January 4 | Sunday Morning Worship Service | Dr. Anthony McCool “When the Book is Opened!”
by Anthony McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-6

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/anthony-mccool--january-4-sunday-morning-worship-service
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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And I welcome each and every one of you to Sunday morning worship here at First Apostolic Church. I echo all of the same sentiments that have been mentioned before. If you're a firsttime guest, what an honor it is to have you joining with us here today. Everybody tuning in online, we welcome you the same. And happy new year to every single person. 2026, it'll take some getting used to. Not that we handw write many things uh as as much as we used to, but if you're like me, I've already written down 25 still. So, I'm still uh stepping into uh the new uh year. Amen. And uh I'm excited about what God is going to do in this year and what he has already done. We had a tremendous prayer meeting this past Wednesday night and uh declared war over some uh things in our life for our families, for our city, for our church. And we have already been receiving here in just the first few days when I'm not even in it. Uh as I mentioned just yet, God is already moving. and we've already been hearing great reports, miracles, testimonies, financial provision, all of the things that we prayed for. It's almost like when you pray, uh, God's going to answer. It's a crazy concept. I know that's revelatory. I hope that's not too far out there, uh, for you this morning. Not too deep, not too, uh, crazy. But if you'll, if you'll pray and put your needs before God, I just, uh, believe that he is able to answer. If you have your Bibles, turn with me to the book of Nehemiah. And we're going to look at chapter 8:es 1-6. Nehemiah 8:es 1-6. It states, "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Watergate. And they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the Watergate from the morning until midday before the men. I reiterate and the women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attentive. Everybody say attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pull pit of wood which he had made for the purpose he was elevated up above the crowd not to elevate himself. It wasn't about who he was, but it was what he had and showing the sacredness and the reverence. And beside him stood Matei, Shemma, Annayiah, Ariah, and Hilkaya and Messiah. And on the right hand on his left on the right hand and on the left hand Payday, Mishiel, Micaiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zachariah, and Mashulum. Verse five. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people. This is not extra commentary. The there's some reiteration of these points on purpose to show what an occasion it was. For he was above all the people. And when he opened it, there wasn't a direct command. There wasn't a prompting. There weren't uh crowd cheerleaders, if you will, like you see on uh on television night shows that say applause or or a laugh. There was no prompting. It says when he opened it, all the people stood up. There was an expectation. There was an energy in the air about what was about to be read and what was about to happen. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered. They responded, "Amen and amen." And they lifted up their hands and they bowed their heads and they worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. I want to minister to you for a few moments this morning on the topic as we step into 2026. I almost said 2025. When the book is opened. When the book is open. Let's pray over this word. Heavenly Father, we thank you for what you have already done in this year. Lord, we thank you for what you have done today and what you're going to do throughout the duration of this service. Lord, you know the needs and the petitions and the individual circumstances of all that fill your house this morning. And Lord, we believe through the hearing of your word, through the receiving of your word, that there is supernatural powers that will be evident and alive here today. We know your Holy Ghost anointing and provision will move up and down these aisles and you're able and exceedingly abundant to answer whatever need is brought before us today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. When the book is opened, every new year begins the same way. The algorithms on our social media begin to prompt us towards making new year's resolutions and many of the same ones begin to surface and appear. And we approach each year hopefully with a great deal of optimism. There's something about turning the calendar that stirs faith in people. This will be the year we resolve to get healthier, to lose weight, to eat better. We want to save more money, get out of debt, fix relationships, strengthen our marriage, grow professionally, live with more purpose. In fact, studies show that nearly 60% of Americans make New Year's resolutions every year. And a majority of those resolutions are good ones. They're self-improvement, discipline, growth. But here's the sobering truth. As the days begin to stack on, enthusiasm fades far faster than intention. Research shows that over 20% of people abandon their resolutions when within not June or April in the first week. By the end of January, momentum has already be to slip. And by midFebruary, just six weeks into the year, nearly 80% of resolutions are completely abandoned. And by the end of the year, only about eight or nine% of people actually follow through with what they resolved to do. Why? Uh it's not because people didn't mean it and it's not because the goals were bad. It's because hearing an idea, the inspiration of idea of an idea is not the same as living it. We see this in Congress, right? And I just put a bad spirit on everybody or anybody running for president or senate or governor. They they make all of these promises and and policym is an easy thing. Uh ideas are easy to speak out and put writing policy and and telling what good ideas these will be. But the implementation is a whole other ball game. And this is how it is in our life. We can write the policy out and uh we're good at uh getting these great ideas together of how I'm going to improve and how I'm going to live my life and these things that I'm going to uh just magically over the next few months transform into with if I with with these great ideas that I have. But the implementation process is a whole other conversation. It's not just a human problem, but it's also a spiritual one. We like the idea of change more than the discipline of change. We love inspiration, but inspiration without action eventually turns into frustration. We hear sermons every week. We read scripture. We we can feel stirred in worship and when that choir gets up here and the praise team goes forth and or the the preached word goes out AND EVERYBODY'S WORSHIPING, MY HEART FEELS STIRRED. Sometimes I get those goosebumps and I man I feel motivated in the moment. But unless what we hear turns into obedience, the fire fades. What begins with passion quietly slips into routine and eventually back into complacency. That that's why Jesus repeatedly said, "If anyone has ears TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR, but be warned. Take heed to what you hear. Listen very closely to what you hear." James said, "Be ye doers of the word of what you hear. Put into action what you hear because how we receive determines what we experience." As we step into this new year, God is not just calling us to better intentions or uh just getting inspired or at the beginning of the year putting these lofty, superolous uh ideas out in the air to impress everybody on my social media feed about all of these things that I'm declaring that I'm going to do. He's calling us to a deeper receptiveness, a deeper sense of being alert, a a heightened spiritual awareness, a focus every single time that the book is open. Not just to hear his word, but to do it. Not just to start strong, but to finish faithful. This year will not be changed by what you hear. It'll be changed by what you do with what you hear. As we mentioned about the 9% of people keep their resolutions for a full year or 23% quitting within the first week or uh 80% abandon by February. Studies show early abandonment is common. Hope is high. Expectations are strong. Motivation feels real. But the fire fades faster than we expect. Life, pressure, routine, and resistance begin to speak louder than resolve. And what began with excitement just kind of uh settles back into familiarity. And it's not because the gold were bad. And it's not because your intentions weren't good, but because intention without action never produces transformation. Faith without works is dead. And the this tension brings us for our theme for today. Be not only hearers, but doers. I I know that might be an overly simplified thought for you this morning. Uh I know that might not seem as the most revelatory uh signseeking uh uh sermon for 2026 of uh uh just be doers of what you hear. But there is something magnificent and powerful in adhering to what God has called you to do. We live in an age flooded with information. Sermons streamed, podcasts downloaded, scriptures read, notes taken. But hearing is not the same as obeying. Knowing is not the same as doing. And inspiration, if not acted upon, will eventually turn into frustration. Jesus said, as I reiterate, take heed what you hear. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you. how we receive the posture we take for the reception of God's word. And this is the umbrella term the or the the foundation for your life in every single capacity whether it's your vocation or your your family or your or your community or what role you play. And it all starts with God's word and how you receive determines what you experience. one. That's why you can be in a service and one person can be getting blessed and progressing and got what God has called them to do and experiencing the the glory of God and another person and a few rolls over can be cold and in a stagnant state spiritually. One was eager. One was prepared to receive. One had a a spiritual awareness. Not not living by emotion, not living by how they felt, but having a faith that even when I don't feel like it, when the book is opened, I know God is going to pour something out. Not just feeling but to deeper receptivity, responsiveness, not just inspiration but obedience. Ready to act and alertness. Ready to implement. Not just to hear but to live. Not just to seek but to to find. Receptivity is more than just attentiveness. It's openness with expectation. And it's the posture that my heart says when I come into his house, when I step into my home, when I wake up early in the morning before the rest of my family, or uh when I'm leading my family, it says, "God, I am ready. I have prepared myself not only to listen but to respond to the needs around." Jesus understood how easily we can hear without truly hearing. This is why he comp repeatedly made this statement. Take heed to what you hear. Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks to us in a whisper. But our lives can be so loud we miss him. And other times it can be a shout. Yet we miss it because of pain and fatigue and distractions still drown it out. And here's the truth that we must confront. We cannot be doers if we don't know what God is telling us to do. It requires an alertness, an an attentiveness. When I step into his house, how tuned in are we? I ask you this morning to the presence of God in our daily lives. How aware are we of his prompings, his corrections, his invitations? Are we living with expectancy or are we just existing? Scripture reminds us that yes, while heaven is our final reward, we are saved, called, and purposed to make a difference here and now. And your family needs you. Your work needs you. This church needs you. This city needs you. And we can't spread the gospel if you're just existing and and getting by and in a state of spiritual stagnation. It's going to take an attentiveness and an energy for when the book IS OPEN THAT I SET THE ATMOSPHERE. Jesus did not only die to forgive sins. He died to bring heaven's life into earthly realities. The kingdom of God is not only future. It is present. Yet many believers unknowingly due to the circumstances of life or being in a state of comfortability, stagnation, we can just settle and not walk into all the covenantal promises and blessings that God has for us. being receptive, this passion, this attentiveness, this being in tune with God's presence. There are some things in our life that can dampen it. There are some things in our life that can prohibit it. And it's usually eroded by small repeated habits. The same things that dole our spiritual hearing in church also affect our clarity at work, our patience at home, and our effectiveness in life. What blocks our ability to be responsive and receptive on Sunday often blocks it on Monday as well. Now, if this isn't too apocalyptic for you here, I I apologize, but here's a few things that can kill. how you respond in church, how you respond at work, how you respond with your family. Number one, showing up at the last second. We've all been around those people. Maybe you've been in a a group assignment in school or that other coworker uh where you where you work, they they they get there at the last second. It's always the traffic and then they they get there and they're huffing and you say something and then and then it's then it's uh then then it explodes and they're not prepared and they haven't done what they supposed to and it's just this snowball accumulation and they and you're like, "Bro, you're kind of killing the vibes here, you know?" Or maybe we have that one family member. They're they're always late, always behind, ALWAYS FRUSTRATED, always angry, always kind of bringing the group down. They they didn't do what they were supposed to beforehand. They they didn't leave early enough. They they they didn't prepare like they were supposed to for this group effort. But then they're the ones that are kind of the Jonah on the ship that caused the storm to come. kind of killing the vibe. Do people still say that in 26 guys? I don't know. Rush in late physically or mentally and we re we arrive reactive instead of proactive and and ready for God's word. Whether it's church, a meeting, or family time, there's no margin to settle our hearts and uh take in what's around us and our surroundings. There's not a peace of mind. and there's not a harmony in the in one spirit. They're they're they're rush rushing in and IT'S JUST ALL KIND OF chaos and no first-time guest is going to be uh greeted by them for sure. And uh uh there's not going to uh be a probably a humbled heart in the prayer service because uh they weren't at at prayer meeting or prepared to and and I'm just talking about the context of the church. These same concepts are evident in every arena of life. It's a a mindset and philosophy. Being receptive requires presence and a alertness, not just attendance that you check off. Well, I made it to Sunday. I made it to Sunday morning. I I don't want to live like that. I I don't want to just uh just get by at the at the last second every time this this book is open. God's got something for me. And I want to be like the the the people in Nehemiah's day that just when it was open, before any note hit the keyboard or or anyone started to sing out a verse, WHEN THAT BOOK WAS OPEN, I I KNOW IT'S TIME FOR CHURCH. I I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOOD IS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THIS IS THE FOUNDATION of my life. And it's going to CARRY INTO EVERY CAPACITY. EVEN WHEN I STEP INTO MY HOME, I'M GOING TO SET THE ATMOSPHERE of peace. And if my son has a need or my daughter has a need or OR SHOWING AFFECTION TO MY WIFE, I I WANT TO BE IN TUNE TO everything around me and not just in a state of delay and state of chaos and frustration and huffing and and puffing and gloom and doom. Kill them. Don't kill the vibes. Number two, this one's this one's right there in Revelation with the the horns and the beasts. I I hope you can handle this. A chronic lack of rest. Oh my. Fatigue fools discern dulls discernment. When we're exhausted, everything feels heavier, more negative, more irritating. Elijah heard God best after rest. Tired bodies struggle to hear eternal truths. you know, maybe you're you're planning a trip or uh I don't know, there's activities before that you that you that are before your next work day and you you stay up and make not so wise decisions with with your time and and get to bed late and then that next day of work, you're a real, you know, positive impact player in the workplace, you know, or or uh or you've committed to uh being a part of a a worship team acquiring. I'm I'm using the example of the church of Lot because that's just where we are. And you made some not so wise decisions to to roll in at the last second, hadn't practiced, don't know the lyrics, or you know, whatever the uh the case is, man. I I bet God's really gonna going to move in that that practice before you even get get out there, you know, uh because you're tired. And again, it's the accumulation and the the holistic I uh of everything. You you're not ready. You're not prepared. You've made a commitment here at work or you've made a commitment here with your family, but you made some time management decisions and and then and then by the time you get to church, you're like, "Oh, I'm under spiritual attack this morning." No, you did some stupid stuff the day before and wasted your time. You made some commitments that you're not able to live up to. Yeah, you showed up, but that's not the commitment that you made. THAT'S NOT THE THAT'S not the commitment, the expectation that was SIGN THAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR. NOW, I'll confess a couple years ago, Tennessee was going to play Duke in the uh NCA tournament and Tennessee won, of course. And I was considering the idea of driving there and driving back and getting home about 5:00 a.m. 6:00 a.m. that morning. And you know who was preaching Sunday morning? So I ran the this great idea by my dad and I all he responded he said that better be the greatest sermon you ever preach in your life. Needless to say, I thought about it a little more and you know what? Probably wouldn't have been wise. Probably probably wouldn't have been uh a wise thing to do to just to roll in and and and somebody uh might be there that Sunday morning that's hurting or or that that could be the difference uh the the service the the word of God in their life and I didn't put the right amount of effort and and studying. And I know there's things that come up in life that are unavoidable. We know that's not what I'm talking about. But making good decisions, the expectation that you have in involved in a group or ministry or at work in your family, just showing up is not the expectation. Oh, I was there. You know, it' be a lot easier if you weren't just to be honest. Number three, overextending yourself, man. uh when it's volunteer sign up day or or all these ministries, man, I'd like to do that and I'd like to do that and I'd like and I appreciate your spirit and I I appreciate your heart, but you're not going to be able to to do all those things. Uh you're not you don't need to be away from your family for for that many uh days out of the m you need some time to breathe. You you need some time to rest. You need to some time to take in the good vibes. You know, you can overextend yourself. YOU CAN SIGN UP AND get involved in too many different things, things that are not inherently bad, but just you can get your kids involved in too many things. And I'm not even talking about missing church or not even the spirit. You can get too many things going on where your your house is not a house of peace. It's just a constant going and chaos. Number four, failing to prepare for the day. That's pretty self-explanatory. Number five, living in constant distraction. There's always a to-do list. There's always phones. There's always notifications. There's always noise. There's always mental clutter that fragment our attention. Number six, unresolved offense or bitterness. Oh man, this can just chip away and eat away. And it's not overnight. It's just an incremental digression that gets into your spiritual stagnation now. And that decay just begins to set up. A wounded heart becomes guarded. And guarded hearts struggle to receive when that book is open. Forgiveness doesn't just heal relationship. It restores spiritual clarity. Number seven, something that we and I preached to myself that we've got to be cautious of familiarity without expectation, going through the motions. Oh, I've heard this before. I know how this goes. I I know how this song goes. I It's Sunday again. It's Wednesday again. Familiarity when mixed with complacency numbs that hunger of when the book is open. God God's blessed us with so many resources. I've been to some places around the world that frankly sometimes and I'm talking to myself. They have a lot less to get excited about in my opinion in my fleshly opinion when the book was open. But they got a lot more excited than I did. And we can step into campuses, buildings, our our homes and our workplaces where God has blessed us mightily, mightily. Whether whether it be the resources of of what's on this campus or the the nice place that you have where you work at or a home to go to and we can become so jaded and so bitter and not have gratitude that the stagnation builds up, complacent, not excited when the book is open because I don't need anything. We can turn it into a critical or cynical mindset. We just look for what's wrong and we miss what God is doing. Criticism closes the heart and humiliate humility opens it. Neglecting your inner life and just settling settling for an autopilot type of lity. These killers don't just affect the church service or the overall mission of the church. They affect your job performance. They affect your marriage. They affect your parenting. They affect your faith. And they block and prohibit what God wants to do for you in the future. It's a posture. It's not it's not a moment. It's a it's a mindset. It's a it's a philosophy of life. And when we guard it, God speaks more clearly and he leads more confidently and he moves more powerfully. I'll ever for remember I was a junior in college and there was a I had a evening class. It's like a two and a half hour class. It's a long class and I the seating was for about 60 people and I I believe there were about five tables. It wasn't that large of a room. And you this is the time when you know you're not maybe a freshman or something. and you're just trying to get by and get there early to get a seat in the back. This was one of those classes that that you you're working on your GPA and you're getting there early and you've got your your tape recorder out and you're you know you're ready to to meet what's about to happen. I got there and I was about the second row and uh it started at six o'clock and there were people already in there at 5:15 because it was one of those classes too people were trying to add and hopefully the teacher uh would let those hours fit into their schedule and it was a a packed out class. I remember about five minutes before class, one of the players from the Lady VS walked in. And she walked in five minutes before class uh not because uh she was running late or running up against it. You could tell she had just been through a Pat Selmet practice. And I remember her, the front row was filled. And I remember her kind of looking around and a little bit puzzled but still maintaining her composure. And she sat her backpack down right to uh by the first table and she sat in the floor and everybody kind of looked for a second and a couple gentlemen on the front row uh you know stood and said, "Hey, hey, you can have our our seat." And I think a girl on the third row said, "Hey, you can sit back here beside me." She goes, "I have to sit in the front row. It's required of me to sit in the front row." So she, one of the gentlemen gave him her seat. About 10 minutes later, there was an eyeball looking through that window of the classroom. It was one of the assistant coaches of the Lady VS ensuring that their player was sitting on the front row, ensuring that she was going to be attentive and receive everything that that class had for her. And I that will ever be etched and ingrained in my memory. Just that philosophy and that that mindset. If there's if there's not a seat available, I'm still going to sit in the front. I'm if I have to sit in the floor and I I'm not talk I'm talking metaphorically this morning. I know everybody can't sit on the front row or in the floor, but if if you had to, would you? Or or what does that look like in your life that whatever it takes? If I got to sit in the floor, I'm required to be upfront. I'm going to be responsive in every capacity of my life. and I'm going to bring the energy and I'm going to bring the passion and I'm not going to let one second go by without me receiving what God has in store for me. >> There's a book many of you have heard of, Atomic Habits, and its central idea aligns beautifully with both scripture and wisdom for spiritual growth. The premise is simple, but it's profound. Small, consistent habits done faithfully produce massive long-term transformation. Tiny changes repeated daily compound over time. Having that mindset if I have to sit in the front row and class is important, but how important are the blessings of God? and how important is the salvation of my family to to make sure that I'm in tune. One of the pitfalls with new year commitments, especially spiritual ones, is that we often aim for radical intensity instead of sustainable faithfulness. Instead of saying, "I'm going to commit myself to pray every single day for 15 minutes. It's I'm going to text Pastor Whitley this afternoon uh while he's meditating before the Lord. And if he doesn't answer my text, I'm going to call him twice. And Pastor Whitley, I want you to come over here in the morning. And I want you to open these doors at 400 a.m. for me so I can come in here and pray down the glory of God. AND WHILE THAT SOUNDS SO SPIRITUAL, it's often not realistic for the season of life we're in. And we posture that is there anything wrong with praying at 4:00 a.m.? Well, maybe. But uh no, no, no. But it's often said as some type of piousness of pseudo uh uh spirituality that I wake up at 4:00 a.m. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT it and it's not realistic and when it collapses and you don't live up to those expectations then discouragement follows and then you quit altogether or they'll pray I've seen people pray a few times with this fervance and then the spirit comes on them no one wants revival like I want revival pastor Mark, nobody's praying like I'm praying. I get here at 4:00 a.m., you know, 4:15, actually. And when this kind of crumbles and falls apart, then you get discouraged. Then you get offended when everybody's not following you. uh because you know somebody else is about to clock into work at 5:00 a.m. or a mom's getting uh taking care of the babies uh you know while while I'm off doing whatever it is I do. Okay. But the atomic habits talks about just not massive overhauls but 1% improvements everywhere. They and I I'm not for I don't know a lot about bicycling admittedly, but he tells a story about British cyclists. They were average at best, but through a bunch of different improvements, they adjusted seat heights. They improved handashing to prevent sickness. They changed pillow types to sleep tweaked nutrition. Uh none of it was impressive on its own. Just the the COMBINATION OF ALL OF THESE SMALL disciplines and improvements. And the point is together those small changes led to extraordinary results and they went on to dominate the Olympics and the tour def France. You don't need a New Year's revolution. You need a New Year's rhythm. A consistent prayer life instead of one intense week and then nothing. A chapter of scripture a day instead of an unsustainable reading plan. What about just making the determination, I'm going to get to church 10 minutes early? No, pastor. I'm going to get there at 5 p.m. and pray for an hour and a half before service. You can do that, but don't get a bad spirit if you're the only one there. But what if he got here 10 minutes just every single Sunday night? Every sing or sun and Sunday morning. I'm I'm going to pray for 10 minutes before service every single time. Turning off distractions during worship. You know, worship's only it only goes for 2030. Can I can I get through that time and just get fully locked in one intentional conversation with your spouse or child each day? Jesus honored faithfulness in small things. So I ask you, I'm talking to myself as we step into this year. The question is not what radical thing can I start but what faithful habit can I sustain? Because over time these small steps these steps turn into to miles and these miles turn into great distance of obedience and the doors open wide. musicians, go ahead and come. When I was in high school, is Andrew? Yeah, there's Andrew right there. I'm going to tell a story about you. You have no idea what I'm about to tell. I ran track my high school senior year in the 1220. And for basketball, we practiced for it as well. Well, I got the the bride idea. I said, "I'm going to run cross country as well just to just to do it." Okay. Just to do it. You know, I was moderately, you know, built up to run for a certain distance, but I'm going to run cross country. I didn't practice cross country. It was pretty fast, you know. But so we got there on that Monday and there were some some pretty big guys from a neighboring school that were running cross country as well. And Andrew Bounds was running cross country and he'd been training. I was usually up on the track and he was down here running around the city of Knoxville. So we started off and and maybe this helped. I don't know. I if I if I could have any credit in quitting. We'll see what that means in a second. So, we start that race and buddy, I wasn't sprinting, but I was jogging pretty fast and I set the heat out pretty strong soon. I mean, there was three or four guys that were just leaving leaving the pack and Andrew, he'd been practicing. He was way back there at the back and he just had a steady pace. So we got to running and through lap one I was doing pretty decent. I mean, we were way out ahead. And about midway through that second lap, man, things started to go a little haywire. And me and those other three guys that I thought were these big-time track stars, they were more tired than I was. So, maybe I helped. I don't know. But we ended up just barely walking and making it through the second lap and there was four. And right as we got to that second line, we had this huge lead on everybody. Here comes Andrew not breaking a sweat. I think he was doing his taxes while he was running or something. And I'm like about to die. And it's the worst day of my life. And uh I literally I was like called 911, but nobody nobody did. might have been a little over dramatic, but the the point is God's not looking for you to get out and just start sprinting and making all these crazy declarations. He he's saying, "Can you have a steady pace and be in tune with your family? Can you be in tune at your workplace? Can can you take a step forward in Christ and get just get a little little better?" Because what happens when all these things accumulate and things go haywire? Even though I started off a fast pace and there for a second, man, I was running out ahead of everybody. I ended up quitting and I was over on the sidelines and people that hadn't done anything were in better shape than I was and they wouldn't call 911 for me. And because when you settle, everything becomes still. When you're not going forward and when something living becomes still for too long, decay begins to set in. You just think of water. When water sits stagnant and untouched, unmoved, it loses clarity. Once what once was refreshing becomes cloudy and life begins to disappear. And the same is true spiritually. We settle into comfort, settle into routine, settle into familiarity. Church attendance is just a a box we check off like, "Hey, everything's good." But the expectation of what what God wants me to do in the contracts of that service and at my job and in my FAMILY IS A MUCH DIFFERENT picture than just you know existing and showing up and settling begins to show up everywhere in our marriages when love becomes maintenance instead of pursuit. Communication fades and affection cools and intentionality is replaced with just coexistence. And you hear this a lot with uh uh the uh the the modernday pitfalls in marriages where they it's like they just become roommates and you just get comfortable and everything's normal. Fire does not stay alive by accident. It must be tended to in work. Excellence gives away to entitlement. We stop growing. We stop learning. We stop caring. And we we just do what we need to do to get by. just a just marking the box off, not living to something higher, not exceeding expectations, not not try trying to get even if it's just 1% better. And in faith, when church becomes habit instead of hunger, I've heard this song again. I I've heard this person sing again. I I've heard this kind of sermon again. I I'm late. I just barely made it. I'm already I'm mad at this person. I'm mad at my family. I'm mad at my spouse. We We got in too late. I slept too late. It's too loud. It's too hot. It's too cold. And if we could just get everything right for you, maybe God could move. We can settle into what God originally called us to move forward from. And this settling often produces spiritual lethargy. And lethargy, when left unchecked, turns people into cynics and complainers. Expectations disappear. Vision narrows. And tragically, God can be moving right in front of us. and we not feel a thing. God can be moving up and down these aisles and we miss it all together. And sometimes WE REFUSE TO. I JUST WANT TO FIND WHAT'S WRONG. I just WANT TO FIND THAT PERSON. I KNOW WHAT THEY DID. AND THERE I DON'T WANT TO GET MY MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD OF MYSELF. Stand with me. When Jesus showed up in Nazareth in his hometown, man, you would think he would receive a hero's welcome. But instead, he heard things like, "Man, isn't this just the carpenter's son? Oh, this this guy's going to tell us what to do. And it says Jesus, notice what it says. It says Jesus did not do many mighty works there. Not just works, not just mighty works. It says he didn't do many mighty works there in his hometown in the very place that the PEOPLE SHOULD BEEN THE MOST EXPECTANT. No excuse. THE PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE THE most miracles. Nazareth should have been the hometown of revival. There there SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE MOVEMENT in the BIBLE CENTERED AROUND WHAT TOOK PLACE IN NAZARETH WHEN Jesus showed up. But because they were stagnant, because it was just the familiar, because they were cynical, because they they took for granted what they have and they didn't have a spirit of gratitude. It says Jesus didn't move there. But contrast that to what we see that happened in the book of Nehemiah. And notice it was the first day of the seventh month. All of this is written out on purpose. And I would invite you to get into the book of Nehemiah chapter 8 today, this week, a and read through it. This day marked a time of reflection and repentance. In the Hebrew calendar, it's known as Rashashana, the feast of trumpets, the beginning of a new spiritual cycle. And it resonates strongly with a new season, a new year, a fresh start, and renewed vision. And what we read in the book of Nehemiah is that the people were so hungry for the things of God. And again, I remind you this is not just within the walls of this church building. This is for God's blessings in every aspect and arena of your life, your home, your work. It says when the book was opened, before anything was read, the people who were already standing because they were in expectation, they were ready to receive. It says they lifted their hands up and it says they began to worship and shout. SO THE QUESTION TO US THIS morning comes down to this. What kind of church body are we going to be? First Apostolic Church. What kind of individual am I going to be? What kind of mother am I going to be? WHAT KIND OF FATHER AM I GOING TO BE? WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS OWNER AM I GOING TO BE? WHAT KIND OF WORK ETHIC am I GOING TO HAVE? WHAT KIND OF FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AM I? WILL I be like THOSE IN JESUS' HOMETOWN OF Nazareth where oh, here we go again. It's another Sunday. Or am I going to be like the people in the book of Nehemiah just when the JUST WHEN THE BOOK WAS OPEN? THAT'S ALL I NEEDED. I KNEW GOD WAS GOING TO MOVE. And I know this morning. I know where I'm at because I BELIEVE I'M PART OF A CHURCH BODY OF FIRST APOSTOLIC Church of Knoxville that still knows how to respond when God speaks. I know that I'm IN A CHURCH THAT IS FILLED WITH EXPECTATION AND THIS BOOK STILL STIRS THEIR HEARTS. I KNOW THAT I'M IN A CHURCH THAT BEFORE THE FIRST NOTE IS PLAYED, THAT THE before the PRAYER ROOMS ARE EVEN OPENED, WHEN HEARTS ARE ALREADY ALIGNED, THAT THERE'S FOCUSED MOTHERS AND FAITHFILLED HEARTS. SO, I want to do something this morning. Before any music is played, before anything is sang, I'm going to symbolically set this book before you. And your response to the opening of this book is an acknowledgment of the word of God and God's calling in your life in every capacity. Whether it's your marriage that you know what honey we're going to we're going to progress in our marriage because if it's not progressing that means it's stagnant. It's getting decayed. You know, at my work, I'm going to be an even better employee. I'm going to be an even better manager of my resources, of my time, of my finances. Whatever the case, your acknowledgement, your response is the symbol of what happens when this book is opened. And I invite you today, NOT CONDEMN YOU, NOT TRY TO SHAME you in. I wonder if this morning when I begin to open this book, if it could symbolically be like the congregation of Nehemiah where when that book is open, it's something so sacred LIES BEFORE ME. THE words of God, THE SALVATION FOR MY LIFE AND FOR MY FAMILY, I'VE GOT SUCH A REVERENCE FOR IT. I'VE GOT SUCH AN ADHERENCE TO IT. I'VE GOT SUCH A RECEPTIVENESS TO IT THAT WHEN IT OPENS, I'M GOING TO LIFT MY HANDS. WHEN IT OPENS, I'M GOING TO SHOUT OUT HALLELUJAH. WHEN IT OPENS, I'M GOING TO CLAP MY HANDS. I'M GOING TO LEAP FOR JOY. AND THIS IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF HOW I'M GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE IN EVERY SINGLE CAPACITY. AND IT'S THE PHILOSOPHY FOR WHICH I live my life. Are you ready this morning? >> I SAID, "ARE YOU READY THIS MORNING?" I wonder IF YOU'D GET WITH YOUR FAMILY. ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY? BEFORE ANY NOTES PLAY AND MAYBE THE MUSICIANS AND SINGERS, YOU JOIN IN ON THIS AS WELL. WHEN THIS BOOK IS OPENED, WHAT KIND OF CHURCH ARE WE? ARE YOU READY? I might HAVE TO SHOUT BY MYSELF. I might have to lift my hands by myself. I might have to by myself. I MIGHT HAVE TO WORSHIP BY MYSELF. I MIGHT HAVE TO LEAP FOR JOY BY MYSELF. I MIGHT HAVE TO SIT IN THE FLOOR IF THE FRONT ROW IS FILLED UP. IT DON'T MATTER. IT DON'T MATTER. GOD'S DONE TOO MUCH FOR ME. MY FAMILY'S TOO IMPORTANT. MY CALLING'S TOO IMPORTANT. COME ON, MUSICIANS. COME ON, SINGERS. COME ON, SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS. COME ON, MOMS. COME ON, DADS. OH, THIS IS JUST A A DISPLAY OF EMOTIONALISM. YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT IS. GOD'S DONE TOO much for me that I'm NOT GOING TO BE STAGNANT. I'M NOT GOING TO SIT STILL. OH, HE'S GOT HE'S GOT all of his covenantal promises. He's got all of his covenantal promises. Come on now. Come on now. Oh, YEAH. COULD WE LIFT OUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT? [panting] God's going to restore what the enemy took from me. You may have lost your job in 25. You might have taken a financial hit in 25. [panting] God's going to restore. God's going to restore. I wonder if a married couple would get together and say, "Hey, this is our year, baby. This is our year, honey. We're getting better. If I got to go to counseling, I'll go to counseling. If I got to read a bunch of books, I'll read a bunch of books. If I got to put myself under submission of some senior saints, I'll do whatever whatever it takes. I want to make sure that my marriage makes it. I want to make sure that my family makes me. I want to make sure that I'm the man that my family needs, that that I'm able to take care of them. I want to make sure that I'm the the mother to my babies that that they're depending on me and they need me. Could we lift our hands across this house? When the book is open, I'm ready. When the book is open, spirit Holy Spirit, make us. >> Oh, I believe I'm in a church ready for miracles. >> I believe I'm in a church hungry for the things of God. Not just hear, but do >> I refuse to settle it. >> It's not just 1%. I'm going to get 1% better. 1%. >> Yeah. Be attuned right now to those praying around you. Be attuned to those praying around you. We're the church. We're the church. Look around at those around you. Somebody, I need your prayers this morning. Cynicism, get out of my life. Criticism, get out of my life. It's for my family. It's for my family. I decree >> as for me in my house. >> As for me, >> it's all about you in my house. It's not about me. >> It's not about you. It's not about me. >> This is the answer. >> This is the answer. It's you. >> God, I thank you. >> God, I'm grateful for this great group of believers >> who believe in miracles. >> I decree >> who are passionate, >> who are passionate about your word. Lord, I thank you for the staff of this church. Technicians, to the greeters, to the ushers, to the singers, to the musicians, the choir get here early to make a way for us, >> to set the atmosphere for us from my heart. >> But I'm determined to set the atmosphere >> in the church service. I'm determined to set the atmosphere at my workplace. I'm determined to set the atmosphere in my family. I'm determined to set the atmosphere in a hostile situation. >> That's a woman of peace right there. That's a man of peace right there. Because when the book is over, >> when the book is over, >> Jesus is from my heart. My heart to the Jesus is all about you. Yes. From my heart, from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center. It's all about you. Yes, it's all about you and my you. It's all about you. It's not about me. >> I decree, Lord. >> I agree. >> You all about you. It's all about you. It's not about me. >> I increase, Lord. I decrease. It's you. It's all around you. It's not about It's all about you. It's all about you. It's not about me. It's not about It's all about you. It's all about you. It's not about me. Could you lift your hands and your hearts one more time in agreement to what the word of the Lord has spoken to us today? Savior, I pray that we can live a faithful, consistent life before you. Let our commitment be realistic and let it be consistent that we can walk faithfully every day in your presence. Lord, thank you for your word today. Thank you for your word this day. The name of Jesus we pray. Amen and amen and amen. First Apostolic Church, the bar has been set for consistency. I ask you to be back tonight. Prayer time 6:00. Our main evangelistic service at 6:30. Come expecting a special time. I've got a special message for the church tonight as we begin this new year. Oh, by the way, I want to say a special welcome today. I'd like for everybody to get on. Brother and sister uh Park, would you lift your hand? Uh these folks have uh said they want to make First Apostolic Church their home church. And so I I want all of our church family to welcome them. Brother Sister Parket, we love you and welcome them to First Apostolic Church. If you get a chance, shake their hand, welcome them. Any guests, anyone that you do not know, would you please make them welcome to First Apostolic Church. We'll see you tonight. Expect a great time in the Lord.