See The Good

See The Good
From Philemon 
Bridge Builders Week 1

Theme: Bridge Builders learn to look past the momentary mess and see the eternal good in people and circumstances.

Context

• Author: Paul, writing from a Roman prison cell (58–60 AD).
• Recipient: Philemon, a sincere Christ-follower in Asia Minor.
• Subject: Forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Backstory: Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave, ends up in prison with Paul, hears the gospel, trusts Christ, and is sent back with this letter to seek restoration.

Key Truth Paul is the ultimate Bridge Builder, not a Wall Builder.

• Wall Builders isolate, wound, criticize, and pull others down (often unaware).
• Bridge Builders cheer others on, speak grace, and connect people to Christ and to each other.

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Main Points

I. Bridge Builders See the Good – by developing an Attitude of Thankfulness (v. 4)

• Paul, unjustly imprisoned, chooses gratitude: “I thank my God always when I remember you.”
  
  
• Statement of Truth: Just because we do what is  right doesn’t guarantee earthly reward; life is about being, not just doing.
  
  
• Choice: 
• Thankfulness is a choice we make
• Thankfulness sets the altitude for living.
  
  
• Biblical Examples:
  • Joseph: “You meant evil… but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20).
  • David: Hunted by Saul, yet trusted God’s preparation.
  • Job: “When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
    
    
• Conviction: God is at work in the ugly, painful, wrong, and bad to produce beauty, healing, right, and good.

II. Bridge Builders See the Good – by focusing on the positive in others (vv. 5–6)

• Paul begins a confrontation letter by affirming Philemon’s love and faith.
  
  
• Paul sees strengths before addressing weakness.

Principle to Practice:  

We must see people for who God is making them and not for who they are.

• Warning: Church people can be Wall Builders—critical, rude, negative—because the love of God isn’t flowing through them.
  
  
• Encouragement Story: John Wesley’s final letter to a discouraged William Wilberforce: “If God be for you, who can be against you? Go on… until even American slavery shall vanish.” Wilberforce fought 45 more years and saw victory.

Excuses for Wall Building

1. Self-Preservation: “Fool me once…” → Build walls to avoid hurt.
   
   
2. False Discernment: Mistaking fault-finding for spiritual insight.
   
   
   • Truth: Seeing faults more than good = Wall Builder.
   • Caution: Even truth-tellers must speak with grace and recognize everyone is in process.

Oswald Chambers Quote:

“I have never met the man that I can despair of when I rightly discern what lies in me apart from the grace of God.”

Principle to Practice: See people for who God is making them, not who they are.

Doers of the Word:

1. How can our church collectively and individually navigate this changing culture and build bridges to our neighbors?

2. Pastor Steven says he believes we tend to see people for who they are and not for who God is making them to be. Do you agree? How can our church be different and in what ways can we allow God to make people into who He wants them to be?

3. How can you be more thankful in the little things this week?

4. How can you focus more on the positive and less on the negative in 2026?