Jordan spent a majority of his night after Ed Thomas's funeral searching the internet for the funeral transcript on-line. Not because he was being nosy, it was because he knew that his good friend Kelly Williamson was going to be speaking at the funeral. He wanted to know how God’s Word was going to go out to everyone there from the Pastor, Kelly, the music, and other speakers.
While searching the internet, it didn’t take long to find the funeral transcript. What took forever was searching for a copy of the transcript that actually included what Kelly said – one version after another left out a majority of Kelly’s message. Finally he came to a copy of the transcript that had Aaron Thomas’ portion of the service, and from what Aaron said about Kelly’s message, he knew from that there was much more to what Kelly said than what was reported.
You see, the liberal media doesn’t want to pass on God’s message.
Below you will find what word for word of what came out of Kelly’s mouth at the funeral. Kelly gave us permission to pass this on. What the Des Moines Register, Waterloo Courier, etc. won’t report can still be passed on. What they leave out is here – it is a message everyone needs to hear.
And even more exciting is this. Jordan was so upset with the Register, that he emailed to find out why they didn't print the entire transcript. He didn't get a great or honest response. Then Jordan and Kelly were talking about it and Jordan decided to call Steve Deace, of WHO radio our of DSM (a Christian) to see if he might be interested in running anything about the lack of coverage.
Well, Steve was a little more than interested. So tomorrow night during prime time, the driving home from work hour from 5:20 - 6:00 pm , Steve will be speaking with Kelly and Aaron Thomas about Ed's faith, love of the Lord and how everyone needs Jesus Christ as their Savior!
God's got this all in His plan. I can just picture Him sitting on His throne saying, "Just watch me work, just you watch." I have goosebumps just picturing how awesome my God is.
So if you are in Iowa and can get WHO, listen, tomorrow at 5:20, turn on Steve Deace and listen...
Now, here is Kelly's words from the funeral - its long, but its powerful. Kelly is a great speaker and writer and motivator. Read it and you'll get some great ammunition the next time you have the opportunity to share. And in my next post I'll put Aaron's words. If you look at all the events of the last week - it is truly awe inspiring, there are people already coming to Christ because of all this, be in prayer for tomorrow's message going out...
"I would like to thank the Thomas family for giving me the privilege to share a few words about Coach this morning.
Jan, you are an incredible Christian witness to your family, your community, and to the state of Iowa in the wake of last week’s tragedy. Your grace and mercy, during this time of loss points people to Jesus Christ like nothing else could. I want to thank you for sharing your husband with thousands of young people both in this community and across the state. Your encouragement and support of your husband made him the man he was. You and Coach have a wonderful family, a Godly testimony, and our entire community has you in our prayers.
Aaron and Todd, Your dad would be so proud of the way you guys have handled things this past week. By your words and actions, the two of you have exemplified to a community and to a nation what the fruits of a close, personal, relationship with Jesus look like in the worst of times. I want to thank you guys for sharing your dad with so many young people over the years, your dad was able to impact the lives of others because his two sons practiced what he preached. At no time is that more evident than at this very moment. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Growing up I had the great privilege to both play for and coach with Mr. Thomas. Outside of my mom and dad, I consider Coach Thomas to be one of the greatest influences in my life, and I know that I am not alone when I say that. Over the years, I’ve come to respect Mr. Thomas not only as a great coach, motivator, and mentor, but as a follower of Jesus Christ as well.
Coach Thomas was a man of great passion, discipline, and commitment, which came directly from his relationship with the Lord, and his deep desire to make an eternal difference in the lives of those he could touch. Coach understood that life was really not about him, it was about other people. I remember Coach Thomas taking time to call me on the phone on many different occasions. I remember one time when I was going through some adversity in my life Coach called me up and we talked for an hour and a half about the Lord, his plan for our lives, and the fact that He was in control of every aspect of our lives. That’s the kind of person he was.
God called Coach Thomas to be a missionary not on a foreign field, but on a football field, and the people here today represent the fruit of a life spent doing exactly what God had called him to do.
I’d like to read a portion of scripture from the book of James, chapter 5 v 14 this morning. I’d ask that you would please stand with me in honor of God’s word as I read James chapter 5 v 14. I’ll read just one verse this morning, say a prayer, and then make a few applications that I believe tie in with the life of Coach Thomas.
James 5 v 14 says: “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Prayer:
You may be seated, thank you for standing.
The author of this verse, James asks a powerful question. “What is your life?”
Many people today go their whole life trying to answer this question. More than almost any person I know, Coach Thomas understood what the purpose for his life was about. Coach knew that life was not about wins/losses, trophies or possessions, or fame or fortune. He knew that life was about living a life worthy of the sacrifice that his savior Jesus Christ had made for him at Calvary.
When I look at this verse I see three applications we can take away. The first application is that life is but a vapor. You know, there are some people that you think are just always going to be there for you, Coach was one of those people for me. I my mind somehow I guess I always envisioned Coach passing away out on that football game after going for two to win a big playoff game three days short of his 89th birthday.
In the last few years I have heard Coach talk about how his passion for the game and to make a difference have strengthened, grown deeper. Coach told me the reason for this was because he didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to do what he was doing, and that he wanted to make every minute count.
His understanding that God was in charge, and that life was short created in Coach a passion and an appreciation for the mission field that was AP High School. Coach Thomas was a fun person to be around. I mean it’s fun to be around a guy who you know absolutely loves what he is doing. Whether it be going to practice, mowing the field, pacing the sidelines, or watching the weight room, I always felt like Coach loved what God had called him to do.
I remember Coach Thomas being asked by a radio host why he loved the game of football so much, I’ll never forget what coach said, he said, “I love the game because every Friday night, I get to run out on that field under the lights and be an 18 year old kid again.” At a time in his career when most guys are easing up, or slowing down, Coach Thomas was driven to invest all he had into his faith, his family, and his friends.
Not only does this life go by like a vapor, but “this life is a preparation for eternity.”
Coach Thomas was saved as a young man, and it was his relationship with Jesus that emanated though everything he did. Mr. Thomas didn’t see himself as an icon, rather he saw himself as a guy who was trying to help other people. For as long as I can remember, Coach taught Sunday school, served as an usher, a trustee, a deacon, an elder. Of all the conversations I had with him, it was our conversations about good Christian books, movies, sermons, or just what the Lord was doing in our life that I appreciated the most.
I will miss seeing him at church. I used to love sharing a few minutes with Coach just before the service started or just after it was over. Many times during the football season my bulletin looked like a scouting report because I would shamelessly ask him how he would stop this particular play or formation. It usually took Jan to break us up.
Coach was ready to step out into eternity last Wednesday. Not because he was a good man, though he was, not because he’d been baptized, sprinkled, confirmed, or a member of First Congregational Church, but because he had repented of his sins and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
I’d like to ask you this morning as James did in our text. What is your life? Are you ready to step out into eternity and face God this morning? The Bible says in Hebrews 9v27, “That it’s appointed unto a man once to die, but after this the judgment.” Coach Thomas got up Wednesday morning and went about his usual routine like any other day, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing before God. Are you ready to stand before God?
You say how can I know I’m ready to stand before God?
First you must acknowledge you’re a sinner:
The Bible says in Romans 3 verse 10, 23: “There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”
Second you must acknowledge the penalty for your sin:
The Bible says in Romans 6 v 23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Third, you must acknowledge that the penalty must be paid by you or by Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in Romans 5 v 8, “But God commandeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”
Fourth you must receive Jesus Christ, who has already paid the price for you sin, as your only way to heaven.
The Bible says in Romans 10 v 9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
In a few minutes I am going to close with prayer and in that prayer if you are in the sound of my voice and you know you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you’ve never asked him into your heart, or maybe you have fallen away from the faith and you’d like to recommit your life to Christ, I’ll lead you in a prayer and you can gain the assurance that when your date with eternity comes,
Life is a vapor, our lives are a preparation for eternity, and finally this morning, our life is a chance to impact others for eternity. Coach Thomas changed my life, and the life of thousands of people in this community and around the state, anyone who waited 4.5 hours to give Jan a hug last night could attest to that.
Coach was the embodiment of the idea that one person can make a difference in a home, a business, a team, or in a community. Coach was the kind of man a young person could aspire to be like one day. In a world where coaches are winners on the field but losers off of it, Coach proved that you could do what’s right and still be a success.
Coaches words ring in my ears today, and to the young people who are here this morning I know that coach Thomas would tell you this, “Do what’s right, always remember who you are and where you come from, good things happen to good people, bust your butt when you’re up and rest at the end of the line, do your best with your God given ability, and have a passion because the world is desperate for people who have a passion for what they believe in.
These were not just slogans for Coach Thomas. They were truths from the heart of a man who loved the Lord, his family, and this community in that order.
Coach Thomas always said that if all he ever taught a young man was how to block and tackle, he’d have missed the whole point of what he was trying to get accomplished. I think the same thing can be said about today. If all we do here is celebrate the creation and not the creator we would have missed the whole purpose of what this service is really about.
If you’d like to get saved this morning and commit your life to Christ will you bow your heads and pray with me know, you can agree with me silently right where you’re at, lets pray. “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and that you paid the penalty for my sins. Lord I accept your forgiveness of my sins and I ask you to come into my heart and save me and give me eternal life, Amen”
Please, if you just accepted Christ I urge you to tell a friend, tell me, or tell a member of the Thomas family we’d love to pray for you and help you on your new journey as a Christian.
Coach Thomas I love you, I respect you so much, and I am so thankful for all that you have done for me. I look forward to seeing you in Heaven."
