Day 2: Peeling Back Layers (Philemon)
I invite you to pray, asking God to speak to you. Then, read through the text and finally jot down anything that jumps out, or speaks to you.
We are going to spend a few days peeling back the layers of this short letter.
The idea of layers, as a metaphor for many things in life, is helpful.
We are layers. When someone meets us for the first time, we present our outer selves, often times offering others an image of the person we hope we are becoming. Given enough time people see us in all sorts of moments; moments when that outer layer is gone.
As each layer is removed, we learn all sorts of things.
Each day I am going to invite you to read Philemon and look at a certain layer. Today, I want you look at the outer layer.
Many Bibles provide “sub-headings”. The sub-headings, in a very basic way, provide the outline. Letters have greetings, introductions, a main body, a conclusion, and a closing. If the letter is long enough, then sub-headings will divide the main body between scenes and/or ideas.
Today we are looking at the outer layer. As I read through this letter, a few things jump out a me.
Today:
Verses 1-3 gives us the greeting, and we learn a church meets in Philemon’s home.
Verses 4-7 an introduction of sort, highlights Paul’s love and knowledge of Philemon. I am struck by verse 6, “…I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective…” That tells us something about Philemon.
Verses 8-22 is the main body of the letter. In the coming days we will dig deeper, but did any verses jump out at you? For me, it was verses 9 and 14. In verse 9 we read, “…for love’s sake, I prefer to appeal to you…”. In verse 14 we read, “…your goodness might not be by compulsion, but of your own freewill…”.
Verses 23-25 is the closing and I am always curious about the other folks who are hanging out with Paul. Maybe I can dig into those.
In the main body of the letter we learn of a fella named Onesimus, who is a run-away slave. He has come to Paul. Paul has really gotten close to Onesimus (his spiritual father). Paul is now returning him to Philemon. Paul is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul.
The stage is set. Philemon, someone leading, or co-leading a church, is presented with a real-life personal situation. How will he respond to a dilemma?
His dilemma is that he has been wronged. His culture demands some pretty specific actions about this situation. Yet Paul is asking Philemon to consider how a follower of Jesus should respond, and then do it. Do it, not out of compulsion, but love.
I know this is just the outer layer, but I am thinking about who I believe has wronged me (and who I have wronged).
Responding with God’s love to a wrong committed against us, and not as the world would have us respond, is a universal challenge.
Anybody ever wronged you? I know the answer to this question.