When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. John 10:4-5.

Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV.

The kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20.

Our chapter, Philemon 1, is a personal letter to Philemon from Paul and marks the end of the Pauline letters in Scripture. In so many ways, it marks also, the beginning of the work of Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, bringing change into the hearts of His children. Philemon is a slave owner in the new church and as he is also a beloved member of the brethren, Paul is reminding him that his runaway slave, Onesimus, also now a beloved member, is his brother in the faith just as surely as is Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ. Can we appreciate the dynamic unfolding? Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Can you imagine receiving this letter from the Apostle Paul as he himself is in prison in Rome? And attached are the names of the heavy-weights of the faith – Timothy, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke and most importantly, the Lord Jesus Christ. The slave Onesimus ran away from his owner, Philemon, a slave owner and a member of the new church…in whose house the church met. Slavery was a reality that would not be undone officially for many centuries. Onesimus ended up with Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome and in that time was changed completely. He is now a member of the faith through Paul. He is still a slave and Philemon is still a slave owner. Change doesn’t occur with the flip of a switch. What does change with the help of the Holy Spirit, is the hearts and minds of the children of God turned to Him for help in understanding only He can bring. The fellowship of our faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing…which is in us for Christ’s sake. Can we see in God hope for all of us? His love becomes our sanctuary, a beacon within us of hope and trust in all Creator God is doing. Trusting God allows new understanding of His love that is what saves us. I can’t begin to understand what is was to be a slave owner or to be a slave. But I know how much God’s love has changed me and has helped me to see Him always before me. His love gives me hope for all of us. His love enables us to love one another as beloved brothers and sisters. When Jesus returns, everything that hinders that love in us will be removed and every tear will be wiped away by God. The gospel of the kingdom of God’s love. He has entrusted that hope to us so we can live fully trusting Him now in the times we live before His return for all of us. Can we grasp this? The knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ’s sake!