Philemon Sermon

 

                As is my habit, when the lectionary offers a book of the Bible that is infrequently read
—maybe only once a year,
maybe, like today’s reading from Philemon once every three years
—I make sure to pay attention
—to point the lot of you to its existence and message.
And today the lectionary gives us a doozy—Philemon.
An incredibly short book that:
1. Has been used as clobber verses both by Christians and against the Church.
2. Makes for a very concrete telling of what Christian Practice looks like when it’s lived out. And
3. Illustrates the Cost of Discipleship described by Jesus in today’s Gospel.

 

Prayer

 

                The letter to Philemon is one of those scraps of scripture that get used as clobber verses.
Specifically, Christianity’s detractors often point here to say that Christianity is morally suspect…
and not only the detractors
—famed Theologian Howard Thurman pointedly wrote about his family’s aversion to reading the Apostle Paul,
on account of this and other verses like it, that were historically preached in the Antebellum South to enslaved people,
Pastors in the pockets of Slave owners,
insisted that it was the Christian duty of fugitive slaves to return to their masters.
More broadly, this piece of scripture is part of a perceived pattern that Christianity condones slavery.

                But it is worth naming this sort of thing as a misuse,
a reading not in the actual scripture…
A reading that does not give consideration to
the rhetoric of the letter
or the social location of its first readers.
If you take those two things seriously, it is plain that Paul is doing the exact opposite of what he is accused of doing…

Listen to the rhetoric:
The recalling of familial bonds

—you’re like a son to me…and isn’t Onesimus like a brother

Not to mention the out and out passive aggressiveness of Paul’s words

I COULD command you…
I’m sending Onesimus to you, but he’s my own heart…
I’d PERFER not to force you to free him…
aren’t voluntary good deeds the best?

I certainly wouldn’t remind you that you owe me everything… even your very identity!

Then there is the setting this all takes place in.

                On one hand, this is a public letter
—it is being read aloud in Archippus’ house church where Philemon attends…

                On the other hand, it is read by people living within the Roman Empire
—a society stratified and organized by Patron/Client relationships
and honor and shame taboos
that would make Philemon wince by the time the reader reached the word “partnership” in verse 6
and Onesemus was as good as freed by the time he’s named in verse 10.

                In short, when we look at this letter cleareyed,
it is beyond obvious that using it to uphold slavery in any way is an example of a society misusing the Faith.
That fact then named,
excising that old evil, insidious inserted into our scriptures
—allows us to hear what it is actually saying,
and what these Christians are actually doing…

 

                Think about what this small letter says about how we Christians live out our faith.

Instead of command or force,
Paul upholds love, consent, and voluntary right action…
A wooing of Philemon into doing what is right
—and that makes sense, doesn’t it?
The God who is a weak force in the world,
so much so that, when we look for him, we find him on the cross
—the one who would not bruise a single reed or blow out a single candle
–and yet in that gentleness shall right the whole world
—yes, the follower of such a savior,
one dedicated to such a Divinity
—wooing, yes I suppose that makes sense.

                For that matter, this wordplay using Onesimus’ name, which means Handy or Useful
—he was not useful enslaved to Philemon, but became so serving the Gospel
—useful in Christ
—useful when he is fulfilling his vocation
Vocation—the intriguing web of roles, relationships, and responsibilities that flow from Baptism!
Our usefulness, our meaningfulness,
we can find it in the one who has found us,
Jesus Christ!

                Find too, a oneness in baptism
—Slave and Owner freed to be brothers
—in baptism we find something that both embraces and transcends those other identities we have
—bigotry and barriers have no place in the body of Christ.

                And that is not inconsequential
—there is cost to our following of Jesus,
just by being faithful, in fact, the cross will find us.

 

                Yes, the cost of discipleship. This letter illustrates and clarifies that cost.

                “Hate you family!” Jesus says in the Gospel
—that’s a consequence…
when the meaning of family expands beyond acceptable borders,
the balance will be tipped
—the Christian meaning of Family turns all the rest upside down.

                So too your life and livelihood,
all of it flipped.

The economic cost, the labor lost
—when the majority of the Roman labor force no longer is forced to work,
but instead is afforded a common dignity as fellow Children of God

                Count the costs
—o’ they seem so steep,

Give up possessions,
get back a person!
Philemon, give up your possession! And you get back a person! Onesimus!

                Count the costs
—give up power,
and find your fellows!

                Give up the ties that bind,
and be bound by love!

                Give up on following anyone else,
and there he is, the Lord on the cross!

Amen.