Thanksgiving Season is in the Air

Its been a busy past week for me...I had to prepare a sermon in a record time because of last minute changes. My cousin and his wife just had their first newborn baby boy named Adam (the first baby in my Mom's side of the family since my younger brother Anthony). And my brother ain't that young anymore (he's a senior in High School), he's going to go off to college soon.

So what have I been pondering about lately (you all must be wondering)...really just one simple thing, something we like to call Thanksgiving. When I refer to "Thanksgiving", though, I am not just talking about the holiday coming up next week. No, I'm talking about the heart of Thanksgiving. Why do we celebrate? Why do we give thanks? It's because of Jesus Christ that I am FULL of thanksgiving. It is because of what He did for me that I am thankful.

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach from the book of Philemon. We call it a book, but it’s really only a single chapter. It’s just 25 verses long, less than 500 words in all. It’s barely even an “epistle,” more like a short post card. This short letter isn’t addressed to a church like Paul’s longer letters sent to those gathered in Rome or in Corinth or Galatia. In fact, it’s a very personal note addressed to a single person: Philemon. And it addresses almost one thing: Philemon’s relationship — a man named Onesimus.

Onesimus had been a slave. He had been Philemon’s slave. But he escaped. He got away. That was illegal, of course, since Roman law was written by slave-owners and not by slaves. So he was in danger and subject to be put to death, but he found refuge with the apostle Paul. Paul welcomed him, not as a slave, but as friend and companion.

I've always skimmed past Philemon when flipping through the pages of my bible. But, I don't think I will ever look past this personal letter ever again. It is one that tugged at my heart because it leans heavily on a faith and forgiveness. This story is built upon two things the friendship between Paul and Philemon and also the forgiveness between Onesimus and Philemon. Paul going the extra mile for Onesimus is a wonderful testimony to his character. Paul said if this man owes any debt at all charge it to me.

Jesus did the same thing for you and me when He went to the cross for our sins. We were sinners deserving punishment for our sin but He shed His blood to cover our sins and paid our debt for us. Now if we can accept Him as Lord and Savior, we can stand before our Father God without sin and without fear.