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Philemon David Fogleboch Philemon David Fogleboch

Risky Request

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Speaker: David Fogleboch
Scripture: Philemon 1-25
October 6, 2024

Philemon 1-25: Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker — also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier — and to the church that meets in your home:

Grace and peach to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I 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. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet 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 — that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 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 you to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever — 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 fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you’ll do even more than I ask.

And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Sermon Outline

1. The request

  • Reconcile with a runaway slave

  • The modern equivalent

2. The risks

  • Paul’s friendship with Philemon

  • Philemon’s reputation

  • Onesimus’ life

3. Risking reconciliation

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Philemon Joe Whalen Philemon Joe Whalen

Navigating Damaged Relationships

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Speaker: Joe Whalen
Scripture: Philemon 1-6
March 19, 2023

Philemon 1-6: Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

Sermon Outline

1. Three primary people in Philemon

  • Philemon

  • Paul

  • Onesimus

2. Three directions for those of us with damaged relationships

  • Focus on what you have... not on what you don't have

    • Jesus is enough

  • Keep serving... you'll learn much about Jesus

    • Serving Jesus doesn't exempt us from difficulty

  • Keep trusting... we don't know what God is doing in the lives of others

    • God, the greatest Author in existence, knows the best ending to the story

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