SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/14/2017
9:29 PM
My Worship Time
Focus: Intro to Phile. 19-25
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Philemon
19-25
Message of the
verses: “19 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). 20 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the
Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I
write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. 22 At
the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I
will be given to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets
you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
John MacArthur entitles this last chapter in his
commentary on Philemon “The Motives of One who Forgives.” MacArthur begins his short introduction to
this last chapter in his commentary on Philemon with a very interesting story
which I will quote at this time: “Sir
Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VII, spoke the following
words to the judges who had unjustly condemned him to death: ‘As the blessed apostle St. Paul…consented to
the death of Sr. Stephen, and kept their clothes that stoned him to death, and
yet be they now both twain holy saints in Heaven, and shall continue there
friends for ever, so I verily trust, and shall therefore right heartily pray,
that though your Lordships have now here in earth been judges to my condemnation,
we may yet hereafter in Heaven merrily all meet together, to our everlasting
salvation’”
Thomas More was talking about the death of Stephen which
is found in the seventh chapter of the book of Acts and right before he died of
being stoned he said something very similar to that of what Jesus Christ said,
Stephen said “Father, do not hole this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). Jesus said “Father forgive them for they know
not what they do. As we look at Moore’s
statement we see the beauty of forgiveness.
Paul is closing his letter in this section we begin this
evening to look at and he gives insight into what the motives of forgiveness
are. MacArthur writes “His gracious but
pregnant words are meant to be the final push to move the heart of Philemon to forgive
Onesimus. Each of his remarks contains
the embryo of a truth that should motivate us to forgive as well. In this passage, we can discern six motives
for forgiving others: the recognition of
an unplayable debt, the possibility of
being a blessing, the necessity of obedience, the acknowledgment of
accountability, the importance of maintaining fellowship, and the requirement
of grace.” These six truths that
motivate forgiveness will be the subject of our Spiritual diaries as we work to
conclude this letter of Philemon.
7/14/2017 9:51 PM
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