From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, 

and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and colaborer, 

to Apphia our sister, 

to Archippus our fellow soldier, 

and to the church that meets in your house.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Philemon 1-3 NET

Paul & Timothy are writing together, to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and their house church.

What a beautiful, wrapping-everyone-in, start to this letter.

Paul isn't leaning on his authority or qualifications, but connecting himself to Jesus. 

It's on his connection to Jesus that he takes as his identity marker, the "who I am". 

Identity seems complicated as we have so many things that are components, some even seem to compete. There's whakapapa, qualifications, experiences, work, interests, achievements, relationship to others (parent, child, sister, uncle, cousin, friend, enemy, etc).

There's who we're connected to, who we're associated with (especially famous people, well known brands, groups, causes or institutions).

Paul puts his identity marker out there as a "prisoner of Jesus". Connected to, beneath, willingly, bound together with, Jesus. Jesus cause, mission, way of being in the world, is how Paul wants to be, and he's not demanding or requiring anything of anyone else, just letting us know, this is who I am.

#Philemon 

#identity 

#connectedtoJesus

#graceandpeacetoyou