A Confident Ending

Philemon  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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We all agree we are to obey God. But, what is your motivation for obeying Him? Is it because he demands it? Is it because He has saved you and you owe it to him? Why? Or, is it something else completely?

Intro

Obedience to God
Sanctification - a growing into Christ
Antinomianism - The law does not apply and we are free to live as we want
John 8:31–32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32 ESV
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Legalism - Pharisees
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Matthew 23:29–30 ESV
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Matt 23:
Brood of Vipers - twisting the truth to fit their agendas
Sermon on the mount
Matthew 5:21 ESV
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
Matt
What is the motivation in either of these?
Autonomy: To have no God above us
We make the rules
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Drama

Paul concludes by conveying his expectations of Philemon
A call to action
As Christians we are called to respond to every instruction we receive from God’s Word
Yet, often we respond wrongly or not at all
Paul expects Philemon to obey and receive Onisemus as a fellow brother in Christ
To forgive him his debt
To prepare for his visit
To hold fast to the hope that Christ will bring in the end

Doctrine

Paul has confidence in Philemon’s response
Pauls’ confidence includes an:
1. expectation of obedience (21)
Obedience to God
God uses Paul to send the message
Sanctification
There is an expectations that Xians will obey
John 3:35–36 ESV
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 3:
This ability comes from the Holy Spirit within us
Acts 5:29-3
Acts 5:29–32 ESV
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Paul is confident because
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once one becomes a Christian they are made alive to obey
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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obey Jesus Christ their Lord
2 Corinthians 10:4–5 ESV
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
2 Cor 10:4
App: Obedience to God and the teachings of Jesus is expected of every Christian. It isn’t enough to believe and sit idle.

VI. Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;m discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to farther conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience.p

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2. expectation of hope (22)
Paul, a prisoner, hopes to visit with Philemon to witness this reconciliation
Double meaning -
our motivation for living a holy life
1 jophn 3:3
1 John 3:3 ESV
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
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We do not live a life of obedience because we are earning anything
Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:8-10
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We do not live a life of obedience out of fear or obligation
This is the mindset of Emmanuel Kant
We do good out of our duty to our fellow man
We obey because He is our Lord and our hope is in him

II. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness;d strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren,f adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries,h and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto;k that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end eternal life.

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We obey because we have been made alive to do so and have change within

III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. And, that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure:n yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.

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Paul also here shows us what he believes concerning prayer
That it releases the blessings already established by God
Philemon’s prayers would allow God’s sovereignty to be witnessed through his release
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App: You obey because of Christ’s indwelling Spirit and the hope you have in him
1 Peter 1:13 ESV
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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If your hope is in Christ, and his spirit gives you this faith within then this is your motivation to obey.
We obey out of the hope that our faith has saved us and that we are being sanctified, made new and prepared for glorification
Your obedience is a sign you are being prepared for glory, that Christ is working in you.
3. expectation of perseverance
Perseverance of the Saints
Paul’s final greeting conveys his hope in the future
No one makes plans for the future if they don’t expect to have one
He knows that even if he is not released that God’s work will continue
He believed that the church would persevere no matter what
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Chapter XVII. Of the Perseverance of the Saints

THEY whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.

Philippians 1:6 ESV
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
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Doxology

Our motivation for obedience should be seen as a gift from God
Our motivation is the love we have for him in our hearts
Jesus
John 7:16–17 ESV
So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
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John 14:21 ESV
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
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John 14:23 ESV
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
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To love God we must love Christ
We should seek to grow in Christ through obedience to Him

Q. 75. What is sanctification?

A. Sanctification is a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God hath before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them,c renewed in their whole man after the image of God; having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts,e and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened, as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life.g

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Illus:
It’s what Paul expects of Philemon
Paul “stirred them up”
App: What of we encouraged and stirred one another up into love of God more?
Is your motivation for obeying God your love for him?
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