We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Mace

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We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of
God that has been given among the churches of
Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction,
their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty
have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on
their part. For they gave according to their
means, as I can testify, and beyond their means,
of their own free will, begging us earnestly for
the favor of taking part in the relief of the
saints-- and this, not as we expected, but they
gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the
will of God to us. (2 Cor 81-5)
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And as they led him away, they seized one Simon
of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country,
and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind
Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude
of the people and of women who were mourning and
lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus
said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for
me, but weep for yourselves and for your
children. For behold, the days are coming when
they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the
wombs that never bore and the breasts that never
nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the
mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover
us.' For if they do these things when the wood is
green, what will happen when it is dry?"
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Two others, who were criminals, were led away to
be put to death with him. And when they came to
the place that is called The Skull, there they
crucified him, and the criminals, one on his
right and one on his left. And Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do." And they cast lots to divide his
garments. And the people stood by, watching, but
the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved
others let him save himself, if he is the Christ
of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked
him, coming up and offering him sour wine and
saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save
yourself!" There was also an inscription over
him, "This is the King of the Jews. One of the
criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying...
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"Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not
fear God, since you are under the same sentence
of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are
receiving the due reward of our deeds but this
man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom." And
he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you
will be with me in Paradise. It was now about
the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the
whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's
light failed. And the curtain of the temple was
torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud
voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit!" And having said this he breathed his
last. (Lk 2226-46)
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Philemon
A Power-Packed Little Letter
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Power Christ Worked In Through One Man

• Philemon left a spiritually big impact on others
• What he meant to Paul personally (vs. 1-2)
• A great example of faith and love (vs. 4-7)
• Notice the impact His character made the
  sharing of his faith more powerful (vs. 6)
• Yet, Philemon was a man with a past! (vs. 19)

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Power Christ Worked In Through One Man

• Could your life be given as an example of the
  power Christ can work through mens lives?
• Does your life chain Gods word? (2 Tim 29)
• Our goal is to let glory of Christ shine in and
  through the way we live (Col 127)
• It is when Christ is molding our lives that the
  sharing of our faith becomes powerful (I Pet
  211-12)
• Philemon tells us that regardless of how dark
  your past may seem Theres still great things
  Christ can do with your life! (I Tim 112-17)

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The Power Of Christ To Save Man

• Onesimus shows us the power of Christ and His
  gospel to save man
• Onesimus was not just a fugitive from Philemon,
  but he was a fugitive from the Lord! (vs.
  17-19)
• Christ transformed him from being a slave of sin
  to being a servant of God! (vs. 16)
• Changed his purpose direction (vs. 10-13)
• This all happened when the case for Onesimus may
  have seemed hopeless (vs. 1, 15-16)
• This too took great faith on Pauls part in the
  power of Christ and the message of the cross!

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The Power Of Christ To Save Man

• Great parallels and lessons about our personal
  salvation and the power of Christ in us!
• Notice what Paul had done for Onesimus (vs.
  18-19)
• Onesimus was a slave nothing he could not
  change that
• He incurred a debt to someone else he was unable
  to pay
• Paul said, Whatever debt he owes, I will pay
  personally!
• Isnt this exactly what Christ has done for us?
• Once slaves of sin, Jesus set us free (Rom
  620-23)
• Provided grace to meet the law of sin death
  (Rom 520-21)
• Personally paid a debt we couldnt pay (Rom
  319-26 56-11)
• Jesus has worked a great a powerful change in
  our lives, purpose, direction (Eph 21-5)
• Still hope for those whove rejected him (Mt
  2128-31)

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The Power Of Christ To Heal Broken Relationships

• Through Christ this broken relationship was
  restored
• Paul handles a volatile situation with love
  wisdom!
• Gradual introduction appealing on the basis of
  love (vs. 8-9)
• Speaks often of those he knew Philemon knew
  loved who were currently prisoners (vs. 1, 9,
  23)
• Spoke of his closeness to Onesimus showing how
  Philemon had Pauls heart in his hands! (vs.
  12, 20)
• Points out the new usefulness of Onesimus (vs.
  13)
• In Christ their relationship was not only
  restored but made better! (vs. 11, 16, 21 Col.
  322, 41)
• Paul knew personally the struggle of broken
  relationships Christs power (Acts 926-28)

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The Power Of Christ To Heal Broken Relationships

• Through Christ bridges are built today to
  restore and heal broken relationships
• Like Christ did with the Jew Gentile (Eph
  213-17)
• Relationship strained? Christ is the answer!
• Two brethren who cant get along (I Pet 223)
• Husband wife at the point of divorce (Eph
  525ff)
• Parent and child who are always fighting (Eph
  61-4)
• A co-worked boss who are at odds (Col
  322-41)
• When we apply the principles Christ teaches,
  bridges are built with our enemies (Matthew
  543-48)
• Takes a determination to respond like Christ in
  any despite what the other person does! (Mt
  712)

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Who Are You Serving?
Do you not know that if you present yourselves
to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of
the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads
to death, or of obedience, which leads to
righteousness? ... When you were slaves of sin,
you were free in regard to righteousness. But
what fruit were you getting at that time from the
things of which you are now ashamed? The end of
those things is death... For the wages of sin is
death, but the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 616-23)
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Who Are You Serving?
Sin
Christ

• Servants of sin
• Fruit of sin
• Condemnation
• Eternal death

• Servants of God
• Fruit of righteousness
• Mercy grace
• Eternal life

But thanks be to God, that you who were once
slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart
to the standard of teaching to which you were
committed (Rom. 617)