A DAY OF SMALL THINGS
D. Welch
Philemon 1–5, 8–22; Acts 28: 30
In considering how we might link on to the thoughts that we had in the reading, I thought the book of Philemon might help us in a day of smallness. I suppose at the outset we need to say that the persons composing the gathering in Philemon’s house were principled persons; they understood and valued principles. Having said that, I believe that, if we can understand something of the elements that made up the assembly in Philemon’s house, the Spirit of God might have a word for us in our present day, a day of small things, we might say a day of prison conditions. The apostle does not write as an apostle, he writes as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I also thought of the apostle’s letter to the Corinthians, how he could have come to them with a rod, but what was on his heart was that everyone there might be preserved. There were moral questions, there were questions as to the truth; so even though he opens the epistle to the Corinthians as an apostle, it seems to me that what underlies what he wrote in those letters was what characterised him as a priest. And I think here in Philemon we have a beautiful letter, in a day of smallness, to those in an assembly in a place, in a house; they are all priestly persons, and it is a priest that is writing to them. “Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman”, how thankful we are for older brethren among us, those who have known how to feed the lambs and have had that exercise, those who have known what it is to be shepherded and what it is to shepherd. How valuable the older brethren are to us. We are thankful for their service, in faithfulness desiring to see things go through in relation to Paul’s ministry. Believe me, dear older brethren, how much you are needed in this day goes without saying.
And then there is “the sister Apphia”. Things could not have come this far without the sisters, their quiet support, displaying what is in God’s mind even as to the assembly; their place in subjection, having love for Christ and love for His people, washing the feet of the saints, showing hospitality. O how wonderful the features of Christ that come out in the sisters. And then we have “Archippus our fellow-soldier”. Never were young men more needed than they are today; young men who are willing to link on with the fathers, willing to learn from the sisters, willing to spend time in fastings and prayer, being renewed in the spirit of their mind, to see the whole matter through that is for the heart of Christ. O how much the young brothers and sisters are needed. What an example we have in Ruth! She was obedient when told to stay close to the maidens.
Our brother spoke of holiness in the reading, and the young people can see the issue of the faith of the older ones and they can imitate that; they can remember their leaders, as we all should, and be submissive. Ruth also was told to keep close to the reapers. It is good to have a subject mind and be teachable, because the Lord has need of you. In Luke’s gospel we read of the colt tied, and the Lord told His disciples to go and loose it and bring it to Him for He had need of it (Luke 19: 30, 31). Young brothers and young sisters, your commitment to the testimony is vitally needed today. The enemy of our souls is using unconventional means, guerrilla warfare, to confuse the saints, but there is a way through for you. I think in the book of Ruth there is the perfect example, she was to glean in that one field, and what a result. She became the wife of the richest man in the country. There is nothing like that blessed Man, the Lord Jesus. He is there for us all, young and old, and even in a day of smallness we can bear these features, looking for His coming, desiring to usher in the new dispensation.
I think what we have in Philemon is an assembly working out matters together in love, priestly persons and principled persons; for really, we cannot fill out our place as priests unless we are principled, persons. And so this letter from the beloved apostle in which he refers to himself as “being such a one as Paul the aged”, he was what he was, it is a mature thought. All the truth has come down to us developed in committed vessels, given by the Head to the church; truth developed and left in our hands that there might be the self-building up in love, each one supplying something. I think that is what we have in the assembly that was in Philemon’s house. Each one was there to supply something, and it is Ephesian ground. As the apostle opens up the Epistle to the Ephesians he says, “Wherefore I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have towards all the saints”, Ephesians 1: 15. We spoke of that in the reading, our affections being as large as possible, but our feet in the narrow pathway. You think of the faith and love going through, although in smallness here, in Philemon’s house, and then coming down to our day.
The backdrop of all of this is that all in Asia had turned away from Paul; “Demas has forsaken me”, he says at the end of 2 Timothy. Then it is not insignificant that he goes on to say, “Luke alone is with me” (2 Timothy 4: 11), for Luke does present persons of priestly character; that is characteristic of those who are going through and will usher in the next dispensation. Demas did not forsake them all, but he left Paul. May we not leave Paul. It requires a commitment by each one, in patience and in love, to go on together in the light of Ephesian truth, albeit in smallness, until the Lord comes.
There are a few things that we could point out in this letter. Again I say, “Paul the aged” represents a mature thought. We are in the day when things are being matured, if I could put it that way, things are being matured concerning Paul’s teaching, concerning everything that belongs to the church. How much do we appreciate and value it? He says, “I have wished to do nothing without thy mind”, that is the work of a priest, he does not interfere. Paul’s teaching has come down to us in the economy of local gatherings, “where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them”, Matthew 18: 20. Persons of that character are assembly minded persons looking to heaven. It mentions “my Father who is in the heavens” in verse 19. Heavenly minded persons can count on the support of the Lord in administrative matters, but it is left to the local gathering, and that is something that we need to be aware of and hold. We have our tendencies, we have our opinions, but I think in keeping close to the apostle, “such a one as Paul the aged”, we could get no better advice than the way he puts this to the people that he loved, those that were left, we might say, in that area, and he says, “I have wished to do nothing without thy mind”.
You see here that priestliness is universal, persons are working together, but Paul owns what is in the locality and he moves as a priest towards that locality. They respond as priests because they are principled persons, they can receive what this man has to say. Onesimus no doubt is restored, and so we have additions. The Lord can come in sovereignly. We may not be able to receive reinforcements in this protracted conflict, but we can close up the gaps.
Then through His own sovereign working we can relate ourselves to the Spirit, we can take heart and go through, and rejoice when others come into fellowship. They come in on the basis of the truth. No doubt some have come by a circuitous route, like I have and like some others have, but these things are very precious and valuable. So we can rejoice when the Lord in His sovereign goodness lays hold of someone, or it may even be of a family.
He mentions in verse 17, “If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner”. That is the way I understand fellowship, that we are partners. Persons committed to the testimony are enjoying the fellowship, priestly persons, knowing the depth of discipline, and the features of Christ are coming out through these persons. The Lord is taking the brethren the right way. It has not always been a happy way as to circumstances, and there are great trials right here in this locality, but the Lord is going to see you through. There will be the inward touches necessary for persons right here in Redbridge and in this area to usher in the next dispensation.
Now I just want to call attention to the last phrase that I read, “But withal prepare me also a lodging”. And I read the verse in Acts 28 which is put a little differently, where it says that Paul received all who came to him in his own hired lodging, but here it says, “withal prepare me also a lodging”. How much do we value Paul’s ministry? The light that came down through the apostle Paul is the light that is going to go through in the hand of the Spirit of God, and it is up to persons who have that light to prepare Paul a lodging. The Lord can do as He sees fit and work sovereignly, and persons will respond. Persons came out in mass last century and they really came to Paul’s teaching. They may not have known what they were coming to, and perhaps were merely attracted by the simplicity of brethren, but now I think it is upon you and me to prepare Paul a lodging. “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down”, Nehemiah said (Nehemiah 6: 3). It is not an option, I cannot come down. Are we willing with the help of the Lord and the Spirit of God to prepare Paul a lodging? That is what is going to usher in the next dispensation. It is not going to be at any lower level than Paul’s teaching; that which pertains to Christ, and to the assembly, that which He loves, that which is next His heart. That is Paul’s line.
I mentioned about the colt tied; they loosed it, they brought it to the Lord and He sat upon it.
Take heart, young brother and sister, it may be upon you. Be
committed to the testimony, and you will enjoy the fellowship until you hear the Lord’s voice. May it be so for each of us, that we are in this exercise in reality. I say this specially to myself. May the Lord help us, for His name’s sake.
Address at Redbridge
26 March 1994