I have this oak entry door (donated by a friend) that I trying to refinish by removing the old finish (old weathered yellow/brown stain with some kind of topcoat probably Polyurethane.

I have sanded the frame (pre-hung door) by using an orbital sander--but it took almost 8 hours to do so. I still havent attacked the door or the sidelight yet.

I am wondering if it is possible to strip this finish using some chemicals and save time. I realize I still will have to sand but hopefully it can be reduced to a minimum.
Thanks in advance for advice

p.s I also have to replace some small glass panes in the leaded glass, but that is a topic for another forum.