Onesimus was a slave who had run away from his master Philemon. He met Paul while Paul was in prison. Paul encouraged Onesimus to return to Philemon, explaining that he had become a "useful" slave by becoming a Christian. As a Christian, Onesimus was now obligated to obey Philemon completely but sincerely as if obeying Christ. The book of Colossians provides context, stating that Onesimus was now a brother in the faith and part of the church in Philemon's house.

1. Useless to Useful
PHILEMON 11

2. An Appeal to Philemon for Onesimus
• V16 Onesimus was Philemon’s Slave
• V12, v15 Than ran away from Philemon and
somehow met up with Paul while he was in
prison.
• V12 Onesimus was going to return to
Philemon
• V11 He was “once unprofitable to you, but
now is profitable to you and to me”
• Why? What changed?
• He became a brother in the Lord v15

3. Connection to Colossians
•Philemon 2
• Paul greets the church in his house
•Paul tell the Colossians that Onesimus
is “one of them”
• Colossians 4:8-9
•In Colossians the Bondservant and
Master relationship is defined
• Colossians 3:22-25

4. How Did Onesimus Become a Useful Bondservant?
• He Put On The New Man
• Col. 3:10-14
• He Received Christ and Now He Was
Walking in Him
• Col. 2:6-7
• His goal was to walk worthy of the Lord, fully
pleasing to Him
• Col. 1:9-11

5. Responsibilities to the Earthly Masters (Col. 3)
• Obey in all things you masters according to the flesh v22
• Not with eyeservice, as men pleasers, but in sincerity of
heart, fearing God. V22
• And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not
to men, v23
• Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance v24
• For you serve the Lord Christ. V24
• But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has
done, v24
• And there is no partiality. v25

6. But, what if??
•My earthly master commands me to
sin?
• Col. 3:24
• There are ways to correct those that have authority
over you – 1 Tim. 5:1
•My earthly master is a bad master?
• Col. 3:22-25 is not conditional only if 4:1 is being
followed
• But Remember God sees all!
• Gen. 16:5-13