19 June 2013 by Adeline Lum CM-
Veteran songwriter, vocalist and worship leader Scott-Wesley Brown graced Glad Tidings for Father’s Day, with his all-time favorite hymns such as ‘This is the Day’ and ‘He Will Carry You’.
At seven years old, Brown had an unusual talent in writing poetry and was encouraged by his teacher to continue writing. Later in life, he added into his poems musical notes, turning them into hymns!
Now, he has traveled to more than 50 countries and recorded 24 inspirational albums, whereby many notable Christian singers—Amy Grant, Sandi Patti, Bruce Carroll, The Imperials and Petra—have recorded and sung his songs.
He is also currently serving as an associate pastor in Burbanks, California. But amongst the many hats he wears in life, his favorite ‘hat’ is still being a father to his two wonderful daughters.
“When President Obama was asked about fatherhood, he said that it was the best job he ever got. Being a father is better than being a president,” said Senior Pastor Vincent Leoh of Glad Tidings.
After Brown led the worship, an appreciation video for fathers was shown, followed by a group of young adults singing a clever rendition of ‘Stand by Me.’
“No matter who you, no matter where you go in life, you’re gonna need somebody, to stand by you…And daddy, daddy, stand by me, oh stand by me,” the young adults sang in unison.
“How many people want to just continue to lift our voices to the Lord? Can you please stand up,” said Brown, returning center-stage for another round of worship.
He sang ‘Look What God is Doing’, ‘We Are The Body of Christ’, ‘He Will Carry You’ and an evergreen gospel song written by John William Reedy- ‘Somebody Touched Me.’
“Has Jesus touched you? If it’s on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then stand up when I sing,”Brown sang away as the audience stood up with joy at his cue.
After worship, Brown shared a hilarious story of how he would refuse to dress up as a young child to go to school. He was so adamant that he would even threatened his father of running away from home with ‘his stuffs.’
“My father told me, everything you have is mine! So, he took me half-dressed and pushed me out the door and locked it,” chuckled Brown. “I pounded on the door and asked him to let me in. Needless to say, I never try to run away and leave again.”
Why do we want to run away from home? Brown’s story reminded him of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-31.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S HEART?
Firstly, our heavenly Father sees us before we see Him.
In other words, His eyes of mercy are quicker than our eyes of repentance. While the prodigal son was far away, his father caught a vision of his son first. Likewise, our Heavenly Father desires to be merciful to his children; that is why He sent his son to die for us one the cross.
Also, it is Jesus Christ who saw and chose us first, before we chose Him (John 15:16).
Secondly, the Father forgives us if we come to Him with a genuine heart of repentance.
While the son was still at a distance, the father was already filled with compassion that he ran to his son. He was ready to forgive his son even before his son verbally asked for forgiveness.
“I believe the father looks at the dusty road every day, not with eyes of judgment and condemnation but with eyes of compassion and forgiveness,” said Brown.
Indeed, even though the father longed to forgive his son, it was also his son’s turning from his ways and returning to the father which allowed reconciliation to happen.
Likewise, if we turned from our sinful ways and return to our Heavenly Father, our compassionate Father in Heaven is quick to forgive us as well and remove all of our sins.
Thirdly, the Father embraces us with a kiss. Like the father who embraced the prodigal son, he did not demand his son to take a shower but immediately prepared a restoration party.
“Can you imagine how smelly his son is? Our sin also stinks in the nostrils of our Heavenly Father. We don’t really understand how bad we are. But at the same time, we don't understand how good the Father is. He is slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8),” said Brown.
Fourthly, the Father blesses us beyond measure. The father gave his undeserving prodigal son his grace. He gave the son his sandals of peace and reconciliation, and also the robe of righteousness and protection (Ephesians 6:10-20).
“In the Hebrew culture those days, the Pharisees have the legal right to stone him. I believe the father was also running to see his son because he wanted to protect him from the Pharisee,” said Brown.
Also, by his ring, the father completed the reinstatement of son ship by giving his son the authority to do his work in his name. Likewise, Jesus also promised us that that He would do whatever we asked in His Name when we do His works (John 14:12-14).
John 14:12-13
12Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
So in Christ Jesus, we are all children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26).In other words, we are also reinstated into the full son ship and daughter ship with our Heavenly Father.
“Where are you now with the Father? Maybe, you never left your father’s house. Maybe, you are somewhere in that road or hiding out in the street.”
“Where are you? God is saying, come home, come home,” said Brown.
Brown ended the service by singing a timeless song by Tommy Walker- ‘He Knows My Name.’
He Knows My Name
A worship celebration in songs and Word by Scott-Wesley Brown, the congregation left with a thankful heart to our greatest father- God in Heaven.
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