January 3, 2016

Philemon

Sunday Sermons

Forgiveness and reconciliation have been identified among the greatest needs of humankind. Why can’t we seem to get there more easily? What blocks us from being able to forgive or to ask for forgiveness? In the shortest of the apostle Paul’s letters, Paul steps in to serve as an agent of God’s grace for two people he really loved and cared for. What can we learn from Paul that would be transferable to our everyday relationships? Join Pastor Jim as he amplifies the rich wisdom and beauty found in this ancient letter from Paul to his friend Philemon.

Speaker

Jim Thomas

Scripture

Philemon

Topics
Community Life Relationships & Marriage

Sermon Notes

1. The Inevitability of Conflict

“The essence of what the Bible calls sin is the exaltation of self. God has designed us to put him first in our lives, others next, and ourselves last. Yet sin reverses that
order: we put ourselves first, others next (many times in an attempt to use them for ourselves), and God somewhere (if anywhere) in the distant background. We turn from worshiping God to worshiping self.”
David Platt, Counter Culture

2. The Generosity of Grace

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-20

“The church – a healthy church – is the hermeneutic of the gospel. It’s the way that the gospel comes to life. It’s the way that people can taste and smell the gospel.”
Leslie Newbigin

3. The Possibility of a Providential “Perhaps”

“Nothing moves us to forgive like the wondering knowledge that we ourselves have been forgiven.”
John Stott

“When God forgives, He forgives completely. Not in shades or degrees of forgiveness, but absolutely and fully.”
Alistair Begg