May 28, 2023
Stand in the Gap
Philemon 1:4-21
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all need someone to stand in the gap and help us out occasionally. In other words, we need someone to intercede on our behalf. As I sit and write these notes, there’s a bear running around the campus here at church. The bear can’t find its way back home, so wildlife officials came and interceded on the bear's behalf to take it back to it's home that it couldn’t get to by itself. During this long weekend, we are celebrating Memorial Day. It’s a day in which we remember those men and women who paid the ultimate price as they stood in the gap for America in order to secure our freedoms. All throughout scripture we see calls and examples of intercession. In Ezekiel 22:30 we see God paint a picture of a city wall that has a hole in it. He says He is looking for someone who can stand in the gap in the wall and repair it (this wasn’t a literal wall, but rather a wall of righteousness that was constructed to protect the children of Israel that they had destroyed it). In fact, the entire book of Philemon is an example of what it means for a Christian to stand in the gap for someone. This morning, let’s take a look in the book of Philemon at what it means to intercede on someone's behalf, how we can intercede, and why intercession should always center around the Gospel.
The book is named after the man who received this letter from Paul. Philemon was a Christian who lived in Colossae and happened to be a slave owner (This letter is in no part condoning the horrible act of slavery, but it was used in the abolitionist movement both in America and England). He happened to own a slave named Onesimus (while we don’t know all the details of the events this letter refers to) who robbed Philemon and ran away to Rome to get lost in the crowds there. It seems he had been arrested and the authorities were awaiting Philemon’s response and request for judgment. Philemon had every legal right to have Onesimus executed for his crime and Paul knew this. Paul chose to stand in the gap to intercede on behalf of a man who deserved everything Philemon could have requested be done to him. Paul knew Jesus had done the same thing for him that he was doing for Onesimus. Paul knew he was a sinner and deserved the punishment laid out in Romans 6:23. Since Jesus interceded on his behalf, Paul interceded on Onesimus’ behalf. Paul had freely received this from Jesus and Paul was now freely giving to Onesimus. The same goes for us as well. We as partakers in the intercession of Jesus (Hebrews 7:25) and must be willing and ready to intercede for others as well. How? Let’s look at how Paul stood in the gap and how we can do the same for people in and around our lives.
To Stand in the Gap we must lead with the Gospel. - Philemon 1:10
10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison.
When we intercede on someone's behalf the most important thing that we can do and must do (in order to be obedient to God’s Word) is to share the Gospel first. Paul knew that Onesimus was desperate for freedom and was willing to risk his life to obtain it (otherwise he wouldn’t have ran in the first place). Paul also knew that if he were to speak to Philemon on Onesimus’ behalf and win his freedom, Onesimus would still be a slave to sin - he wouldn’t really be free at all. Paul also knew that when Jesus sets you free you will be free indeed! Paul shared the Gospel and Onesimus surrendered his life to Jesus. His need was much larger than any worldly concern he had at that or any other moment in his life and Paul made sure to address that spiritual need first. That should always be our first step as well. What does it matter if we are able to help someone with their physical needs if we never address their ultimate spiritual need first? When we think of missionary work, many times we think of just helping, feeding, or maybe building something to meet a group's physical needs. While those are important, the most important is to share the Gospel. I had a missionary friend of mine call that, “helping without helping.” If we do all this work to help with our social or physical needs without the Gospel we are wasting our time when it comes to ministering because this is not Christian ministry at all. Christians should be so about the Gospel that it should be second nature to bring the Gospel into every conversation no matter where we find ourselves. In season or out of season, we must always be all about the Gospel. Paul had taken care of the first things first, telling Onesimus about how Jesus intercedes for us and gives us the opportunity to be truly free in Him. Now, Paul can minister to his other needs.
To Stand in the Gap we must intercede in prayer. - Philemon 1:4-7
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
Intercessory prayer is a strange thing in our culture. There is a sense that it’s a ministry for those who are “prayer warriors” or it’s a ministry that people have to be called to, but intercessory prayer is what all Christians are called to do. It may sound confusing to call it intercessory prayer, but it’s simply praying for others on their behalf. We see in scripture that we are told to pray for everyone in authority (1 Timothy 2:2); ministers (Philippians 1:19); Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6); friends (Job 42:8); fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1); the sick (James 5:14); enemies (Jeremiah 29:7); those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44); those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16); all men (1 Timothy 2:1) and this isn’t an exhaustive list. Intercessory prayer should always be the first thing we do when we are standing in the gap and helping others out. Many times we might find ourselves saying, “Well at least I can pray for you” or “I can’t help with that, but at least I can be praying”. We should never use “at least” and prayer in the same sentence. There is too much power in prayer for it to be anything other than our first reaction. We have a God who is all-powerful and all-knowing who cares deeply for us and wants to hear from us. This is exactly what Paul is doing here. He has already led Onesimus to the Lord. Once that happened he took him to the Lord in prayer, not only for Onesimus but for Philemon as well. Paul is praying for the soil of Philemon’s heart to be receptive to what was about to be boldly asked for in light of what Christ had done in the lives of Paul, Philemon, and now in the life of Onesimus. Prayer is our first step in standing in the gap for someone.
To Stand in the Gap we must be bold. - Philemon 1:8-17
8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. 10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. 11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. 12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart. 13 I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. 15 It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. 16 He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.
As Christians, there are many times that prayer is the only thing we can do (please don’t take my use of “only” as minimizing the importance and power of prayer). There are many times God gives us a place to take action and we must take action. Being someone who stands in the gap requires us to be proactive and do what we can, when we can, and we must do this with a boldness that only comes from Christ. Paul had shared the Gospel and he had prayed, but he knew that he could do more. Philemon was a Christian and Paul knew he could appeal to him as a fellow brother in Christ on behalf of another new brother in Christ to do what was right. Paul didn’t worry about the law or what those in the culture would say, instead he boldly asked something that very few would have the gall to do. He asked that he release Onesimus from his punishment and for Philemon to go above and beyond to accept him as a brother as he would accept Paul himself. That’s a lot to ask for someone who was robbed and had every legal right to do as he saw fit to Onesimus. Put all of that aside and don’t count his wrongs against him, but it's as Paul spoke that he was reminding Philemon of exactly what Christ did for all of them. Paul was asking, in love, for Philemon to act in favor of Onesimus. Being motivated by love isn’t all there is to standing in the gap. You must be willing to pay a price.
To Stand in the Gap we must be willing to pay a price. - Philemon 1:18-21
18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL! 20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. 21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world, but it wasn’t that love that would offer us salvation. It was the fact that He gave Jesus’ life that led to us being able to be saved. Intercession will always cost us something. Sometimes it will not be a lot, but other times it might cost us everything. Paul knows this and continues this letter with boldness by taking upon himself any penalty that Onesimus has or would have accrued upon himself. Paul was living out the Gospel that he had proclaimed to Onesimus in the first place. He was now living it out in front of, not only the two involved in this legal dispute, but all of those who would read this part of Scripture throughout history. When we take a stand for someone or for something, we must know that it might cost us something, but as Christians we need to take heart because our rewards are not here on earth. We store up treasures in heaven.
With this the letter ends. So what happened once Paul reached out and stood in the gap between Philemon and Onesimus? The Bible is silent to the details (sort of), but we see in the writings of Ignatius (a very early Christian writer) that Onesimus was a leader in the church at Ephesus. Paul had stepped into the gap to reconcile two brothers in Christ that were at odds. Paul's letter in Colossians also briefly mentions Onesimus so we can infer that Philemon released him. Just like Paul said, he became very useful to both of them. The Gospel changes everything. God can use us, as well as His Word to change the world. We have to lead with the Gospel, be in prayer at all times, be bold as we take a stand for what is right, and know that it will cost us something in the eyes of the world, but that’s not what Christians should be concerned with.
