Meditation

Hi there,

Steve Jobs became famous for using his iconic phrase "One more thing" to announce surprise products at the end of his keynote presentations at Apple events.

Beginning in 1999 the practice of "One more thing" continued even after Steve Jobs' death in 2011 and became the most anticipated part of already very anticipated events.

Even today, Apple occasionally uses the "One more thing" phrase as a tribute to Steve Jobs during their keynote presentations to serve as a nostalgic reference and a way to honor his legacy.

Today we see Paul using the same phrase to much the same effect thousands of years before.

The letter to Philemon is densely packed with gospel inspiration and gospel teaching, and ends on a surprise that must whet Philemon's appetite for Paul's return and increase his motivation to comply with his central request.

If Philemon is expecting his prayers to be answered then he is likely to be rewarded with a visit from Paul. And a visit from Paul means he'll be able to see first hand whether he has accepted Onesimus back as a brother in Christ.

As confident as Paul was in the prior verse, "one more thing" surely seals the deal.

Today's text is Philemon 22-25

Philemon

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.

6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.

7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Encouragement

Steve Jobs' second most famous quote was "Good artists copy, great artists steal." I don't know whether he consciously or unconsciously stole this line from Paul. But he is recognized as the the great showman and persuader of his time.

But he couldn't hold a candle to Paul.

Not simply because Paul was blessed with great persuasive powers (he was, and this letter is an exemplar of them from beginning to end)...but because the gospel is the power to change hearts, minds and ultimately entire cultures and all of history.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

The gospel promise is to transform individual souls from the inside out, and in that transformation, radically transform societies and the world. The Greco-Roman world order and its societal assumptions of the value of human life and dignity were ultimately totally upended by Christianity.

Paul's letter to Philemon stands as one of the first glimpses of this new world order. A short letter written from a prison cell with a profound new message heralding a history-altering change.

If you haven't checked out the video below from The Bible Project, don't miss it. It's a great comeplement to this week's study.

Next week our season in the shorter books of the New Testament takes us to the book of Jude.​
​

Andy

God's word in your hand

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