ROUTE 66 EP 063

Who God Is & How He Responds to Humans

God is a Master and Father Who Desires Fellowship and Deserves Honor

• God as Master and Father: The pastor presented God as both the rightful Master who has been wronged by human sin and a loving Father who desires fellowship. The relationship between God and humanity began in the Garden of Eden, where fellowship was intact and conversation with God was natural.

• Desire for Fellowship: God the Father desires fellowship with humanity, but sin, introduced by the enemy's lie, broke that fellowship.

• Deserving of Honor: As a Father, God deserves honor; as a Master, He deserves fear (reverence).

  • Scripture: Malachi 1:6 - “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts...”

  • Context: God confronts priests who despised His name, calling for the honor and reverence He is due.

  • Application: Skepticism about God does not negate our accountability to Him.

God is Just, but Also Rich in Mercy, Grace, and Love

• God is Just: Sin deserves judgment. It is a "fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Ignoring spiritual "symptoms" leads to catastrophic consequences.

  • Scripture: Hebrews 10:31 - "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

  • Context: A warning against willful sin and the reality of divine judgment.

• God is Rich in Mercy & Grace: In contrast to the severe penalties of law (both Roman and divine), God abounds in love and grace for those who come to Him.

  • Scripture: Ephesians 2:4–5 - “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”

  • Context: This highlights that salvation is by grace, an initiative God took while we were spiritually dead in our sins.

  • Scripture: Psalm 103:8 - “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

  • Application: This grace is transformative. The pastor shared his own testimony of seeking "fire insurance" on April 28, 1991, but instead encountering true heart change from God.

God Provides a Mediator and Orchestrates Reconciliation

• The One Mediator: Jesus Christ is the sole Mediator who stands in the gap to reconcile us to the Father through His sacrificial death and resurrection. The sermon itself is a mediated plea to "Come to the Father."

  • Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:5-6 - “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all…”

  • Context: Paul teaches that Jesus alone mediates between God and humanity. This truth is the answer to the broken fellowship that began in the Garden.

  • Application: Paul's role in the Philemon story, standing between the offended master and the guilty servant, is a living picture of Christ's mediatorial work.

• Providential Encounters: God orchestrates events and meetings to bring sinners to salvation and restoration.

  • Example: Onesimus, a runaway slave, somehow encounters the Apostle Paul in Rome, a city 1,300 miles from his home, leading to his conversion. You can run, but you cannot outrun God.

• The Cost of Mediation: The emotional weight of this mediation is immense, reflecting the agony of Christ.

  • Scripture: Matthew 26:37 - Jesus in Gethsemane “began to be sorrowful and very heavy.”

  • Scripture: Luke 22:44 - Jesus, “being in an agony… sweat… as great drops of blood.”

Who God Says I Am & How I Am to Live

My Identity Apart from Christ vs. My Identity In Christ

• Apart from Christ: A Sinner in Need of Reconciliation

  • Humanity is represented by Onesimus: a slave, servant, sinner, thief, and runaway, separated from God by our sin.

  • We are all sinners—thieves, liars, adulterers, prideful—and have fallen short. No one is exempt.

  • Scripture: Romans 3:23 (paraphrased) - “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

  • This state is described as being "useless," under judgment, and living in the "power of darkness." Life without Christ's mediation leads to regret and spiritual isolation.

• In Christ: A Reconciled, Forgiven, and Useful New Creation

  • Through Christ, we are forgiven and made useful for God's purposes, just as Onesimus's name ("useful") was restored in his character.

  • Identity Shift: We become a "new creature."

    • Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

    • Context: This describes the new creation identity for those united to Christ, which makes relational reconciliation possible.

  • Kingdom Transfer: We are moved from darkness to light.

    • Scripture: Colossians 1:13 - “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”

  • A "Co-Signed" Life: Jesus has paid our debt. Paul’s offer to Philemon illustrates this beautifully.

    • Scripture: Philemon 1:18 - “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.”

    • Application: Read as if Jesus is speaking: "Put that on Mine account." The cross is the payment ledger for your sin. You have been co-signed.

How I Am to Live My Life

• Embrace Truth and Surrender to Jesus

  • The sermon contrasted two states: living in sin brings judgment, while surrendering to Jesus brings freedom.

  • We must seek God's truth, found ultimately at the Cross, rather than cultural or personal rationalizations.

  • Pastor's Example: The pastor shared his personal testimony of moving from judgment to freedom at age 22 by surrendering to the Lord. His early post-conversion struggles (e.g., language at flag football) were met with immediate conviction, showing the Spirit's work.

• Practice Reconciliation and Restitution

  • If you are Onesimus (the one who has wronged another): Repent, return, confess, and make restitution where possible. Seek accountability from trusted believers to bring hidden sins into the light.

    • Pastor's Example: The pastor shared his own history of theft (candy, gum, etc.). A significant theft while he was a Christian led to deep conviction while studying Joshua 7 (the sin of Achan). A year later, he confessed to his employer to make it right.

  • If you are Philemon (the one who has been wronged): Imitate his character of love, generosity, and willingness to refresh others. Receive repentant brothers and sisters with grace, letting love lead even when the law permits judgment.

  • If you are Paul (the mediator): Invest time in people, listen well, and create safe spaces for confession. Speak truth in love, being patient as discipleship often precedes full confession.

• Engage in the Ministry of Reconciliation

  • We are called to lay down our lives for others and show tangible compassion, both to believers and unbelievers.

  • Scripture: 1 John 3:16–17 - “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

  • Application: Church is not about "playing church" or potlucks; it's about bringing people to Jesus. Evangelism is vital.

  • Pastor's Example: He recounted preaching in a large, beautiful church building in Galesburg with only 13 people, underscoring that evangelism is more important than aesthetics.

• Maintain Spiritual Disciplines and Christian Conduct

  • Resist the "Slow Fade": Drifting from church, Scripture, fellowship, and prayer leads to wandering far from God. Stay committed to these disciplines.

  • Workplace Integrity: Submit to rightful authority and work diligently. If disgruntled, seek God's perspective rather than fleeing or sinning.

  • Cultural Relevance: Human politics cannot fix the world's brokenness; only Jesus brings true transformation. Embodied mercy and evangelism are the antidote to cultural decline.

Sermon Narrative & Key Points (Route 66: The Book of Philemon)

Background of the Letter

• Author: The Apostle Paul, assisted by Timothy.

• Context: Written around 60-64 A.D. while Paul was imprisoned in Rome. It is one of four "prison epistles" (along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians). Paul was under house arrest for two years for preaching the truth about Jesus Christ.

• Summary in Ten Words or Less: Paul pleads for mercy for a runaway slave who was converted to Christianity.

The Central Characters & Their Symbolic Roles

• Philemon: A wealthy, respected Christian in Colossae known for his love, generosity, and integrity. His name means "affectionate/loving." He hosts a church in his house and is known for "refreshing the saints" (Philemon 1:7). In the analogy, Philemon represents God the Father.

• Onesimus: A slave to Philemon. His name means "useful/purposeful." He stole from Philemon and fled 1,300 miles to Rome. There, he met Paul, became a Christian, was discipled, and confessed his wrongdoing. In the analogy, Onesimus represents you and me—humanity.

• Paul: Imprisoned in Rome, he knows Philemon personally and leads Onesimus to Christ. He writes the letter to mediate their reconciliation. In the analogy, Paul represents Jesus Christ, the Mediator.

The Heart of the Letter: A Picture of Gospel Reconciliation

Paul's letter is a personal, heartfelt plea for the restoration of a broken relationship between two men who are now brothers in Christ. It is his shortest letter (one chapter, 25 verses) but is rich with spiritual truth.

• The Request: Paul urges Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not just as a servant, but as a beloved brother.

  • Scripture: Philemon 1:11-12 - Paul notes that Onesimus was "unprofitable" in the past but is now "profitable." He sends him back, asking Philemon to receive him with deep, heartfelt emotion ("with mine own bowels").

  • Scripture: Philemon 1:15-17 - “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved... If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.”

• The Payment: Paul personally guarantees Onesimus’s debt.

  • Scripture: Philemon 1:18 - “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.” This verse is a powerful picture of Christ taking our debt upon Himself.

Key Points from the Sermon

1. Fellowship with God was broken by the enemy’s lie; truth is recovered at the Cross.

2. Philemon stands as a model of Christian integrity, love, and refreshing ministry.

3. Onesimus embodies the sinner’s journey: sin, flight, encounter with grace, confession, and transformation.

4. Paul pictures Christ’s mediatorial work, bridging enemies and restoring fellowship (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

5. Reconciliation requires deep, gut-level compassion and a willingness to absorb the cost (Philemon 1:11–12; Matthew 26:37; Luke 22:44).

6. All have sinned; only Christ reconciles us to the Father (Romans 3:23).

7. Christians are called to the ministry of reconciliation—truth-telling, patient discipleship, confession, forgiveness, and restoration.

Invitation & Closing Prayer

• Call to Salvation: An invitation was given to "come to the Father" by acknowledging sin and receiving reconciliation through Jesus, our Mediator. One person raised a hand to trust Christ.

• Call to Believers: For those living in brokenness, a call was made to repent and return to fellowship.

• Closing Prayer: The pastor expressed gratitude for God’s Word, which is more precious than any worldly possession, and for Jesus "co-signing" and paying our debt in full. He prayed for ongoing conviction and restored fellowship in Jesus’ Name.