Well, please turn in your Bibles this morning to Paul's letter to Philemon. Philemon. It's a very short letter. It fits on the front and back of a single sheet of paper, so you've got to look close. It's between Titus and Hebrews, page 1273 in the Pew Bible. Paul's letter to Philemon. I've wanted to preach this letter to Philemon ever since we were introduced to his slave, his servant Onesimus, in Paul's letter to the Colossians. And there in chapter 4, Paul told the church in Colossae that along with his letter, he was sending back to them one of their own, a faithful and beloved brother, Onesimus. We had no idea at that time when we read that letter how shocking that report would be. But that's not how they remember Onesimus. It's not until we read Paul's letter to Philemon that we hear the story of Onesimus and discovered that his relationship with his master was all messed up. It was broken. Now, we will never know the whole of it, but we can certainly relate. Each of us has or will experience one or more messy relationship. And why is that? Because when you put two sinners together, that's what you get. Messy and broken. And the day you expect that to be gone before glory comes is the day you deceive yourself and you try to deceive your neighbor. See, because of Adam's fall, we're not only messed up, but we are broken in our primary relationship to God. And each of us, as Adam's children, are born at enmity, at war with God and at war with our neighbor. That's how we are by nature. And if left to ourselves, we'd never be reconciled. We'd never be made right. But God didn't leave us to ourselves. He promised through the gospel the good news that He would send a Savior, someone that would come and rescue us from this plight and restore our relationship with Him and establish our righteousness before Him. And that gospel promises peace with God. Peace for all who will trust in His Savior, Jesus Christ, who have obtained that peace for you. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God, Paul says in Romans 5. We have become children of God. And as children of God, this gospel of peace promises to us that we will, within us, by the power of the Spirit, have the motive and the ability to reconcile and to restore our relationships with one another. These messy and broken relationships, we have been given what we need in this gospel of peace to restore. In this letter to Philemon, Paul gives an inspired and rather full illustration of the gospel of peace in action. You can consider this a real case study of real people with real problems. And here we find that Paul leads by example as he guides these two Christian brothers towards being reconciled with one another and beyond. And as we consider this letter, we'll focus our attention on three key persons. There's several people mentioned at the beginning and the end. We're going to focus on three. First, Onesimus, a slave, and how his circumstances have changed. Secondly, on Paul, his father and brother in the Lord, who carefully prepares and presents an appeal, which is this letter, to Philemon. Paul's Christian brother and fellow worker who must consider this appeal and respond. Hear now God's word, as it was written to Philemon at the church that meets in his house in Colossae. Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy, our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, and Aphia, our sister, and Archippus, our fellow soldier, and the church in your house. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ for I have derived much joy and comfort from your love my brother because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you accordingly though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus. I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. I'm sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel. But I preferred to do nothing without your consent. In order that your goodness might not be by compulsion, but of your own accord. For this, perhaps, is why he was parted for you for a while, that you might have him back forever. No longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, you receive him as you would receive me. And if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, charge it to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand. And I will repay it to say nothing of your owing me, even your own life. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you and the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you knowing that you will do even more than I say. At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so to Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Here ends the reading of God's Word. Well, we begin our consideration of this letter by considering Onesimus and his changed circumstance. Onesimus was a bondservant, a slave to Philemon. He was considered Philemon's property. Maybe from birth he might have been born into this position. He may have sold himself into it because of bad decisions with his finances. But in any case, his time, his effort, his productivity, his person belonged to this man, his master. And in this letter, Paul reveals how Onesimus changed circumstance. Things that happened in his life have now changed his relationship to his master. And it impacts what he calls on his master to do. And the first change in circumstance was one of location. In the past, Onesimus had been useful to Philemon at home in Colossae. But now at the time of this letter, he's no longer there. He's with Paul in prison in Rome, quite a long ways away. And the cause of this relocation is not really clear to us. But in the process, Onesimus has become useless to his master at home, or so it seems, even as he's become useful to Paul in prison. In fact, in verse 13, Paul admits that he would like to keep Onesimus. If his master would allow it, I would have been glad to keep him with me in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel. He evidently was a good servant. He was a capable servant, a productive servant. But he was no longer at home with his master. Now, most commentators think that Onesimus was a runaway slave. Perhaps even that he'd stolen money. You might see that in some of your Bible study notes, that he'd stolen money and he'd run off and somehow ended up with Paul in Rome. That's possible, certainly. If he was a runaway, he had few options. he could go to Ephesus and appeal to the temple of Artemis for a sanctuary, and he could wait there until some hopefully kinder and gentler master would take him. Or he'd be an outlaw until the day he died or until the day he was caught. And if he was caught, the punishment would be severe. The list was long of what they could do, but ultimately they could break his legs so he couldn't run away again. So this is all possible. I don't know. No one knows for sure. But Onesimus was not necessarily a runaway slave. He lived and worked in Philemon's house. Philemon, who had been converted through Paul's ministry. Philemon, who was in a church that Paul had influence in and had worked in, at least remotely. And it would be surprising if, during his time there, he'd not become aware of who this apostle Paul was and come away with an understanding that Paul would have some influence with, if not authority, over his master. And under Roman law, a slave who had a dispute with his master, something happened that just couldn't get sorted out, and he, being the weaker partner, didn't know what to do. He had the right under the law to go and get help to come and to appeal for him to his master in order to have that working relationship reconciled and go forward. And the law thought this was wise. The law allowed it to happen. And personally, as I consider this, I think it fits the story better, but I won't mandate it. In either case, Onesimus ends up with Paul in Rome, whether by providential accident that he finds his way there or by purposeful providential effort. He's in the right place for the right reason and, Lord willing, for the right outcome. And while he's there in prison with Paul, he experiences another change of circumstance, a change in his status, in his standing before God. He had arrived as an unbeliever and had come to faith in Christ through the ministry of Paul. So that in verse 10, Paul calls him, My child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. He's talking about his conversion. He spoke of Timothy the same way. And through faith in Christ, this slave had been reconciled with God and by grace he'd become a child of God and therefore a brother of Paul and a brother to Philemon. In the flesh, Onesimus was still a bondservant. He was still a slave to Philemon. But in the Lord, they'd become brothers. Philemon didn't know this yet. And Paul offers this inspired explanation for this whole chain of events, whatever they may have been in verses 15 and 16. As he writes to Philemon and introduces to him his brother, He says, for this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, for a season, that you might have him back forever. No longer as a bondservant, but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother. Especially to me and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. The circumstances for Anisimus had changed. And whatever his motives before his conversion were to be reconciled to his master in Christ, He now had new gospel motivation and gospel ability to be reconciled with his Christian master, even as a slave. Now, in the process of reconciliation, confession of sin and the forgiveness of sins are the hallmarks of that bond. They're what put the gospel of peace into action. In reality, they're very simple. In function, they're very difficult because our flesh screams against them so that instead of confessing, we hope they ignore, and instead of forgiving, we pretend to forget. Confession and forgiveness. Whether I am the offender or the offended or in most cases 100% of both, the way to reconciliation begins with me. Jesus leaves no room for me to wait on you, and he leaves no room for you to wait on me. If I'm the offender, Jesus says I must go and be reconciled to you. And if you're the offended, Jesus says you must go and show me my fault just between the two of us. But before you come to me, Jesus says, make sure you've taken the plank out of your own eye so you can see the speck in mine. It needs to be seen. And when you come to me, Jesus commands, if I repent, forgive me. even if I'm a repeat offender. That's the gospel of peace in action. That's how it's designed to work. And most of the time in our lives it happens in private, in quiet, out of sight of the people involved and the God who knows all. But sometimes this gospel of peace becomes difficult and needs assistance when the people that are in conflict, when the relationship that's messed up and broken is a relationship of disparity. There's a difference between the one in authority and the one under authority. So we read in Paul's letters about how masters are to treat their slaves and slaves are masters. Husbands are wives and wives are husbands. Parents are children and children are parents. And if you're on the side that's under authority and you have a conflict with those who are in authority, you might need help to even find a way to approach them and to be reconciled. And that's what's going on in this situation. the slave is away from home and he wants to come home but he doesn't even know how to begin and he's got Paul to help him. Paul will serve as a conciliator, someone who worked with both parties to bring them together. His goal is not to fix but to guide. But where does one begin? How does one proceed? Well, all that we need is revealed in here and we hear it every Lord's Day by Lord's Day The things that we're called to do, the things we're called to put away, the things we're called to put on, all those things help us in our efforts to be reconciled with one another. But sometimes we need good teachers that will help us consolidate what the Word has to teach us in a way that we can put our small minds around and we can have a ready reference to help us through. And one such book that helps us in this particular situation is a book by Ken Sandy. Known as the peacemaker. I'm sure some of you have read it. In that book, he dedicates one chapter to five basic steps on how to cooperate, how to love one another, how to practice wisdom toward one another, to be reconciled, and to negotiate anything that has contributed to the breakdown or has resulted from the breakdown. There's five basic steps that become really important in a situation like this, and he gives us one simple rule to remember them. When you need to negotiate, pause. That's P-A-U-S-E, pause. Prepare before you go. Affirm your relationships when you get there. Understand the interests not only of yourself but of the other parties involved. Search with them for a creative solution and evaluate whatever options you come up with in a way that's objective and reasonable as best that you can. Pause. Prepare, affirm, understand, search, and evaluate. Now those words are not the words of our text. But that advice is biblical, I believe, and it certainly reflects what Paul has done in this letter in a very sophisticated way. And I want to use that grid to help us unpack what Paul is doing as he presents his carefully prepared conciliation to Philemon. So we begin with P, preparation. Lord knows how long it took Paul to write a one-page letter. Given its sophistication and the compactness of it, that it only takes 500 words to address this really complicated problem and to lead it to resolution, to me is a testimony to much preparation by Paul and, of course, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Paul did not sit down and from his hip fire off this letter. He prepared. And in the process of writing this letter, he does the next step, which is, A, he affirms relationship. He looks at everyone involved and he affirms his relationship to them and their relationships with one another. He affirms his relationship to Philemon. In this letter, Paul never refers to himself as an apostle. He never brings to bear the fact that he has apostolic authority over this master, this prominent citizen, this leader of the church. He never pulls rank. Instead, he speaks to Philemon as his equal, as his brother. Verse 20. And in verses 8 and 9, he says it plainly. He says, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, Yet for love's sake, for the sake of our relationship, I prefer to appeal to you. I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner also for Christ, nowhere is he making this appeal on the basis of his office. He's making this appeal on the basis of his relationship. And Paul affirms his relationship to Onesimus, the slave. In the Roman economy, a nobody. He's been saved through Paul's ministry and Paul considers him his child in the faith. He considers him his own heart. He's that dear to him. And Paul speaks for Onesimus as an equal. And therefore as Philemon's equal. And in verse 16 he calls Onesimus a beloved brother, especially to me, Paul says. But how much more to you, Philemon? And Paul affirms the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. Paul doesn't say anything to dispute the relationship between master and slave. We may not understand that today in our time, but in this time and that place, that was the way of the world. That was not being dismantled by the church, at least not directly. Paul does not assail that relationship. He affirms that relationship. In fact, he says, I would prefer to do nothing without your consent, Philemon. And then in verse 12, he says, I'm sending him back to you. It's a way of saying, I know that he's yours. But at the same time, Philemon needs to know that as he sends Onesimus back, this man that he's sending back is changed. He's no longer just a bondservant. He's more than a bondservant. He's now a beloved brother in the Lord. He affirms the relationship as Philemon knew it, but he also affirms the new relationship that Philemon needs to understand. And Paul affirms the relationship of Philemon to the church. Philemon was a patron of the church. That means he provided for much of the church's needs there. He provided the house in which they met. He had the resources to provide a room should Paul be able to visit. He was an important person in the church. But he was more than just deep pockets. In verse 1, Paul called him a beloved fellow worker in gospel ministry, something he reserves for those who have traveled with him and ministered with him and spread the gospel with him. This man was not a homebody that just wrote checks. He was involved in the gospel. And he was a spiritual leader in that church and Paul affirms that servant-like leadership that he obviously was displaying. And he does so with thanksgiving in verses four and five. He says, I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus Christ and for all the saints And he affirms that relationship with joy in verse 7. He says, I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. So Paul, obviously prepared, Paul has affirmed all these relationships and now he looks and shows us that he understands the interests of the people involved. First of all, he understands his own interests and he puts them on the table. No secrets. He puts it out there. This is what I want out of this. In verse 20, he tells Philemon, I want some benefit from you and the Lord refresh my heart in Christ. He might well have said, I want you to do what I ask and do it for me. That's what I want. And Paul reveals how much he wants to see this reconciliation take place when he says, and at the same time, prepare a guest room for me for I'm hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. I'll be able to come. I'll be able to see. I'll be able to be thankful and rejoice in what the Lord does among you. That's what Paul wants. But he also understands the interests of others. He understands Philemon's interests. Philemon had financial interests here. The absence of his slave had cost him a lot. We don't know how much. We don't know how long he was gone, but every day gone was lost labor and profit. And when Paul begins in verse 18 with the word if, he's not questioning whether Philemon had incurred costs. He's opening the way to whatever that cost might be. So in a sense he's saying, however you've been wronged and whatever he owes you. So Paul acknowledges his interest in the finances. And he also acknowledges that Philemon has public interest. He's not only a spiritual leader in the church, he's a prominent citizen. of that city. He's a big fish in a small bowl. And Paul does nothing to undermine his standing in the church or in the community. In anything he says in this letter, he does not put Philemon on the spot. He does not command him with authority. He understands that this co-worker in Christ has a position that he does not want to undermine. And Paul understands the interests of Onesimus, the slave. He knows that he wants to get home. He needs to get home. He's broke. He wants to be reconciled with his master so he can have his needs met. He's not a free man. Apart from his master, he's either going to become a beggar or a bandit. He wants to get back to work. And spiritually, Onesimus has become more than a bondservant. He's become a brother in the Lord and a member of the church. And when he returns, he's going to be brought to that church. He's going to be brought up front. and Paul's going to introduce him in this letter as a beloved brother in Christ and he needs for Philemon and the church to love him as a brother. And Paul understands the needs of observers. The need of observers to witness the gospel of Christ, the gospel of peace in action is something that we need to see in the church and in the world And in the church, I mean, this was a public matter. The fact that Onesimus was gone was known to everybody. The fact that he was coming back would be known to everybody. And whatever Philemon did would be known to everybody. This was a public reconciliation, a public restoration. And Paul is concerned about the interests of those who will see. Observers in the church would hear Philemon read this letter in the presence of Onesimus. And they would witness his response. would he show and tell them an example to follow by following the example of Paul as he wrote this letter who followed the example of Christ who laid down his life for the benefit of his people is that what he would do observers in the world would learn of this as well and Paul was aware would he shine like a light to the world would they know that he was a Christian by his love I think Paul's concern for how Philemon's response would be observed by people shows up in verse 6 where he prays for Philemon and his witness. And he says, he's praying that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. that as you express your faith I think specifically how you respond to my request that this sharing may become effective for the knowledge of every good thing that's in us as God's people for the sake of Christ. The people would see in what you do the love of Jesus Christ and most importantly over all of these interests Paul understands God's interests. God is interested in the sanctification of his children, that we would be holy as he is holy. And remember, this letter was sent to Philemon along with the letter to the church at Colossae. These letters came together. And they were both to be read in the church. And they'd both be read before all the people in the household, including Philemon and Onesimus. And I want to call to mind something that Paul taught them in Colossians 2 and 3. This is part of the package that came to them. In those chapters, Paul reminds them as he reminds us that it's the gospel of Jesus Christ alone that provides the motive and the power to do what God calls us to do. In order to pursue sanctification, to obey God in His will, to obey Paul in this letter, it requires the gospel. There we read, if with Christ you died and you have been raised with Christ you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator you are changed and you are being changed put on therefore as God's chosen ones holy and beloved compassionate hearts kindness, humility meekness and patience bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against another forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you so you also must forgive. God is interested in the sanctification of His people that we would indeed do and put on what He's called us to put on. And God is ultimately interested in His own glory that in whatever it is that we do, He would be glorified. In John chapter 15, using the metaphor of a vine and its branches, Jesus explains the connection between our doing and God's glorification. He says, by this my Father is glorified, by this that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the fathers loved me, so have I loved you, and this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. This is the fruit that God's interested in seeing, and as it's seen, it brings glory to his name. And Paul prayed as much for the church at Rome. In Romans chapter 15, he offers this prayer, a beautiful prayer for the church everywhere and of all times. It says, May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Jesus Christ, that together you may be with one voice glorify God the Father. the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. Boy, we didn't know so many interests were at stake in this simple reconciliation. But Paul has prepared, he's affirmed a relationship, he's understood interest, and he has sought, he has searched for that creative solution. With Paul in Rome and Philemon in Colossae, there's no way for them to hammer this out together. So Paul presents the creative solution. It is the inspired and creative solution. It's as good as it gets, people. It's better than you and I would ever hammer out, better than Philemon and Paul would ever hammer out. It's apostolic. It's the Word of God. And it is the solution. And the key to reconciling these two brothers is in verse 17 where Paul directs Philemon. He says, so if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. And the key to the restitution that is due to Philemon, the loss that he incurred is found in verses 18 and 19. And there Paul says, however he has wronged you or whatever he owes you, charge it to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it. That's the substance of the creative solution. Receive this brother, my brother as your very own, just as you'd receive me. And if you're worried about your debt, I'll take care of it. And the last step of the pause principle is to E, to evaluate your options effectively and reasonably. Again, Paul's evaluation is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is written as the Word of God. And so we can know that it is objective. It is true. It is reasonable. We have that advantage with this letter. But in our personal interactions, we have to make sure that our solutions are objectively by the Word of God, measured by the Word of God, and reasonably good answers. And this answer that comes to Philemon is true and objectively right whether Philemon agrees with it or not. And according to verse 21, Paul believes that Philemon will receive it. In fact, he will find it to be more than reasonable. He writes, confident of your obedience, I write to you knowing that you will do even more than I say. Well, we've come to the end of Paul's letter. We can read his final greetings and the closing benediction. And when we have finished the page, we're still left waiting for Philemon's considered choice. We've read this letter with Philemon, in a sense. We've read it right along with him. We've heard Paul's conciliation on behalf of this slave who's now his brother. We've heard it in the presence of the congregation and Onesimus was there with him and Philemon must consider this and he will make a choice. There's no middle way. It's really an either or. Will he reject Onesimus as a brother in the Lord and have him punished in the flesh for his desertion? Or will he receive him as a beloved brother and be reconciled and restored in the flesh in their master-slave relationship and in the Lord as brother? That's the choice. What choice will he make? What choice would you make? We don't know what he chose. It hasn't been revealed. But we do know that Paul was confident of his obedience. So based on that confidence, What would it look like if Philemon received this slave back? Not only as a slave, but also as his brother. What would that look like? Well, it would show itself in how Philemon exerted himself as a Christian master, striving to treat this slave justly and fairly, knowing that he too has a master in heaven. It would change his attitude and behavior toward his slave. And it would show in how Onesimus exerted himself as a Christian slave, striving to obey in everything his earthly master with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. He'd still be a slave. But he would serve his master as a brother. And his master would still be the master and he would serve his slave as a brother. And it would show as they worshipped and they served together in the church where there is no slave or free. But Christ is all and is in all. That's what it would look like. But what about the restitution? What about the financial loss that Philemon had incurred? Well, most of us adults know that when it comes to money, there's no free lunch. There was real loss, there were real damages, and somebody was going to pay. Paul had agreed to pay what Onesimus could never pay. Would Philemon take payment from him? He might. Or would he forgive it? Would he forgive the debt? I think sometimes we think of forgiveness in very empty terms and we consider it as meaning something like pretending that the debt never really happened. Imagining that it just really wasn't. Some sort of legal fiction. But forgiveness is a very costly thing. Forgiveness means that I choose to pay for what you have done to bear the cost of a real wrong that really hurt myself. If I'm the one that's been damaged, as Philemon was, to forgive that debt means that I am willing to bear the cost myself. And it means making and keeping some promises to you. Basically, I'm going to change my mind and I'm going to expect it back and I'm going to hold you to account. It's really been satisfied. It's really been paid. I've paid the cost. It's gone. I'll not dwell on what I've forgiven. I won't think about it. I might remember it, but I'm not going to stew over it. And I'll not bring it up against you in the future. I'll not keep it in reserve for that day when you do it again. And I tell you how you always, always, always disappoint me. I will not talk about it to other people. We've been reconciled. What's there to talk about? And I will not allow it to hinder our relationship going forward. Our relationship is new, it's refreshed, it's restored. Philemon's master in heaven, our risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, has borne the full cost and suffered the full misery of all of our sins. We need to understand forgiveness. There's no free lunch. Somebody has to pay. And apart from Christ, we'll pay ourselves in the judgment. But if Christ is our Savior, it's because He's already paid. And so in Christ, God has promised to us, I am He who blots out your transgressions. For my own sake, I'll not remember your sins. That's the promise God gives when He pays the price for our sins in Christ. And as children of God, we're not only commanded, we are now motivated and equipped to do likewise to our brothers and our sisters in the Lord. Forgiving one another as God and Christ forgave you. So that's what it would look like. And what would it look like if Philemon did even more than Paul asked? Paul said, I'm confident that you'll do more than I say. What would that look like? Well, he might send Onesimus back to Rome to serve Paul. and to bear the cost of his being there, to do it on his behalf, he could do that. Paul would like that. And he might emancipate Onesimus. He might set him free from slavery, make him a free man. Pursue a life as a brother in the Lord, as an equal in the Lord, no longer under this relationship of slavery. He might do that. We will have to wait for glory to know the rest of this story. But in the meantime, this letter is valuable for us. This letter of Paul to Philemon will come to each of us again and again and again. Or we should go to it again and again and again. Why? Because, brothers and sisters, there's messed up relationships and there's broken relationships in the family of God. No matter our game face, our Sunday best, there's messed up relationships and broken relationships in the family of God. Perhaps you've already called one to mind. Some are strained, no longer close and warm, but cool and careful, uncomfortable. Others seem completely broken by a parting of the waves. But whether you have been hurt or done the hurting, been wronged or done the wronging, or been the receiver and the doer at the same time, Paul's letter to Philemon is a lesson that we can all follow on the road to being reconciled with one another. It shows us how to proceed, and it guides us in how to respond. Thank God for His Word that is so practical and usable even today. Let's pray. Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for the letter of Paul to Philemon. We thank You for exposing to us the messed up relationship that marked his relationship to a slave. We thank You for the changes that You brought by the power of Your Spirit through the gospel of Jesus Christ to establish a new relationship, Lord, that then had to work itself through. we thank you for the pathway to reconciliation that this shows us we thank you that by your spirit we can understand it and we can pursue it we thank you Father that the messed up relationships in our lives the broken relationships in our lives are not beyond the grace of the gospel the gospel of peace that we as far as it depends on us can bring to bear with our brother or our sister as we do all that's within us to be reconciled one to another. We ask that you bless this word to us today. Change our hearts, change our minds, change our behavior, change our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.