Free Indeed...

Grace to You

(Philemon 1-3)

[1:1] Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,The time has come for a guilty man to be released from bondage. That might require some persuasion.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, but here, a prisoner for Messiah Jesus, not alone, but together with Timothy, writes the letter. Like all of us, he is a willing slave of the Man who has taken captivity captive and freed us from a debt that was beyond our capacity to pay.

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker

He writes the letter to Philemon, also a beloved fellow worker in the cause of Jesus the Messiah. Will he serve Jesus now, or will the cost be too high? Is he free to deny what Jesus would ask of him, or is he, like Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus?

[2] and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:Just as Paul is not alone, but is part of the worshiping community with Timothy, Philemon is not alone. In his house is an assembly of worshipers, including Apphia and Archippus. Apphia is like a sister to Paul, and Archippus is a soldier who serves the King of kings, just as Paul is one of His soldiers. Is Philemon? Will he take orders from the One Leader over all?

[3] Grace to you

The word to this good man is grace. From the fullness of Jesus we have all received, grace upon grace. That grace has touched the life of Philemon.

and peace

He has peace with God, peace with Paul, peace with the brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere, and now he has peace with someone who has wronged him deeply. Will he be at peace with that man?

from God our Father

Does Philemon remember the wrong he did to God, the debt that he racked up against the God of creation and providence? Does he remember that he could have been hauled before the Judge of all the earth and put into the prison of hell until he had paid the last penny? Yes, he must remember that, and so must I. I have peace from God our Father. I am a son of God through the one Son of God who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

That one eternal Son of God is the Lord, and He is also Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. He is the better Hoshea, that Old Testament soldier who led former captives into the freedom of the sons of God in a new land. He is even the better Joshua, and every captive who has been purchased by His blood is free indeed. Grace to you! Grace to you, and through you, grace to the world!