[The Epistle of Philemon] Taking ChancesSýnishorn

The Reward of Community

A third reward of taking chances in faith and love is community. In verses 23–25, Paul and those with him send greetings. That’s what community is all about.

In verse 23, Epaphras ultimately becomes the leader of the church in Colossae that meets in Philemon’s house. While Philemon was at home, Epaphras ministered with Paul.

The second person mentioned is Mark, also called John Mark. In his first missionary journey, he’d left Paul (Acts 15:39). But they reconciled and are working together again. We see that Paul practiced what he preached about forgiveness and restored relationships.

Aristarchus traveled with Paul from Thessalonica to Jerusalem (Acts 27:2) and then to Rome. He saw everything Paul went through. He sent greetings. So did Demas. We have a choice to follow Christ or not. At this time, Demas walked with Christ; later, he fell away (2 Timothy 4:10).

Paul mentions Luke—that great physician, historian, and writer of Luke and Acts. He, too, sends greetings.

Philemon mentions 11 people in 25 verses, including Onesimus, who is brought back into the fellowship. He’ll have ten other people as part of his community. We are one body of believers. And Onesimus, right in the middle, now has a part of this body where faith and love abound.

Paul concludes, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (verse 25). Grace bookends Philemon, as with many of Paul’s letters. Paul began with the grace and peace only found in Jesus Christ (verse 3). Paul extends that grace to Philemon and the church. In verse 25, the Greek word translated your is plural, like y’all. Paul is praying that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be within the spirit of your church, of all of you as a group, as one body.

Take chances in faith and love to grow more like Christ, to be in deep fellowship, and to have community. Am I willing to trust God and take chances in faith and love in my life? Paul certainly did. By virtue of the fact that this letter is now part of the canon, we know Philemon did. We know Onesimus did because he delivered the letter himself. We read the names of those the Holy Spirit enabled to take chances in faith and love, resulting in Christlikeness, koinonia, and community.

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