June 20, 2018
Philemon 8-12
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. 
New International Version (NIV)
                Shouldn’t everyone get what is coming to them?  There are consequences for choices.  Someone said, “Sooner or later we all sit down to a big banquet of consequences.”  Serves them right, right?

                A slave named Onesimus ran away from early Christian leader Philemon.  Running for freedom, he ran right into  the Apostle Paul in prison.  There he found true freedom in Christ.  But what should he do about his mistreatment of his master.  Shouldn’t he be severely punished and pay the price for his crime?  Paul wrote this letter to ask Philemon to receive his former slave as a new brother in Christ and to release him into gospel service.

                Who owes us?  How will they ever learn if we let them off the hook?  Paul reminds us that in Christ there is grace.  People who have been forgiven much should forgive freely.  Do we want the consequences for all of our sin?  Do we really want justice, or do we want mercy?  Conduct creates consequences, to be sure.  But in Christ, we are not keeping score.  Those who forgive others find real freedom. 

 Pray with me:  
Father, thank you for setting us free.  Forgive us for the times we want to “make others pay.”  Let us not drink poison and wait for others to die.  In all of our relationships, make us like Christ.  Show us someone to whom we may show redemptive kindness today, we pray.  In Jesus’ name. 
  This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story.  With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
 
Joyfully, 
 
Duane 
About Duane Archives
Subscribe to our email list.