Sunday Evening Worship Service | Pastor McCool
by Mark McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7, Matthew 9:28-29, Acts 4:13, Luke 11:24-26

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-evening-worship-service-151
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

------------------------------------------------------------
well Glory Glory I'm gonna let you move towards your seats but you don't have to stay there long we greet you in the precious name of Jesus we are so blessed to see everyone back in the house of the Lord I'm thankful as a pastor that the holidays are just about over with so everybody gets back home I'm so glad every one of you who are here tonight got to go see Mama and Grandmama and Granddaddy and and all those family that lives far away and those of you who went to visit that great big mouse in Florida more power to you but I sure am glad you're back home it's good to be with my family tonight it's good to be with First Apostolic church the church family of God and we are blessed beyond measure to be with every one of you tonight I want to say welcome to those who are joining us in that great big land of listening on the multiple platforms that we're blessed to carry the gospel I'm glad you're joining us in the service tonight and then I want to say a special welcome because it's it's time for a school to start back now I know that did not make all students real happy but kind of down inside it feels good to be starting back to school too and uh all of our University of Tennessee students especially who are coming to the city of Knoxville we want you to be a part of our family and we want you to be a part of the First Apostolic church family we have our youth Ministries and our Outreach to the University campus and I want to say welcome I have a guest card uh from I believe it's Riley Federman we're so honored to have you with us welcome to First Apostolic church I want you to be at home while you're at UT thank you for being with us uh I don't see her here tonight but this morning there was a young lady who's also a University of Tennessee student Olivia Gonzalez and I remind church family of First Apostolic church we have a wonderful opportunity to make welcome all of these students and to be their family away from home while they're here in school and we're so honored to have you worshiping with us tonight and oh I'm also so excited we have uh one of the students of apostolic Christian School brother [name redacted] who got the holy ghost at NYC he's getting baptized in Jesus name tonight Hallelujah that's why we have Apostolic Christian School yeah academics are important Athletics are fun but the reason we have Apostolic Christian School this is another Outreach of our assembly that our students our kids find the Lord and so we're excited about that and that'll take place at the end of the message tonight's all those that will be uh preparing for that you know when to go and get ready we're excited about that what a marvelous marvelous word we heard today thank you Pastor Anthony for reminding us that this indeed is a house of prayer and that must be what we are with that said Bishop McCool Pastor Whitley and Pastor Anthony uh we find ourselves so amazed because I promise you we talk about the goodness of the Lord in generalities and the needs of the church and the needs of the Saints but we never collaborate on what we're going to preach we feel like that that needs to come from Holy Ghost anointing but with that said I'm always amazed when God begins to confirm through the mouth of two or three Witnesses what he's trying to establish in the church I didn't know what brother Anthony would preach this morning and our media folks would attest that I had already sent my sermon title and scripture text to them yesterday for them to prepare the media but as we progress I hope you'll see and here what the Lord is trying to get us all to understand tonight so I would call your attention to the book of Second Kings the fourth chapter Second Kings Four and oh while you're turning there let me say this I want to encourage everyone uh to pick up a copy of the apostolic witness I believe there on the media desk in the lobby those are free of charge until we run out of them but this month in particular there's a very special article written by Sister Jamie McCool concerning a multicultural church and I think you will find it wonderful reading we've received a lot of responses from around the nation folks Thanking us for addressing this advancement in the apostolic Ministry I say again there's a gospel music a song that's kind of become popular in the past few months and I don't know the whole song but some of the lyrics say if you want to know what heaven looks like it looks like me and you that hits me here because we must show what heaven's gonna be like Heaven's not a place of prejudice Heaven's not a a place of separated ethnicities Heaven is a place of men and women of all nationalities of all ethnicities and that's what our church must reflect we are a soul-saving station for all who will come to First Apostolic church that's what we must be that's what we will be so I encourage you know I we haven't talked a lot about this but the the apostolic witness which is the uh written official paper of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ as this past fall has a new editor best editor that you could ever have that's another none other than our own Pastor Nate Whitley so it will be on time and it'll be the best stuff you want to read so I encourage you go online and subscribe to it receive it uh digitally if you choose to but read that article I encourage you to do so call in your attention tonight to the book of Second Kings the fourth chapter we're going to begin reading at verse number one Kings 4 1. now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha's saying thy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the lord and the Creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondsmen and Elijah said unto her what shall I do for thee tell me what hast thou in the house I want you to notice that what hast thou in the house and she said thine handmaiden hath not anything in the house save a pot of oil then he said go borrow the vessels abroad of all the neighbors even empty vessels borrow not few and when thou art come in Thou shalt shut the door upon then upon thy sons and shall pour out into all those vessels and thou shalt set aside that which is full so she went from him shut the door upon her and upon her sons who brought the vessels to her and she poured out for a few moments tonight I would get a title from the question Elisha asked of this Widow what's in the house what's in the house let's pray savior I love you God I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to carry your word Lord I know it's nothing I can do in my flesh nothing I can say in my limited ability but savior your word is mighty your word is Anointed your word is Rich and it's directed to our hearts Lord now let us receive from your word tonight we thank you for this opportunity in Jesus name we pray amen once again just before we preach I would remind everyone we start Prayer Revival tomorrow night actually we're already in Prayer Revival but we will be meeting tomorrow night at seven o'clock for a season of prayer some ask what happens at a Prayer Revival we pray that's what we're coming to do uh there will be no time uh limits or expectations you come and pray until you're finished praying and then we will come back again on Tuesday for prayer time and then we'll be having a very special communion service on Wednesday night I encourage all of our church family to be here what is in the house I hope that some of you married couples can in particular go back and relate to the first place that you lived as we introduce our thought tonight I would tell you about sister Jamie and myself we got married and uh we went on one of those exotic honeymoon trips we went to Gatlinburg for two whole days and then we really expanded it we drove from Gatlinburg to Pensacola Florida for a couple more days and then drove from Pensacola Florida to Memphis Tennessee so I could be the best man and my first cousin's wedding who had just been the first the best man in my wedding on that Friday night before but when we got back home after that amazing journey we had rented our first place to live it wasn't a house but it would be our home and sister Jamie can correct my memory if I'm wrong but our entire one bedroom apartment consisted of the following as our furniture we had a borrowed dining room table we'd got from my mom and dad and it was it was nice but anytime you move the chairs the rungs would fall out of it no wonder they would let us borrow that oh but we had a new couch everybody when you get married has to have a pit set when you get married right we had an L-shaped set that we had purchased at brown squirrel for 12 months same as cash if you know what brown squirrel is that's still a furniture store around here and we have a bamboo man how are you talking about styling and profiling we had a bamboo coffee table that had a glass top on it we had a stereo but no place to set it so the stereo was sitting in the floor but it had speakers and had a turntable if y'all don't know what that is Young Folks that plays those great big black CDs that have a hole in the middle of them and it had an eight-track player on it as well we had a microwave cart with a borrowed television on it and the prize piece of furniture our bedroom suit was a velvet covered bedroom suit all the drawers had velvet on them and that's all that was in the house am I right sister Jamie I believe that about covers it that was what was in the house but that was our house and that's where we started out living I'm sure all of you could tell me stories of how your first Dwelling Place was well with that in mind I thank you to our text tonight for in the passage that I read in your hearing there was a widow woman and she apparently was a Godly Man's wife the Bible does not tell how her husband died or why he died but apparently this was tragedy and she told the man of God she said you know that my husband feared God you see sometimes bad things happen to good people and apparently it was a tragic untimely Unexpected death because they had two young children these children were not grown and adults they were children under the tutelage still of their mother and historians tell us that children according to the law of the Hebrews were considered property of the parents they had the right to dispose of them for payment for their debts and in a case of poverty the law permitted them expressly to sell both themselves and their children into servitude apparently this woman had exhausted all of her ability her wealth and her resources and now was facing the very likely possibility that both of her young Sons would become slaves to satisfy her husband's debt but notice she knew that when she had exhausted all of her other resources she knew how to get in touch with the man of God and to find someone who can help bring a spiritual plan and bring about a miracle in her house to take care of a seemingly impossible situation she was not too proud to approach god with the need she acknowledged that she had a need and she laid aside every bit of pride for apparently she had liquidated all of her other assets because when the man of God asked her what's in your house he said nothing I mean she didn't have a velvet bedroom suit left to sell she didn't have Pawn anything in my house save a pot of oil let me tell you it's important to develop a relationship with god with the church and with its leadership because bad times sometimes come to good people and there will be a time that you need to be able to contact and have the influence of the church in your life when a difficult situation comes along people have never been around the church have no idea of the true problem solving that God can do in one's life if one will put themselves under the authority of the word of God you see in a metropolitan area like the city of Knoxville it's quite common for those who would come to the doors and knock on the door saying I need a handout and they're looking for a temporary fix they're not wanting a Plan of Salvation that will take care of them instead they're just wanting a handout this was not the case in This Woman's situation her husband had been faithful her husband was a man who feared God but something bad had happened in the life and he had passed and apparently she now was at the end of a rope and the man of God asked the question he said what's in your house what you got in the house apparently her need being met would be dependent on what she already had in the house too many times we're looking for God to create something when all the time at our disposal we've already got what's needed if we'll just put it under the authority of the word of God God's already got a plan to use what you've got [Applause] I ask everybody in the house ask yourself what have I got in the house do I have potential Miracles or do I have potential hindrances for God to work in the house she knew she had no great wealth she knew there wasn't anything in the house save a pot of oil you know I had seen a few who would make their Proclamation I'm going to do this for God and I'm going to clean up my life but there's a few things I'm just going to pack away in the closet just in case I want to go back to that lifestyle there's just a couple of things that I want to keep in the chest of drawers just in case I go back to that lifestyle I tell you you don't need to have anything in the house I'm not just talking about natural things you don't need to have anything harbored in this vessel that we live in that would keep God from doing a miracle for you when you have a need in your life you need to clean house sometimes but let me tell you if you've been faithful to God when a need comes there will be something in your house something in your dwelling that God can use to do a miracle some of us are looking for God to give us something when all the time he wants to you us to use something we already have to provide for us you can sit on the sidelines Waiting for God to give you what you desire and allow your children to become slaves to sin God wants to do a miracle for you the man of God begin her a plan and see God wants to give you a plan not a handout the man of God couldn't pay her debts but he had a miraculous plan if she obeyed it that God was going to meet her need God has some plans for our lives that are not handouts but if we will obey them he can fix them have you got financial problems you need to get back in the plan of the word of God and learn to pay your tithe and give you offering listen we're not going to have a prayer service and pray over your lottery tickets or your Publishing Clearinghouse giveaway that's not the way God works he's not going to touch your football board or your parlay sheet you need to put your finances under the plan that God has for you and let God work in your life [Applause] you know some have health issues that frankly you know you've created those for yourself because of your Indulgence in filthy habits and an Earthly desires and Lifestyles God wants us to clean up the way we live the way we treat these physical bodies that we have got marriage problems put your marriage under the authority of the word of God I know that is reserved for a lot of the stuff in detail we'll talk about it marriage retreat but there's some folk who serve God until they get married now I realize it's quiet in the house nobody's running and hucklebucking now I hope that means you're really listening Young Folks hear me young lady don't marry a man who won't pay his tithe you're going to be keeping him up the rest of his life he's cursed with a curse sir if you've got a wife that don't want to serve God don't date them any longer if you're planning on getting married and they got doping problems you can't do Evangelistic marriage and clean them up they better get in the Altar and get filled with the Holy Ghost don't we don't do Evangelistic dating but let me tell you some folks think I'll serve God and I'll see couples all fired up until they get married and suddenly Church attendance is not important to them anymore commitment to the work of God is placed on the back burner or eliminated completely I've got news for you when you get married you need God's plans in your life more than ever if you want to resist fleshly Temptations the enemy would love nothing better than to buy to divide your marriage asunder with adultery with less with fornication he's got a plan for you too many one temporary fix for the immediate situation rather than a long-term solution but you see she began obeying and following the plan here's what the plan was he said go borrow the vessels abroad of all thy neighbors even empty vessels and notice he said borrow not a few scripture says according to your faith so be it unto you when Jesus over in Matthew the ninth chapter begin healing Blind Men plural the first thing he asked is believe you that I'm able to do this if you can't believe God's going to perform a miracle in your life you're wasting your time asking you've got to come with faith believing and when he touched her eyes and their eyes were open he said according to your faith so be it unto you notice here was the plan borrow vessels of thy neighbors empty vessels borrow not a few how much oil do you need if you're going to go through the motions and just well I'm going to borrow a couple of vessels and that'll take care of it that's how much Miracle you're going to get I believe some way somehow that lady had enough faith it was hard to walk through the house because there were vessels everywhere everywhere you look you couldn't get through the house it was an empty house after all all that was left was a pot of oil so I believe she sent her sons out and they filled that house with vessels setting everywhere and notice what he said he said and when thou art come in Thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons and shall pour out unto all those vessels and thou shall set aside that which is full so she went out from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons who brought the vessel to her and she poured out faith is not necessarily a public Proclamation sometimes faith is more about closed door actions it's one thing to make a public Proclamation I have no problem with that but many times that your actions behind closed doors when no one else is looking just being obedient to God's plan doing something that in and of itself seems quite insignificant and seems quite ordinary he didn't ask her to do something extraordinary he didn't ask her to try to accomplish some superhuman feat he simply said borrow vessels ball not a few fill the house shut the door and pour the oil let me tell somebody in the house it may seem like what you're doing right now is very simple and frankly it's a little bit boring because you do it every day keep on pouring just keep on pouring don't give up God's got something for you just keep on pouring nobody else may see it the doors are closed there's no great Proclamation been made just keep pouring just keep pouring into your children keep pouring into your marriage keep pouring into your praise keep pouring into everything God has given you just keep pouring what's in the house all that was there was a potable so just keep pouring that's all that's there sometimes we look for some super colossal feat to get a need met when God is wanting us to use what we've already got to its fullest extent and please notice in the story she acted by faith in front of her children let me say that again she acted by faith in front of her children mom and dad your kids need to see you are people of faith at home as well as at church man I'm glad to see mom and dads and families come around this Altar and worship together folks that aren't afraid to bring their children to an altar and praise the worst dads that don't think it's to stick your hands up in the air and surrender to God moms that aren't afraid to shout and dance and worship God in front of their children but let me tell you your kids need to see you act in faith at home you don't need to be one way at church and another way at home they need to see a house full of love for the kingdom of God yeah we're going to go through all of life's struggles and trials but they need to see somebody that lives in faith walks in faith Brother Don Johnson said of sister Johnson said me and my wife had words but I didn't get to use mine did you know husband and wives will have disagreements from time to time I can't help it that she's always right sometimes have to learn again but let me tell you whatever disagreement we have there has to come a time that we come together and say God we're putting this in your hands God we are a couple of faith we we need some help here right now Lord your children need to see a house of Faith these kids saw Mama saying I don't even understand how this is going to work he hasn't given me any more details but said get some pots I think getting on a few and start pouring if you'll start doing some things of faith in front of your kids you'll raise faith-filled kids you'll have a faith-filled family that knows how to pray about things you you'll have children when they see Mom and Dad pray that aren't afraid and aren't ashamed to Bow their knees before God when they have a need oh Hallelujah she said boys fill the house I'm gonna start pouring God's got a plan for us they got the vessels and she poured and here's what happened foreign Kings 4 and it came to pass when the vessels were full God could have instantly filled those vessels but that was not the plan the plan was you got to pour there's going to be some things we have to do our part for God to do his miracle there's some things that seem so unspiritual if we will just do our part yes did you know in the kingdom of God there will even be manual labor and Heaven Help Us I don't have to dwell here long because around here at First Apostolic church if I say I need some Mighty Men of muscle there is an army will show up to do anything we need to do we we call a working that will literally be an army of men show up if the ladies say we're doing this doing that we need some mighty Maids of muscle all the ladies will show up and they will work and so that's why God is blessed sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and do some pouring sometimes you have to pour out and let God take that simple task and turn it to a miracle and it came to pass when the vessels were full she said unto her sons bring me yet another vessel she was still pouring and he said to her there is not a vessel more and the oil stayed I submit to you had they only had three vessels they would have only had three full vessels the oil would have stayed then but as long as there were vessels available their faith had provided a house full of vessels and she poured until there was no more vessels available to fill up God wants to fill up every need that you have if you'll just do your part if you just get the vessels God will anoint it and he'll do a miracle in your life [Applause] but it doesn't finish there verse 7 said then she came and told the man of God she testified to her miracle and he said notice this go sell the oil buy you a new Corvette go on an extended vacation no he said sell Bill and go pay your debt some of y'all already hit at me hear me when God blesses you you don't need to waste His blessings the first thing you need to do is pay your debt and have a good reputation as a child of God who God's done some miracles for you when God does he said sell the oil pay the debt because after you pay the debt live thou and thy Children of the rest not only did he provide Provisions for their debt to be paid he also provided something that they could live on in the future when God does a miracle it's time for him to give us something to live on Time After Time God has used the average everyday thing to do the supernatural miraculous thing Moses had a simple staff but with that simple staff he could turn water to blood destilize Thunder and hell was brought forth he brought forth locusts he opened the sea he smoked the Rock and brought forth water he took a lad and fed the 5 000 with the simple bread and fish from his basket with the Widow's might he would shame a wealthy Pious spirit in the temple and with a shepherd and a sling he would deliver a nation tell me he can't do a work in your life if you'll just follow the plan if you'll just get the vessels and start pouring let God do the work what's in your house what's in the house let me tell you it costs nothing to have Christian character honesty and integrity that should be in all of our homes in Acts 4 13 Peter and John were boldly witnessing scripture says now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus when you've been with Jesus it ought to change the way you behave you should exemplify honesty Integrity in Christian character you're not going to get run over in this world by being honest you're not going to get run over and some folks think oh I've got to only be as honest as I have to be to get by in this world I'm here to tell you Christian character and integrity and honesty will carry you when others find themselves in the Trap of sins desires I can't live one way and tell my children to live another way our children in the house just raise them in the kingdom of God and let God turn them into mighty Christian Warriors let me tell you your worship is in the house do you give your best do I give my best to the Lord oh God let me keep pouring out every time I get the opportunity musicians praise team make your way up I'm going to head toward home tonight I challenge every person in the house including myself take an inventory of what's in your house that God can use Pastor Anthony so aptly told us today about those things that would keep us from being a House of Prayer but let me give you one final question for after you know what's in the house I challenge everybody here to know who's in the house know who's dwelling in your house Jesus gave a parable in Luke 11 24. and it said this Jesus words when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walked through Dry places seeking rest and finding none this is talking about the unclean spirit he saith I will return unto my house once I came out Now understand this is Jesus giving a parable and the comparison is we as vessels we as a dwelling place that Christ can dwell in US but at this point unclean spirit has been swept out of the house it says and when he cometh he findeth it speaking of the house swept and garnished then goeth he the unclean spirit and take it to him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first now let me analogize if I could for you to understand the sweeping of the house is essential the house has got to be clean listen I live with a a lady who absolutely when we go on a trip vacuums her way out the door I don't know if that's because if somebody ever breaks in they'll see that we had a nice clean carpet I don't know but I got to leave the house but she has to be the last one out as she vacuums or if we're going out on the tile floor She mops her way out of the house house has got to be clean but in this example that Jesus gave once the house is clean if you don't put something back in the house the unclean Spirit returns now the sweeping of the house I would compare to repentance repentance is essential in the Plan of Salvation but there's some who never go beyond repentance they repent they repent they repent and that's a good house sweeping but if you don't go on all you've done is clean the house and said I'm sorry and the enemy comes back and says hey there's nothing in the house I'm going to come back I'm bringing my party buddies with me let me tell you once you repent of your sins you need to fill the house fill this vessel that's why the scripture says they were all filled with the Holy Ghost you need to be full of the Holy Ghost so there's no room for an unclean Spirit to come into the house you need to be full of the Holy Ghost so nothing else has room to occupy this Dwelling Place stand with me you see Jesus wants to come to your house he wants to dwell in you today y'all remember the story of Zacchaeus [Music] Zacchaeus went looking for Jesus by climbing a tree he wanted to see Jesus now there's a lot of us look for Jesus in the wrong place some of us find our way up a tree when Jesus finally came along Jesus said make haste and come down because I want to go to your house I'm not here to visit you in a tree I want to go to your house if Jesus wants to come and dwell with you today are you going to be comfortable with him being in your house are you going to be comfortable with him being In Your Vessel foreign says that Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully there was no dread there was no regret but he received Jesus joyfully now there were other folks murmuring around him you can read about it for yourself they started making accusations about Jesus is going home with a sinner I've seen folks repent and get filled with the Holy Ghost Let Jesus Come into their life and there'd be the supposedly super Pius around said well we'll see how long this one lasts forget what anybody else thinks if Jesus wants to come and dwell in you and he does you need to let him in you need to surrender and say come on in receive him joyfully and it changed Zacchaeus life Zach is begin telling to the Lord I took half of my goods and I'm giving to the poor if I've done anything illegal if I've done anything wrong I'll restore it fourfold [Music] Jesus said to him this day is salvation come to this house I want salvation in the house quickly another example of Jesus coming to the house was when Martha invited Jesus into the house Jesus came into the house Mary her sister wanted to hear what Jesus had to say and Martha got upset at me they had an argument in the house because Martha wanted Mary to help with the housework and she's the one that invited him in the first place Jesus had to rebukes of North again you know Mary's chosen the best part said you're not going to have me with you always but you see with even A disruption in the house hear this there would be a time because they had welcomed Jesus into their house and they had fellowshipped with Jesus there would be a time when they were in dire need for their brother Lazarus was dead and they felt free to call on Jesus to say come back come back to our house come back to where we are let me tell you you need to have Jesus comfortable in your home he needs to be comfortable in your life if you're in this house of God and you want him to be in your house maybe you've been struggling with something maybe you're needing a miracle tonight's the night to get what you need from the Lord by inviting him into your house and then by saying Lord whatever your plan for my life is I'm gonna do it I'm going to pour it out I'm going to pour it out I'm going to open the altar at this time if you have a need whatever that need is I would ask you to step out and come around this altar maybe you're needing a financial blessing maybe you're needing a restoration maybe you have a loved one that you've been praying a long time for I know those who are going to be baptized are going to be moving and getting ready for baptismal service but I ask everybody to come right now saying God I need a miracle Lord What Can I Do Lord I'm not wanting some great display I just want a miracle in my life God let me pour out into you let me pour out unto you Hallelujah would you give yourself away this time Hallelujah sing it unto the Lord