Lesson 2
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You on bended knees. We pray for wisdom and understand to unlock the truth of Your eternal Word. We pray that You will speak to us through the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Words of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Philemon: 1-3, opening salutation and greeting
VV 1-3, 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul, the author of Philemon, considered himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ, not Rome, not Caesar, and not Nero. Paul included and acknowledged Timothy, his spiritual god-son in his opening salutation and greeting. Paul was a prisoner of Jesus Christ because he was imprisoned according to God’s will and sanctioned by Jesus Christ his Lord and Master. Paul sent greetings to Philemon, his beloved friend, a co-worker in the gospel, and founder of the Colossians house church. Scholars believed that Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus was Philemon’s son and pastor of the Colossians house church. Greek for grace is “charis”, which means getting what we do not deserve to get. Hebrews for peace is “shalom”, which means welfare and tranquility. Paul pronounced grace and peace from God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace always precedes peace. When we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God, peace from God, and peace of God. The source of grace and peace is God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
1 Corinthians 4:17, “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church’’.
Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”
Philippians 4:6-7, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Application:
When we are justified by grace through faith in Christ, we are reconciled to God. We are no longer in enmity with God and God’s wrath is removed. We can come before God the Father in His throne room of God in heaven with boldness and confidence. We experience peace within us that transcends all understanding, we have access to God and the promise of the glorious heaven in the future.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for justification, sanctification, salvation, eternal life, the promise of heaven, and resurrection in Your second coming. Thank You for giving us the peace that transcends all understandings, in Jesus’ name, Amen.