With Onesimus
He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Colossians 4:9 (NIV)
Tychicus would come with Onesimus, faithful beloved brothers, one of you. Faith restoring reputations. Onesimus, ex-fugitives, returned beloved brothers. Apostolic letters rehabilitated thieves. Philemon pardoned; Colossae received. Gospels turn criminal records into recommendation letters. Nobody is too ex for re prefixes.
Faithful and beloved brothers: three titles erasing pasts. Faithful presently, beloved familially, brothers believingly. Faith calls by futures, never rap sheets. Paul introduced Onesimus unmentioning chains. Love covers multitudes of records. Whoever receives restored ones multiplies testimonies.
Who is one of you: Colossian natives, now returning missionaries. Faith sends back whoever once fled. Onesimus returned serving where they failed. The restored serve best in fall scenarios. Your city needs your testimony more than distant lands. Return telling.
Today, receive Onesimuses: ex-convicts, ex-addicts, ex-everythings. Embracing-restored faith preaches wordlessly. And if Onesimus, return: your church awaits you as brothers. They will tell everything happening here — including your transformation. Pardoned pasts become sermons.
And receive restored: ex-fugitives become brothers. Receive restored today. Ex-fugitives turn. Embrace returnees. Forgive pasts. Restore names. Restore names and open doors. Seat strangers. Share meals. Welcome. Belong. Belong together and worship united. Sing grace. Tell stories. Rejoice. Celebrate. Feast.