A new book - Philemon 1-3 says...
Today's verses are Philemon 1-3, which read,
v.1, 2 - Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
We start a new study of this very personal letter from Paul to this family. May the Holy Spirit aid us in understanding God's Word through this endeavor.
The writer of the letter is Paul, identified by himself. Maybe it is a play on words that he describes himself as "a prisoner of Christ Jesus." Paul is in prison and so he is a prisoner literally and he is in prison because of the witness given by him of Christ Jesus also literally. Spiritually, he is also a prisoner of Christ Jesus; held captive by Christ Jesus; under the bondage of His will on his life; and bound to Christ's words and commands.
Paul mentions Timothy as he does in many other writings probably to establish him in the eyes of his readers as the leader to follow after he is gone.
The letter is written to Philemon and his family. We have all the names here. Philemon who was a wealthy member of the Colossian church, Apphia who is his wife, and Archippus who is his son. Philemon is a Christian and active in his faith and his son is a soldier marching to other territories with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This letter was to Philemon directly but it was to be read by his wife and his son and the church of Colossae that met in his home. So this personal letter was going to be very public and very public that it is in our canonized Scripture for all time.
v.3 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This phrase of "grace to you" is mentioned in all 13 of Paul's letters. We are saved by the grace of God through the cross of Jesus Christ. The result of that salvation of grace is peace given by and with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul will now proceed to write directly to Philemon but with the intention that all these others would listen in for a reason. A personal letter gone public for a reason and I will pray that we see why this is Paul's route in this situation. Remember that Philemon is a public Christian leader in the church in Colossae and others are looking to him for spiritual guidance. His family is saved and he has a son that is full time for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The writer of the letter, Paul, is the one who spoke the gospel to him. There is a lot riding on what is to be written next. Let's pray.
"Lord, we have another example of Paul's discipleship of those who accepted Your hand of salvation. Paul is going to give us some practical ways to disciple each other to walk in the ways of You. May our ears be open to listen intently to one Christian leader speaking to another with others listening in on purpose. May we see the bigger picture of the salvation of the grace of God given to us through the cross of Christ. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1, 2 - Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
We start a new study of this very personal letter from Paul to this family. May the Holy Spirit aid us in understanding God's Word through this endeavor.
The writer of the letter is Paul, identified by himself. Maybe it is a play on words that he describes himself as "a prisoner of Christ Jesus." Paul is in prison and so he is a prisoner literally and he is in prison because of the witness given by him of Christ Jesus also literally. Spiritually, he is also a prisoner of Christ Jesus; held captive by Christ Jesus; under the bondage of His will on his life; and bound to Christ's words and commands.
Paul mentions Timothy as he does in many other writings probably to establish him in the eyes of his readers as the leader to follow after he is gone.
The letter is written to Philemon and his family. We have all the names here. Philemon who was a wealthy member of the Colossian church, Apphia who is his wife, and Archippus who is his son. Philemon is a Christian and active in his faith and his son is a soldier marching to other territories with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This letter was to Philemon directly but it was to be read by his wife and his son and the church of Colossae that met in his home. So this personal letter was going to be very public and very public that it is in our canonized Scripture for all time.
v.3 - Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This phrase of "grace to you" is mentioned in all 13 of Paul's letters. We are saved by the grace of God through the cross of Jesus Christ. The result of that salvation of grace is peace given by and with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul will now proceed to write directly to Philemon but with the intention that all these others would listen in for a reason. A personal letter gone public for a reason and I will pray that we see why this is Paul's route in this situation. Remember that Philemon is a public Christian leader in the church in Colossae and others are looking to him for spiritual guidance. His family is saved and he has a son that is full time for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The writer of the letter, Paul, is the one who spoke the gospel to him. There is a lot riding on what is to be written next. Let's pray.
"Lord, we have another example of Paul's discipleship of those who accepted Your hand of salvation. Paul is going to give us some practical ways to disciple each other to walk in the ways of You. May our ears be open to listen intently to one Christian leader speaking to another with others listening in on purpose. May we see the bigger picture of the salvation of the grace of God given to us through the cross of Christ. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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