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JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE PHILEMON Day 1 Philemon Philemon 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, 2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house: 3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. 8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, 9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever; 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18 If he hath wronged thee, or owes thee ought, put that on mine account; 19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owe unto me even thine own self besides. 20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. 22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. 23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus; 24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers. 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.) Have you ever written a letter on behalf of someone who had lost favor with the person you wrote to, but who had become an invaluable person to you? Paul wrote such a letter concerning Onesimus who had once been Philemon’s slave. Onesimus had run away from Philemon and became a believer and an invaluable person for Paul in his ministry. However, because Onesimus had wronged Philemon for running away from his service, Paul sent him back to Philemon with assurances that the man who returned was not the same person who left. He was reliable and worthy to be called a friend and fellow laborer in the ministry of Jesus Christ instead of the worthless servant he had been. As Christians, what kind of person were you before you accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord? Did you have a bad reputation? Did you do unseemly things? Is your past cloudy with selfish wants and desires? You want someone to accept the new you, you’ve become. You don’t want your past remembered, but your new life in Jesus Christ seen for what it is. Can someone write a letter like the one Paul wrote to Philemon to another person on your behalf? Paul told the church at Corinth what kind of people they were, epistles read by all men. 2 Corinthians 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. How you live your life will recommend you to others as believers in Jesus Christ. You are a letter like the letter Paul wrote to Philemon. Your life shows people the truth about who you are in Jesus Christ. Will the letter be a good one or a bad one? Will it be a letter of recommendation or denunciation? Let’s pray: Father, let the letter of my life be read by those I meet as a representative of You as I do the work of the kingdom of God. Let me be accepted as an invaluable servant for You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 25 May 2019 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay