Thompson, Tommy: Missions Work In Alaska 1990 ~ Matt 18_11

In Matthew, chapter eighteen verse eleven: The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Luke chapter fifteen verse ten: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Acts chapter fifteen, verse three: Being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenice, Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy unto all the brethren. And lastly, we would like you to turn to Proverbs chapter eleven, Proverbs chapter eleven and verse thirty. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. And this is the work of all the servants of God all over the world, is to seek precious souls and see those souls reached and saved. You'll notice here in Proverbs, it says, he that winneth souls is wise. We read some verses, and we're wise when we align ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ in what he came to do. The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. The Savior was a soul winner, and when we win souls, we are in fellowship with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. So that is one of the reasons that we would suggest he that win a soul is wise. Then you find that a soul that is saved. It tells us that there's joy in the presence. It doesn't say the angels are rejoicing. Read it again. It says there's joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. You realize that it causes joy in heaven when a precious soul is reached and gloriously saved. Not only are you in happy fellowship with the Lord himself, but you find that heaven is interested in the salvation of precious souls, and on the authority of God's word, we say, and it's the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, that there's joy in heaven over one sinner that repented. And then I don't have a map. I wish I had, but I would need a world map. I'd rather you would ask me where I'm going, and then I would be able to tell you I'm going to heaven, rather than where do you work. And so you'll notice here in the book of Acts that it caused great joy to the brethren. Well, now it's a lovely thing to see the brethren rejoicing, and that is what you find a true missionary report would do. It would give them joy when you hear about precious souls being reached and saved. It delights the hearts of God's dear people. Then, of course, there are those here tonight who just a matter of hours ago were on their way to a lost eternity, and when they received the Lord Jesus Christ, they received the best that heaven can give you. They received the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that we believe indeed is the one who came to seek and to save. You've never received anything better. You've never see received any gift that'll be more lasting than the gift of eternal life. Then you find also that here it says, he that winneth souls is wise. Why? Because the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. You know, when one's soul's saved, you never know how far reaching the salvation of that one soul. Many a soul has been saved, an isolated person saved in a home, and you find that God has blessed that, and it goes on and on and on. I remember I rebuked a man one time when I was working down in the oil company in Africa. He took the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain. And as I was going into the office, I said, I want to speak to you. You're speaking ill about a friend of mine. When I came out, he asked me, he was a chief clerk, and he asked me, he says, who is that friend? And I sat down and I talked to him about my friend, the Lord Jesus. You know, when I left for the field, I told him about Christ. I told him where he could go to hear the gospel in Observatory Gospel Hall, and one night God had him such, in such a state of conviction that he went there, and of course, dear old Mr. Chair dealt with him, and he would continually refer to this fella called Patty Thompson. That's what they call you when you come from Ireland. And so, after a while, he says, well, who is this fella? Well, he says he went away someplace up into Alaska. And you see, that young man was reached and saved, but you find that his father and mother was saved, his wife was saved, his sister was saved, her husband was saved, and there's children from them who have been reached and saved. Isn't it wonderful to see here that it's a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. And that has been our joy. You find that as a young, uh, person going out to the country of South Africa, you see one of the things that God needs to do with us is to show us what he saved us from. And I saw that when I went out on the ship, I saw what God had saved me from. You know, there's some people say that they're saved. I remember talking to a cousin of mine, and you know, as I looked at her, I wondered, I says, what did he save you from? And when you see what God saved you from, you find that you have a heart for the souls of men, and you want to see them reached and gloriously saved. And so, begotten in my soul that time, going out to the country, going to be a rich young man, I found that there was the greater joy, and that was to win souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. So you find that slowly but surely, we were led on by the Lord until he called us. I was busy in the Lord's work, and I was busy at lunchtime, say gospel meetings at night. I was happy, uh, where I was working and serving the Lord. Precious souls reached and saved. I don't know whether I have a boy here, a young, I've got a son here. I don't know where he is, but he's here, and he was saved the last Sunday, I believe, in nineteen fifty three. So when I come down to Vancouver, I see him. It's a lovely thing because you have children, you have those that are saved and to go on, and you have the joy of seeing. That's not all at once, because there's work in Alaska that we seek to do. Alaska, unlike other countries, it's a large country with a small population. I'm not going to give you a geography lesson about Alaska. You can read all about it in other places. I'll tell you something about the work of the Lord. There's about half a million people in Alaska today. It's a very materialistic and entirely different country than we first went when it was only a territory, and people were not, uh, rich. There was no material things, and you find they took the gospel a lot easier in those days than you find. Alaska is a place that seems to be hardened by materialism, and you find that it's not as easy today to win precious souls to the Lord Jesus Christ. But we have been there for thirty six years, laboring for the Lord, and you remember, brothers and sisters, it's your next door neighbor. It belongs in your heart of exercise to pray for Alaska. We're not speaking now about the politics of places. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us that the world is the field, and we thank God for our brethren that are here, that are laboring in different places, where you see God is calling out of the nations. You find that there are some mystery societies, because that's what they boil down to, associated with the assemblies of God's people, and they would tell you, well, you labor up there, we have nothing to do with up there, that belongs to somebody else. Brethren, the world is our responsibility. Whether it's Australia or Ireland or England or Scotland or South Africa, India, Chile, down where our brother comes from, or Alaska, we need to have vision. Where there is no vision, the people perish. And of course, God allocates a little place for us, and you find that is where he wants us to work. Now, just up there at the present, we thank God that there's a two small assemblies. They go up and they go down. And of course, as a transient population, sometimes I describe it as if it's like climbing out of a sand hole. You find that you get up to the top, and as you go up, I've seen the assembly up to over seventy. I've seen it down to fifteen. and that isn't an easy thing to stay by where God has sent you and see things go up and see things go down. But the verse that our brother has reminded us of, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. And thank God, that is the possession of each assembly scripturally gathered to the Lord's name. Some of the sweetest fellowship we have enjoyed is in the morning meeting, as we gather with the few around those emblems, and rejoicing and worshiping the Lord and knowing his presence there. At present, you find there's a need, and we would ask you to pray that the Lord would bless us the testimonies, and we do feel our weakness, and we would like you to pray for the assembly in Anchorage and the one at Indian. Indian is the one that we've been laboring at, and in that assembly we have some very devoted sisters. The Lord Jesus, they're a credit to him, but you find they're married to men who have no interest whatsoever in the gospel and no interest. Indeed, you find that some of them have been mishandling and abusing their wives, and they show an absolute disregard for the Lord Jesus Christ or the faith of their dear wives. We have a young lady restored to the Lord after many years, and you'd find that the husband physically hurts her, throws her out even in the very cold weather, and you find that only recently that dear girl had to take the children and go away for a few days. And so we would like you to remember sisters who are saved and their husbands abuse them, have no interest in them, but thank God we know that God answers prayer. And brethren, we need prayer. Pray for poor sisters in the assembly at Indian who need encouragement, and they need to see their s- husbands reached and saved. It's a rough place. Not too many months ago, I was in one place. I go out each Saturday into these areas, come home discouraged sometimes. I remember coming home, I'd knocked on many doors, and as I came down the mountain and towards the sea, even the tide went out. And I said to Marjorie, you know, it seemed to be everybody was out, even the tide was out. So it's can be quite discouraging. But you know, I like a little verse. People say, well, why do you stick away up there? I would like to read you one of the reasons that came to me many years ago, and it's very, very precious. It's found in second Corinthians, if you would just turn with me, and I'll just show you why. Verse fifteen of second Corinthians chapter two: For we are unto God, a sweet savor of Christ. Wherever that lovely name is mentioned, it arises, first of all, that's what the gospel is for. It's for the glory of God. And even though they might reject, yet as we preach, as we speak about the Lord Jesus, it comes to my soul. I've been over in areas where people have had no interest whatsoever. I've labored in the li- in the Bristol Bay and seen nothing. But as I speak to people, as I preach the gospel, I believe that God is pleased. It's a savor ascending up in his nostrils, and I leave the results to God. But we find that that is one of the reasons we believe the Lord still has a little work for us to do. Then we have those who have recently been saved. Just a few, uh, weeks ago, I was visiting a dear man. Now he's not in the assembly, but he's a believer. I've known him for a number of years, and he was ve- very seriously ill with cancer. I, you know, I believe, brethren, I don't go into their denominations, but I'll tell you this, if I find a Christian who is in need, a Christian in the hospital, purchased for the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, I'll go in, for they need a shepherd as well as we do, and speak to them about the blessed Savior. I've seen precious souls reached and saved in the hospital. This was one who was very, very ill, and you find that we were able to visit him before the gospel on Sunday night, we would go in, speak with him, encourage him, and the day came just a few weeks ago when his wife called us on Tuesday to come over. He's had a bad night, and we were with her there when he went home to be with the Lord. We had his funeral on the Friday, and it was a military funeral. He had a son-in-law who was a Roman Catholic, and as he heard the gospel message, you find that that young man got gloriously saved. He that winneth souls is wise. Other men who were at that funeral, you find that they were from the district engineers, and as they came and listened to the message, they went back, and one of the men in the district engineers who was a Christian, three men at different intervals came and asked him, they said, is it right that the only way we'll get to heaven is through Jesus Christ? And he said, yes. We leave those things with the Lord. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, and we know that the day is coming. And just like the Lord Jesus, where he says, I have given them thy word, and when we preach the word, we thank God we can leave the results with God himself. It's his precious word, and he uses it, and souls will be gloriously reached and saved. But we have had a turn down in the economy in Anchorage, and many banks, at least six banks, have gone under. Many businesses, young people have lost homes, and you find that some of them are carrying a mortgage and their house or their apartment or whatever you want to call it isn't even worth the very mortgage that they hold. When we went back this time after being in Africa and back, we went and we visited some. There, they, they got so discouraged, they lost their home. Then they went into a trailer, they lost their trailer. He got a job because jobs were hard to get from some company in Seattle. They paid them a few dollars every week, said they would pay them at the end of three months, and then they moved out. And it was one thing after the other. And when Marjorie and I went to them, what we did, we took them and we brought them home, and we put them to bed, and we bathed them and cared for them. Brethren, sheep need looked after. It's not always preaching, it's caring for the souls of those who are down, and we do thank God he looked down in favor upon them, and we have seen them now back into their home. Oh, it was sad because some they'd even broken in and taken away their refrigerator and their dryer and their washer, and would just seem to be calamity one after the other. But thank God you find that he gives you the joy of seeing them strengthening their ankles. Now the Lord has come in, and he has got a good job, a permanent job, and there he was painting the little place that they've got, and he's now coming out to the assembly once again, not breaking bread yet. But you know, brethren, one of the things we want to remember, there's some of them, and they're so discouraged, and they take this attitude to say I'm not worthy to remember the Lord. There's not one of us worthy to remember the Lord. But, brethren, what the Bible says is to remember him in a worthy manner. And you know, if you think you're worthy, it's time you stayed away. It's when you know your unworthiness and that you're saved by grace and you're at the Lord's table as his invited guest, and we hope to see them shortly gathered again with the saints at Indian. And then there's another little lady, and she has been going on for the Lord for many years, Hattie Mack. She was born away in a village to a chief. Early in life, she had a terrible burn on her leg, and she's now been a cripple for many years. We saw her saved in the early days, and I have seen her coming down to meetings when it has been forty below and quite icy and cold, and coming down to the meetings. It's been characteristic over all these years, attending meetings. Now she's very, very sick, and she's quite discouraged because she's got a cancer that we believe is very terminal. But, you know, she's had very little encouragement, but she looks upon me as her son. And if I was to choose a mother of those dear people, I would be very pleased with Hattie Mack. You may pray for her. Her s- her son, she's lost a number of children through liquor, and her husband, he died the same. But, you know, when things were so bad, just the other Sunday, you know, it couldn't have been any worse. Her second son, her young son, uh, there the three boys have died, and there's one that is a really a terror as far as abuse of his mother is concerned, not physical, but mental and so forth. And you know, the young one didn't turn up. She wondered where he was. You know where he was? He was away looking. He was looking for us. He didn't know I go down to India, and he went to the meeting in Anchorage. Now, you know, you might think, well, so what? Brethren, you know, we're eternal optimists. When we see a little movement, we just give God the glory. Pray for happy man. And then we've had others, other opportunities that I'm not going to take time to speak about. But Alaska is a big land, a small population, therefore you find you have to go great distances sometimes to speak to a few. You say, what is it, what is what, is it worth it? Just Sunday week ago, we went one hundred and seventy five miles. After the meeting at Indian, we took off about, uh, midday, a little bit afterwards, but we have the breaking of bread, and then we have the Sunday school and the Bible class. We took off away down to a place called Keena. Dear sister lives down there, and you know, she's so far away, and she seldom gets up to fellowship, but she's a dear sister in the Lord. And she called me, says, Tommy, will you come down and have a meeting in my home? Now, I'd been praying for it, because that place down there is what we would call church out. There's nearly a church on every corner, you know what I mean, a building. And so we don't want to be going into places like that unless led by the Lord. Now, when we went down there, we saw what we desired to see, and of all the ones that were in, there was only six. but you find that her husband was there. He's not seen. I was wondering when we were going down, would it be a way out cutting wood? But there he was sitting, listening to the word of God. Another lady, she came in, she was listening to the word of God. Brethren, if you were to put that in to one of these companies and ask them for an expense account, they would fire you right away. Not one hundred and seventy five miles for a few souls. Well, I'll tell you something. Just the other year, we were going on a ferry, and I noticed a young lady, and she had a little boy. And that little boy had one of those little scriptural, uh, coloring books. And when I looked at her, I recognized her. I went over, and she recognized me right away. And who was she? A number of years ago, I'd been up around the villages, and I was on my way to this other little place, not very many places, not many people in it, a little place you just passed, Lower Tonsteena. And when I saw the clouds coming in and the snow, I just lifted up my heart to the Lord because I really wanted to go there. I said, Lord, you know, if you just clear that up before I get to Sheep Mountain, I'll go back and have a meeting. And the Lord cleared it up. I believe that we're in touch with heaven. Heaven's interested in souls. God can do if he opened the Red Sea, brethren. He's still the same God. He can do miracles. So I went back to Lower John Cena. I had only six people in a little meeting, and in that meeting that night, a mother and a daughter got saved by God's grace. Now I find that young lady, that's the one that we saw on the ferry, still going on with the Lord. And it's a wonderful thing to be able to be in places where souls need to be saved. We have had a recent tragedy in Alaska. A young fellow called Jason Daniels, only nineteen. He was, the police gave chase to him. They up just near his home, away at the back of him then, a policeman shot him five times. That young man was dead. His mother had been in the hall a couple of times attending wed- weddings, but had heard the gospel. And she came, a broken-hearted mother, and she said, Mr. Thompson, will you have a memorial service for me? You know, I'll do anything to preach the gospel. Brethren, the Apostle Paul was a man who was pliable. So we had this, as she wanted, a memorial service, and fifty people, the hardest types of sinners, were in there and heard the gospel. We had a few young ladies, some of them were up giving the John three text out. We had a nice time with them, and they came down because he was young. I wanted young people who were saved, and there they stood, and they sang, because he lives, I can face tomorrow. And we presented the gospel of our Lord Jesus to fifty hardened, ungodly people. Going out, one young man said to me, he was a rough character. He said, you know, sir, I was going to shoot that cop, and they would shoot. I remember going to a door when I first went in there, and the man came with a gun, and he says, you know, I sh- have shot people who've come onto my land. And, uh, being Irish, I don't know how to retreat. So he says, and I don't like you, and you better go. And you know, I've seen his daughter-in-law into the gospel meeting. Not too long ago, a man had what we call a pipe wrench, and he came at me. I'd given him a tract, and when he read it, he came after me, and he was going to hit me with that. So they're off. They say they're going to shoot. You better duck. So he said, he's going to shoot. He said, sir, after today. He said, I know I won't. He'll face God. Another young man came with problems, trials, troubles. He wanted to speak. And then he phoned up. Brian, we don't know where this all will end, but you know what God wants is lighthouses. That's what Paul says. Lighthouses, shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. That's where God has placed us. And you know, there's lots of work. Yes, I'm sixty five now. I've been up there thirty six years. I know there's net things that I cannot do. And recently, only a minute ago, we were way down to South Africa. That's where I have a lot of interest. After thirty six years, you'd think you'd lose it. But I love my dear brethren down there. We were down there and had some precious times in the gospel. We know our brother Harold Paisley, he'll enjoy it very, very much. We saw a number of precious souls reached and saved. I believe there's probably about sixteen or eighteen souls reached and saved. It's a very hard thing to go back to Alaska, but you know you have to go where God wants you, because it tells us where the Lord leads you, then you can be sure the Lord will feed you. May the Lord bless his word for his name's sake. Shall we sing a hymn in closing? Hymn number thirty five, Christians Go and Tell of Jesus. Perhaps we'll just ask the Lord's blessing before we sing. Our loving Father, we thank thee tonight for thy grace towards us. How we bless thee that we're saved and sure and on our way to heaven's glory, and objects of thy care and thy affection now, moment by moment, daily loaded with benefits and mercies that are new every morning. O God, we thank thee for thy work in El Salvador. We ask thy good hand to be upon Jack and his wife. Lord, thou knowest their personal needs. We do trust that thy hand may in mercy be laid upon them and give them a much better, uh, health and strength to do that work that's so dear to their heart. And we remember brother Dave here tonight. We commend him to thee. We pray, our God, for the family. We thank thee that the memory of the just is blessed. Come in, Lord, and remember them in their need, and pray for that field too. And Alaska and Africa. Lord, we do pray that thou will bless thy servants in different lands who seek to win souls for thee. Heart is thy blessing, we pray, in Jesus' precious name. Amen. And number thirty five, Christians go and tell of Jesus.