I may not see in front of me, But I can see for miles around when I look over my shoulder, and Lord, it`s clear. You`ve brought me here, So faithful every step of the way. What can I do but follow you, For You are the Way, the Truth, the Life, And You`ve promised never to leave me, My Savior, my friend, From beginning to end.
I Am Found In You
by
Steven Curtis Chapman
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon 1-3 NIV
If you have never met our good friend in the Bible Philemon, let us do so this week. Philemon was a man who was growing as a Christian. In this letter to Philemon, Paul challenges Philemon to let go of the things of this world, and to allow God's plan to become his own. There is no greater calling for the Christian.
Philemon was apparently a man of some means. He may have even been wealthy. As we will see this week, Philemon certainly owned some property, one of whom was Onesimus, a slave. We don't know all the details, but we do know that Onesimus was working with Paul in ministry, and that he apparently should have still been a slave to Philemon.
What I want to point out today is about Philemon. Here is one who loves the Lord so much that he has opened his home to the church. Do you know anyone like that? Their home is a haven of rest, a place of strength, where believers and seekers feel comforable, and there is never a stranger. Somehow when I read of the church at Philemon's house, that is the kind of mental picture I get. Why else would Paul have mentioned it?
What would people say about your house? Is it a place for weary souls? Do others feel welcome? Sometimes I think we put so much time preparing our homes so that WE can be comfortable and yet God wants our homes to be places to expand His gospel. God wants us, as Christians, to have homes that reflect His love to those who are hurting; homes that reveal His grace; and homes that reach out to a lost world.
Although most of us attend church outside of our homes, which is customary today, shouldn't the house in which we live be a church? Shouldn't our homes be a place where Christians gather to be with other Christians, and where those who don't have a Savior can find our Jesus?
May we build our homes to be like Philemon's house?
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