Philemon: Fixing Fellowship pt 8
The Gospel is about reconciliation. God being reconciled to humanity through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But how often do we think about how this ‘Gospel reconciliation’ impacts our relationships with each other? The apostle Paul challenged his dear friend Philemon to be reconciled to his former slave, Onesimus, who ran away from him. In Paul’s encouragement to Philemon to forgive his former slave, we see an amazing picture of how the Gospel transforms our relationships — especially with those who have wronged us.
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 favour you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.
Reflection: In any relationship, honesty is key. This is especially true in the church. When we are not real, not open, not honest with ourselves and those around us, we can easily become bitter. Paul is modelling to Philemon and the church about the importance of openness in the community of faith. At the same time, he is not wanting to abuse his position, but humbly seeks Philemon’s wisdom in the situation with Onesimus. We can learn so much from this interaction. It shows us how we are to relate to each other in community and how we work together for the sake of the kingdom.
Question: How can you foster a community of openness in your church community?
Prayer: Gracious God, help our community be one of openness and honesty. May we seek to be a people that honour, and respect one another and through this, may we be a beacon of light and a refuge of grace for all people.
Angus is one of the pastors at Orange Presbyterian Church. He and Steph have three children, a puppy and a veggie garden.
This devotion first appeared in the Bible Society’s Daily Bible Devotions, February 2023
More Reflections.
Often, we build something up so much in our minds, that the experience we want becomes almost unattainable. We romanticise what we think it will be like and we think “If I can just do this one thing or tick this one experience off my bucket list, then I will be able to feel a sense of fulfilment that I wouldn’t necessarily have had otherwise”.