The Lesson of the Three Servants cont...
The third and last servant was Onesimus, or the “non-believer working for a believer”.
Here is a servant, a non-believer, who is working in the household of a Christian. Although the name Onesimus means useful he is the opposite of his name. Onesimus is quite useless! He doesn’t do his tasks with skill or dependability, he steals and he plots.
Whatever Christianity he is exposed to at his master’s house seems to have no impact on his life. Eventually he executes his escape and flees to freedom – a path that coincidently leads him to Paul. We don’t know how he first heard Paul speak. Since this is around the time of Paul’s house arrest, it is possible Onesimus simply got curious about a crowd gathered at an open window and joined in to listen.
The result of listening to Paul’s message about Jesus is that Onesimus becomes a Christian himself. What a transformation! He did not simply have an intellectual assent to the Message, Onesimus experienced a total life altering transformation. Paul describes him as virtually a “son” so complete was Onesimus’ love and care for others, especially Paul.
But the time came when Onesimus shared about his old life and Paul recognized the name of Onesimus’ master, Philemon! One of many converts of Paul himself. The choice was clear. The transformation of Christ in a life is not for cover-up or simple escape from the past. No, it is for power to confront the consequences of wrong actions taken and the initiation of setting right old wrongs to clear the path of the new creation's purpose.
This must have been a hard journey for Onesimus to take, doubtlessly made no lighter even by the letter in his pocket. Yes, Onesimus carried a letter from Paul himself addressed to Philemon. Paul beseeched Philemon to receive back Onesimus as a brother in Christ, a “useful” servant, even to the point of personally promising to pay back all that was stolen by Onesimus in the past. But the truth is Philemon was legally able to put Onesimus to death because of his escape. He would have been within his rights to do so and Onesimus was aware of this. Risking his very life Onesimus returned, a changed transformed man, to his former master.
The letter leaves us here to speculate on the result. Historical evidence tells us that Onesimus was not put to death by his old master. In fact it is said that Onesimus was eventually stoned for his faith – giving his life for the very Message that so radically transformed him.
So what are the keys to the attributes making up Onesimus’ character?
Before Christ:
Attributes: Unreliable – self-centered - thief – resentful - useless
After Christ:
Servant of Paul
Attributes: Reliable – giving – thankful – humble – useful!
These Lessons of the Three Servants are provided in the Bible for our benefit, insight, and personal challenge.
We all serve someone.
The question is:
“Who do you serve?” & “What kind of servant are you?"
Here is a servant, a non-believer, who is working in the household of a Christian. Although the name Onesimus means useful he is the opposite of his name. Onesimus is quite useless! He doesn’t do his tasks with skill or dependability, he steals and he plots.
Whatever Christianity he is exposed to at his master’s house seems to have no impact on his life. Eventually he executes his escape and flees to freedom – a path that coincidently leads him to Paul. We don’t know how he first heard Paul speak. Since this is around the time of Paul’s house arrest, it is possible Onesimus simply got curious about a crowd gathered at an open window and joined in to listen.
The result of listening to Paul’s message about Jesus is that Onesimus becomes a Christian himself. What a transformation! He did not simply have an intellectual assent to the Message, Onesimus experienced a total life altering transformation. Paul describes him as virtually a “son” so complete was Onesimus’ love and care for others, especially Paul.
But the time came when Onesimus shared about his old life and Paul recognized the name of Onesimus’ master, Philemon! One of many converts of Paul himself. The choice was clear. The transformation of Christ in a life is not for cover-up or simple escape from the past. No, it is for power to confront the consequences of wrong actions taken and the initiation of setting right old wrongs to clear the path of the new creation's purpose.
This must have been a hard journey for Onesimus to take, doubtlessly made no lighter even by the letter in his pocket. Yes, Onesimus carried a letter from Paul himself addressed to Philemon. Paul beseeched Philemon to receive back Onesimus as a brother in Christ, a “useful” servant, even to the point of personally promising to pay back all that was stolen by Onesimus in the past. But the truth is Philemon was legally able to put Onesimus to death because of his escape. He would have been within his rights to do so and Onesimus was aware of this. Risking his very life Onesimus returned, a changed transformed man, to his former master.
The letter leaves us here to speculate on the result. Historical evidence tells us that Onesimus was not put to death by his old master. In fact it is said that Onesimus was eventually stoned for his faith – giving his life for the very Message that so radically transformed him.
So what are the keys to the attributes making up Onesimus’ character?
Before Christ:
Attributes: Unreliable – self-centered - thief – resentful - useless
After Christ:
Servant of Paul
Attributes: Reliable – giving – thankful – humble – useful!
These Lessons of the Three Servants are provided in the Bible for our benefit, insight, and personal challenge.
We all serve someone.
The question is:
“Who do you serve?” & “What kind of servant are you?"
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