Ben and Lily Sawada have been serving United Methodist Churches in Alabama, Florida and Japan for over 50 years.
Ben and his lovely wife, Lily, were born and raised in Alabama. Their rich and warm Christian witness is renowned in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Since Ben's retirement as a full time Elder he has continued to supply substitute preacher engagements in the area churches. More than half of this message tells of his long standing pastoral ministry and particular relationships with Dexter as a substitute preacher and earlier as a missionary to Japan - sponsored by Dexter Avenue UMC for over 8 years. He spoke on a special overseas teleconference with Bishop Duffy (then local pastor for Dexter) and the entire Dexter congregation back in the 1950’s to report to his sponsoring church about their Christian witness and missionary work in Japan.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His love and His grace.
Ben uses this hymn text in the last half of his message to help paint the face of Jesus in our mind’s eye:
Jesus is strong. He shows you how He knows and cares for you. He’s not wishy-washy or shifty, but unshakable and determined.
Jesus has a quality of love and forgiveness on his face. Luke 27 says Peter had betrayed Jesus but He saw love on Jesus’ face. He has the face of suffering for all our sin.
And when you look on Him, you ought to be changed. Ben compares this change to how he was personally changed when after many cloudy and misty days in Japan, he was finally privileged to see Mount Fuji and he was instantly changed for life.
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