SCRIPTURE: Philemon 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. [Philemon 1:7]
Paul writes this letter to Philemon while in prison, on behalf of a runaway slave, asking that he forgive the slave and release him from his servitude and welcome him as a brother – all debts paid!
Paul is prepared to pay the debts himself, though he expects Philemon to forgive them.
Paul bases his appeal on love – his love for Philemon and Onesimus, and their love for him – and asks that they therefore complete the triangle by loving each other.
He does not mention God’s love directly, though he does refer to “every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.” [Philemon 1:6].

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:34-35]
When I see how Philemon’s love has earned him a reputation as one who refreshes others, and I hear Paul speak of being refreshed in Christ as well [Philemon 1:20], I think of how Jesus describes the community of Jesus followers.
Everyone will know that they are His disciples, because of their mutual love.

Take a look at a community of Jesus’ followers, what is the main thing you see?
Jesus says that the main thing others will see (or should see) is that they love one another.
They will have struggles and differences, but it will be evident that they love each other.
Despite differing backgrounds – tax collectors and fishermen, rich and poor, slave and free, black and white, Jew and Gentile, old and young, male and female – people will marvel at how they love each other.
Is this what stands out most to you as you look at your church?
Is that what people see when they look at our church?

What are we known for: dynamic worship, great youth programs, an amazing building, an inspiring preacher; or worse, our stand against … (fill in the issue), a history of tensions, a clergy scandal, a judgmental spirit, our conservative views?
What would have to change for our church to become known mainly by our love?
How could we become a place where people – believers or not – are refreshed in Christ?
The answer begins in Jesus, but it moves next to each person, in this case Philemon.
In your case, you.
What will you do to become known in your church, and community, as one that loves, as one that refreshes others in Christ?

PRAYER:
Lord, even though I sense the problems in the church, help me to start with you and myself, to refresh myself in Your love that I may refresh others in it too!