From Useless to Useful

Text:  Philemon 1:1-21 & Jeremiah 18:1-4

            “You’re useless!” are words that haunt many people in their day-to-day lives.  It may be that in their childhood they were told by a parent, a teacher, or their peers that they were useless; a woman scarred by a man in her life who keeps telling her she’s useless; a person growing older who doesn’t feel that they are able to make a useful contribution to society; or someone who has lost their nearest and dearest and doesn’t feel needed by anyone anymore.  People who have suffered illness or injury which disables them may feel useless, as if they are a burden to their families and society.  There are times when a person sits in despair and says, “I’m useless.  I’m a useless parent.  I’m useless at my work.  I’m useless to the people around.  No one really needs me.”  A person who feels a deep down sense of uselessness lives with a low self-esteem, bouts of depression, and may even feel like putting an end to it all. 

            The opposite of this is to feel useful:  the key to a healthy self-esteem.  What a tonic to the soul:  to be needed by others. 

            In Jeremiah 18:1-4, the prophet is directed by the Lord to go down to the potter’s house in order to receive the word of the Lord.  Jeremiah does what he is told and observes the potter working away at his wheel, shaping a lump of clay into a vessel.  The potter sees that his creation is flawed and misshapen and so he crushes it back into a lump and reworks it.  The potter’s renewed effort brings about satisfactory results:  a vessel that is useful.  This image provides the backdrop for a word of judgement against the people of Israel and a call to them to turn from their ‘evil ways.’

            The potter’s transformation of a useless vessel into one that is useful provides a concrete picture of the transformations that take places in the lives of a slave named Onesimus and his owner Philemon.  The name Onesimus literally means ‘useful.’  Paul’s letter to Philemon gives us an insight into how this useless slave became useful not only to Philemon, but also to Paul. 

            There is more:  Paul implores Philemon to be useful to Paul by acting consistently with the love of Christ.  Paul taught that by faith we have been justified (made right with God; Gal. 3:24).  His message is that through faith in Jesus Christ we have been made children of God (Gal. 3:26).  Through faith in Christ, Paul writes that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”  Paul is asking Philemon to demonstrate the Gospel in the way in which he treats Onesimus.

            The letter to Philemon is the shortest and one of the least familiar of Paul’s letters.  Perhaps it is because it does not have the flavour of a heavy theological treatise like most of his writings.  Anyway, Paul writes from his imprisonment.  It may be that Timothy acts as Paul’s secretary, although we do know that Paul takes up the pen in verse 19.  Philemon is described as ‘a dear friend and co-worker.’  Greetings are sent to Apphia, Archippus, and the whole church that gathers in Philemon’s home.  We may only speculate that Apphia was Philemon’s wife, and Archippus, a leader in this house church.  Though Paul’s remarks are primarily aimed at Philemon, there is a very real sense in which Philemon’s response to Paul’s request will affect the rest of the church. 

            Paul’s words to Philemon and his house church challenge our highly individualistic values today.  For Paul, faith is something to be lived out in community, each one in mutual dependence upon the other.  This encompasses the whole person, spiritual and physical. 

            This letter is deeply personal.  A friend is writing to another friend.  Theirs is such a close relationship that Paul feels able to ask a favour which would test even the most solid friendship.  Theirs is such a close relationship that Paul feels free to write in a style that is tongue-in-cheek.  Theirs is such a close relationship that Paul feels confident that Philemon will be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ whom he serves. 

            Paul’s prayer for Philemon reveals that the slave owner is a man who acts in love towards his fellow Christians and who lives in faith towards Jesus Christ.  His prayer makes it clear that Philemon has been a source of joy and encouragement because of his love.  He takes pleasure in the fact that Philemon has been a source of refreshment to the hearts of fellow Christians.  Paul bases his appeal on Philemon’s past track record of love in action. 

            This letter not only expresses the deep personal relationship that Paul has with Philemon, it also makes it clear that Paul shares a close relationship to Onesimus.  Paul has fathered Onesimus into the faith as his own child.  That Paul shares such a close relationship with Philemon and Onesimus in the faith, creates a triangle of tension as spiritual reality collides with the ‘real’ world.           

            We must not underestimate the enormity of what Paul was requesting of Philemon.  Onesimus was Philemon’s slave.  We might surmise that Onesimus may have stolen from his master in order to finance his escape.  In a series of circumstances which are not revealed to us, Onesimus crosses the path of Paul.  Paul’s primary passion was for the salvation of all those with whom he came into contact.  Onesimus comes to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and becomes - both to Paul and Philemon - a brother in Christ. 

            However, the reality of the world in which Paul lived was a slave driven economy.  The life of a slave might be acceptable under the ownership of a benevolent master.  But for most, slavery was a life of drudgery.  Slaves were abused physically, mentally, and emotionally according to the whim of their owners.  They had no rights.  Their usefulness lay only in their ability to perform service to their masters.  If a slave escaped and was caught, the punishments could be brutal.  A slave owner might even choose to have the slave crucified.  If someone were to harbour a slave, they were liable to pay the owner of the slave for every day of work lost.^[1]

            Paul was putting the reality of his message to the test.  He was asking Philemon to do the unthinkable - to reconcile with his slave Onesimus and to regard him as a brother in Christ.  Paul resists commanding Philemon to obey.  Instead he appeals to Philemon’s free will. 

            This was mind-blowing stuff!  Can you imagine the anger Philemon may have felt towards Onesimus?  What if Onesimus had not only robbed him of valuables but also things which were irreplaceable and of sentimental worth?  Philemon would have been within his rights to not only punish Onesimus, but to charge Paul with the crime of sheltering a slave.   Seeing as Paul was already in prison, a negative response to this letter from Philemon could easily have compounded Paul’s problems. 

            Paul offers to make restitution for any debt owed by Onesimus.  Whatever has happened - whether stolen goods or days lost in work - Paul promises to repay Philemon.  Paul never misses a trick however.  He is quick to remind Philemon that he owes his very self to Paul.  It is as if Paul is saying, “Remember that I was the one who told you of Jesus Christ.  Remember that it was through me that you found salvation in Christ.”

            Paul’s primary appeal to Philemon rests on a play on words.   It is as if Paul is saying, “This slave whose name means ‘Useful’ was actually useless to you.  He ran away, stealing from you, and leaving you in the lurch for labour.  However, God’s providential hand was in it all.  God led Onesimus to me and I was able to tell him the Good News about Jesus Christ.  Now this useless slave is living up to his name.  Through Jesus Christ he is truly useful - both to you and to me.  He is no longer your slave but a brother in Christ.  For me, he is no longer a runaway slave seeking refuge, but he is like a son to me.  He is my very own heart.  I would love to keep him here with me so that he can serve me in place of you.  But I know I must send him back to you.  Please know how much he means to me.  Treat him in the same way that you would treat me.  As you would welcome me with open arms, welcome him in the same way.” 

            When Paul writes, “Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord!” the word benefit is similar to the Greek word for Onesimus.  Could it be that Paul saying to Philemon, “Be useful to me as Onesimus is now useful to you?”

            We don’t know what happened as a result of Paul’s letter.  We can only hope that Philemon not only granted Paul this favour, but that he went the extra mile by granting Onesimus his freedom.  The thrust of Paul’s letter challenged Philemon to live out the Gospel of being one in Christ.  It is not enough to have the nice sounding theory, the correct dogmas and doctrines tripping from our tongues.  The Gospel of grace must be a lived out reality.

            We might be tempted to think that this letter is irrelevant to us today.  After all, slavery has been abolished for a couple of centuries now.  If we took that view, we would be quite mistaken.  Slavery exists in our world yet in a different form.  There are many businessman prepared to take advantage of illegal immigrants and use them to work unreasonable hours doing menial tasks.  There are children used and abused by sex tourists in cities throughout the world.  There are people slaving away to make a living to supply us with bananas, coffee, chocolate and many other luxuries.  They are paid a pittance for our pleasures.  Even in this country, the residue of the class system remains. 

            The Gospel of Jesus Christ breaks down all the barriers of race, sex, and class. We continue the struggle against those who would use and abuse others for their own selfish ends.  But, as the old saying goes, “Love begins at home.”  The challenge for the church is to live as brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of the labels that have been slapped on us merely because of our birth or social circumstances.  At the heart of the Gospel message is the acknowledgement that without Christ we are all useless - like the potter’s flawed vessel.  Through faith in Jesus Christ we have all been transformed into useful vessels.  We are all valued equally in the eyes of God.  And it’s all because of his amazing grace.