The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon

Series 11
Episode 1
Speaker: Daniel Yu
Message Date: March 1, 2020

Prologue

Brothers and sisters, today’s topic of Treasures for the Soul is “The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon.” Through Paul’s letter to Philemon, we can see that the Lord is responsible for our life through eternity. He belongs to us and has passionately committed Himself in our life and eternity. The fact that Philemon comes before Hebrews is very meaningful. In Philemon, we can see Paul’s love towards Onesimus. This brotherly love demonstrates the Lord’s love. The prayers of a brother represents that the Lord is our High Priest and Advocate, who intercedes for us and blesses us day and night. Paul says that Onesimus is “his own heart.” (Ref. NKJV) This also represents that we are truly in the Lord’s heart. Let’s enter into the letter to Philemon and enjoy its abundance.

Message

Brothers and sisters, we are so blessed to have the Lord as our Beloved. I once shared that the Lord has put all our needs “on His account”—He is responsible for our life through eternity. What the Lord gives us is not merely some material things that can sustain our living. Instead, He Himself most deeply belongs to us. Not only does He cover all our needs but He shares Himself and His all with us—His endless love dream and all that is in it. He has also been covering all our needs for all these years without us realizing it. We might not know how to think for ourselves, but He has already considered for us, and His plan for us is more abundant and wonderful. It is always new and fresh. The most precious is that He is fully committed to our needs; His love towards us is the flaming love of Jehovah. He cares for us the most. This is different from a philanthropist making donations to care for the needy. He might also care, but he may not devote himself to care for that needy person. It’s so precious that the Lord fully commits Himself to our present life and eternity.
Philemon consists of only one chapter. This short letter fully and beautifully expresses the love of a brother. It also shows the Lord’s love. When Paul was in prison, he remembered this brother, Onesimus, who was once a bondservant. Onesimus once stole from his master and fled. Paul brought Onesimus to Christ during their time in prison, and changed Onesimus’ life to become a dear brother and even a coworker. Paul regarded Onesimus profitable to both himself and Onesimus’ master.
Among all the books in the bible, Hebrews makes the most mention of the Lord as our High Priest. Hebrews chapter 7 tells us that the Lord, as our High Priest, always lives to make intercession for us. The letter to Philemon is before the book of Hebrews. Paul made intercession for Onesimus, who was once a bondservant. I feel that Philemon is rightfully placed before Hebrews. 1 John tells us the Lord is our advocate, who makes intercession for us. In the book of Zechariah, the Lord rebuked Satan for the sake of Joshua the high priest. I really treasure that the Lord is my advocate; especially because I’m easily accused.
When we read this letter, we can see that Paul wrote this letter with love and wisdom. I’d like you to consider the fact that this brother, once a bondservant, had now become Paul’s own heart. Even more so, we have become the dearest in the Lord’s heart. Without the Holy Spirit, Paul would not have been able to write such a beautiful letter.

About this series:

Series 11

The Preciousness of the Letter of Paul to Philemon

Message Date: March 1, 2020

The letter of Paul to Philemon is very beautiful and touching: Paul, an old man, appealed to Philemon for a servant named Onesimus. In the letter, Paul mentioned that Onesimus was his “very heart”, and whatever he owed Philemon, it was to be charged on Paul’s account. Likewise, the Lord is our high priest, asking for God’s grace for us. The debt that we owed was so huge, but the Lord bore it all for us. He even takes care for our whole life till eternity. The Father set the Lord as our high priest forever by an oath; the Lord was willing to come to accomplish His and Abba’s love dream. The garment of the high priest was very special; in particular, the precious stones on its breastplate symbolized that we are the Lord’s “very heart”. Being our Beloved, the Lord became the high priest so that He could completely solve all our problems.
1

The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon

2

The most profitable; the most accepted.

3

Charge That to My Account

4

The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (1)

5

The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (2)

6

We are the Lord’s darling love

Table of Contents

01 Introduction of Treasures for the Soul
10.1 The Love Desire in the Depths of Abba and the Lord’s hearts
10.2 Fruit of the Lord’s Crucifixion: Eternal Life
10.3 The Lord Came to Manifest the Father’s Name
10.4 The Father Sent His Only Begotten Son
10.5 Reminders on enjoying heart to heart with the Father
10.6 The Father’s Desire for Me is Forever Steadfast
11.1 The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon
11.2 The most profitable; the most accepted.
11.3 Charge That to My Account
11.4 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (1)
11.5 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (2)
11.6 We are the Lord’s darling love
12.1 The Lord’s Words at the Last Supper
12.2 Apart from the Lord, we can do nothing.
12.3 What is true faith?
12.4 Look upon the Lord in glory
11.5 Trust and Peace (1)
12.6 Trust and Peace (2)
16.1 See that the Lord is at the right hand of the Father
16.2 Coming to Mount Zion (1): the meaning of Mount Sinai
16.3 Coming to Mount Zion (2): the difficulty in forgiveness of sins
16.4 Coming to Mount Zion (3): to Live in Grace
16.5 Having Come to the Heavenly Jerusalem
16.6 What is in the heavenly Jerusalem (1)?
1.1 The Most Blessed Generation
1.2 Message from John the Baptist
1.3 Abide in the Lord Always
1.4 Abide in the Lord’s Love at All Times
1.5 The Lord Speaks to Us and Helps Us in Our Hearts
2.1 God’s Greatest Work Starts in Our Hearts
2.2 To Be Heart to Heart with the Lord Throughout the Year
2.3 Our Spirits can Feel God and Have Fellowship with Him
2.4 The Importance of Peace
2.5 Our Spirits Need the Words of God
2.6 Give the Lord Time and Space to Speak in Our Hearts
3.1 The World Needs People Who Deeply Experience God
3.2 Just as His Anointing 
Has Taught You, 
Abide in the Lord
3.3 Be Influenced 
by the Lord Throughout 
this Year
4.1 Enjoying God’s Peace in Your heart
4.2 Let Not Your Hearts be Troubled, Neither Let Them be Afraid.
4.3 How Should Our Spirit Respond to the Lord?
5.1 Our Spirit is Satisfied Only When We Worship God and Deeply Experience Him
5.2 How to Worship God with Our Spirit
5.3 Looking at the Lord with our Inner Eyes
5.4 Our Spirit Needs to Enjoy the Lord Himself
5.5 The Song of Solomon Often Mentions About “Eyes”
5.6 Realize Being Heart to Heart with the Lord in Singing and Worship
6.1 Living a life of union with the Lord in a stable pattern every day
6.2 Enjoying the Lord and not being disturbed
6.3 The Importance of Seeing Him with Our Spiritual Eyes
7.1 Learn to Protect Our Spirits From Virus Prevention
7.2 Our Spirit Can Hear, Think, and See
7.3 How to Live a Life of Faith
7.4 The Importance of the Mind
7.5 David’s Eyes Beheld the Lord Always
8.1 The Lord established with us the eternal love covenant by His blood
8.2 The Lord Treasures the New Covenant and Break-Bread Meeting the Most
8.3 Love Encounters
8.4 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the fourth blessing
8.5 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (1)
8.6 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (2)
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