. We leave. Blessed. With the lamb. With the bread. And with the wine.

26. 12:28

    They were clearly taught these lessons. And down at verse 15. In this chapter 15. And this is one of a number of occasions. When God reminds his people. You need to learn. And remember. That you. Were slaves. In the land of Egypt. Verse 15. And the Lord your God. Redeemed you.

27. 12:58

    Therefore. I command you. This. Thing. Today. And if it happens. That he say to you. I will not go away from you. Because he loves you. And your house. Since he. Prospers. With you.

28. 13:22

    Then. You shall take an awl. And thrust it through his ear. To the door. And he shall be. Your servant. Forever. Forever. Now. We're familiar. Aren't we. With this passage. And I'm not. Sharing anything new. With you. But it's in the context of. Lessons. From servants. And it's seeing ourself. In these things.

29. 13:44

    Brothers and sisters. In relation. To our heavenly father. And his mercy. Which he. Extends. Towards. Us. If we look at the parallel passage. As well. In Exodus. Exodus.

30. 14:00

    And Exodus. 21. There's additional information here for us. The opening verses. These the judgments. It's all set before them. If you. By a Hebrew servant. He shall serve six years. And the seventh. Shall he go out free. And pay nothing. If he comes in by himself. He shall go out by himself. If he comes in married.

31. 14:40

    Then his wife. Shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife. And she has borne him sons. Or daughters. The wife and the children. Shall be her masters. And he shall go out by himself. But if the servant plainly say. I love. My master. My wife. And my children.

32. 15:06

    I will not go out free. So just. Brethren says again. Just to let this. This picture wash around. In our minds for a moment. A situation where. This individual. Is under no coercion. Is in a position. Where he can walk away. But if he loves. His master. And it is quite interesting. The way it's phrased here.

33. 15:33

    In that verse five. If the servant. Plainly. Says. There's no ambiguity. There's no coercion. It's a free choice. He's not forced. If he plainly says. Look. I love my master. And he. Wants to remain. We get a picture here. Brothers and sisters. Don't we. Of wanting to remain. With his master. With his.

34. 16:00

    Bride. With his. Children. The offspring. Of that bride. And maybe there too. Is a pattern. With our heavenly father's. Household. And with the bride. The Lord Jesus. And with. The children. Our brethren. And sisters.

35. 16:24

    That we realize. That this is the place. Where we want to be. Serving. As part. Of this. Household. I want to be a part. Of this household.

36. 16:39

    If the servant. Plainly says. I love my master. My wife. And my children. And of course. It goes on. Brothers and sisters. That. As we've. Seen in Deuteronomy. That the action. Which is then taken. Is in a very. Public place. It's a declaration. Of love. For. His master. His master. Shall bring him.

37. 17:03

    To the judges. This isn't done. In quiet. Or secret. It's now. Taken. Before the judges. And that's where. He's declaring. Plainly. It's also. Quite interesting. Isn't it. That we. Read about. Being taken. To. The door. Posts. If you just want to. Just take a look. At Deuteronomy. 11. For a moment.

38. 17:30

    You'll perhaps. Know where I'm going. Here. It's all about. The importance. The importance. Of the law. Of the. Children of Israel. Hearing. And taking. And memorizing. And making it clear. Before them. All of the time. And. We read in verse 13. It shall be. That if you. Earnestly. Obey. My commandments. Which I command you today.

39. 18:02

    To love. The Lord. Your God. And serve him. With all your heart. And with all your soul. Then. There follows. The blessings. And now. This law. Which I'm giving to you. He says in verse 18. Therefore you shall lay these. Lay up these words of mine. In your heart. And in your soul.

40. 18:24

    And bind them. As a sign on your hand. And they shall be. As frontlets. Between your eyes. And you shall teach them. To your children. Speaking of them. When you sit in your house. When you walk by the way. When you lie down. And when you rise up. And you shall write them.

41. 18:40

    On the door posts. Of your house. And on your gates. That your days. And the days of your children. May be multiplied. In the land. Of which the Lord swore. To your fathers. To give them. Like the days. Of the heavens. Above the earth. Now I'm going to suggest. To us brothers and sisters.

42. 19:01

    Because it isn't clear. From the Exodus reading. And the Deuteronomy reading. Regarding this taking. To the door posts. Of which door posts. They're taken before. The judges. And there is this declaration. Of plainly saying. That they wish to commit themselves. Because they love. Their master.

43. 19:21

    But isn't it lovely. Brothers and sisters. The idea. That if this is also declaring. I love my master. Then come to the door post. Where the law is. Set out.

44. 19:35

    And we'll fix you to it. We'll shed some blood. And we will pierce you. And we will attach you. To the wood. It's the way. In which you will declare. Your love. And your commitment. And that you. Want to be. A servant. Forever.

45. 19:59

    Now the pictures. I don't need to. It's like. An outlined picture. Brothers and sisters. We look at these passages. Which I don't need to color in. Because you're already. Coloring them in. For yourself. The echoes. And connections. With the work of the Lord.

46. 20:15

    So. This idea. Of taking. The servant. And the servant. Being pierced. And the law. Being there. It's wonderful. And there it is. Enshrined in the law. Because. To us again. It seems strange. But maybe it's giving us. An echo. And a picture. And a glimpse. Of what was ultimately. To be accomplished. Through.

47. 20:41

    The supreme servant. Who was. Fixed. To the wood. Who was indeed. To declare plainly. The love. For his. Father. And his. Willingness. To serve. And. To even die. To give everything. That there was. To give. For others.

48. 21:13

    So. Brethren and sisters. The public. Confession. There were. We've done that. Haven't we? When we were baptized. That was our declaration. That was our signaling. To the world. That we. Love. The master. And we wish. To be a part. Of this. Household. Forever. And with. Our bride. And with. Our brethren. And sisters.

49. 21:38

    And it's lovely. This idea. That. He can see. If the. If the servant. Can see. That he. Prospers. With. This master. In the house. Why would you want to walk away? Why. Why would any of us. Want to walk away. From all that we get. In the master's household. What is it. That sometimes.

50. 22:01

    Tips us to a place. Where we wonder. From the things. That we know. To be true. When we get a twisted view. Of the world. And what it has to offer. And we lose sight. Of the blessings. And the security. And the safety. And the love. That comes from being. In the master's.

51. 22:21

    Household. Where we can serve. And be a part of that service. Now of course. This idea. That the children of Israel. Were given continually. Of don't forget. You were servants. You were slaves. In Egypt. And I brought you out. And of course. Every time you would say that. To one of the children of Israel.

52. 22:45

    Their mind would go back. To what it would have been. Passed on. Through oral tradition. Of what they had heard. Of their fathers. And forefathers. What had happened. When they went down. And why they had gone down. Into Egypt. And maybe they would be taken back. To the time. Of Joseph. It's interesting.

53. 23:09

    God's people. Were in that situation. When Joseph himself. Became. A slave. That was the start. Of how God's purpose. Was working out. To bring them. To a position of salvation. It started. With the saviour. Being. A servant. So let's just go back. To. To Genesis. And chapter 37. Chapter 37. In chapter 31.

54. 24:05

    Joseph. And we read in verse 25 that as they sat down to eat a meal, they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, myrrh, on their way to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, what profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers listened.

55. 24:46

    And the Midianite traders passed by, so the brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver, and they took Joseph to Egypt. So again, we've got the idea of the insignificance of life, just another commodity. Spices, balm, slaves, it's just another commodity. But we know how the Lord was with Joseph, and how the plan, the master plan was to work out. But again, this is lessons from the servants. God uses a servant to bring about salvation for his people. And that's what we have in the Lord Jesus.

56. 25:37

    We know that when they arrive at Egypt with him, verse 36 tells us of Genesis 37, the Midianites had sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. So what do you reckon, brothers and sisters, how much would you get for a good-looking, strong Jewish boy? Do you think they sold him for 20 shekels when they paid 20 shekels?

57. 26:14

    Are they going to turn a profit, aren't they? They're going to turn a profit on this. Now, I don't know what the markup is. I don't know what the profit margin that Ishmaelites work to. But I wouldn't be surprised if they put that price at nearer 30. Would you? And so, brothers and sisters, a servant from a slave. For we know that when we read in verse 39, we find so many lessons from him in service that we don't have the time to scratch the surface in a foreign land with an earthly master with whom he has nothing in common. Can we imagine, brothers and sisters, just for a moment, just for a moment, how scary life would be for that young man? But in his service, he gains trust. Despite perhaps not being able to speak the language, over time, he becomes the most trusted member of that household. So my question to myself and to you, brothers and sisters, is really about our own service and about our own earthly masters with whom we may have little or nothing in common. What is it that they see in you that marks you out?

58. 28:01

    Because it is quite remarkable that this foreign slave grows in such stature. We know why, because it tells in verse 2 that the Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man. And he was in the house of the master, the Egyptian. And the master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favour in his sight and served him. And he made him overseer of his house and all that he put under his authority.

59. 28:43

    So it was from that time that it made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. And the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Now I wonder, brothers and sisters, does that mean that for those faithful servants, there may be blessings for those whom we serve because the Lord is with us as we go about our work? Are there individuals who unknowingly perhaps are benefiting from having you or me as part of their household, part of their workforce, part of their team?

60. 29:29

    Because they have in their midst one who has the Lord with him, who gives us success and enables things to prosper in our hands. Just think about those qualities, brothers and sisters. Reliability, honesty, honesty, integrity, effort, application, trustworthiness. What a role model of a servant for the other servants in that household. No wonder he was given the responsibility that he was.

61. 30:05

    And it's often, I wonder, brothers and sisters, why lots of brethren and sisters, because of the way they are, they themselves find that they're given additional responsibility and entrusted with all manner of things. And of course that brings problems. Because sometimes brethren and sisters have such big responsibilities in the world that they've been entrusted. In this case, here's Joseph with pretty much everything, so that Potiphar hasn't got to worry about anything at all. It says there in verse 6, he left it all in Joseph's hand. All in Joseph's hand.

62. 30:42

    That's that passage, that's that mention I referred to before. Putting things in the hands of the faithful servants. And so much so, it says, that he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. So there are brethren and sisters, I'm sure, who have big jobs and big responsibilities.

63. 31:08

    And we've been entrusted with all manner of things because of the qualities that we bring as servants of the Lord into our workplaces. Into how we deal with people. Being honest and trustworthy in our relationships. Meaning what we say. And as I say these things, brethren and sisters, if it's causing your conscience to twitch a little bit, because you might think, well, I don't know if I am always like that. Why aren't you, brother? Why aren't you, sister? For that's who we're called to be.

64. 31:42

    As servants of the Lord first. Then servants of whoever sends the paycheck. We're servants of the Lord first. And there are those in the world who will see these qualities and will welcome the fact that they have a servant of the Lord in their midst. And as I say, that may bring its challenges and its problems. And then for brethren and sisters, how do we balance and ensure that we know who our ultimate master is? Who we serve first?

65. 32:14

    The one to whom we have fixed ourself. He's the one who we must give our all, A-double-L. Having given our ear, A-double-L. And associated ourself with him. Because we put first being part of his household. And this was for Joseph the challenge. Of making the choice of which household. Potiphar's and his wife. Or ultimately, the Lord. And we know how the story unfolds.

66. 32:49

    We know how he resists the temptation. We know he remains faithful to his father. Over time, Joseph must have learned how to do business for his master. And we'll talk, God willing, tomorrow about doing business for our master. Which is what we are required to do.

67. 33:20

    And of course, those temptations echo the temptations of Jesus. Dare he sin against God, he said. He knew where his priorities lay. And he remained true and faithful. As we must. So the key principle, brothers and sisters, that the children of Israel, perhaps, when they thought back to being brought out of Egypt, starts with why were they there in the first place?

68. 33:57

    They were there as servant. Through servant and slavery of Joseph. And when they came out, well, Exodus. Exodus. And chapter 12. Exodus. Exodus. So interesting, brothers and sisters. Remember how, even when the Lord begins to set out the Ten Commandments, he absolutely makes clear the very opening verse. I won't ask you to turn to it.

69. 34:51

    But it says, The Lord God spoke all these words saying, I'm the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. That's the start point. We've seen in the law this idea of releasing and giving liberally. You were slaves in the land of Egypt.

70. 35:09

    You had no freedom. And here, in Exodus 12, when they are to leave that land, reading at verse 33, the Egyptians urged the people that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, We shall all be dead. So the people took their dough before it was leaven, having the kneading bowl bound up and their clothes on their shoulders.

71. 35:37

    And the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses. And they asked from the Egyptians articles of silver and of gold and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus, they plundered the Egyptians. So as a master releasing your servant, you were reminded in that very act of giving liberally.

72. 36:08

    Remember when, as a nation, you came out of Egypt, how you were provided and given generously. All these things, brothers and sisters, teaching them what it was that they had been blessed with in being brought out.

73. 36:30

    If you just turn on a few pages into Exodus 21, just in passing, brothers and sisters, this care and attention to those who were their slaves or their servants, the law was teaching that life mattered and that these people were important. You respected human life. And this little verse or two here in Exodus 21, reading down at verse 28, verse 28, It's teaching responsibility, It's teaching responsibility, civil responsibility.

74. 37:39

    Verse 30, If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life. Whatever is imposed on him, whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment, it shall be done to him. There's a price for life. And verse 32, If the ox gores a male or female servant, well, these were goods and chattels, weren't they, for the rest of the world.

75. 38:11

    But in God's law, they have a value. The servant who has been killed by the ox, he shall give to their master 30 shekels of silver. And the ox will be stoned. That which had caused the death will be itself destroyed.

76. 38:33

    But the value put on that servant of 30 shekels of silver, a fixed penalty. Another echo, brothers and sisters, with what we've seen already with regard to the Lord Jesus.

77. 38:53

    It's hard to imagine, isn't it, waking up every day when you are a servant. We woke up this morning without thinking what we'd do and how we'd do it. What we'd wear, where we'd go, what time we would have breakfast. It's hard to imagine what it must be like to wake up every day being answerable to another person who will tell you what to do and when to do it and how to do it.

78. 39:25

    The day is not yours. It's somebody else's. Your life is determined by your master. And under the law, what is it, for six years.

79. 39:43

    That's how you would live your life. That's how you'd live your life. But freedom is built in. God's mercy is provided. And you would think, brothers and sisters, having been given these beautiful laws, that the children of Israel would think, this is wonderful. What a God who we worship. He's radically changed how men might think about men and look upon their fellow human beings.

80. 40:15

    But we find that if we come to Jeremiah and chapter 34, there is an incident in the history of Israel which is really a sign that they had failed again. You may have a Bible with a subheading, perhaps, in Exodus, in Jeremiah 34. Starting at verse 8, there's a heading in my Bible which says, treacherous treatment of slaves.

81. 40:54

    And we get in verse 8 that this is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them. That every man should set free his male and female slave, a Hebrew man or woman, that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage.

82. 41:15

    Now when all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant heard that everyone should be set free, his male and female slaves, that no one should be kept in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. So here's the situation. A place is under threat. The slaves are being released.

83. 41:39

    Verse 11, But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return who they had set free and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves. And therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, I made a covenant.

84. 42:04

    Here we go. We've been reading it. I made a covenant with your fathers in that day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother who has been sold to him. And when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free.

85. 42:28

    But your fathers did not obey me or incline thine ear. So I think we're told here brothers and sisters that this law that we've been reading here in Exodus and in Deuteronomy and in Leviticus, it was patchy in its application. How well it was complied with by God's people. And for whatever reason, it was better and easier and cheaper to hang on to your slaves and not be merciful, not to send them off liberally, and maybe to miss out on all those great things that God has said would come if they were to obey and love that law.

86. 43:16

    Israel failed to keep it. They were poor but following their instruction with regard to servants. Brothers and sisters, may we learn the lessons and take to heart the consistency that God looks for and see the patterns that he's showing for us. We're going to look very briefly, brothers and sisters, at one other servant in the New Testament times.

87. 43:51

    There are so many things about slaves and slavery in the New Testament and I know that there are some who have made a study of this subject, so I'm not going to pretend to be anything other than a fact finder and sharer. But I have read that it's estimated that out of the Roman Empire population of something like 120 million, between a half and three quarters of them were slaves.

88. 44:21

    Life was cheap. In AD 61, I think it's Josephus talks about a Roman senator was murdered by one of his slaves and Roman law prescribed that 400 of the fellow slaves would be put to death by way of punishment and teaching a lesson. This is the world, brothers and sisters, how it looks upon those who are in service.

89. 44:47

    And so it's in that context when we read verses that allude to being free men or slaves, bond or free, that the whole Roman world that we come across, where life was cheap and the attitude of those believers who were themselves in service or as slaves becomes a rich and important ground for us to draw lessons.

90. 45:14

    But if we turn to that letter to Philemon, which you know so well, I appreciate. Again, I just want to put ourself in another's shoes as we explore this question of do I love my master? We saw in the law that was the cry from the individual who wanted to be saved, I love my master.

91. 45:46

    Well, here what about Onesimus? What about Philemon? What about this correspondence? We know when we read between the lines, we come across an individual who has clearly done wrong. And it's again, interesting and somewhat ironic that he appears to come into contact with Paul while he himself is in bonds. He talks about him, we just read at verse 8, therefore though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

92. 46:33

    I appeal to you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me, the runaway slave, who has learnt the truth, who's being introduced to the God of Israel. God of God of God of God of God of God of Paul for how long we don't know, but he's taught him the truth, he's a servant, and he's run away, and I've told you what happened in Roman times, life was cheap, death penalty, his life would hang in a thread, he was now being required by the apostle to go back to Philemon.

93. 47:32

    And the question in my mind, in the new relationship which was to exist between a master and his servant, was that now as brothers, there was a real need for there to be love and forgiveness. There was a need to have a new relationship between the two individuals. Verse 12, I am sending him back.

94. 48:05

    You therefore receive him that's in mine own heart, whom I wish to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent, he's still yours, Philemon. I wanted to do nothing that your good deed might not be my compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

95. 48:36

    No longer it says in verse 16, receive him as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, and much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Now I can't begin to understand and maybe you would have that same struggle of putting yourself in his shoes, of going back, having done whatever it was that he had done and run away, to face his master who was now his brother in Christ.

96. 49:16

    Christ. I don't know whether you find it a struggle, brothers and sisters, forgiving people. Who do you wrong? I do sometimes. How hard would it be to forgive this man, but also to accept him and look him in the eye and welcome him as your brother in Christ? And maybe the secret, brothers and sisters, is this.

97. 49:46

    that deep down, both Philemon and Onesimus were both servants. They're both servants. They're servants to the Heavenly Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ. He may be called a master and one may be called a servant, but they're both servants. And sometimes, brothers and sisters, the key to us forgiving and learning to love each other starts with us loving our master and realizing who we are in our relationship and knowing that because we have been called from being slaves to sin, the same word is used to be slaves of the Lord.

98. 50:39

    No more Jew or Greek or bond or free, but one in Christ, now to be called sons. That's what we're told, isn't it? We're now all to be called sons.

99. 50:59

    The picture that we get from the apostle Paul, that we might receive the adoption as sons and because you're sons, God sent you forth, the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father. Therefore, you're no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

100. 51:27

     For both Philemon and for Onesimus, they would look to our heavenly father and they would both call him Abba, Father. No more slave and no more useless, but in a new and special relationship. And that's what we share, brothers and sisters, that common bond. all servants who all would aspire always with all our heart to love our master.

101. 52:00

     And if we love our master, brothers and sisters, we must love each other. That's part of our service that we give to our heavenly father. We love each other in word and in deed. need. And by God's grace, for those who are here tomorrow will consider how we might indeed be profitable and useful servants ourselves.

102. 52:32

     And on Sunday, if the Lord remains away, look to the perfect example, the servant of the Lord who has shown us what true love is. Lord Lord Lord Lord