THE CHURCH: A PLACE FOR RUNAWAYS
PHILEMON 1:1-25

PICTURE FOR A MOMENT IN YOU RMIND THE FACE OF A PERSON WHO ENCOURAGED YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FAITH. PICTURE SOMEONE WHO FIRST INTRODUCED YOU TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH - SOMEONE WHO TOLD YOU THE STORIES OF JESUS AND LIVED THEM OUT FOR YOU. OR, PICTURE SOMEONE WHO NURTURED YOU ALONG IN THE FAITH - SOMEONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS - TO LISTEN TO YOUR DOUBTS - WHO ENCOURAGED YOU TO KEEP THE FAITH.

THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO COME INTO MY MIND - MY PARENTS CERTAINLY LEAD THE PARADE - A NUMBER OF MINISTERS FOLLOW CLOSE BEHIND - SOME SERVED THE CHURCH I GREW UP IN - OTHERS GAVE OF THEIR TIME TO BE A COUNSELOR AT CHURCH CAMP. AND THEN THERE'S MY WIFE, DORT, AND ALL OUR RELIGIOUS DISCUSSIONS LEADING UP TO OUR MARRIAGE AND THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SHARE IN - AND THEN THERE'S MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE, LARRY, AND HIS REASSURING WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THINK ABOUT THE MINISTRY AND THOSE EARLY CHURCHES AND ALL THE TEENAGERS WH'VE PUT UP WITH MY ANTICS AND ASKED THE CHALLENGING QUESTIONS TO FORCE MY FAITH TO BE REAL AND NOT CANNED. AND THERE HAVE BEEN AUTHORS AND THEIR WRITINGS RABBI HAROLD KUSHNER AND HIS WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE - JUAN ARIES AND HIS THE GOD I DON'T BELIEVE IN AND J.B. PHILLIPS AND HIS BOOK YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL - ALL HAVE HAD A ROLE.

BUT PERHAPS THE ONE I'M THE MOST INDEBTED TO - THE ONE WHO MOST CHALLENGED ME - MOST ENCOURAGED ME - MOST SHARED HER IDEAS AND GAVE ME THE SPACE TO SHARE MINE - THE ONE WHO MOST FORCED ME TO LAY MY RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS ALONGSIDE MY LIFE EXPE5RIENCES AND EXAMINE THEM AND REFLECT UPNO THEM - THE ONE MOST LIKE PAUL - IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BETH GLICK/RIEMAN. SOME OF YOU KNOW HER - SHE LED A COUPLE OF RETREATS FOR US WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE. DESPITE THE FACT WE DON'T CORRESPOND AS MUCH AS WE ONCE DID, I KNOW I OWE HER A GREAT DEAL. I SHALL FOREVER BE INDEBTED TO HER FOR WHO I AM AS A SPIRITUAL PERSON - A CHRISTIAN JOURNIER.

NOW - SOMEPLACE ELSE IN YOUR MULTI-SCREEN BRAIN I WANT YOU TO FORMULATE A PICTURE OF ANOTHER PERSON - THE PERSON I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THIS TIME SHOULD BE SOMEONE WHO HAS REALLY WRONGED YOU - SOMEONE WHO HAS CHEATED YOU OUT OF SOMETHING - SOMEONE WHO MAYBE WORKED ALONGSIDE YOU BUT WHO FOR SOME REASON JUST UP AND LEFT YOU - CREATE IN YOUR MIND A MENTAL IMAGE OF A PERSON FOR WHOM YOU ONLY FEEL CONTEMPT, ANGER - A PERSON WHO LEFT YOU IN A TIME OF NEED.

I HAVE TO ADMIT TO YOU THAT MY SHARING THE NAMES OR CIRCUMSTANCES OF SOME OF THE POTENTIAL LEADING CHARACTERS ON MY MENTAL DISK DOESN'T DARE BE MADE PUBLIC - BUT REST ASSURED THERE ARE SOME WHICH COME INTO FOCUS ON THE MONITOR INSIDE MY BRAIN.

O.K. - HAVE THE TWO PEOPLE CLEARLY IN YOUR MIND. IN THE THIRD AND FINAL SCENE OF OUR LITTLE IMAGINARY SOAP OPERA I WANT YOU TO PICTURE THAT CHURCH IS OVER AND YOU'RE WALKING ACROSS THE STREET OR ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND YOU ARE NEARING YOUR CAR - WHEN OUT OF THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE YOU CATCH A GLIMPSE OF A FIGURE SEEMINGLY WALKING TOWARD YOU AND AS YOU TURN TO GET A BETTER LOOK, YOU REALIZE IT IS THE UNNAMEABLE IN PUBLIC PERSON - IT IS THE PERSON WHO HAS WRONGED YOU. WHAT DO YOU DO? - TURN AND RUN? REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE PERSON WITH A CLOSED FIST? WHAT DO YOU DO?

WHILE YOU'RE PONDERING WHAT WILL BE YOUR RESPONSE - YOUR ENEMY HOLDS OUT HER HAND, CLASPING WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PIECE OF PAPER. AND THEN, SEEMINGLY SENSING YOUR TEMPTED RESPONSES - NERVOUSLY, BOLDLY, EXCLAIMS: "WAIT, BILL! BEFORE YOU SAY OR DO ANYTHING, THIS NOTE IS FROM BETH. SHE ASKED ME TO GIVE IT TO YOU. PLEASE READ IT!"

YOU HESITATE - BUT INTO YOUR MIND CROWD THOSE FEELINGS - THOSE MEMORIES OF YOUR FRIEND IN THE FAITH - AND SO WITHOUT SAYING A WORD TO THIS ONE YOU'D RATHER NOT SEE, YOU TAKE THE LETTER FROM THE PERSON WHO NURTURED YOU IN THE FAITH AND YOU BEGIN TO READ. "DEAR FRIEND, I KNOW THAT JIM HAS HURT YOU DEEPLY. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. BUT HE'S BEEN A REAL HELP TO ME IN THESE LAST FEW MONTHS. IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CHRISTIAN HE'S BECOME - LIKE YOU AND ME. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO ACCEPT HIM BACK INTO YOUR LIFE AS A BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST. IT WOULD MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO ME IF YOU WOULD. HE'S SUCH A FINE PERSON. YOUR FRIEND, BETH."

NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? THE SAME PERSON WHO NURTURED YOU IN THE FAITH, WHO LEAD YOU, WHO ENCOURAGED YOU IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST HAS DONE THE SAME THING FOR YOUR ENEMY, THIS OUTCAST, THIS ONE YOU DISLIKE, MAYBE EVEN HATE. HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?

LET'S LEAVE OUR IMAGINATIONS FOR AWHILE AND TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF OUR SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THE MORNING. TUCKED AWAY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AMONG ALL THE LETTERS OF PAUL IS THIS SHORT LITTLE NOTE FROM PAUL TO HIS FRIEND PHILEMON. IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER LETTERS BECAUSE IT'S SO PERSONAL. BUT THE STORY BEHIND THE LETTER IS WHAT REALLY MAKES THE LETTER IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S A STORY NOT UNLIKE THE ONE WE HAVE JUST PLAYED OUT IN OUR IMAGINATIONS.

OLE' PAUL WAS SERVING ANOTHER ONE OF HIS PERIODIC JAIL TERMS WHEN HE MET THIS GUY BY THE NAME OF ONESIMUS. NOW, ONESIMUS WAS A SLAVE WHO BELONGED TO PHILEMON, A FRIEND OF PAUL'S AND A CHRISTIAN. IN FACT, PAUL HAS HAD A HAND IN HIS FAITH DEVELOPMENT - SORT OF LIKE THE BETH'S IN OUR FIRST SCENES. NOBODY IS REALLY SURE WHY ONESIMUS WAS IN JAIL, BUT IT IS BELIEVED THAT NOT ONLY DID HE RUNAWAY FROM PHILEMON BUT THAT HE STOLE FROM HIM AS WELL AND HE'D BEEN CAUGHT AND CHARGED WITH THEFT. ANYWAY, HE BECOMES A FRIEND OF PAUL'S AND A VERY USEFUL ONE AT THAT. SO, WHEN ONESIMUS HAD DONE HIS TIME AND WAS ABOUT TO BE SPRUNG, PAUL WRITES THIS SHORT LETTER FOR HIM TO GIVE TO HIS MASTER, PHILEMON.

NOW, THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS WE NEED TO NOTE HERE. THE ONE IS THE REALLY RADICAL NATURE OF PAUL'S REQUEST OF THESE TWO BROTHERS IN CHRIST. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT SLAVES WERE NOT PERSONS; THEY WERE TOOLS. THIS WAS NOT JUST A CHALLENGE TO PHILEMON - ONESIMUS ACCEPTED A REAL RISK IN GOING BACK AS WELL. A RUNAWAY SLAVE UPON HIS RETURN COULD BE BRANDED WITH A RED-HOT BRANDING IRON ON HIS FOREHEAD LABELING HIM AS A FUGITIVE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE - A SLAVE COULD BE MAIMED SO THAT HE OR SHE WOULD NOT RUN AWAY AGAIN - A MASTER COULD SMASH THEM IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD WITH A FIST OR COULD CONDEMN THEM TO HARD LABOR. HE COULD MAKE THEM WORK IN CHAINS. HE COULD BEAT THEM WITH STICKS. STORY AFTER STORY IS WRITTEN ABOUT MASTERS WHO DELIGHTED IN THE SOUND OF A CRUEL BEATING, CONSIDERING IT SWEETER EVEN THAN THE SONG OF A BIRD. SLAVES WERE MERE PROPERTY, LIKE A WHEELBARROW OR A HORSE OR A MOP. PAUL WELL KNEW ALL THIS, AND HE KNEW THAT SLAVERY WAS SO INGRAINED INTO THE ANCIENT WORLD THAT EVEN TO SEND A FELLOW CHRISTIAN SLAVE TO ANOTHER CHRISTIAN MASTER WAS RISKING THE RUNAWAY SLAVE'S LIFE. AND YET, HE SENT HIM - BUT WITH A LETTER.

THE SECOND THING WE NEED TO NOTE IS WHAT PAUL MIGHT BE TRYING TO TEACH US ABOUT HOW WRONGDOING SHOULD BE HANDLED BY CHRISTIANS. EVEN THOUGH PAUL WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KEEP ONESIMUS FOR HIMSELF BECAUSE OF HIS USEFULNESS - AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK RECOGNIZED THE SINFULNESS OF SLAVERY AND THUS WOULD HAVE STOOD AGAINST THE LAWS OF THE DAY - STILL HE BELIEVED HE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT PHILEMON'S CONSENT. AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH MORE THAN OBEYING THE SOCIAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE TIMES. I WOULD OFFER YOU THIS MORNING THAT PERHAPS PAUL WAS ALSO SAYING THAT CHRISTIANITY ISN'T OUT TO HELP US ESCAPE OUR PAST OR TO RUN AWAY FROM IT - RATHER, IT IS OUT TO ENABLE US TO FACE OUR PAST AND TO RISE ABOVE IT.

SO, PICTURE THE SCENE - SIMILAR TO OUR THIRD SCENE. THE RUNAWAY SLAVE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. PHILEMON COMES TO THE DOOR. ALL HE KNOWS, WHEN HE SEES ONESIMUS, IS THAT THIS HEATHEN PIECE OF PROPERTY ROBBED HIM BLIND WHEN HE RAN AWAY. PHILEMON IS ABOUT TO ORDER HIM CHAINED AND THROWN IN THE DUNGEON - WHEN ONESIMUS HANDS HIM THE LETTER, TELLING HIM THAT IT IS FROM PAUL. WITH EVERY LINE OF READING, PHILEMON'S EYES GROW BIGGER.

MAKE NO MISTAKE - PAUL KNOWS HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE - HE MAKES HIS REQUEST OF PHILEMON IN WAYS THAT PHILEMON CAN'T HELP BUT HONOR. PAUL BEGINS BY REMINDING HIS FRIEND OF HIS IMPRISONMENT BECAUSE OF HIS STANCE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST - "SEE THE SACRIFICE I AM MAKING" - TALK ABOUT SUBTLE PRESSURE. AND THEN THERE'S THIS PERSONAL PLEA TO PHILEMON BUT WITH THE LETTER BEING ADDRESSED TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION WITH THE OBVIOUS INTENT THAT IT BE READ IN THE PRESENCE OF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION - DO YOU THINK PHILEMON'S ON THE SPOT? AND THEN THERE'S THE SENTENCES OF PRAISE FOR THE STORIES PAUL HAS HEARD ABOUT PHILEMON'S LOVE AND FAITH AND THE REMINDER OF HIS OWN INFLUENCE OF THAT FAITH. AND HOW ABOUT THIS SENTENCE: "ACCORDINGLY, THOUGH I AM BOLD ENOUGH IN CHRIST TO COMMAND YOU TO DO WHAT IS REQUIRED." "MY PERSONALITY WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME TELLING YOU WHAT I EXPECT - WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE SITUATION I AM ASKING YOU TO DEAL WITH." "YET", HE QUICKLY ADDS, "FOR LOVE'S SAKE I PREFER TO APPEAL TO YOU". PAUL STATES HIS AFFECTION FOR PHILEMON AND DECLARES HIS CONFIDENCE IN HIM TO DO THE RIGHT THING. CAN'T YOU JUST SEE THE HEADS IN THE CONGREGATION TURNING TOWARD PHILEMON WITH APPROVING LOOKS? PAUL ENDS HIS COUCHED INVITATION FOR PHILEMON TO DO AS HE WISHES BY PROMISING HIM THAT HE WILL ABSORB ONESIMUS' DEBTS - WILL REPAY PHILEMON ANYTHING ONESIMUS OWES HIM IF HE WILL ACCEPT HIM BACK AS A BROTHER - AND ANNOUNCES THAT HE WILL BE BY FOR A VISIT AS SOON AS HE IS OUT OF JAIL - "AND OH, BY THE WAY, SOME OF OUR OTHER BROTHERS IN CHRIST - EPAPHRAS, ARISTARCHUS, MARK, DEMAS, AND LUKE ARE READING THIS LITTLE LETTER AND SEND THEIR GREETINGS AS WELL." SO THIS NO-GOOD SLAVE IS NOW A BELOVED CHRISTIAN BROTHER, EVEN A COLLEAGUE OF THE GREAT APOSTLE. WHAT SHALL PHILEMON DO?

THERE'S NO RECORD OF WHAT PHILEMON DID. MOST BIBLICAL SCHOLARS MAKE NOTE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE LATER IN CHURCH HISTORY A VERY FAMOUS BISHOP IN THE CHURCH BY THE NAME OF ONESIMUS WHICH MIGHT SUGGEST THAT PHILEMON GAVE HIM HIS FREDOM AND WHY SUCH A SHORT AND INSIGNIFICANT LETTER WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE BIBLE. THE SCHOLARS GO ON TO INFER THAT RECEIVING HIS FREEDOM FROM HIS MASTER WAS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND ONESIMUS' RISE TO LEADERSHIP. HE, BETTER THAN MOST, UNDERSTOOD FIRSTHAND THE POWER, THE RELIEF, WHICH COMES FROM BEING FORGIVEN, FROM BEING ACCEPTED.

I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THIS MORNING THAT WHAT PAUL EXPECTED OUT OF PHILEMON AND HIS HOUSE AND HIS PEOPLE, HE EXPECTS OUT OF THE CHURCH, HIS HOUSE AND HIS PEOPLE. THAT WE ARE A PLACE AND A PEOPLE FOR RUNAWAYS - FOR THE BROKENHEARTED, THE SINNER, THE LEFT OUT, THE SEARCHING, THE QUESTIONING, THE STRUGGLING. ALL OF US CAN RELATE TO THE CHARACTER OF ONESIMUS IN THIS STORY. WE ALL KNOW OURSELVES TO BE THE ONE WHO HAS RUN AWAY - WHO HAS LEFT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES - WHO HAS HURT SOMEONE THAT CARED FOR US - WHO HAS SEPARATED OURSELVES FROM GOD AND OTHERS. WE KNOW OURSELVES AS THE ONES IN NEED OF FORGIVENESS, IN NEED OF BEING RECONCILED. SOME OF US ARE SLAVES TO MODERN DAY MASTERS - MONEY, FOOD, ATHLETICS, JOBS, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, TRAVEL, AND WE'RE RELUCTANT TO GIVE UP THE COMFORT AND THE SECURITY WHICH WE BELIEVE EXISTS IN OUR MASTERS. OUR SLAVERY HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF SEPARATION FROM GOD, WE USE THEM AS EXCUSES TO KEEP GOD AWAY, TO RUNAWAY FROM GOD'S PRESENCE. TO AVOID THE FELLOWSHIP. AND WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES WHERE WE WOULD BE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE GRACE-FILLED FORGIVENESS OF GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST? WHERE WOULD WE BE IF CHRIST AND THOSE WE ENCOUNTER AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WERE NOT AROUND TO REASSURE US OF THEIR FORGIVENESS AND OF GOD'S? WE DON'T DESERVE THE MERCY WE HAVE BEEN SHOWN ANYMORE THAN ONESIMUS DESERVED PHILEMON'S FORGIVENESS ACCORDING TO THE SOCIAL LAWS OF THEIR DAY. WE DESERVE TO BE CAST OUT, TO BE IGNORED, TO BE GIVEN UP ON, IF WE ARE ONLY TO BE EXAMINED ACCORDING TO THE LAW AND THE ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF THE DAY. BUT OUR EXPERIENCE IN JESUS CHRIST AND IN THE CHURCH IS THAT GOD LOVES US - GOD ACCEPTS US IN SPITE OF OUR CONDITION.

THE CHURCH EXISTS TO MAKE THAT MESSAGE HEARD. WE ARE A PEOPLE WHOSE VERY EXISTENCE IS TO LIVE OUT WHAT WE SAY - WHAT WE OURSELVES HAVE EXPERIENCED. WE ARE NOT JUST TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT FORGIVENESS, BUT WE ARE TO FORGIVE - WE ARE NOT JUST TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER, BUT WE ARE TO CARE - WE ARE NOT JUST TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT GOD'S ACCEPTANCE, BUT ARE TO ACCEPT.

IN ONE OF THE "PEANUTS" CARTOON STRIPS, LUCY IS SEEN SHAKING HER LITTLE FIST IN DEFIANCE, PROCLAIMING: "I KNOW EVERYBODY IN THIS FAMILY HATES ME. I'M GONNA GO WHERE I'M APPRECIATED."

SHE TURNS TO LEAVE, THEN STOPS AND SHEEPISHLY SAYS, "GIVE ME A HINT WHERE THAT IS."

AND PAUL SAYS, "HEY, LUCY, LOOK IN THE CHURCH." THE CHURCH IS THE PLACE - THE CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE, WHERE AND BY WHOM WE CAN AND SHOULD EXPERIENCE LOVE AND APPRECIATION." TO BE SURE MANY TIMES WE FAIL - BUT IT'S THE IDEAL WE MUST HOLD UP FOR OURSELVES - IT'S WHAT WE MUST COME TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT OURSELVES - IT'S WHAT WE MUST SHOOT FOR.

AS THE LIGHTS IN THE MOVIE THEATRE DIMMED, A YOUNG MAN LOADED DOWN WITH POPCORN PACED UP AND DOWN THE AISLE, SCANNING THE DARKENED ROWS. FINALLY HE STOPPED AND ASKED LOUDLY, "DOES ANYBODY RECOGNIZE ME?"

THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH SHOULD BE - A PLACE, A PEOPLE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE KNOWN AND KNOW THAT OTHERS CARE ABOUT THEM.

THE CHURCH EXISTS TO CRY WITH AND FOR PEOPLE. TO IDENTIFY WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THOSE WHO WOULD COME. OUR RALLYING CRY IS NOT "WHERE CHRIST IS THERE IS NO MISERY", BUT "WHERE THERE IS MISERY, CHRIST IS." AND IN ORDER FOR CHRIST TO BE THERE THEN WE, HIS BODY, MUST BE THERE.

ONE VERY SPECIAL DAY, LITTLE AMY UNWRAPPED A BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN-HAIRED DOLL GIVEN TO HER BY HER GRANDMOTHER. "IT'S SUCH A PRETTY DOLLY," AMY SQUEALED EXCITEDLY, HUGGING HER NEW DOLL. "OH, THANK YOU, GRANDMA!"

AMY PLAYED WITH HER NEW DOLL MOST OF THE DAY, BUT TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY, SHE PUT DOWN HER GOLDEN-HAIRED DOLL AND SOUGHT OUT ONE OF HER OLD DOLLS. AMY CRADLED THE TATTERED AND DILAPIDATED OLD DOLL IN HER ARMS. ITS HAIR HAD COME OFF; ITS NOSE WAS BROKEN; ONE EYE WAS GONE, AND AN ARM AND A LEG WERE MISSING.

"WELL, WELL," SMILED GRANDMA. "IT LOOKS AS THOUGH YOU LIKE THAT DOLLY BEST."

"I LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL DOLL YOU GAVE ME, GRANDMA," SAID LITTLE AMY. "BUT I LOVE THIS OLD DOLL THE MOST, BECAUSE IF I DIDN'T LOVE HER, NO ONE WOULD."

IF THE CHURCH DOESN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF AMYS IN IT WHERE ELSE WILL THEY BE FOUND? LET'S GET ON WITH BEING AMYS AND BEING A PEOPLE - A CHURCH - FOR RUNAWAYS.

LET US PRAY: AND NOW, O GOD, WHILE OUR HEARTS ARE OPEN TO YOUR SPIRIT, FILL US WITH LIFE ANEW. PREPARE US TO HEAR THE HURTS OF OTHERS, LOOSE OUR TONGUES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, BIND US TOGETHER IN THESE FEW MOMENTS THAT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN OUR LIVES MIGHT BRING US CLOSER TO YOU. IN CHRIST'S NAME. AMEN.