One life

Philemon 1-21
New Ark United Church of Christ, Newark, DE
September 4, 2016

Holy One,
You are
one love, one blood, one life.
You give us
one life with each other: sisters and brothers.
One life, but we're not the same.
We get to carry each other;
Help us carry each other.
Amen.

—adapted from “One” by U2

            The gospel can cause all sorts of problems.  That was one of the headings in the reflection on Philemon from the United Church of Christ’s worship resources page.  The gospel can cause all sorts of problems.  Like its brother, its sister, its sibling, the Law of Moses, the gospel was intended to transform human lives—from solely human living to God living—being who we really are and fully alive and helping others do the same.  Which can cause problems when human systems don’t jive with God’s kingdom.

            Philemon was one of those texts that were used to justify slavery.  There’s debate as to whether Onesimus (pronounced oh-NEH-sih-muhs) was a runaway slave or he was on loan to Paul; whether Paul was arguing for this slave, whose name means “useful”, to be freed or to be welcomed home without penalty.  Either way, it’s clear that this slave has been not only useful to Paul but that each of them has had a life-changing impact on the other. 

            In this episode of his life we witness Paul living out his own teaching, even as he is under house arrest.  In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote that we have not received a spirit of slavery that we may fall back into fear, but a spirit of adoption, that we may become children of God.  Paul now takes his own words to heart by adopting Onesimus.  Paul refers to himself as Onesimus’ father and to this slave as “my own heart”.  In the time that Onesimus has been with Paul, he has become a Christian, a sibling in Christ.  Paul is his father, his mentor in the Christian faith and he has become like a beloved child to Paul.  Paul realizes his responsibility toward Onesimus, now that he is a brother in the faith, and argues for his life with Philemon.

            In this letter there are all kinds of subtle and not-so subtle references to changes in relationships and status.  Paul plays on Philemon’s conscience when Paul refers to himself as an old man and as a prisoner for Jesus.  Paul could take on the role of master and teacher by commanding Philemon to receive Onesimus as a sibling; instead Paul says he’d rather persuade him on the basis of love.  Paul acknowledges Philemon as a partner, but also is willing to put himself in debt with Philemon by taking on whatever Onesimus owes his master.  Yet Paul also puts Philemon in his place by sending this letter not only to him but to the church that meets in his house, of which Philemon is most certainly the master.

            Once Jesus is part of the picture, is a part of our lives, everything changes, especially relationships.  No longer does one have power over another.  As Paul so eloquently wrote to the church in Galatia, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus”.  And yet Paul doesn’t address slavery in a systemic way in his letter.  Instead he argues with Philemon and this house church for one life.

            We like to try to solve problems systemically; we believe that changing the system will change individual lives, and sometimes it works.  The odd twist is that we’re part of the system and so part of us wants to preserve it as much as we want the system to change.  Jesus wanted to change the system but he did it one life at a time.  He invited each person he encountered into relationship, one that would change the course of their lives.  When he healed and offered forgiveness, he restored individuals to community.  When he called disciples, he named them friends.  When he told a parable, he introduced his listeners to a deeper relationship with God and with each other.  Even from the cross he entrusted a disciple with the lifelong care of his mother and insisted a criminal join him in paradise.

            It is relationships, connection, belonging that have the power of salvation; that can transform our lives and our life together; that can make a heaven of this life rather than the hell it is for so many.  Here’s a big what if for the Church:  What if church became about changing one life at a time for the better?  What if we were to bring all we are to bear on helping one person or one family get their feet under them and be independent?  What if we took to heart that we really are sister and brother and sibling and we became in essence a foster family for another; fostered another into a whole life?

            Yes, it would mean a great deal of risk.  Yes, it would mean we could get taken for a ride.  Yes, it would mean we’d have to put into action that whole thing about forgiving seventy times seven and not giving up on someone.  Yes, it would mean we could fail.  But then love has never been known for its efficiency, safety, rationality, or success rate.  Yet in the good book it says that God is love and that love has the power to cast out fear and can go so far as to change the course of a human life.  Even if it’s ours.

            The sharing of our faith becomes real when we realize all the good we can do for Christ.  And who is Christ but our sister, our brother, our sibling, someone enslaved who needs to be set free and who can’t do it without help.

            Sounds crazy? How much more crazy than following someone who laid down his life for friends, who summons us to take up our cross daily, who said, “Take, eat, this is my body broken for you”, and we’re still here?

            Amen.


Benediction

One love, one blood, one life, you got to do what you should.
One life with each other: sisters, brothers, siblings.
One life, but we're not the same.
We get to carry each other, carry each other.
One life, one life.