FROM USELESS TO USEFUL (4 OF 4)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: Philemon 1:1-25
This content is part of a series.
From Useless to Useful (4 of 4)
Series: Summer Postcards
Keith Krell
Philemon 1-25
Have you ever been deeply hurt by someone? If you've lived any length of time, the answer is ''yes!!!!'' Perhaps you've been neglected and rejected by your biological family. During your growing up years you felt like you were an inconvenience or a burden. Worse yet, perhaps you were physically or sexually abused. While these events took place years ago, the wounds are ever before you. They've marked your life forever. Maybe your spouse committed adultery or left you high and dry and has demonstrated no true repentance. Or maybe your spouse has refused to honor you or love you. You feel like your marriage is an absolute farce. Every day you wonder, ''What's the point?'' Perhaps your children have deeply wounded you by the decisions they've made. Instead of respecting your guidance, they've followed their own path. You've spent time, money, and energy on them and the more you do the worse things get.
What are you supposed to do in situations like this? Some people would say, ''Forgive.'' But forgiveness is overrated. There's really no reason to forgive because the hurt never truly goes away, and people, even those who love us, fall back into old patterns of hurting us. Moreover, shouldn't people suffer a bit for the wrongs they've committed against us? Forgiveness is just not very helpful. The New Testament contains a personal letter from the apostle Paul to a man named Philemon. (Not Pokémon . . . but Philemon.) In it, we find the account of a man who deserved to be angry. He had been hurt deeply and even betrayed. He was taken advantage of and made to look like a fool. He was justified in his anger and unforgiveness. I hope after we study Philemon's story you'll feel justified in your anger and unforgiveness.
1. Praise for Philemon (1:1-7). The letter of Philemon begins with the following introductory greeting: ''Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our bro ...
Series: Summer Postcards
Keith Krell
Philemon 1-25
Have you ever been deeply hurt by someone? If you've lived any length of time, the answer is ''yes!!!!'' Perhaps you've been neglected and rejected by your biological family. During your growing up years you felt like you were an inconvenience or a burden. Worse yet, perhaps you were physically or sexually abused. While these events took place years ago, the wounds are ever before you. They've marked your life forever. Maybe your spouse committed adultery or left you high and dry and has demonstrated no true repentance. Or maybe your spouse has refused to honor you or love you. You feel like your marriage is an absolute farce. Every day you wonder, ''What's the point?'' Perhaps your children have deeply wounded you by the decisions they've made. Instead of respecting your guidance, they've followed their own path. You've spent time, money, and energy on them and the more you do the worse things get.
What are you supposed to do in situations like this? Some people would say, ''Forgive.'' But forgiveness is overrated. There's really no reason to forgive because the hurt never truly goes away, and people, even those who love us, fall back into old patterns of hurting us. Moreover, shouldn't people suffer a bit for the wrongs they've committed against us? Forgiveness is just not very helpful. The New Testament contains a personal letter from the apostle Paul to a man named Philemon. (Not Pokémon . . . but Philemon.) In it, we find the account of a man who deserved to be angry. He had been hurt deeply and even betrayed. He was taken advantage of and made to look like a fool. He was justified in his anger and unforgiveness. I hope after we study Philemon's story you'll feel justified in your anger and unforgiveness.
1. Praise for Philemon (1:1-7). The letter of Philemon begins with the following introductory greeting: ''Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our bro ...
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