Preaching Philemon

I don't remember ever hearing a sermon on Philemon. This week, the New Testament reading from the lectionary is Philemon. This is the text that have have picked to preach on. I am looking forward to it as I believe it has many principles for mediating between injuryed parties.

Living in a small town, we tend to have our share of disagreements and arguments, even feuds. A disagreement in the city doesn't even compare. In the city you can go a long time before ever seeing the person. If you disagree with someone at church in the city many churches are large enough to allow you to avoid the person all together. If you are in an argument with the school administration in the city, your path only crosses theirs at the school meetings and appointments you have with them.

In a small town things are radically different. Arguments and disagreements no matter what the arena always find there way into the church. If people disagree about a situation in the schools, or in the government of town, or in the county decisions, these feelings bubble over into the church. Sometimes people will quit attending church because the feelings over these issues and the heat of the situation is so great.

Into this context comes the book of Philemon. Hopefully it will prove to be a fruitful week of study and exposition.