Lights . . . Camera . . . ACTION

My mom emailed me the other day and told me that she was going to take my six-year-old nephew to the Wizard of Oz on stage. She said it was the same production company that I used to act with when I was growing up.

It seems like it was called Children's Summer Theater back in the 80s and 90s. But I've slept several times sense then, so I can't recall exactly. I can remember, however, performing in several musicals during that time. My favorite was probably Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I played Grumpy. Some might say that was a fairly fitting role.

I mention this story because it seems to go hand in hand with what I have been studying the last several days. My question started out as was what book of the Bible should I study first. I had just completed a detailed How to Study Your Bible series from Darrell Cline (http://www.biblical-thinking.org). But I wrestled on what book to start with on my own to try these new techniques.

Well the book of Philemon stuck in my head. It seemed like a good place to start as it is only a chapter long and there wasn't a lot to get lost in with these new skills I was trying to put into practice.

Philemon is a letter written by Paul to . . . you guessed it . . . Philemon. Well, it was written to him and a few others as you can see in verses 1 and 2:

"1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker 1:2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:"

According to the text Philemon was a very well respected Christian in his hometown. And at some point he had a slave, named Onesimus, that had ran away. While I don't know for sure we can say exactly why he ran away that is not the point on which I want to focus in on.

Paul tells us that during his time away from his master he had received salvation and Paul is making an appeal on his behalf to have Philemon receive him back:

"1:10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,"

Now the question that you are pondering is what in the world does a runaway slave have to do with acting on stage. Well let me try to connect the dots for you now.

You see in acting you spend a great amount of time rehearsing, memorizing your lines, rehearsing, memorizing, rehearsing . . . you get the picture. And then the day comes and people start to file in one by one and before long you have a packed house sitting on the other side of the curtain. Then as show time draws closer the Act One, Scene One performers begin to take their places on stage. And then when the curtain rises its time for ACTION.

Well that is kind of the same picture that we get here as Paul makes an appeal to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. Paul says in verse eight that he is more than capable and in line if he were to forcefully tell Philemon to accept his servant back into the fold. However, in verse nine he says that for the sake of love he is appealing to Philemon instead of commanding him.

"1:8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 1:9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you --since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--"

And all of this takes place because of verses 4-6:

"1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 1:5
because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; 1:6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake."

Paul tells us that he thanks God for Philemon because of what he heard about his love and faith that he has shown toward our Lord Jesus and toward fellow believers. Paul says he's thankful for Philemon and the way he treats other believers, but now he wants to see his faith in ACTION.

In verse six Paul says he prays that the "fellowship" which is probably better translated communication of your faith may become "effective" or active. He wants to see what he says he believes in action.

Why because he has a runaway slave that he is sending back to his master. But he's not coming back as a slave only, but he's coming back as a brother in Christ. And Paul wants to see that same faith and love shown to other believers come to action in the acceptance of Onesimus.

You see actors and actresses put a lot of work into their performance with studying and rehearsing. And when it comes down to it the director can tell them to do something because he/she has that power to do so. But more often than not they put their skills into practice because they want to. They enjoy it.

Paul could have forced Philemon to receive his former servant, but he wanted to see Philemon's faith in action not because he was forced to, but because he wanted to.

Sometimes God will ask us to do something. Oh trust me He has the authority to tell us to do it or even work the circumstances and situations in our lives to where we will do it. But most of the time He wants to see our faith in action. He wants us to do it because we love Him.

Is God asking you to do something today? Maybe it's time for Him to see your faith in action!

 

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."