In this message, Pastor Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher, walks through the closing section of Philemon (vv. 8–25) to show how the gospel shapes obedience and forgiveness. He explains that Onesimus, a runaway servant who had wronged Philemon, has now been saved and sent back with Paul’s intercessory letter. Paul does not command Philemon, but lovingly beseeches him to receive Onesimus “forever,” not merely as a servant, but as a beloved brother in Christ. Drawing from related passages in 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, and Philippians, Pastor Josh emphasizes that Philemon’s own unpayable spiritual debt—canceled through the gospel—should govern how he responds to the very real, but lesser, financial and personal debt Onesimus owes him. Paul even offers to repay any loss himself and appeals to Philemon’s proven character: his faith toward the Lord, love toward all the saints, and pattern of refreshing the bowels of believers.

Pastor Josh, Pastor-Teacher, then highlights six intertwined motivations for Philemon’s forgiveness: his own indebtedness to Paul through the gospel, the opportunity to continue refreshing the saints (including Paul), the call to obey God’s clear command to forgive as he has been forgiven, the expectation that he will “do more than” Paul asks, the accountability of Paul’s planned visit and the shared fellowship of other laborers, and finally, the sufficiency of “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” with his spirit to actually do these hard things. He applies this to local church life, warning how unforgiveness breeds schism and gives Satan an advantage, while forgiveness restores joy and fellowship. He concludes with modern stories of radical forgiveness to illustrate how the gospel can free both offender and offended, urging believers to let God’s forgiveness of them become the pattern and power for extending forgiveness to others—even when they do not deserve it.