THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION

FACE’EM

PHILEMON WAS WRITTENBY: PAUL from a Roman prison b/w 58-62 AD

TO: PHILEMON a wealthy man & a slave owner who had a church that met in his home.

ABOUT: ONESIMUS a runaway slave and new follower of Christ.

ONESIMUSPHILEMONTENSION

PHILEMON 1-3

PAUL, A PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS, AND TIMOTHY OUR BROTHER, TO PHILEMON OUR DEAR FRIEND AND FELLOW WORKER, TO APPHIA OUR SISTER, TO ARCHIPPUS OUR FELLOW SOLDIER AND TO THE CHURCH THAT MEETS IN YOUR HOME. GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

PHILEMON 7-10

YOUR LOVE HAS GIVEN ME GREAT JOY AND ENCOURAGEMENT, BECAUSE YOU, BROTHER, HAVE REFRESHED THE HEARTS OF THE SAINTS. THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH IN CHRIST I COULD BE BOLD AND ORDER YOU TO DO WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO, YET I APPEAL TO YOU ON THE BASIS OF LOVE. I THEN, AS PAUL-AN OLD MAN AND NOW ALSO A PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS- I APPEAL TO YOU FOR MY SON ONESIMUS, WHO BECAME MY SON WHILE I WAS IN CHAINS.

PHILEMON 11-16

FORMERLY HE WAS USELESS TO YOU, BUT NOW HE HAS BECOME USEFUL BOTH TO YOU AND TO ME. I AM SENDING HIM-WHO IS MY VERY HEART-BACK TO YOU. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KEEP HIM WITH ME SO THAT HE COULD TAKE YOUR PLACE IN HELPING ME WHILE I AM IN CHAINS FOR THE GOSPEL. BUT I DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT, SO THAT ANY FAVOR YOU DO WILL BE SPONTANEOUS AND NOT FORCED. PERHAPS THE REASON HE WAS SEPARATED FROM YOU FOR A LITTLE WHILE WAS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HIM BACK FOR GOOD- NO LONGER AS A SLAVE, BUT BETTER THAN A SLAVE, AS A DEAR BROTHER. HE IS VERY DEAR TO ME BUT EVEN DEARER TO YOU, BOTH AS A MAN AND AS A BROTHER IN THE LORD.

DON’T RUN FROM YOUR PROBLEMS OR CHALLENGES

FACE THEM.

I AM SENDING (ONESIMUS)-WHO IS MY VERY HEART-BACK TO YOU. PHILEMON 12

WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?WHAT IS YOUR CHALLENGE?

WITH YOUR PROBLEM, YOU CAN:WHINE ABOUT IT. NURSE IT.LET GOD RESTORE IT.

2 CHRONICLES 20:15, 17

THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS (TO YOU): 'DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THIS VAST ARMY. FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD'S… GO OUT TO FACE THEM TOMORROW, AND THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU.

PHILEMON 11FORMERLY (ONESIMUS)WAS USELESS TO YOU, BUT NOW HE HAS BECOME USEFUL BOTH TO YOU AND TO ME.  

FORMERLY: POTE (POT-EH'); IN THE OLD TIME, IN TIME PAST, FORMERLY.

BUT NOW: DE NUNI (DEH, NOO-NEE'); NO LONGER THE PAST, BUT NOW.

FORMERLY…BUT-NOW…

NOT ON WHAT WAS, BUT ON WHAT CAN BE

EPH 5:8 FOR YOU WERE ONCE DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD.

COL 1:21-22 ONCE YOU WERE ALIENATED FROM GOD & WERE ENEMIES IN YOUR MINDS BECAUSE OF YOUR EVIL BEHAVIOR. 22 BUT NOW HE HAS RECONCILED YOU BY CHRIST’S PHYSICAL BODY THROUGH DEATH...”

EPH 2:12-13 YOU LIVED IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT GOD AND WITHOUT HOPE. BUT NOW YOU HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH CHRIST JESUS…