Guess Who is Coming

For Dinner?

If thou count me therefore a partner,

receive him as myself (Philemon 1:17)

How do you relate to someone who has hurt you in the past? Someone who is less privileged. Given the opportunity, would you invite that person to dinner -Romans 12:20?

Person

Onesimus was not the type of individual most of us would readily accept into our homes. To Philemon, he was unprofitable -Philemon 1:11. He was a deserter -Philemon 1:15. He was a slave Philemon -1:16. Perhaps worst of all, Onesimus may have abused or stole from his master Philemon 1:18. Surely, this was not a character one could forgive easily.

Reason

Yet, Paul an arbitrator writes Philemon, a coworker and brother in Christ, pleading with him to welcome Onesimus whom he had converted in his bonds Philemon 1:10. He who was unprofitable was now profitable - Philemon 1:11. As difficult as it was, Philemon must now practice forgiveness -Luke 17:3, Matthew 18:21, 22. Season Paul made the case that Onesimus departed a season so that Philemon could receive him permanently -Philemon 1:17. We may not understand in real time why unfortunate things happen to us, especially when we try to be faithful to God. If we do wrong, we accept our punishment -1Peter 4:15, but suffering is not always the result of sin -Job 1:1-12.

Lesson

No matter what occurred in the past, Christians must function like the Good Samaritan -Luke10:33. That is exactly what Paul did in pledging to pay the expenses of Onesimus -Philemon 1:18. Paul encouraged Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would himself , as a brother, without partiality - Philemon 1:16, 17, 1Timothy 5:21. It may be the practice of some to treat the poor disrespectfully, but would you want to dishonor Christ? James 2:1-3, Matthew 25:40.

Homework

How do you demonstrate forgiveness?