Overflowing GracePhilemon

A deeply personal letterTo a church and its membersFrom Paul to Philemon about

OnesimusSaturated in forgiveness and grace

Philemon1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker…

SettingPaul was a VIP

Now he is in chainsOnesimus is a slave

The runaway slave become a convert

Paul knows the masterHe sends the slave back

Forgiveness and grace for Onesimus

I am a prisonerI am powerless

I can relate to Onesimus who is powerless and

helpless but now a brother in Christ

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 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— 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

I could order you to do the right thing

However because…You know the love of Christ

You know what He did for youYou know what Jesus stands forYou must do what Christ would

do for my son Onesimus

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 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. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced.

Onesimus is of great value to meThe same value I place on you

I would love to have him work with me

But I know he is legally yours

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— 16

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.

I want you to take him backNo longer as the slave he

wasBut now as a brother

As a manA family member in Christ

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

Whatever he took from you …

I am responsible for that debt

You owe meYou owe God

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Do the right thingI am sure you will do even more than you

have to

Grace1. Elegance of manner. 2. A pleasing or attractive. 3. Favor or goodwill. 4. A manifestation of favor, especially by a superior.5. Mercy; clemency; pardon.

Runaway slavesWhen caughtWere flogged

Sometimes they were killed

Mary JohnsonLaramiun Lamont Byrd

Oshea Israel17 years in prison

“Nudges from God”“God brought us together”

“He is like my son”Her forgiveness changed

Oshea

Colossians 311 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Paul helps us to see that Christ died even for people like

OnesimusPaul pleads for a world not

based on race, rank or learning

A world held by the grace of God

Where people get second chances

Where forgiveness is possible

God forgave everything when we became his

childrenHe asks us to forgive

To dispense that same overflowing grace to

others

Years laterHistory tells us there was a

bishop in EphesusHis name?Onesimus

Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel

From Death to LifeA ministry to promote

healing between familiesOnesimus

Defender of the faithMartyr

The grace that was shown to them overflowed