Tabor Baptist Church

• A letter written by Paul primarily to Philemon but also to a local house church
• The name Philemon means affection
• This letter is about forgiveness and restoration
• The tone of the the letter is uplifting and encouraging

Setting the scene

• Onesimus was a slave and belonged to Philemon
• We will look at slavery in a later sermon
• Paul is writing from house arrest in Rome
• He is not downtrodden but praying regularly
• Philemon had a house church
• Philemon was converted through Paul's ministry
• Paul preached the gospel to Onesimus and he was saved
• In God's providence Onesimus makes his way to Rome and ends up meeting Paul
• Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon
• Paul writes a very tactful letter to Philemon to restore him
• V1-7
• The blessings of fellowship
• We should pray that we know a depth and richness of fellowship

Paul a prisoner

• Paul is a prisoner of Jesus Christ, of the sovereign God and is content to be in his current situation
• Fellowship is unaffected by circumstances
• His fellowship with other Christians is not affected in anyway
• How would we be if our freedom was taken away?
• His fellowship is enhanced because he has known the blessings of suffering

The warmth of his heart

• Paul was an aged man
• He is including Timothy as his brother / our brother
• Philemon is a beloved friend and labourer
• The beloved Apphia and Archippus (Col 4:17)
• Do we refer to our Christian brothers and do sisters as beloved?
• Do we value our Christian friends?
• Paul includes others in the letter because he trusts these Philemon, he knows they are God's people, they are welcoming and hospitable
• The scriptures talk about a new commandment of brotherly love
• Love never fails
• He greets them with grace and peace from God and Jesus
• He recognises this is more that horizontal relationships but the vertical also
• He is taken up with his Father and The Lord Jesus Christ

Paul's prayer (v4)

• He prays for his friends and the saints
• Fellowship is strengthened by prayer
• Prayer life us up and encourages us
• What he prays
• He prays for the ministry of Philemon and that others might be saved through this
• He has heard of Philemon's love and faith
•    This love is towards all the saints
•    Do people see this about us?
• Love covers over a multitude of sins - though some sins will still need dealing with
• Faith towards the saints speaks of good relationships, of trust, of openness, of transparency, of inclusion

The hearts of the saints have been encouraged (v7)

• How often do we look at the hearts of our brothers?
• Philemon's faith was refreshing others
• Do we bring encouragement to others?

Paul gets to the heart of the matter (v8-10)

• Paul builds up Philemon first
• How do you think Philemon felt?
• How would you feel if someone close to you had stolen from you?
• Hurt, wounded, upset, resentment, bitterness
• This was treated very seriously in Rome
• Some would received corporal punishment or be executed
• Paul wants Philemon to know that Onesimus has become a Christian
• He has found his way to Rome and found Paul out of 850'000 people
• Paul is asking if Philemon will restore him
• Now is a time to forgive and to reconcile
• Are there people we need to reconcile with?
• Are there people we need to forgive?
• When fellowship has been broken there needs to be restoration, which begins with forgiveness