Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church
Philemon 17-25
Paul was trying to show Philemon that maybe it was all part of God's will.
That Onesimus maybe ran away so that ultimately he would give his heart to Christ.
Verse 17 Receive him as you would me.
If Paul were to come it would be the best party ever, he was the "grandfather" of the church that Philemon lead.
Verse 18 I will repay Onesimus' debt.
This letter now became a legally binding contract, a promise to pay.
Verse 19 Would have jumped off the page. It would be different "font" because Paul didn't write his own letters he had someone do it for him. It is thought he had bad eyesight. So what he wrote would have been big, and more difficult to read. And his hands were in chains.
Verse 20 Paul was always an optimist.
Verse 23 Others say hello.
Verse 25 Amen - so be it.
Grace Vs Mercy
What happened to Onesimus??
The book doesn't tell us.
We have no idea.
We're not given closure intentionally.
Anything that's not in the Bible is because God didn't want it there.
The real question is : How are you handling forgiveness?
1. True repentance involves restitution.
As we go to those we've wronged we need to go with a heart of willingness to repair.
2. Forgiven people should forgive people.
Matthew 18
Psalm 19 we are never more like God than when we forgive.
3. When you let go of a grudge it releases God's grace.
Forgiveness is a blessing to you as much as it is to those you forgive.
Bitterness is harmful to you.
1 Peter 3:9
Consider Jesus
4. For there to be withdrawals there must be deposits.
Spend time together.
Speak well of them.
5. There's an Onesimus inside each one of us.
Martin Luther said we are all Onesimus.
We've all sinned.
God has paid our debt in full.
Sin brings consequences.
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