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Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Worship into the Week- Refresh my Heart

 

Worship into the Week-

Refresh My Heart- Philemon

This is a very personal letter and different
 from other New Testament letters.
Paul wrote it to Philemon about Onesimus 
and a specific situation.
He was not giving general advice 
of how to live as a Christian.
Paul is asking Philemon to do something different
 than what the culture around him might expect.
Onesimus was a runaway slave 
and should have been treated harshly- probably death.
 Somewhere in Rome he met Paul 
and came to faith in Jesus.
Paul is asking Philemon to accept Onesimus 
as a brother in faith- to build the unity of the body.
Mercy instead of the accepted cultural response.
Much later in church history Ignatius refers to Onesimus
 as the Bishop of Ephesus.
 Perhaps it is this same runaway slave.
Paul gives thanks for Philemon-
 his "friend in Christ" 
that lives in Colossae and has a "house church."

We are thankful that this letter was included
 in the text of our Bible, so that we may be reminded
on any day that we may 
have a heart refreshed in Christ.
With that gift, we look for other relationships
 that we might be called to mentor.
We too have been set free,
so that we can share our great gift with others.

Supplies:
Visual Church Year Printable
Worship into the Week Printable
Magazine cutouts
Colored pencils
Napkin
Alpha letters
Vintage stamp

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