with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️The Apostle Paul's letter to Philemon, devout Christian who lived at Colossae and owned a house where the Colossian Church met.
He was converted to Christianity by the preaching of Paul and he had a slave called Onesimus.
His slave stole some goods from him and escaped to Rome in search of a new life of freedom. At that time Paul had just arrived in Rome for the first time being held a prisoner while he awaited the Emperor’s decision on his case.
As the Apostle was a prisoner, yet he was allowed to preach freely in Rome, Onesimus happened to meet Paul and he too became a convert to Christianity. Onesimus knew that since he was now a Christian, he was to correct the wrong he had done and return to his master Philemon. But he was afraid, so Paul decided to write a letter to Philemon who he knew very well to accept his servant back in the Lord and forgive him for what he had done to him.
The Apostle was asking Philemon to forgive the runaway slave and receive him back as a brother in Christ. Not only was Philemon to welcome Onesimus back personally but the church was to welcome him as a new and useful addition to its fellowship and ministry of Paul.
The letter extols faith, love, hope and forgiveness, peace in the community of believers even when they are wronged.
1️⃣Philemon 1:1-7: Salutation, joy, love, faith of Philemon.
⏹️This letter was jointly written, being a conjecture of both old and youth working together in harmony.
Though age and youth are united, age takes precedence of youth as the letter's salutation is Paul and Timothy and not Timothy and Paul, experience take precedence of learning.
The Apostle says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called."
(Ephesians 4:1)
⏹️The letter seems to have been written to a family, Philemon, the householder, Apphia, probably Philemon's wife and Archippus was their son and the church in their house.
The Apostle says, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith."(Galatians 6:10)
⏭️Those women in ministry and church are all sisters as Paul affectionately addresses Apphia and called Archippus a fellow soldier, who once worked with Paul in his missionary campaigns.
The Apostle says, "You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier."
(2 Timothy 2:3-4)
⏭️True human love is motivated by friendship in truth and faith. Love should come first before faith, these two are principal in attaining salvation which makes our joy complete.
The Psalmist says, "Let all those that seek you rejoice and be glad in you: let such as love your salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified."(Psalm 40:16)
2️⃣ Philemon 1:9-21: Paul's appeals to Philemon to accept back Onesimus in the Lord.
⏹️The theme of this message is forgiveness as we all have been forgiven by God through Jesus Christ, so we ought to forgive one another.
The Apostle had no authority in himself but he had in Christ, since his own personality gave him none but his relation to his Master does, so we forgive as we are forgiven.
⏹️Love is the controlling force over authority. Human authority is the weapon of a weak person who is afraid of their own power to get themselves obeyed or of a selfish one who seeks for mechanical submission rather than for the fealty of willing hearts.
⏭️Love is the weapon of a strong person to woe his enemies and friends to them by casting aside the trappings of superiority as Christ did for the love of the world appealing with love for love.
⏭️Believers in Christ are partners, co- workers with Him, they are not prelates or rulers to one another. In the same vein, Christ count us as partners, Angels count us as partners and shall we mortals disdain to count one another as partners in the work of ministry?
The Revelator says, "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
(Revelation 19:10)
3️⃣Philemon 1:22-25: Affectionate salutations from those Philemon knew and worked for the work of the gospel.
⏹️Soldiers have good opinion of each other, they support each other in battle, they are tried and tested, they fail or succeed as a team, so are those who work for the gospel of Christ.
They may face trial of faith but they remain obedient unto death, they hope for the best, they trust Christ to the last and trust Him always to provide the victory.
The Apostle John says, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1John 5:4)
⏹️All Apostolic salutations rest on faith and a confession of the one true Church of the Lord.
Such salutations are an expression of the feeling of our communion, of our higher heavenly relationship in the family of God and proofs of Christian love.
The Apostle says, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth"
(2 Thessalonians 2:13).
🅰️️Appeal
Conversion makes happy changes in one's life, conversion makes that which was evil good, that which was unprofitable useful.
Those that are converted are a treasure in a family to work with. Such will make conscience of their time and trusts, promoting the interests of those whom they serve and managing all they can for the best as for the Lord.
The Apostle Peter says, "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy"(1 Peter 2:10).
Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
No comments:
Write comments