Put it on my tab – Preaching
Preaching Outline on Philemon 1:18 – “And if he has wronged you or owes you anything, put it on my account.”
Introduction to Philemon 1:18
In this verse, we see Paul interceding for a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus. According to the laws of the time, the penalty for a runaway slave was death. In this text, we see that God still has a plan for the life of someone who has been condemned by society.
Development
Onesimus means useful
When Paul writes, he makes an intercession to Onesimus’ master, Philemon. According to some scholars, there is a probability (although the Bible doesn’t say so) that Philemon despised Onesimus, perhaps he wanted to get rid of him, because for Philemon, Onesimus was perhaps useless. Paul then explains to Philemon about Onesimus’ conversion, about his encounter with him.
After his conversion, the once useless man had become useful for the Gospel.
Onesimus had a difficult situation
It’s also likely that he owed something to the Society. If he owed it in this way, he deserved to be condemned according to the law in force. But God reserved for him an encounter with Paul, who, in addition to presenting him with Salvation in Jesus, wrote to Philemon to receive and accept Onesimus, through direct intercession, offering his own name as a guarantee.
Paul puts himself forward as the guarantor of an experience he had on the road to Damascus, in which he was a sinner, a debtor, but had an experience with Jesus, the good Lord who paid his debt and redeemed him from sin and all guilt.
Conclusion of Philemon 1:18
We see in verse 17 that Paul intercedes for the slave, and in the same way Jesus Christ intercedes for the repentant sinner. Jesus is our intercessor, he prays to the Father for us, and through his sacrifice our lives are changed. We are presented without guilt, without debt and without sin. This is the true God, the Lord of Paul, the Lord Jesus, the God who pays our debts and redeems us from the judgment of death that sin brings. The God who paid Paul’s debt, paid Onesimus’ debt and from then on, the powerful blood of Jesus has been paying the debts of his faithful servants!
Hallelujah to the God who pays our debts!
Preaching Outline on Philemon 1:18 – “And if he has wronged you or owes you anything, put it on my account.”
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