Proper 18 (2025)

Paris Otterbein

*Opening Prayer

*Call to Worship

(Based on Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18) Leader: O Lord, you have searched us and you know us. People: You know when we sit and when we rise; you perceive our thoughts from afar. Leader: You discern our going out and our lying down; you are familiar with all our ways. People: Before a word is on our tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. Leader: For you created our inmost being; you knit us together in our mother’s womb. People: We praise you because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Leader: How precious to us are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! People: We will praise you, for we are yours.

Hymn #59 I Sing The Mighty Power Of God

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 18:1-11 Ken

Jeremiah 18:1–11 NIV

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it. “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Hymn #259, v. 3 Breathe On Me Breath Of God

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Children's Message - Debbie

Scripture Reading

Philemon 1–21 NIV

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker—also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. 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. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Sermon

Unlike the book of Hebrews, we know Paul wrote the letter of Philemon. but unlike Galatians and Colossians, this letter was not written to a church or to a group of believers but to Philemon.

Now, scholars can debate whether Philemon was from Colosse or Ephesus but what we can agree on this morning is that in Paul’s missionary travels, he had the opportunity to share the faith of Jesus Christ with Philemon. Philemon had become a follower of Jesus Christ. And from this letter, Philemon opened his home to the church. And as greetings are sent to the church, we can imagine the church listened in.

The main issue at stake in this letter seems to be in regard to another man named Onesimus, a slave who had runaway from Philemon. But like Philemon had come to know Jesus through Paul’s ministry.

Now, being not only a slave, but a runaway slave, and perhaps even stealing from Philemon was a pretty serious charge. Being a slave already made Onesimus a nobody, but a stealing slave made him lower than that. Philemon was well within his rights to bring judgement against Onesimus and this may well be what he intended.

But Paul sends this letter as a request on behalf of Onesimus. Paul asks Philemon to treat Onesimus better than he deserves. Indeed, Paul asks that Onesimus not be received back as a slave but as a brother. Paul has witnessed a change in Onesimus’ heart, and he has become a help to Paul.

What Paul is asking from Philemon is that he extend grace to Onesimus. Grace undeserved. Onesimus deserves to be punished. But Paul steps in on his behalf and asks for any damage, any penalties, any debt be charged to him. And that Philemon receive Onesimus like a brother.

You and I have someone like this too. His name is Jesus Christ. We were once runaway slaves as well. Slaves to sin and running away from God. But Jesus Christ came and offered Himself for us. He told His Heavenly Father that any of our damages, penalties or debts be placed on Him.

Communion

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn #376 I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

*Benediction

Go now as God’s clay, shaped in His hands,

go as Christ’s brothers and sisters, forgiven and free,

and go in the Spirit’s power to live as a sanctuary of grace.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Sanctuary