Pentecostal Tabernacle » Collaboration

Listen to the sermon: Collaboration

by Bishop Brian C. Greene

Philemon 15-17 (NLT): Perhaps you could think of it this way: Onesimus ran away for a little while so you could have him back forever. (16) He is no longer just a slave; he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord. (17) So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.

This year we missed our time of spring cleaning, so we decided to do it during the summer. I asked my daughters to thoroughly clean their rooms, as in “out with the old and in with the new.” Upon checking one of my daughter’s rooms, I noticed that her room was untouched. Thinking that they were distracted in conversation, I checked the room of my other daughter. Her room was immaculate which cause me to ask the daughter whose room was not up to par, why she did not begin cleaning her room like her sister. Her response really touched me. She said, “Dad, we decided that we would work together, cleaning her room first and then we would clean mine.” This is “Collaboration.”

The word “Collaborate” means to work with one another; to cooperate; to join forces (that is energies, strengths, effectiveness). This word really is comprised of the following three parts:

• col is a derivative of “com” which means “together”

• labor means “to work”

• The suffix -ation means “the process of”

Thus collaboration literally means “the process of working together.” That word “process” is why we do not see many examples of collaborative efforts. It’s a process. It takes time!

In this text, we see a picture of collaboration. God desires to use the Apostle Paul and Philemon in order to bring about the full restoration (putting back in his rightful, creative place) of Onesimus. In restoring Onesimus from a slave (an inferior) to Philemon’s brother in Christ (an equal), Paul and Philemon are changing history (World Culture).

Not only are they changing history, but they are changing his (Onesimus’) story, that is the story of his life. If Onesimus moves from being a slave to a brother in Christ, they change “his” story. That change in relationship will change the culture. For a slave during this time to think of himself as an equal to his free master was simply unheard of then. In essence, this is the beginning of changing history.

This changed Onesimus’ life (his story). Producing a change in Roman culture (history) will bring glory (credit) to God, thus becoming His (God’s) story. Therefore the goal of Collaboration is: Change a person (his story), and that change in them impacts culture (history), and thus God gets the glory (credit). It becomes His (God’s) story.

Genesis 11:1-6 is God’s comment on the power of collaboration. Let’s conclude with God’s comment in verse 6 (NLT). “Look…if they can accomplish this when they have just begun (the process of) taking advantage of their…unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them!” This is the power of collaboration.