Rev Stephen Thomas
This is the most important day in earth's history. This day Jesus allowed his life to come to an end. And by so doing he finalised his claim to hold all power and all authority over the earth.
That day the power of satan ceased. Satan never heard Jesus' words. Satan thought he won. What did Jesus say? I will rise again. And that is the victory. The end of the old and the beginning of the new.
These words accentuated the faith he holds in our life. This is the faith, the same life that he provides for us. Paul says from glory to glory he changes me, from earthly to the heavenly.
So today is the day for us to be certain of our faith. Through Jesus' life, through death and the resurrection our life is made everlasting.
It is by faith that Jesus took hold of all our problems. Jesus heals all of our unrighteous thoughts. He gave his life to pave our way. And he generously heals us of all our ruins.
He does heal our wounds. I've had 32 surgeries. And I'm still walking and talking and singing and dancing. He will heal our wounds. He will take the mars of our soul and give us life.
I'll tell you about a man that thought me faith. He understood the good value of Good Friday. His name is doctor Fitts. He knew me when I was a baby. I sat on his lap when he read the bible to me Mandarin.
The last time I met him he was 96 years old. He was pastoring a country church. He was a man of faith. As a young doctor he came to Shanghai to practise medicine. During World War Two the Japanese made him go home. In 1946 he went back to China again. But he was forced out under Mao Tze Tung's regime. But this did not alter his faith. All through his life, I would see him read his bible in Mandarin. I love music. Here is a good hymn. It is of value to my life and doctor Fitts life.
We celebrate Good Friday as a day of glorious faith. Let me ask you. On this day of victory how do we connect with our Heavenly Father? How do we stand firm that Jesus is the only Son of God? How are we sure that he saved us? How are we positive that he leads us on this pathway to perfection? How do we relate our faith to Good Friday?
Isaiah 53:1-5
Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 9:4-7
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
There are two major thoughts to recall.
Jesus was wounded for our sins.
This is his act of faith towards us.
Each who are called by his name are healed by the stripes that hit him.
This is the truth of the authenticity of our faith.
Our faith had found a resting place in Jesus as the Lord of our lives. We have faith and he thought us how to believe in a gracious and loving Father. He demonstrate this through the miracle of salvation. Faith is the key to victorious spiritual living. Faith which is believing on the wounded one is the pathway to the joy of salvation. Faith is accepting that Jesus is the Son of God. In fact he is the son of the great physician.
Another good friend is my earthly father. He preached his first sermon when he was 15. On March 30th, he will be 97 years. He has preached God's words for 82 years. And he says I'm the plodding one.
He is a man of faith. I used to listen to him. And I'll watch him sing. We walked every Sunday morning two and a half miles to church. And he'll sing. Dad would sing this with tears running down his face and his eyes is full of joy. So dad is now older than doctor Fitts. He just like dad proclaims his faith and love for Jesus. And Jesus is indeed our physical and spiritual doctor.
On this Good Friday, how does this relate to what we are doing in Thailand? I would like to testify that God has been merciful to my life. Twice I faced death. The first time was in Afghanistan. The other time is in Thailand. In fact, the Thailand accident which God saved me by faith, was so real that an American government called America to ask my mother "where do we send your sons body when he dies." That was 42 years ago and I am not dead yet. 32 surgeries. I had to deal with epilepsy. And it's easy to get tired. And when your are over 60 like I am it is even easier to get tired.
God called us to South Thailand. I have been living there for 45 years now. And he is assisting me to show them the pathway to salvation. Jesus says that he can take our wounds on himself shows his great love. No greater love has any man than this, that he lays down his life for a friend. This is the act of God in faith.
Jesus' faith was foretold in Isaiah. By his stripes we are healed. His greatness makes our faith great. If Jesus have faith in me should I not have faith in him? If God can put up with me, he can put up with anybody. I must admit sometimes I think of quitting. But God says not yet.
I said two things. He bears the weight of our sin. And he leads us to the pathway of life.
17 years ago we were in Thailand and we met Hudson Lee. He asked us to help at WIN. And we intended to by faith. But back then we had a daughter and needed to take her back to America. I also met a young man called Kitty. We came back to Thailand and met this Kitty who had no idea we were coming. And he said "I thought I'll never see you again". He asked if I remembered WIN and pastor Hudson and he said I have a job to do.
The miracle of Good Friday has become a gateway of what we are doing at WIN. WIN is now redeemed because of Hudson's faith. Because of Kitty's faith. Because of doctor Fitts' faith. Because of my father's faith.
WIN is now healthy. We now sell fish. It's a beginning. All this because we live in the faith that he was wounded for our transgression and by his stripes we are healed.
Jesus is the one whose government will never end. He brings peace that surpasses all understanding. This began at Easter. When Jesus did what he told Satan what he will do. That he will rise again. And Jesus rose again.
I like this word in the bible called zeal. In Thailand we have work to do for the kingdom. In Penang you have work to do for the kingdom. All over the world we believers needs to get the job done. Let's announce his saving grace. Let those who have ears hear.
The words of my father sang the works of the physician draws near. He is the sweetest name that was ever known. Jesus is the source of our faith. He was wounded for us to prove his faith. And he is the blessed one that heals. Jesus makes us strong in a world so devastated by sin. Jesus gives us faith. Good Friday is the last day of an old era. And Easter is the first day of a new era. Jesus' government has begun. The government rest on his shoulders. His judgement is sound. I guarantee it. We even with all the confusion created by Satan knows that Easter is real. The battle is done. The victory is won.
Jesus is a wonderful saviour. The world may be on fire but from the flames Jesus will remove us and keep us in the rock of ages protected.
Jesus carries us through. Each day is a saved day. His presence in our life is a resurrected life. And it began Easter morning.
May I ask you? Do you have faith? Are you living in faith? Is your foundation in faith? He accepted the wounds so that you could be healed. Without a doubt know that God has faith in you.
I am going to make a quick ending. As we left Hatyai and was standing in line for our visa, there stood a man and his daughter. I spoke to him with greetings. We asked where we were each from. He asked are you a Christian. My respond was the Koran says that Jesus is higher than Mohammed. And he said I am a Muslim Christian. Your faith makes the Penang church grow. And our faith will make WIN in Thailand grow.
Two things. Do you have faith? And will you pray for WIN in Thailand? We are very tired as there is much to do. When your team comes we have much for you to do. Thank you for you coming by faith. Thank you pastor Gideon for having faith in us.
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| Rev Stephen Thomas |
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| Rev Gideon praying for Kelvin Voon who is leaving for the Philippines. |
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| Easter presentation by TOP's young adults. |
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