Peace

Philemon

Characters:

• Paul - Imprisoned Apostle
• Philemon - Wealthy believer and slave owner, Onesimus’ former owner
• Onesimus - runaway slave, new believer and helper to Paul in prison
• Jesus - King, savior and brother of all 3

Setting:

High stakes, and real damage, and the reality of God’s family

Why Make Peace? 2 Reasons:

• Reason 1: Because they are brothers (16).
• Family Logic: If Jesus is Philemon’s brother, and Jesus is Onesimus’ brother, then Onesimus is his brother too. (Triangle slide)
• You get both or neither (15-17).
  
• Reason 2: Because Jesus already covered the cost (18).
• The Logic of the Cross: If Jesus paid for Philemon’s sins, then he paid for Onesimus’ too.
• You believe both or neither.

Take Home Idea: Peace is a Fruit of the Spirit

God provides the cross as the grounds for making peace, and the Holy Spirit as the means