Can you think of a time when something breaking in two can be good? [Egg; Christmas Cracker; glow stick]
Can you think of a time when something breaking in two is not so good? [Pole Vault; Bone; Sword]
Even worse is when there is a break in a friendship or relationship.
Paul wrote a short letter to a man called Philemon.
The reason Paul was writing was because there was a broken relationship.
Philemon had a slave called Onesimus.
Onesimus had gone away and had not returned.
We don’t know why.
Maybe Onesimus ran away from Philemon.
He might even have stolen something from Philemon.
Onesimus ran to Rome where he met Paul, heard the good news about Jesus and put his trust in Him.
Paul was concerned that although Onesimus had peace with God, he did not have peace with Philemon.
There was still a break in that relationship.
So Paul writes to help bring about reconciliation.
Here’s a little rhyme about Paul’s letter to Philemon.
My dear friend Philemon, don’t be angry or fret.
I know that your Onesimus has not come home yet.
But I have some good news, you’ll be happy I bet.
He’s a really useful engine now, after he and I met.
Whatever wrong he’s done to you I hope you’ll forget
For though he went away a slave, a brother you now get.
Love from Paul
Paul asks Philemon to forgive Onesimus and receive him back.
But the letter to Philemon is about more than bringing two people who were separated back together.
It also teaches us about what God has done for us.
Like Onesimus being separated from Philemon, we have been separated from God.
We have gone away from God, and that has got us in trouble with him.
However, because Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment our sins deserve, God can forgive us and welcome us back into His family if we trust in Him.