Sermon Tone Analysis

Do You take Interact?

Philemon v 18-21

Secular:

*  My brother Steve

* Friend… crazy playing around… Ninjas I think…

*  Playing on the roof

*  Jumped onto the trailer

*  Repeatedly

*  Then….

crack

* The phone rang

* There was an angry man…

* Looking for dollars…

* An insurmountable obligation for an 11 year old… stand in the gap

Biblical:

Philemon 1:18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).

20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

Personal:

*    The good candy store in my neighbourhood was about 10-15 minutes away on my bike…

*  I had a bit of change… I counted it three times… 35¢… three dimes and one nickel

*  I had that 35¢ spent in my head… 20¢ in spearmint leaves (they were 2 for 5¢)… and the rest in licorice balls at 1¢ each.

*  I jumped on my bike and pedalled furiously… my mouth watering for the taste of spearmint and  licorice

* Reached the story and recited my request every word carefully enunciated….

Lest there be a mistake… it sounded like poetry as it rolled across my lips

*  They had those fancy candy getting tweezers… the lady worked them masterfully… the little brown bag was beginning to strain against the contents…

* I think I was noticeably drooling at the prospect…

*  I dug my hand deep into my pocket… past the lint… past the key for my bike lock… around a cool looking rock… and I ferreted out the coins that now stood as the final obstacle between me a sweet bliss…

* 1 dime… 1 nickel…. 1 more dime… and… and…

*  Horror of horrors….

* Where did that dime go…

* I pulled the lint out and placed it on the counter…

* Laid the bike key beside it… ( a sweat was braking out)

*  The prized rock was loosed from its home…

*  And I proceeded to turn that pocket inside out…

* There was no hole, and no dime….

AAHHHH

* There was enormous pressure… the lady behind the counter was looking at me expectantly

* There was real urgency… their was an old man with an armload of sundries….

* And just as I thought I would faint from the stress…

* The dear old soul said words that resonate within me even now… it’s okay sonny… I’ll get that…

* He coughed up the difference…

Bridge:

* That old man stood in the gap… between a kid and his candy

* He didn’t know me… but he cared…

* Imagine the care for those with home we share a Saviour and a Faith.

* Personal Intercession

* Personal Value

* Personal Blessing

* Personal Blessing

* Intimate!

* Barriers broken

*  Stand in the Gap

Body:

Personal Intercession…

Philemon 1:18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;

*  Philemon was wronged…

* Onesimus most likely stole from his master…

* Funds to get away….

* At the least he was his slave… abandoned his responsibilities… it was governed relationship

* Onesimus would not have the resources to pay back what he stole

* Paul steps in…

* Did Onesimus deserve Paul’s help… no!

* Law breaker…

* Paul stepped in because of his love for their common Saviour

* It was because of this relationship that Paul was willing to accept the financial penalty due Onesimus…  

*  He was standing in the gap…

* You can hardly hear the story of a godly leader… paying the penalty for a lowly follower and not be drawn to the story of Christ!

* Paul is demonstrating Christlikeness as he intercedes for someone who could not pay a penalty due!

* Our Lord Jesus by His mercy saw us as slaves to sin… unable to pay the price…

* But our Lord in his grace and mercy interceded for us… even more than any human could…

* That our blessed Lord in his abounding love and holiness purposed to redeem us… the undeserving whose hammer blows pierced his hands, whose vile shortcomings separated perfect love, perfect community… that Christ might die under the load of our sin!

* To know Christ is to know the one who intercedes for the vilest offender…

*  To know Christ is to know the one who intercedes for us…

*  Paul walked those steps… as he modelled his Saviour…

*  1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

*  Paul imitated Christ… we must too…

* We get to intercede for a world in need of intercessors…

* We get to sacrifice for a selfish world…

* We get to be Jesus…

* Personal Intercession

 

Personal Value

19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).

*  For Paul this is very personal… emphasizing that this offer to intercede is by his very hand… his very choice!

*  It is Paul’s investment… he declares his willingness… knowing there is a cost…

*  Real value…

* The Gospel versus… what… the Local laws… Philemon’s liberty…

* It is weighing the eternal versus the temporal

* Paul is willing to accept the cost to stand in the gap… to facilitate the reconciliation…between Onesimus and Philemon… even to encourage a more dynamic relationship between believers

* Paul is removing the stumbling block ($$)

* He is like a trail groomer…

* Get the fallen trees

* Loose ground…

* Broken bridges…

* Big rocks…

* Hidden water…

* LET THE RACE BEGIN!

*  But Paul also sets a high level of expectation for Philemon… /(not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well)./

* Paul is telling him to use his liberty for good…

* Paul is telling him that is what is expected…