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Usefulness

We’re continuing our walk through Paul’s letter to Philemon. As we saw in my last post, Paul is making an appeal to Philemon on behalf of his former slave, Onesimus.

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.

Philemon 10-11 NIV

Onesimus was saved under Paul’s ministry. As he grew and matured, he began to work with Paul.

At this point we can see how the apostle uses the language in a very creative way. First of all, you need to know that the name, Onesimus, literally means useful. It comes from a root word that means to gratify or derive an advantage from.

Obviously, owning a slave gives you an advantage. You get free labor at some else’s expense.

Then Paul said he was useless but now has become useful. The apostle found Onesimus useful in the ministry. Not as a slave, but as a partner in the Lord’s work.

This is a different word for useful. It’s a compound word; good and employed. Onesimus was profitable to Paul in his ministry.

But, more than that, Paul says that Onesimus is not just profitable to him. He has also become profitable to Philemon. How could that be the case?

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.

Philemon 12-13 NIV

Paul makes it clear that he views Onesimus as taking Philemon’s place in the ministry. But he also makes something clear that we don’t see very well in our English translation. I believe that the Berean Literal Bible is closer to the original in this section of Scripture.

…whom I was wishing to keep with myself, so that on behalf of you he might serve me in the chains of the gospel.

Philemon 13 BLB

If you remember, twice Paul has called himself a prisoner of Christ in this letter. Now he’s saying that Onesimus only traded one slaver for another. A more profitable one. He is now a fellow prisoner of Christ with Paul. They are both in the chains of the Gospel.

Think back to Paul’s quote in my last post.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.

1 Corinthians 7:22 NIV

Under Paul’s ministry, Onesimus willingly placed himself back into slavery to Christ. More than anyone else, he knew what that meant. He had to have an unquestioning loyalty for the Lord’s plan for his life.

That brings me to a question I have to ask myself regularly. You need to ask it as well. Have I taken upon myself the attitude of a slave toward Christ?

Too often I’ve heard prayers that sound like God is the slave and we are the masters. Be careful not to fall into that trap.

It is beyond question the benefits of serving Christ are incredible. He does over and above all we could ask or think. But we have to remember that He is Lord, and we are not.

Question: How well do you see yourself as a servant of Christ?

Are You Profitable in the Kingdom?

03 May

Many Christians want to hear Christ say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” But do we really know what Jesus looks for in a servant? Listen to what He tells His disciples.

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”
Luke 17:7-10

Christ shows us a servant, working in the fields. He comes home tired and hungry. Just as he sits down to eat with his family, he hears the master arrive.

Does he have the luxury of finishing his meal first? Of course not. He must immediately get up and tend to the needs of his master. That’s the life of a servant.

After he has served, he can go back to his meal. After all he did, does he now expect a bonus? No, he’s only done what’s normally expected of a person in his position.

God expects more from us than we expect from ourselves. In the verse above, the Lord asks a very fearful question. As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I tremble at the implications.

Should you, as a servant, do as you’re told and then expect to be thanked? The word thanked means to be blessed, tipped or given a special reward. Actually, a servant is supposed to do what he or she is told.

If all we do in your ministry is what’s expected or normal for our kind of ministry, then we’re not operating in the excellent. As a matter of fact, Jesus calls us unworthy servants, meaning unprofitable.

In a business, profit is that which goes beyond the “break even” mark. Therefore, by definition, profit is in the realm of the excellent.

Many believers are content to sit in a pew. They feel secure that they’re just like everyone else. They’re comfortable in their mediocrity. I find that even in ministry, many pastors and evangelists are content to plug along doing what’s expected of someone with their title.

They do all the necessary things – preaching, praying for the sick, visiting, etc. Then they pray and expect God to increase their level of anointing based upon the principle that they’re breaking even. They never realize that their work doesn’t impress God. More than that, He considers it unprofitable and unworthy of His excellent Name.

Christ is looking for excellence in His servants. We need to raise our vision of what we’re doing for the Lord.

Question: How should we be “profiting” the kingdom of God?

The Spirit and the Word

Tag Archives: master

Usefulness

Are You Profitable in the Kingdom?

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