1) What challenges to your faith do you face when things are not going well? How can you better approach the difficulties of life?
2) Can you recall the time when you were most in need of being refreshed physically? What was that like? What provided refreshment for you?
3) How long does it take you to do the right thing? How do you respond when you are put on the spot?
Paul opened this letter by stating the obvious about his current situation. He was in prison after appealing his case to Caesar (this is where the book of Acts ended). However, take note of the way he identifies his captor in verse 1 – “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus.” Although there were Roman soldiers guarding his Roman jail cell, Paul understood the sovereignty of God and considered himself His prisoner. Paul had the right perspective about his situation and used it for good.
We speak about love as something that is practical and tangible; something much more than just emotion. And it is. Yet Paul speaks of the love that Philemon shared with others as a love that was refreshing. What a wonderful picture of caring for and ministering to others. What would it look like for you to refresh others with your love? Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Refresh and rest are from the same Greek word).
Paul wrote real letters regarding real issues to real people. These letters were handwritten, and then hand carried. But get this; Onesimus the slave was the one carrying this letter to Philemon the master (see Colossians 4:7-9). Can you say, “Awkward?” Paul was very direct with Philemon in how he should respond to Onesimus (see verses 15-17 and verse 21). And while Philemon is reading this, Onesimus is standing right in front of him! It was time for Philemon to live out what he believed without delay.
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