We all love to receive an encouraging note from a friend.

And on one page of the New Testament, we find a very personal letter from Paul to Philemon.

This brief note to a friend is full of doctrinal truth and practical help for us all.

Open your Bible and your heart today as we come to the book of Philemon.

Let's join Scott Pauli now as we study God's word together.

It's marvelous to see how God deals with us as individuals. We're unique to him, we're special to him.

He deals with us one-on-one, and at the same time, he connects us to one another.

There are really inseparable truths in the Christian life. One is that God wants

to work in you individually, and the second is that God wants to work with you in the lives of

other believers, that you are connected. It's bigger than just you. We're a part of the family of God.

We're beginning our study in the little book of Philemon, and I said to you when we introduced it the other day that this is truly a note to a friend.

It is a very personal letter written from Paul to a dear friend named Philemon.

We'll learn more about their connection in this study.

But I would like to point out to you today that immediately at the beginning of this little book of Philemon, we'll learn more about their connection in this study. But I would like to point out to you today that immediately at the beginning of this little book of Philemon,

and then woven throughout, Paul reminds Philemon that it is not just about him.

Listen again to Philemon verse 1.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon, our dearly beloved and

fellow laborer, and to our beloved Athea, and Archipus, our fellow soldier, and to the church

in thy house.

Do you see, he's dealing with one Christian man, but he is dealing with this Christian

man in the context of the church. In fact, a simple glance at the book of Philemon will reveal that

there are five individuals at the opening of the letter, and there are five more at the closing

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