My Very Heart

Philemon’s Spiritual Maturity

Paul hear about the faith and love Philemon has

Paul prays for more maturity for him and the church

the knowledge of everything that is good to be known

so that Jesus would be glorified

Paul here is reminding Philemon that he it is by grace that he is who he is

Paul is going to ask Philemon to to something extra ordinary

something that if someone was not a child of God would not be even asked to do

we are going to start to look at Paul’s request this morning

Read Philemon 4-7.

Pray

Because Of Love

V 8 therefore

I have great confidence...

as an apostle of Jesus, a direct representative of Jesus

commissioned by Jesus

he has the authority to...

but... because of the gospel, the grace of God, the Holy Spirit working in him

the love and faith he is demonstrating

V 9 instead I appeal to you

Paul does not want to order him, he would do it but not like it

the relationship between Onesimus and Philemon would not be good

Because of love our mutual love, the love you have for the saints, the love that Jesus has for you

An old man

in prison

Useless To Useful

V 10

the reason for the letter

my child in Christ

not the same person that ran away

who is now born from above

one who is a new creation, from dead to alive

one who is justified, and given the righteousness of God

one who’s every sin is forgiven

one who’s the precious blood of Jesus cleanses of all sin

Onesimus the new, my child

V 11

he was useless,

as an unbeliever

as a child of satan

as a prisoner of sin

but all of that is changed

he is no longer who he used to be

now he is useful

not because he is now trying to do his best

not because he is now a christian and has rules

but because the Holy Spirit is in him and has changed him

the gospel changes everything by Meredith Andrews

The gospel changes everything The turning point in history Even now its changing me From who I was The story of my Savior calls Me to the wonder of the cross The gospel changes everything And it is changing me

Jesus changes everything There is no greater mystery From who I was The kindness of my Savior calls Me to the wonder of His love Jesus changes everything And He is changing me

The Gospel changes us

our heart changes, sin now bothers us, we have a longing to be more like Jesus

Onesimus is a new man

My Very Heart

Paul is sending his dear child

sending his very own heart

sending someone who is very dear to Paul

Paul has become very attached to this man

he is sending him back because it is the right thing to do

he is hoping that Philemon would do the right thing

but Paul wants Philemon to know that there is a strong bond of love between Onesimus and Paul

The Very Heart Of Jesus

each and every one of his sheep is on the heart of the Great Shepherd

Touching the apple of mine eye

names written on my heart

the ones you gave to me I will lose none of them

Saul why are you persecuting me?

God so loved that he gave His only Son

Philemon is the gospel at work in the live of the believer

and in the life of the church

Philemon is a picture of what the believer looks like

Philemon is how we are different from the world

The gospel changes everything

how has the gospel changed you?

can you see a progression?

are you more like Jesus?