July 21, 2020
Philemon 8-16
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 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— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.  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.  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.  Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 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.
New International Version (NIV)
Why didn’t the Bible just condemn and abolish slavery?  Do you ever wonder?  I have.  I hope that would have changed history.  On the other hand, people still do a lot of things that the Bible condemns.  Gregory of Nyssa called slavery sin and condemned it in the early years of the church.  Nobody, not even his good friends Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus agreed.  Centuries later we still deal with the aftermath.

Sometimes the scripture is more subtle than we realize.  When Paul wrote to Philemon in Colosse and asked him to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus, he was actually subverting the institution of slavery.  If Paul had stood in his prison cell and shouted for all to hear:  “I abolish slavery” it would not have worked.  But there in prison he met Onesimus, whose name means useful.  There Paul led Onesimus into relationship with Jesus.  Then Paul sent him back to his master, a friend of Paul and asked him to forgive the runaway and receive him not as a slave but as a brother. 

Paul hoped that Philemon would just set Onesimus free.  But he didn’t demand it.  Instead he gave Philemon the opportunity to change his mind.  Did he?  We don’t know.  But we know that Paul’s words eroded the very foundation of holding others as slaves.  As usual, the problem is not scripture.  We have seen the enemy and he is us.  Southern Baptists formed in 1845, separating from the American Baptists over the issue of slavery.  The Southern Baptists wanted to keep slaves but the American Baptists wanted to abolish slavery.  This was sixteen years before the Civil War.  It is not a proud part of our history.  In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention apologized and repented.  I believe the apology was sincere but it was a long time coming.  This does not mean that every Southern Baptist for 150 years thought slavery was good.  But many members of our churches still hold hatred in their hearts.

At one level, we can’t change the ugly beginnings of our denomination.  But every day, starting today we can live in loving relationship with our brothers and sisters of all races.  In heaven every tribe, tongue and nation is represented.  There we will love each other perfectly.  But we don’t have to wait until we die to begin.  Today is a good day to love every person you meet.  All bear God’s image.  All are included in Christ through the blood of his cross.  Let us live as though we are God’s children today.  The world is still waiting.
Pray with me:         
Father, thank you for setting us free from sin.  Let us not use our freedom to bite and devour each other.  Instead, let us love each other well today, because in Christ we have been loved so well.  Forgive our unkindness to others.  Transform us by the renewing of our minds.  Let our love for one another triumph over all hatred today.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen. 
Join us in memorizing the Word.  Scripture for this week:    
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan.  Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG 
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week.  In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year.  Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.  
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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