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June 14,2007; Paul, Peerless Apostle and Prophet (12 of 15)

Focus Text: Philemon 1.1-9

Barabbas was a prisoner, but he was released due to the sinister motives of a mob (see Matthew 27.16-26). There were man prisoners in the jail at Philippi when a mighty earthquake flung open the doors and loosed everyone’s bonds. With great certainty, the jailer reasoned that surely all the prisoners had fled as he prepared to take his own life (see Acts 16.25-27). The Hebrews writer mentioned the plight of the [Christian] prisoners and asked that they be remembered by the faithful believers (Hebrews 13.3).

Prisoners were commonplace throughout the New Testament as well as the Old. Yet, almost no one was a prisoner of his/her own choosing – almost no one that is except for the apostle Paul. The one who had arrested him was none other than Jesus Christ. No less than five times in his writings, Paul alluded to himself as the prisoner of the Lord, or of Christ Jesus, or of Him, or by a similar phrase (see Ephesians 3.1,4.1,2 Timothy 1.8, Philemon 1.1,1.9). At times, he even wrote of being the Lord’s prisoner while not even mentioning the reality of his literal chains. As a prisoner of the Lord, Paul possessed the freedom of will to walk away at any time; there were no literal chains binding him. However, he would not quit and he would not run! He was a prisoner of Jesus Christ of his own choosing and that “to the death.”

Why was Paul the Lord’s prisoner? Why didn’t he run? Although there is no passage which explicitly addresses these questions, there are scores which give the answer! For instance, consider a passage from Paul’s letter to the saints at Philippi: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Philippians 3.12). It is indeed interesting that Paul states that he was laid hold of by and for Jesus Christ. For years Paul persecuted Christians, denying the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. But now, he not only found that he had been wrong, his heart, mind, body, and soul hade been arrested by the love of Jesus Christ! The one power which the Lord exercised in the life of Paul was the power of love even as demonstrated by the Lord’s willingness to forgive Paul for the sins he had done in ignorance. Why didn’t he run? The answer is simple; there was no one else to whom he could go to receive the grace and mercy that exists in Jesus Christ alone!

Paul’s “chains” were not literal; they were chains forged of love which reciprocated in kind to the love demonstrated by Jesus Christ. He was the Lord’s prisoner and delighted to remain in that capacity, at least as long as God desired the same of him. Paul knew that God would not forsake, even those who begged for their daily bread. Paul had asked for much more than that and the Lord had responded affirmatively to his desires. The allegiance that Paul felt toward the Christ was an allegiance forged in truth and given temper by the fires of persecution. How could Paul forsake the Christ when even in His darkest hour, the Christ had not forsaken Paul!

Perhaps it is the case that a reader had turned his/her back on the Lord; if so, consider the dedication of Paul who determined to follow the Lord, even if it meant death! Think!

Questions:

1. Who or what set the prisoners free while in the Philippian jail?

2. In what sense was Paul a prisoner of Christ? Physical, spiritual, or other?

3. In what sense, if any, ought we to identify ourselves as prisoners of Jesus Christ?

4. What compelling force should prevent us from turning our backs on the Lord and cause us to see ourselves as his prisoners?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism