Sunday Evening Worship Service
by Mark McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Psalm 46:1-3, Psalm 46:10-11, 1 Kings 19:1-4, 1 Kings 19:9-13, 1 Kings 19:15-18, Psalm 23:1-2, Exodus 14:13, Isaiah 50:7, Psalm 100:1-3, Romans 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 8:1-3, 1 John 4:7-8, 2 Timothy 4:5, Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 2:15, Romans 8:28

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-evening-worship-service-130
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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please move back to your seats greetings thank you for being at First Apostolic Church on this Sunday evening what a privilege it is to be back in the house of the Lord thank you choir praise team technicians musicians greeters elders ushers all who work in the ministry of First Apostolic church thank you for your contribution to making this service acceptable unto the Lord Pastor Anthony so mightily reminded us of the importance of giving our best effort in the kingdom of God today and I want to make that my goal to give the Lord everything I have give him my best effort and I say welcome again to those who are joining us on all the social media platforms thank you for worshiping with us tonight I hope you can be in service with us very soon we had guests that have been with us before online thank you for being back in the house of the Lord we're thankful that you're joining us and we want everyone to feel the welcome of First Apostolic Church the past few weeks have been very busy weeks here at First Apostolic church but that can be said of most any past few weeks of First Apostolic Church we sometimes gauge things and uh divide things by certain divisions of time I know having a Christian School there are dates dealing with our our school that we uh Revere and that we are reminded of and uh the end of school for a church that has a wonderful Christian School like ours sometimes you feel like you're going to be able to go for just a moment but really and truly we hit the ground running here at First Apostolic Church we've had everything from Kids Camp to General Ministry Conference to A Strong Tower camp meeting and it seemed like we have just been going and going and going and uh that's what we should do I'm excited about that so I'm not criticizing that at all but I want to talk a little bit to you tonight from scripture that I hope will give a refreshing during another busy time of the year I would call your attention to the Book of Psalms the 46th chapter and I'll say to all thank you for getting ready for camp meeting coming up stay reminded we're going to have a great time in camp meeting here in just a few weeks here at First Apostolic Church the 19th through the 21st don't forget camp meeting Psalms 46 we're going to read a few verses and Skip around just a bit Psalms 46 1 says God is our refuge and strength man we could stop right there and just celebrate God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will not we fear though the Earth be moved and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof Roar and be troubled though the mountains Shake with the swelling thereof Selah that's a purposeful pause and I would take you down to verse number 10 where we will find our title and our main thought tonight verse 10 says Be Still and know that I am God be still and know that I'm God I will be exalted among the heathen I will be exalted in the Earth the Lord of hosts is with us and the god of Jacob is our refuge say law another refreshing pause for a few moments tonight I would speak to you on this subject be still and know be still and know let's pray savior we're grateful for the praise that have gone Praises that have gone up tonight Lord I Thank You for Your Mighty presence that we have experienced already in this service Lord for the wonderful reports of the souls that have been warned to you the rededication and the infilling of the Holy Ghost from camp meeting from conference from all the events that have been going on now Lord I pray that on this Sunday night we would hear from your word as you would have it to reach our hearts let us receive let us act and react as you would have us to in the name of Jesus we pray amen the title of this Psalm is to the chief musician a Psalm of the sons of Korah a song of alamoth these sons of Korah were indeed Levites from the family of coheath by David's time scripture Bears out that it appears these were Levites who served in the musical aspect of Temple worship these were music ministers if you will these Levites of music understanding that the Psalms that we read from most are compositions that in that day were songs that were presented as praise and worship Adam Clark said about this chapter and owed upon elimov or concerning the virgins possibly meaning acquire of singing girls the girls choir was singing this composition it was apparently written for them by the music ministers according to Charles Spurgeon Psalms 46 is called a song of holy consecration or confidence it is also known as Luther's psalm as Martin Luther wrote his popular hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God using Psalms 46 as a starting point John Trapp an English Puritan commentary author wrote this about this Luther when in greatest distress was want to call for this Psalm saying let us sing the 46th Psalm in concert and then let the devil do his worst sound like this was pretty encouraging to sing the words God is our refuge and strength a very present help in a TR in trouble therefore will I not fear that's pretty encouraging lyrics to me I don't know the tune that they would sing it by but apparently the girls choir had it going on they were singing the song and it was so exciting Luther pulled his composition from this said I can sing this and bring the devil on we'll take him on so tonight I want to focus just a little bit on a phrase from part of that encouraging song and song because I would like to focus a little bit on verse number 10. and with that said I would remind you this it said be still and know that I am God one of the most common corrective and all-encompassing commands that I hear parents make to their children is be still I don't even have to ask for a show of hands but every parent in this house if you were honest more than once you've had to say be still this directive may be in conjunction with other commands that proceed or follow it however be still is usually involved the majority of the time for example have you ever said be still and listen be still and be quiet sit down and be still or one variation is stand still but let's face it to those who are motivated or just a little bit hyper to be still goes against our very nature some folks just have to be moving after all this was written about musicians if you get around musicians much musicians are I guess the most famous for not being able to be still you sent around some musicians done that they'll sit there and shake their leg if there's music playing for mood in the house of get a pen and start tapping deal and frankly we in the apostolic movement are a bit hyper all of us it's hard for any of us to be still in that com common vernacular we're just a hyper bunch and there's nothing wrong with that however God sometimes has to remind us to be still we can find ourselves so spiritually impulsive and we do not take the time to really be still in the presence of almighty God and hear and know what he's got for us sometimes God says be still and know that I'm God we can get so excited about doing this and doing that and moving here and going there that we don't take the time to be still at First Kings we read of Elijah who has just accomplished one of the greatest victories and miracles with God's directive that you find in the Bible and Elijah in in First Kings 18 you will hear the story and I'll paraphrase a bit when Elijah would stand in the face of Ahab and Jezebel 450 prophets of Baal 400 more prophets of the Grove the Bible says that aided Jezebel's table a total of 850. Prophets and he would withstand them one man would withstand them and there would be a showdown at Carmel the altar would be built and the false god can do nothing but Elijah would call down fire from heaven and it would be a proof to all who needed proof that Elijah served the one true God and Elijah would find himself leading the charge to slay every one of those false prophets now that's a pretty significant victory it's pretty exciting if you think about it to know that God would be with his true Prophet to give him this kind of momentous Monumental victory but near the end of that chapter word got back to Jezebel from her snibbling husband Ahab said I'm going to tell my wife on you and that's what he did I hadn't told Jezebel and Jezebel would as we begin reading in First Kings 19 put out a threat First Kings 19 1 said and Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and with all how he had slain all the prophets with the sword then Jezebel sent a messenger until Elijah saying so let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time you got 24 hours bud I'm going to take you out and when he saw that he arose and went for his life he said Feet Don't Fail Me Now I'm out of here Jezebel has put a price on my head and he began to flee the Bible tells us he rose and went for his life and came to Beersheba which belonged to Judah and left his servant there but he himself went a Day's Journey Into the Wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree he requested himself that he might die and said it is enough now oh Lord take away my life for I am not better than my father's he's on the move isn't it amazing how God can give us a victory one day and one little threat can put some of us on the run and on the defensive wouldn't you think that he would have had a little more confidence after he just face down 450 prophets available God's called down fire from heaven and burned the offering he's giving him favor with those around he slew all of these prophets and now one threatening ungodly Queen could make a threat and it scares him to death let me tell you because you're facing a new trial now is no time to get on the run it's not a time to run it's a time to stand still and know that God's gonna do something for you oh yesterday's victories are awesome but he's got more victories today yes you'll have new challenges yes you'll have new problems but the same God that was with you yesterday will be with you today here's Elijah we know him because of the history a prophet of renown but at this point he's hiding in a cave God sends angels to feed him but then God is going to have to teach him a lesson about Stillness and knowing that God is still God in verse 9 it says and he came thither unto a cave and lodged there and behold the word of the Lord came to him and said in him what does thou hear Elijah are you doing in here now I I know God's got a deeper voice than I do I can't sound like God and he probably doesn't have a Southern accent like I have but just humor me God said boy what you doing in this cave are you kidding me Elijah what's going on with you what what are you doing in here and he said this is Elijah speaking I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts and for the children of Israel have I forsaken my Covenant he begins telling just how good he is he said the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant and thrown down altars and slain thy prophets with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away man is he not having some kind of pity party he probably had to put his shoulder out and Joint to Pat himself on the back he was having such a pity party God said well it's time to teach you a lesson and he said go forth and stand up on the mount before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the Rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the Wind and after the wind an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake of Fire but the Lord was not in the fire but after the fire a still small voice our text said stand still sometimes if we aren't careful we're expecting some booming display for God to confirm that he's still God sometimes we're expecting smoke and mirrors we're expecting lights to flash and thunder to roll when all the time we'd just be still and listen to what God's trying to say to us some can have some little disagreement some can have some little issue come up and they're ready to flee the country they're ready to run from everything that God has done for them God begin to speak not in a booming voice but a still small voice and it was so when Elijah heard it he wrapped his face in his mantle he went out and stood in the entering in the cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said what does thou hear Elijah that small voice asks him the question again what are you doing here again Elijah gives his excuses he said I've been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts because the children of Israel have forsaken that Covenant thrown down that altar slain the prophets with authority I even I and left and they seek my life to take it away and here's what the still Small Voice said and the Lord said unto him go now listen God's going to tell you when to go but sometimes you got to be still before you can go he said go on thy way to the Wilderness of Damascus and when thou cometh anoint Hazel to be king over Syria and jehu the son of nimshai shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel and Elisha the son of shephatt and about mihula shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room now understand I won't give you all the history but if you've studied any bit at all about jehu jehu was the one who was known as the one that they could see him a far off coming in his chariot one of the spotters that saw jehu come in a little later on said his driving is like that of jehu for he driveeth furiously a few years ago we were on the bus up in Detroit Michigan we were headed for a a youth concert with our choir and we were going right through Detroit and there was like Infinity Lanes on both sides as it seen my cartridge everywhere we're driving along and there was a band pulled over in front of us for just a moment and his license plate said like jehu I told your daddy brother Hill I said stay clear of that guy right there I know what that means for he driving furiously let me tell you if you'll be still when you feel like you're the only one left and listen to the still small voice of God sometimes he's telling you look I've got some delegation in your future hear me I got some help coming from you I've got a jehu in your future that's going to deal with Jezebel yes it would be jehu that would eventually have Jezebel thrown from the window he said I've got an Elisha in your future I've got your predecessor coming I've got somebody that's going to have a double portion of your blessing Elijah if you'll listen to me you're not a sometimes if we'll listen to The Still small voice of God he's saying you're not alone you may think you're alone but listen to me I've got a jehu in your future I've got an Elisha in your future and notice this and it shall come to pass that him that escapeth the sword of Hazel shall jehous slay in him that Escape The Escape of the sword of jehu shall Elish his sleigh and notice verse 18. when you get to feeling like you're all by yourself you've been having a pity party God says Be Still yet I have left me 7 000 in Israel all these which have not bowed unto bailed and every mouth which hath not kissed him don't tell me you're alone when the enemy starts saying you're by yourself you need to listen to that still Small Voice down inside says I have help God I know you're with me I've got I've got a jehu in your future a future you're not alone There's 7 000 ready to go to war everybody bailed to bail let me tell you you can get the feeling alone sometimes the enemy can find you so busy doing things even in the kingdom of God you can feel like I'm the only one doing anything I've got news for you there's many others that God is using and calling and if you'll listen to his voice if you'll look around you sometimes you can't see what's going on till you get still and listen if we aren't careful God can be moving providing protecting and working in our midst and we'll allow some frivolous threat from a wicked source to totally put us on the defensive and abandon what God's called us to do and we'll run in fear instead of standing still God's wanting to delegate some things in your life so you can do more in the kingdom of God he wants to anoint helpers he wants to anoint others that will take up a call David acknowledged it we have to be made to be still in the 23rd psalm he said when claiming the Lord as a shepherd He said I shall not want but he has to make me lie down in Green Pastures I'll run right past them he leads me beside the Still Waters sometimes we can get so busy we frustrate our own purpose Moses told God's people at one time in Exodus 14 Moses said in the people said fear ye not and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show you today he said this is it this is the last day that you're gonna have to deal with the Egyptians but he said you're going to stand still to see it sometimes God is telling us be still but you see it didn't just say Be Still it said be still and in conjunction it says and no that I am God it's one thing to be still but did you know and do you know that he's your God do you really know God today Isaiah 50 and 7 said for the Lord God will help me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed if you really know he is God of your life there is a confidence and an assurance that you will have that prevents one from being confounded or ashamed that term confounded defined means confused or perplexed God's people shouldn't be confused because they've been still and they know who their God is you should never be ashamed that feeling of guilt and and the feeling of disgrace God's people when you know who your God is that's why we're facing a world that is so confused and perplexed so shame-filled and guilty because they don't know God we're trying to tell folks God will give you confidence God will give you Victory even in the face of threats even in the face of things that do not seem possible if you know God he said be still and know that I am God that's why David could say in Psalms 100 Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord all you lands serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with seed know ye that the Lord he is God you see the reason we can shout and dance with confidence is we know who our God is we're not searching we're not looking we're not in doubt doubtful people do without I said doubt-filled people do without when you know God there's a confidence I've seen folks in the diarist of situations in Man's eyes come around an altar and worship and praise and glorify God uh preacher or they being oblivious to their issues no they just know God they know God's going to intervene when they do their part they've been standing still and listening and now they know God's going to do it in his time in his way here's somebody here tonight if you've been doubting what God's for you I'm here to tell you get to know him again he's going to take care of your situation he's got it God's got this God's got this God's got this Hallelujah true Servants of God know him therefore they make joyful noises they serve god with gladness it's not I have to go to church I get to go to church I have a wonderful opportunity I'm looking forward to doing something else in his kingdom you see knowledge is important but to know God is where true happiness lies Hosea said it this way he said my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they have rejected knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me send thus forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children knowledge is important but mere knowledge does not save knowledge just means you have awareness Romans 1 21 said because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain their imaginations their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise they became fools and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to reprobate Minds knowing of God or knowing about God is not truly knowing god there's a lot of folks who can tell you about God they know about God they read they've studied but they still don't know God I want to ask you tonight do you know God for yourself not about him but do you know him first of all I can never have enough knowledge to know all about him my finite mind can never know all about him but I can know him and when you know him then you have a special attribute First Corinthians 8 1 said now it's touching things offered into Idols we know that we all have knowledge knowledge puffeth up what does that mean if you get to thinking it's all your gray matter you can get puffed up you can think man I'm all that and a bag of chips with a shirt pocket you know I'm everything knowledge perfect that but charity edifieth If any man think that he knoweth anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know but if any man loved God the same is known of him we must know he is God how we've got to love one another first John 4 7 beloved let us love one another oh wait preacher I didn't know we were going there I was I was wanting more wind and rain and still and quiet here's what I really want us to not understand if you're going to know God you're going to love one another beloved let us love one another for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love we've got to have a genuine care for our brothers and our sisters for our fellow man we've got to have a love for the Lost let me tell you I've got to love my brothers and sisters I've got to have a deep-seated care I'm not here to gossiping about them I'm not here to put them down I'm here to lift them up I've got to love this world I've got to love souls and Jesus then said it simply this way how do I exemplify that love just telling folks I love them no Jesus said if you love me keep my Commandments loving God is directly related to the correlation of doing what he says now that's just that's book Jesus said that how do I know a man that's in read letters in the Bible Jesus had to say it you know said if you love me keep my Commandments in other words to know God is to do what he commands you to do over and II Timothy four and five Paul told Timothy he said do the work of evangelist he didn't say no the word he said do it there's some stuff you got to do oh God give me more do it alls instead of know it all you see if you know God and you love God then you'll do what he asks us to do you know everyone knows how to line up the church but do I love my brothers and sisters everyone knows how to identify sin but do I love sinners for you see when Peter preached on the deaf Pentecost all that were pricked in their hearts they didn't say men and Brethren what must we know they said men and Brethren what must we do then Peter said to them repent be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost there was a command to do or to follow his command so many are scared to death that someone's going to call them legalists if they do anything they just want to have knowledge of Jesus but they're afraid that someone will think they're trying to earn their way into heaven couldn't be farther from the truth if you know he's God you'll do what his commandment says it's just that simple in fact Paul said in First Corinthians for I'm determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified you see the Simplicity of knowing Christ and doing what he said it's found in the understanding of that Plan of Salvation to repent of your sins to sincerely say I'm sorry for my sinning and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to take his name on in water baptism which is symbolic of his death his burial and his resurrection now again what did that scripture just say I'm determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ in him crucified understanding the symbolic relationship with spiritual significance the necessity the absolute necessity when they said what must we do they said you got to repent be baptized every one of you in what name the name that was crucified for you in the name of Jesus Christ for their mission he said now I know you know this but sometimes we've got to stand still and be reminded because it said you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost you see it's important for us to understand this relationship to know God is to do his Commandments praise team musicians get ready first Peter 2 15 said for so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men when we truly know God we will find confidence and satisfaction in well-doing it's not what you see it's not what you feel it's who you know and what you do in Philippians then a parallel verse says this that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the Dead you see when we acknowledge the death burial and resurrection of Christ suddenly we are getting to know him intimately and have the confidence in this assurance of who he is and who we are stand with me Jeremiah said it this way the Lord hath given me knowledge of it and I know it then thou shalts showeth me their doings John said now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods many of us quote Romans 8 28 for we know there's some stuff we know we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are called according to his purpose we know I ask everybody in this house tonight would you take a moment to say God I want to be still and one more time no that you're the god of my life that original text said it this way be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the heathen don't worry about the naysayers God and his time will exalt himself don't worry about the headlines don't worry about all of the detractors just be still and know that he's got he said I will be exalted in the Earth Lord of host is with us the god of Jacob is our refuge would you bow your heads for a few moments if you're in this house tonight and you've been feeling a little bit alone you feel like well I know I've had victories in the past but I feel like I'm by myself it may not be some elaborate boisterous explosive service but sometimes it may be in the Stillness of Prayer in the calm of a few moments of just listening to what God has to say that you can find the calm assurance and reassurance that he's still God in your life I don't know what you've been facing God does I don't know what answer you've been seeking God does and he has the answer for you if you haven't received an answer yet then God's not finished working [Music] if you've received an answer but it's not the answer you wanted please know that he's God and he knows better than you do he has an answer that's looking out for your long-term good that don't mean you may not have been hurt that doesn't mean that you might not have experienced disappointment but I'm here to tell you tonight be still no he's God [Music] he's God he's God he's got what you need I wonder if there's anybody that would step out and come around this altar just to say God I want to feel that reassurance again just to know I know I've faced some turmoil I've been facing a test of trial God I need to feel your strong hand reassuring me saying I know I know I know let him speak to you would you let him speak to you we cry out to the Lord and we encourage that but for a few moments why is the praise team leads us and song could we have a few moments of listening saying God speak to me right now we're just sing Hallelujah Hallelujah [Music] [Music] yes Lord I hear you [Music] in your heart [Music] [Music] [Applause] there's a calm Assurance right now [Music] he's ordinary [Music] not away [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] got away [Applause] [Music] travel away [Music] I'm gonna wait on YouTube [Music] Jesus going away [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] especially if you if you attended Apostolic Christian School for long I know you can help me quote this scripture you can repeat after me they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall Mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint [Music] oh let me tell you today if you'll listen if you'll hear if you'll wait on the Lord he's got direction for you don't run off don't turn and hide you're right where you need to be be listening be attentive he's got to work for you to do right here Hallelujah I love your First Apostolic Church let's have an awesome week this is a celebration of Independence for our nation be safe celebrate your independence from sin he gave his life for us we celebrate that every time we come together would you greet your brothers and sisters in the Lord you're dismissed in Jesus name Shake Hands and be friendly