Between the Porch and the Altar
by Mark McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Joel 2:15-18, Joel 2:1-11, Joel 2:12-14, 2 Corinthians 7:10, 1 Peter 2:9, Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9-10, Joel 2:19, Joel 2:20, Joel 2:21, Joel 2:22-24, Joel 2:25, Joel 2:26, Joel 2:28-29, Joel 2:30-31, Joel 2:32

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--between-the-porch-and-the-altar
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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you may move to your seats we greet you in the precious name of Jesus again we say welcome to First Apostolic church so glad to see you here on this beautiful Sunday morning that the Lord has given us uh say welcome to all of our guest First Time guest we welcome you to all the Home Folks good to have you back home I realize by the calendar again this was fall break for our County's schools and our Christian School and some of you have been journeying and it's good to see you and have you back home I'd take a moment to say uh uh welcome home uh pastor and sister Whitley in Easton uh it's good to have them back from uh a missionary journey uh they uh uh preached in uh Germany and then in in uh Rome uh so they've been all over the world and it's good to have them back in East Tennessee back home with us uh sister Ashley was uh was uh out of the country on her birthday so I say happy birthday to her as well good to have her back home and to every one of you to uh I want to add my voice to that of uh Bishop uh mul and Pastor Anthony uh saying a great big big thank you for your uh generosity and letting the Lord touch your hearts and bless you uh by giving to our neighbors who have suffered In This Storm they are coming back I promise you and by our uh assistance they're going to come back quicker uh the church in newand North Carolina is carrying this Jesus name message has done so Faithfully for many many years and I would clarify so everyone would understand completely the statement that's made they did not have flood insurance they were not irresponsible people that did not have insurance at all they did not have flood insurance for uh where their church is located they would not sell them such uh and with all of that said they've been having to Wade through all of the uh um uh red tape that goes along with all of the governing bodies I talked with uh uh Bishop Atkins this past Thursday and those powers that be that are now inspecting uh all of the buildings to see if they're even inhabitable uh had showed up to uh uh their property and uh they were bragging on their church family and all of the help uh that they were being to the community uh for they had prepared their building and of course they had to go in and and cut drywall out pull all the carpet up move the pews uh and try to salvage that get rid of everything that was uh irreparable and and uh in turn they were having to put plastic around the bottom of the uh Sanctuary where they'd cut the drywall back and seal a few places until they can get it repaired but I'm happy to report that their intentions were to have church today in newla North Carolina and I'm excited about that and uh we'll we'll be giving you updates from time to time as uh they uh progress in the uh re building phase and even during this time uh uh some of their pictures on Facebook they are also trying to minister to the community from their Church even in their distress they're providing uh supplies and some of the things that we have been sending that are needed for the community they are doing that reaching out this is the way we win souls uh this is what we do as a church family so I ask you to continue your faithful prayers for them and again thank you so much for your faithful giving I want to take you to the word of the Lord this morning to the Book of Joel the 2 chapter The Book of Joel the 2 chapter and uh I would preface what I'm going to uh talk to you about this morning as a reminder of uh uh last Sunday night's message for all of those who were with us we preached a message that we entitled Name That Tune and we talked a bit about the different requirements of the silver trumpets that the priests blew that gave different uh directions for the people well that was a general statement of all that was needed and we applied it of course to the voice of the trumpet of the word of God and the priests and the Ministers of today but our message today and as I read I hope you can keep that in mind gives a specific sound of the trumpet being blown a specific sound of warning and I want us to go there Joel 2 beginning with verse number 15 Joel 2:15 we read blow the trumpet in Zion sanctify a fast call a solemn assembly gather the people sanctify the congregation assemble the elders gather the children those that suck the breast let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet sounds like everyone connected to the church or God's people at this point are being called together let the priests and the Ministers of the Lord weep but between the porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people oh Lord and give not thine Heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their god notice Verse 18 then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people I would draw a idle from the statement in verse 17 I want to talk about between the porch and the altar between the porch and the altar let's pray Lord Jesus we're grateful to once again to be in your house and to have the privilege of hearing your word Lord I Thank you for the mighty wonderful things you do for us every day for daily Provisions Lord For Life Health and strength for our family our jobs our businesses God let us now hear your voice through your word God let it speak to our hearts give us Direction guide our steps Lord for all this we're grateful and thankful in Jesus name we pray amen and amen Joel 2 gives us a quite ominous threatening prophecy of Misfortune and Calamity for God's people in fact I want to go back and do just a little bit of reading and give you context as we study Joel 2 this passage for beginning at verse number one we go back it says blow ye the trumpeted Zion sound alarm in my Holy Mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand a day of darkness and of gloominess a day of clouds and thick Darkness as the morning spread upon the mountain a great people and a strong there hath not been even or ever the light neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations a fire devoureth before them and behind them a flame burneth the land is as the Garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate Wilderness yay nothing shall Escape them the appearance of them is as an appearance of horses and his Horsemen so shall they run like the noise of Chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble as a strong people set in battle array before their face the people shall be much pained all faces Shall Gather Blackness they shall run like Mighty Men they shall climb the walls like Men of War and they shall March everyone on his way they shall not break their ranks neither shall One Thirst another they shall walk everyone in his path and when they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded they shall run to and fro in the city they shall run upon the walls they shall climb upon houses they shall enter in the Windows like a thief the Earth shall Quake before them the heaven shall tremble the Sun the moon shall be dark and the Stars shall shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall utter his voice before his army for his Camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word but the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide in it lest you think that this is a fearful time let me give a little bit of context to what we've just read in studying the opinions of many Bible scholars they are assured and their understanding of this passage is this was a comparing of an infestation of locust with the invasion of a natural enemy or a spiritual attack so put in context now what we've read this infestation of the all consuming Locust that would eat the crops and would could not be stopped I mean you didn't have Cooks Pest Control to spray them down if you will uh there was no way to stop these locusts in this natural day and it was asking and comparing rather the invasion of a physical Army a strong army or even a spiritual attack against God's people verses 12 and 14 12 through 14 then articulates the action that God's people should take to combat this infestation Now understand no matter what would come against God's people whether it be natural whether it be a human Invasion or a spiritual one God has a plan to protect his people there are some things there's going to be floods there's going to be earthquakes there's going to be storms that will come against the natural there will be enemies that will come in the natural but there will also be spiritual warfare and you need the confidence today to understand no matter what comes against God's people if we will obey his word trust in him follow his Direction he has Deliverance for him his people so I know not what you're facing today I don't know what's been infesting your life it may be something in the natural it may be some individual attack or it may be spirit spiritual but God has an answer but here's the direction that was given therefore also now sayith the Lord turn ye even to me with all your heart with fasting with weeping and with mourning and ren your heart not your garment and turn un the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil now notice the things that he says to do he said turn your whole heart God cannot help folks whose Hearts have not been made sure toward him as long as you've got a divided heart as long as your heart is still loyal to sin you can't find a divided heart being delivered by God God wants to deliver those who will turn turn their heart over to him and then he mentions fasting and weeping and mourning did you know there's a time of joy and celebration in the church but there also should be times of fasting there should be times of crying out to God weeping and mourning and he said Ren your heart not your garment what did that mean well the society in the culture of that day when someone was in deep distress their outer garments their decorative clothing it was a common practice someone to show that they were born would tear their garments apart he said I'm not needing a physical display he uh display he said I need you to tear your heart open I need you to be as act said pricked in the heart for he went on to say who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God Joel is giving true instructions concerning turning to God in a time of distress and getting an answer for him answer from him he talks of fasting and weeping and mourning Second Corinthians 1710 says for Godly sorrow worketh repentance let me tell you we must know how to repent before God when there is a need don't you ever feel like I repented once I don't have to repent again you should constantly have a repentant heart I must go before God daily and say God I'm sorry for my flesh God forgive me for my thoughts forgive me for my direction a repentant spirit is what God's looking for for Godly sorrow worketh repentance to Salvation and then he went on to say in our text let the priests the Ministers of the Lord this is speaking to spiritual leadership wheep between the porch and the altar this is stating a part of the sanctuary the Tabernacle the temple if you will he's saying something needs to go on between the front door and the altar it's a figurative statement to saying what's going on in the church this is not talking about rank Sinners outside the church but he's speaking to the leadership and everyone who would be a child of God what's going on in the church what's happening between the porch and the altar let the priests and the Ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar let them say spare the people oh Lord this is saying there should be a crying out oh God let your forgiveness Lord let your mercy be poured out once again give not thine Heritage to reproach that the heathens should rule over them oh God bless us keep us I don't want the Heathen to have my testimony I don't want the world to look and say where is their God let me tell you there has to be weeping and mourning sometime between the POR in the altar there has to be a time of laying ourselves before God and crying out and say God forgive us God straighten us up God Chang us you see what's coming I can't deal with it anymore I need to pray I need to fast between the porch and the altar he's talking to the church let me speak to the church today you see First Apostolic church I would ask us this question what's happening at First Apostolic church between the porch and the altar let me tell you the first thing that must happen is repentance from sin a church filled with sin a church that has unrepented sin will not be pleasing to God the altar of burnt offerings stood before the porch of the temple and between them there was Open Spaces of 15 and 20 cubits it was there that the priest prostrated themselves on such occasions spiritual leadership must have a prayer life I point at me first I point at every pastor and every Minister I I point to everyone who would call themsel a saint of God you're part of the church you're a leader of the church you must have a prayer life that you daily and consistently talk to God not as a spare tire in emergencies but that you have a relationship with him every day what's going on between the porch and the altar it was into this place that the priest brought the sacrifices of victim of atonement where the priest laid his hands on the head of the victim confessing their sins preacher that's just talking to the preachers I beg your pardon for 1 Peter 2:9 said for ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation A peculiar PE people every priest of your family every leader of your family you have a responsibility to have a prayer life you have a responsibility to fast before God sometimes to pour yourself out in Repentance and weeping most want the honor and privileges of priesthood but many do not want the Weeping repentance and confessing that has to take place between the porch and the altar fasting weeping and mourning is not for most that's why you find so many denominations being void of sacrifice some just want the honor of a royal priesthood and he mentioned he did not want their Heritage to be turned to the Heathen let me tell you First Apostolic church we can find ourselves trying to be so mainstream and fit in with everything else that we lose the heritage of an Apostolic Jesus name Holiness Pentecostal church and movement listen we're never going to fit in we're a a round Peg and a square hole with denominationalism being Apostolic is not a denomination it is a lifestyle I say that not proud but I say that with authority of the book we are a chosen people we're not going to be like mainstream denominations we still baptize people in Jesus name we still dance we still run we still shout we still speak with tongues we still fast and pray we still get in a prayer room and talk to God we we still believe in the healing power of jesus' name we will not become some mainstream denominal Movement we are Jesus name blood [Music] bought some of us in our own Liv need to reclaim our Apostolic Heritage and not be ashamed of being called jesus' name Oneness Apostolic Holy Ghost Holiness people if the word Holiness scares you if you get all scared that the preacher going to talk about Holiness and appearance and dress and standards and behavior you need to go back and reclaim your heritage and say oh God forgive me I need to be thankful for what you brought me into I need to be thankful for what you've revealed to me verse 17 of our text said and let them say spare thy people oh Lord give not thine Heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God Heaven Help Us when we become a Power powerless church and folks would not turn to us to say where's the god that used to move in their services what is Apostolic Heritage it is Doctrine it is Holiness it is praise and worship it is healing we will not try to incorporate Heathen ideology into the apostolic Heritage or the Heathen will rule you see their God is not our God you see sometimes in the church if we aren't careful between the porch and the altar we find sin Proverbs 28:13 says he that coverthe sin shall not Prosper but whoo confesses and forsaketh them Shall Have Mercy The Church Must Be a place of Mercy but before you can receive Mercy you have to know how to come to an altar of repentance and let's let's get something straight here about this term confession it is not scriptural contrary to what some many folks believe to go before the church and make this big confession to everybody else you know who you confess to the one that can do something about it and forgive you you get in the altar you get on your knees and let Godly sorrow work in you say God I'm sorry for my sin too many people want to confess their sins to somebody that can't do anything about it go before Jesus and say I'm sorry I'm going to straighten this up I'm going to quit my sinning first John 1:9 says but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and quit lying to yourself if we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us let me tell you what shouldn't be between the church and the altar apathetic attitudes well I just don't care slowful I'm going to be unprepared selfishness arrogance rules don't apply to me I don't need to preach my message about special people again do I don't become spiritually arrogant and think rules don't apply to me my family will never have that problem you don't know where your family can go if you develop an arrogant spirit and you allow sin to enter in between the porch and the altar one minute I'll mark that one out and not well I'm as well say it I'll Circle it I've been hammering on this a while so maybe it'll get through lobbying don't need to be in the church I said lobbying now they Lobby in Washington and you see what a mess Washington's in if you come to church be in church don't hang out in the lobby I don't care what the statistics of your favorite ball team are I don't care what business deal you've got going you need to have your family and your hide in the house of God when church is going [Applause] on you can find yourself playing music and lobbying you can find yourself ushering and Lobby you can find yourself preaching and lobbying have mercy lord it's Sunday morning you're supposed to teach and be kind but let me tell you something when we get things right between the porch and the altar you know what's going to happen God's going to do something when we get our part right God's ready to do something Verse 18 said then the Lord be jealous for his lands and pity his people now let me explain to you what that term jealous means for many of us have a false understanding in of the word jealousy if you do a little research of Hebrew of the word that's used in scripture of that term jealous and I certainly do not claim claim to be a Hebrew scholar but it comes from in one instance in scripture can i k a an NA and if you look at the root of that word the root of that word comes from to Nest as a mother bird protects her nest you see when God gets jealous of his nest when we're doing what we're supposed to do and he starts getting jealous of his nest it doesn't matter what might come against us God's going to show up and he's going to show out he's going to take care of us one instance said it it it was a con ing word in this uh specific statement it was not even written jealous It Was Written zealous now to be zealous means showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an or an objective you see when God gets jealous he's zealous when God sees that we're doing our part between the porch and the altar he said uh I'm going to show up I got all the mercy you need I got all the power you need I've got all the healing you need I've got all the provisions you need if I'll do my part if I'll put myself before him between the porch and the altar he's want to do something special in your life what did Joel say in Joel 2:19 yay the Lord will answer and say un his people behold I will send you corn and wine and oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen you see when we do our part satisfaction comes in he said I'll make you satisfied now remember the original analogy that we were talking about Locust or we were talking about the attack of an enemy or a spiritual attack when when we do our part between the porch and the altar then he said you're G to find yourself satisfied I you'll have corn and wine and oil and you'll be satisfied some folk need a little satisfaction I'll go back to my my Pap all cook my Pap all cook who pastored up in Rock Creek North Carolina there's a guy got up me well but he said to the church he said bless God we need to go on beyond the Supernatural Well pray tell where is that there's a natural there's supern what that's what my grandpa said he said pray tell where is that you know if we aren't careful we can find ourselves with false expectations of what living a holy and Godly life is like and we'll find ourselves on highs and lows all the time one day whoop Glory what a wonderful man what a wonderful service we have and we will I'm guarding my words carefully we will find our levels of spirituality according to the way we feel and what happened in the last service we were in rather than finding an even plane of Walking with God you know what I'd like for a hundred folks to get the Holy Ghost every Sunday but if nobody gets the Holy Ghost today I'm coming back next week and we're going to have church again and there's going to be a place here when there's a need for somebody to get the Holy Ghost they can get it if I want somebody to get healed every week but if nobody gets healed today and tomorrow I'm coming back next week knowing that when the need is there and we when we get things right God's going to do his part we don't have to be on this big high and down in the Molly grubs oh Pastor I need to talk to you I'm about to quit find satisfaction in an everyday walk walk with God living in this life living among God's people thank him every day that you can live between the porch and the altar oh Hallelujah find some satisfaction he said there'll be satisfaction and no more reproach think about where you came from all you really need to do every day is Think of where you've come from it's like wh Glory I'm satisfied I got another day I'm walking with Jesus it may not be where I want to be yet but I'm satisfied the reproach of sin is gone Lord have mercy I got to hurry I but I will remove far off this is verse 20 but I will remove far off from you the northern Army he going to take care of that attack and we'll drive him into a land Barren and desolate with his face toward the East sea his hinder Parts toward the uttermost see his stink shall come up and his ill saver shall come up because he ha done great things those things that's been coming against you when you get it right between the porch and the altar Deliverance is on his way I came to tell somebody today Deliverance is headed your way if you'll get things right between the porch and the altar verse 21 fear not Oh Land be glad and rejoice the Lord will do great things no fear stop living in fear when you get things right between the porch and the altar you can live a life without fear not worried about what's coming tomorrow not worried about what's going to attack CU great things are coming he said Be not Afraid verse 22 ye Beasts of the field for the pastures of the Wilderness new spring for the trees beare their fruit the Fig Tree and V vine do yield their strength be glad then you children of Zion rejoice in the Lord your God for Heath given you the former rain moderately and he will cause to come down for you the rain the former rain and the latter rain in the first month and the floor shall be full of Wheat and the fat shall overflow with wine and all and notice verse 25 and I will restore to you the years that the Locust had eaten and the cankerworms and the caterpillars and the Palmer worms my great Army which I sent to me some of the stuff you had to go through when you were in sin God might have sent it your way so you can come and find restoration don't let the enemy say you've wasted your life restoration of your years are here restorations in the house restorations in the house don't have regrets Restorations here oh let me hasten and you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and pray the name of the Lord your God that have dwelt wondrously with you and my people shall never be ashamed man no more shame when you ReDiscover your heritage God pardons sin and he pardons the shame of sin I don't care what you were it don't matter don't you let the enemy hang shame over you don't let the past that was in your life he's already forgotten it what about you doing that now how about you look forward find Redemption find restoration stand with me praise team get ready hurry hurry hurry I don't want anything sad give me something fast and happy this is restoration time this is Deliverance time this is Joy time yeah we're going to be praying we're going to be fasting we're going to be laying before the Lord and when we do those things I know restoration's on its way I know Deliverance is on its way because he made another promise in Joel too and it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon All Flesh that means everybody All Flesh means everybody in the house don't you tell me you can't get the Holy Ghost it's for you today don't you tell me that God won't give you his Spirit it says I will pour out my spirit upon All Flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions and upon the servants and upon my handmaidens in those days will I pour out my spirit men and women boys and girls old and young my spirit's going to be poured out on you if we take care of business between the porch and the altar God wants to pour His Spirit out on All Flesh you needing something Supernatural here's what he said I will show wonders in the heavens and the Earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord is coming he's coming back never mistake he's coming back but he's coming back after his people who have turned their lives over to him have Faithfully trusted they lived a life pleasing to him one more verse and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered why would the praise team sing songs about the name of Jesus what Jesus is doing calling on the name of Jesus Calling on the name that changes everything it's because we've learned the secret that if you'll call on Jesus if we'll do our part he'll do his part he will show up he will do the work for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be Deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call yes this passage of scripture dealt with an infestation of locust yes it was a promise in the face of an enemy but it was also a spiritual promise and just as sure it was for his people in the day of Joel it's for his people right now if you're in this house today and you feel like sin has just been beating you up we're going to open this altar in just a minute for everybody in the house and we're going to have a time of repentance before go preacher you mean you're going to repent you better know I am I would like to challenge everybody in this house for us to have a season of repentance well I hadn't done anything wrong good repent for life now none of us are perfect no not one I'd like for us as one great body in just a moment to step out of our seats and gather around and let's pray a prayer of repentance and as we pray that prayer of repentance let it also be a prayer of expectation that God's about to do some great things in our lives could you do that would you step out right now would you come praying would you come believing praise team lead us in worship let's talk to the Lord right now Mighty God I love you Lord I Repent myself of everything that I would ever do against you God let me give myself completely to you savior I pray right now that we would be a repentant church that in the house between the porch and the altar that we would give you praise that we would give you you honor that we would give you glory god I'm sorry for everything I've done wrong I'm sorry for every evil thought God straight me cleanse me make me new make me true make me true in you God hallelujah hallelujah sing it he moves mountains wind that's right go go right now that's it that's it that's it give it to Jesus give it to Jesus right now now freom us power hallelujah thank you Lord yeah do you feel that Deliverance let Deliverance come right now in Jesus name let Deliverance come right now in Jesus name God I Repent myself Lord cleanse me cleanse me from unrighteousness God Clee me from un down am am Jesus a mirac Inus in Jesus name amen [Applause] say God we your GL God we your now we Proclaim Jesus name the W fall in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus the Holy Ghost is doing the work right now come on let him touch you let him deliver you let him give you sanctification let him close your mind and your heart right now yes yes Lord yes Lord yes [Music] Lord your [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh we let your we walk in your Victory we stand in Authority All For Your Glory for your glory Lord for your glory Lord we walk in your Victory GL Glory Glory Glory we [Applause] inory Glory we walk in Victory stand we stand in Authority for Glory For Your Glory for your glory Lord for GL [Music] oh God [Applause] we oh God we en your [Music] Victory would would you love Jesus right now would you give him praise for victory give him praise for deliverance give him praise give him praise hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah well Glory go from this place delivered satisfied knowing that God's going to meet every need don't you miss the service tonight let's have special church prayer time at 6 service at 6:30 praise team and musicians know your meeting time don't forget if you have anything to contribute or you'd like to go out and get something and bring it back and put it in the trailer that's going to uh our storm relief you're welcome to do so brother Joe will have his trailer here today Lord bless you you're dismissed in Jesus name Shake Hands and be friendly e