Philemon closes

The last time we met we learned that Paul was making a hard request of Philemon. To take back into his household, or at least into his group of people, a runaway slave who had been discontent and useless to him. He was being asked to take Paul's word that Onesimus was a completely different person.

I think it would be hard to do. I would have so many reservations about it. But at the same time, Paul was so eminently respected in the Christian world, Philemon might have been happy to obey this request of Paul's.

Today we come to the last couple of verses:

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul was confident that Philemon would be obedient to this asking, and even do more than he asked. Makes me wonder if Paul expected Philemon to not just welcome Onesimus back but if he hoped that Philemon would once again make Onesimus part of his household. But those are just wonderings. :)

We should as believers welcome new believers into our lives, our households, our churches. Not drive them away because of what used to bes. But to see them as the useful people they now are. Useful to God himself.

The last two verses are standard closings for Paul. He extends greetings and prays a blessing on him. "the grace of the Lord be with your spirit."

What of Onesimus?

Today we come to the main reason for Paul's letter to Philemon.

8Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

There is a man named Onesimus.

This is a man known to Philemon, a man Philemon deemed as useless. This man has become a useful person to Paul and as such, Paul is wanting to send him back to Philemon, not as a slave, but as a useful person. He is asking Philemon's permission to do so, but as he asks he removes Philemon's possible reasons to say no.

• Onesimus is no longer useless
• Paul will repay anything Onesimus owes
• He can be greeted (and therefore treated) as if he were Paul himself
• He is a brother in Christ
• Paul thinks of him dearly, like a father would a son.

So what to do with Onesimus?

We don't know from the letter what Philemon's response was.
But we can catch gleanings of what it should be.
Onesimus was once not a believer. But now he is. He is much loved by Paul. He is a brother in Christ. He should be greeted as one. He is a useful person now, not just a useless slave who was discontented and then ran away. Onesimus is returning to Philemon as a useful, contented man, a brother in Christ.
My guess is the Philemon said okay. :)
This I'm also thinking is what our response should be to wayward ones.
To welcome them as brothers in Christ when they become believers.
To not hold their pasts against them, but to see them for who they are now.

Praise to God

A couple of days ago we started into Philemon. here are the next few verses:

4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 7For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

If I were Philemon, I would be so encouraged in my ministry to hear these words from Paul. To know that someone is praying for me regularly, to know that my faith walk is being seen in a good light, and to know that my faith brings joy and comfort to someone else. That would be SO very encouraging.

Philemon just sounds like a fellow whose been pastoring his people well. And Paul's prayer is that Philemon learn to share his faith more effectively so that more may have full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ's sake.

I have to look at how Paul prays for Philemon....he prays thanking God for Philemon's ministry. He doesn't thank Philemon, he gives the praise where it is due, he thanks God. God is the one who enables Philemon to engage in his ministry. God is the one who makes it all possible.

Paul praises God for the faith and love Philemon has for

• God
• for the saints

Paul praises God for Philemon's witness.
He prays the God will enable Philemon to be a more effective witness.

Philemon refreshes the hearts of those around him. Hmm.....have to admit, I like the sound of that. Someone who refreshes hearts in their ministry. Someone who brings joy and comfort as they minister. Sounds pretty good doesn't it?

And Paul is going to ask this man, his family and his church to do a difficult thing.
After reading what Philemon is like, I wonder if it was a difficult thing for him to do?

Either way, he was a man God was using well for ministry. May God also so use me well for ministry.

And now we have Philemon

Having finished off the book of Titus this past week, we now get a chance to look at Philemon. It's a small book in the new testament, the smallest I think in the whole bible. Even so, I will probably take three days to do it. :) Here are the opening verses to this little book.

1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know that Paul wrote this book. He was the most prolific writer in the New Testament. Timothy joins him in the writing of this letter.

This letter is one of encouragement and appeal. and is written to Philemon, Apphia and Archippus, and the church that Philemon has meeting in his house.

They extend greeting of grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do note that Paul calls himself a prisoner for Christ. It shows a more familiar tone with Philemon. It will make his plea to Philemon more tender and "do this for family" tone-ish. (hope that made sense). Credit Jamieson, Fawcett and Brown for helping me to see that (from e-sword). But Paul isn't trying to bossy, he's trying to sound helpful and teaching and encouraging of Philemon and his church. He's asking Philemon to do something that may be difficult for him to do. The fact that Timothy joins Paul in this plea puts some added pressure on Philemon to respond positively to the request.

The People's New Testament tells me that Apphia is Philemon's wife and Archippus may be their son.

So Philemon is a letter written privately to Philemon, his family and his church. As we read this letter we will see that it is a plea for Philemon to accept a wayward servant back into his household who has been converted to Christianity. This would not be an easy thing to ask of Philemon, but Paul asks it. It shows us how we are supposed to react to our wayward brothers and sisters. When they come back to Christ we should welcome them.

Hmmm... Let's look forward to learning more shall we? :)

Philemon

My brain is as scatterbrained as ever this morning. Trying to focus on actually doing my devotions was an exercise in patience this morning. More on God's part than on mine...but hey, through the Spirit's guidance...here I am!

Philemon. A small book, written by Paul with Timothy at his side.
Paul at this point in his life was a prisoner. And he states very simply that he was a prisoner FOR CHRIST JESUS. That's why he was in jail.

Do you ever stop to ponder that...even for a moment. What would you do if you had to go to jail for Christ? For simply believing in him?

i have to admit. I don't often ponder this. Sometimes I think it would be good for the church for us to ponder this a bit, or even to have to face it. To face having to make our faith real. For being bold enough to say "i am a Christian" regardless of what we might have to face.

It's very real for some of our Christian brethern. Do we ever really think about it?
Be honest. Would it change what you do, what you think? Would it change the importance that God has in your life?

I honestly think that it would me.
To know that what I say, do or think makes a difference. Really makes a difference and isn't just seen as another "oddity" of Annette's. I try to show others that my faith is real and important. I don't know that I always succeed. I want others to see that I would die for Christ if he asked me to....even while I know that I still find somethings in my life hard to give up for Christ. I do! It's a paradox.

ANyways, this post is about this whole book, not just a couple of lines.

Book is written to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and their house church.

Paul is filled with thankfulness for them. Why?

4I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, 6and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 7For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Mmmmm .... to get a letter like this. If I knew someone was in prison for Christ, and they wrote me a letter saying how much they appreciated how I lived out my faith for Christ, I would be so honoured and appreciative. I would want to really listen to what they had to say. To know that how I lived my life filled another with joy and comfort, particularly if they were in jail for the sake of Christ? Wow....

Gives me the thought that this is one way we can support the persecuted church. Don't take our faith for granted. Try to live our lives in such a way that their sacrifice is not in vain. Let us live lives that bring joy and comfort to our imprisoned brethern. Wouldn't that be great?

Paul continues this letter with a request: could they take Onesimus back? Could they make him part of their fellowship? Don't hold his past against him. Please treat him like you would me. Any wrongs he has done to you, please, credit them to my account. He is one of your own, please, take him back as a beloved fellow believer.

Paul writes how confident he is in their obedience. He writes about how he wants some benefit from them, benefit from them in the Lord. He wants them to refresh his heart in Christ. Do this he urges. It will help me, and will restore one of your own to you.

With these verses he closes this small book.

21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

Paul looks forward to being released sometime from prison and being able to meet with them. He fully believes they will do more than he has asked of them.

Wow...getting a letter like this would certainly inspire me to do that! To take in a lost fellow believer, one who has harmed me might be hard, but seeing the confidence expressed in me by a mature believer would certainly help me work hard at it! Wouldn't it you?