Thanks for Philemon’s Love and Faith
Intro Questions
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Philemon
Other Resources:
We will be studying The Book of Philemon, brotherly love, and three similarities between what Paul did for Onesimus and what Jesus did for us.
Love and Helping Others. Philemon 1 https://virtualbiblestudy.com/lessons/philemon/philemon-bible-text-new-american-standard-bible-nasb/
Prison Epistles
"Sharing Christ, Knowing Christ" -- “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”(Philemon 6)
Every follower of Christ is called to share the good news, yet the vast majority of Christians fall way short in this area. We are commanded in Mark 16:15 to preach the good news, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
You would think that being a carrier of good news would make it easy to share with people. One of the reasons I think Christians fall short in this area is the belief that you can be aloof with the gospel message to others with no effect on yourself.
The verse above casts a different light on sharing your faith. Your personal growth and relationship with Christ will actually be stunted without sharing the good news with others. Conversely sharing your faith, witnessing, and living out the Christian life results in a greater knowledge and understanding of God’s work in you. You should be motivated to share the good news knowing that it opens the gates of knowledge to more fully realize everything you have in Christ. This moves sharing the good news from far off and unattached to up close and personal.
Sharing the good news gives God the opportunity to reveal more of His kingdom. God will show you where He has been alive and active in your life, while making His ministry and purpose more clear. Turning a self-centered Christian walk into a compassionate, caring lifestyle opens you to a greater filling of the Spirit. In Acts 5:42, you see how the disciples passionately shared the good news of Christ, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”
They proclaimed Christ in a hostile environment that threatened their very existence, yet they boldly proclaimed Jesus no matter the consequences. They did this because witnessing is circular. Stepping out in faith gives God the opportunity to speak in and through your life. Allowing God in allows Him to give you a deeper understanding of everything you have in Christ resulting in a greater passion to grow and share Christ. How exciting to not only know Jesus better, but to also better see His active work in you! 2 Corinthians 9:12-15“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.” (NIV)
Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:
Philemon 1
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:
3Grace and peace to youa from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,b who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I 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. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no 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 fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will
Reflective Questions — Live it today.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Prison Epistles
Christ-like Forgiveness for Good Relationships
Philemon 1-25
"Sharing Christ, Knowing Christ" -- “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”(Philemon 6)
Every follower of Christ is called to share the good news, yet the vast majority of Christians fall way short in this area. We are commanded in Mark 16:15 to preach the good news, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
You would think that being a carrier of good news would make it easy to share with people. One of the reasons I think Christians fall short in this area is the belief that you can be aloof with the gospel message to others with no effect on yourself.
The verse above casts a different light on sharing your faith. Your personal growth and relationship with Christ will actually be stunted without sharing the good news with others. Conversely sharing your faith, witnessing, and living out the Christian life results in a greater knowledge and understanding of God’s work in you. You should be motivated to share the good news knowing that it opens the gates of knowledge to more fully realize everything you have in Christ. This moves sharing the good news from far off and unattached to up close and personal.
Sharing the good news gives God the opportunity to reveal more of His kingdom. God will show you where He has been alive and active in your life, while making His ministry and purpose more clear. Turning a self-centered Christian walk into a compassionate, caring lifestyle opens you to a greater filling of the Spirit. In Acts 5:42, you see how the disciples passionately shared the good news of Christ, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”
They proclaimed Christ in a hostile environment that threatened their very existence, yet they boldly proclaimed Jesus no matter the consequences. They did this because witnessing is circular. Stepping out in faith gives God the opportunity to speak in and through your life. Allowing God in allows Him to give you a deeper understanding of everything you have in Christ resulting in a greater passion to grow and share Christ. How exciting to not only know Jesus better, but to also better see His active work in you! 2 Corinthians 9:12-15“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.” (NIV)
Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:
- Mending fractured relationships. Recall a time when you were successful restoring a broken relationship. What were some of your fears in approaching the situation?
Philemon 1
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:
3Grace and peace to youa from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,b who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I 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. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no 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 fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will
- God is ... What do we learn about God?
- We are ... What do we learn about people?
- What do we learn about Philemon's character and hat qualities in Philemon does Paul commend (vv. 4-7)?
- Having described Philemon's loving character, Paul appeals to him on the basis of love (v. 9). Why is love so essential for mending a fractured relationship? How does this prepare the way for Paul's plea in verses 8-10?
- Given the seriousness of the crime committed by Onesimus, what impact will his return have on Philemon's household? On Paul's relationship with Philemon? On Onesimus himself?
- Does the fact that Onesimus has become a Christian lessen the seriousness of his crime? Why or Why not?
- Paul reminds Philemon that he could "order" him to do what he ought to do (v. 8). If we lack love for a person, why must we still be willing to forgive and accept him?
- What is radical about Paul's view of Onesimus (vv.10-18)? In what ways has Onesimus changed since running away from Philemon (vv. 10-16)? Why is a willingness to change an important step toward reconciliation?
- Paul in some ways functions as a mediator. Given Paul's concern and need for Onesimus, why does Paul return Onesimus, why does Paul return Onesimus to Philemon, anyway? Why doesn't Paul exert his apostolic authority, declare Onesimus free, and keep him as a partner in the Gospel?
- What do you think the chances are that Philemon will do what Paul asks? In what way would Philemon be right to refuse Paul?
- That this letter was kept and included in the Bible indicates that Philemon did welcome Onesimus as a brother. How would their slave/master relationship be changed? (Remember Colossians 3:11, 22--4:1)
Reflective Questions — Live it today.
- What principles in this letter could you use for mending a fractured relationship (vv. 4-7)? How could doing so cause you to grow in new areas?
- Paul intervened to restore these two brothers in Christ. When might we need the help of a friend or counselor?
- Like Onesimus, do you have something you need to return to and make right? Do you have something you need to return to and make right? Do you have someone like Paul who can help you do that?
- When do you feel obligated to forgive someone: When they confess their sin? When they later change their behavior? When someone else intercedes for the offending party? For whom might you serve as a "Paul" in bringing about reconciliation?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this?
- How does this equip us be a better disciple and help empower us to “make disciples”?
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
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