Key Verses – Philemon

Key Verses – Philemon

* Appeal to Brother for Son

* Now Useful Son/Brother

* Prepare a Room

Obviously Philemon is an exception in a lot of ways since it’s only 1 chapter. Not a lot of content. And that content is an exception, also due to the length, because it is to 1 person and mostly covers 1 topic and it’s personal rather than church oriented.

But reading through it a couple verses stood out to me…

11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

This can be said of many people who, once converted, are "useful" in the ministry where they were once not so. It could also be said of people who go through events that temporarily disqualify them from serving. It’s a true redemption verse.

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—

This verse also makes me think of how powerful something can be after the fact. How we can often see the purpose behind something only from the perspective of the rearview mirror.

For some reason it reminds me of the verse in Esther (4:14b)…

"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther’s verse is a bit more "in the moment" and Philemon’s is after the fact. But both have powerful implications.