Sunday Evening Worship Service by Mark McCool First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN) Kind: sermon Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19, Matthew 25:1-13, Ruth 1:19-21, Matthew 12:43-45, Proverbs 12:21, Proverbs 14:14, Romans 1:28-32, Proverbs 17:1, Acts 2:1-4, John 16:24, John 14:16-18, John 14:26, John 16:7 Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-evening-worship-service-93 Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page. Free to copy and share with attribution. ------------------------------------------------------------ well glory Lord bless you you can move to your seats and you may be seated here in this Sanctuary again we greet you in the precious name of Jesus what a privilege it is to be back at First Apostolic church on Sunday night worshiping with every one of you I would uh say as one uh uh talk show host used to say ditos to all the announcements that's been made uh especially that announcement about Friday night all the choir uh being hands on deck being here ready to sing ready to lead in worship we do multiple tasks here at First Apostolic church and I'm asking all the choir members to be here for the beginning of the service and we'll kind of rotate around other folks will move here and move there but we want you to be in place let's expect a great time in camp meeting this week a camp meeting spirit's already started the praise the worship the excitement is already here and it is so good to be here on Sunday night thank you Pastor Anthony for Mighty word this morning thank you First Apostolic church for just always being responsive to the word I want to do this I want to take you to the word tonight don't plan on preaching a long time but sadly I never plan on preaching a long time uh but uh hopefully I can uh if if you'll say just a lot of amens and get with me it'll go real quick uh if you sit there and don't do anything M we may drone on all no I wouldn't threaten you that way I'm kidding I want to take us tonight to the book of Ephesians the thir chapter the book of Ephesians the 3 chapter I want to read a few verses beginning at verse number 14 Ephesians 3 beginning with verse number 14 for this cause I bow my knee unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ understand Paul is about to pray for the Ephesians that's what he's telling us here of of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named that he would Grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ May dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breath the length the depth and the height and to know the love of Christ and please notice the end of verse 19 which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God for a few moments tonight I would speak to you on this subject filled with the fullness of god let's pray savior I love you I'm grateful for this wonderful congregation for your Mighty spirit that we've already experienced Lord for Revelation in song as you've given new words for a new Melody that can minister to our hearts Lord I Thank you for the work that you've already done in this service but Lord now I pray that we would receive your word let us all be ministered to by what your word has for us father this we're grateful and thankful in the name of Jesus we pray amen and amen filled with the fullness of God as I told you the Apostle Paul was praying a prayer for the church at Ephesus the Ephesians were special to him and while he gives much instructions in the book of Ephesians that is good for all the churches he is especially praying a direct prayer for the Ephesians and he itemizes a couple of things in his prayer he said I'm praying first he takes the posture of kneeling in prayer and he said I'm praying for you that according to his riches and Glory just how rich God is that he would strengthen with might by his spirit in the Inner Man he's saying I'm wanting you to have power in the Inner Man Now understand it sounds a whole lot like this is just a new way that he's reminding the Ephesians of the Holy Ghost because over in Acts already the Holy Ghost has been poured out and he's reminding them I'm wanting you to be filled with the spirit of the inner man that Christ May dwell in your hearts and that ye being rooted in Gra grounded in love he said I want you to be strengthened by the riches I want you to be rooted and grounded in love and he said then I'm praying for your comprehension he said God does so much for us sometimes we don't even comprehend just how good he is to us his love is so all-encompassing sometimes if we aren't careful we will not even comprehend when God is doing he said I want you to know the bread the length the depth the height of the love of Christ and then he went on to say that you might be filled with the fullness of God it's important to be full in a lot of situations now I know a lot of us we love to be full on Thanksgiving right that's we don't have a problem with that but uh I also remember those days before we had 24-hour truck stops before we had bies see some of y'all got excited already that's that's 7-Eleven cross with Disney World As far as I'm concerned there used to be a time most of you young folks do not re remember this when uh you had to plan out your weekends to make sure you had enough fuel in your tank because everything closed I mean uh you didn't find a service station and and if you didn't uh fill up you might couldn't go over the weekend you you take a long trip you had to vary your driving time even if you wanted to drive all night because there weren't a lot of places to stop and fill up with fuel but of course some of those things have changed but I remember in particular uh sister Jamie and I uh flew into El Paso Texas a few years ago and uh it was the closest airport uh of any size that we could fly into to actually get to carlbad New Mexico that was a little over a 100 miles from uh El Paso Texas to carlbad and uh the rental car we rented they had warnings up if you were going to Carl's bad that renters needed to make sure their tank was filled with fuel before you made the journey because there was no fueling stations on Highway 62/180 that went from El Paso to Carls bad in fact I went online and it had a a warning about that trip it said if you're going to drive of that trip it said there are absolutely no gas stations restaurants or other services between El Paso and White City which is right in the outskirts of carlbad so fill your tank and by all supplies you need before leaving Civilization now you you drove right through the Guadalupe Mountains they were beautiful but there no service stations there you got to see the New Mexico desert but there were no service stations there sister flry I see you smiling you've been on that Journey before you know what I'm talking about and that's true you better be prepared you better be filled up and you see many of us we're not afraid to venture out sometimes in the natural in our vehicles because we figured out just how far we can go on a tank of fuel haven't we some of us even know when that warning light comes on I've got at least 30 miles left in my tank right we we run around on empty sometimes even then we'll resort to different strategies you know trying to Coast downhill uh turn the motor off at the traffic light I've got a vehicle now that does that now whether you want it to or not you know turn the air conditioner off and roll down the wind I'll get better gas mileage because you're tank isn't full well I hope you'll understand those earthy analogies to see some spiritual significance here when the Apostle Paul told the Ephesians I'm wanting and my prayer for you is that you might be filled with the fullness of God God you see there's too many folks that are trying to run around with just enough God in their tank to make it to next weekend they don't want to stay filled with God they don't want to stay filled with his power I just got to get enough to make it to next now I know some of us have strategized that way either we were too dilatory too dillary or too stingy or too broke to fill up our tank right and so what we did we spent a whole week stressing about whether I'm going to make it to the next service station or not un telling how much extra fuel we've used just pulling in and out of service stations to put 10 more dollars in when all the time it would have been a whole lot better if you just filled up taking care of business when it was time in our spiritual walk with God if we aren't careful we will not take the time to refuel and fill ourselves with his Spirit we'll find ourselves Running on Empty spiritually not spiritually prepared not ready to take care of business and suddenly we'll get on some lonely spiritual journey there will be no service stations there'll be no Kent meetings for JH Osborne to refuel us there'll be no Wednesday night bible study for Bishop MCU to Inspire us instead we'll find ourselves on a long journey spiritually needing our tank refilled it's too late I'm in a Barren place I should have prayed this morning I should have been to the altar to get refilled instead of leaving early on Sunday night to watch NFL football I missed Sunday last week for my Dollywood Sunday now I'm in a Barren place right you see Jesus gave a earthy parable about not having your fuel in Matthew the 25th chapter verse number one we know the story but I will repeat it for our detailed remembrance Matthew 25 then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened under 10 virgins which took their lamps went forth to meet the brid Grom and five of them were wise and five were foolish they that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps while the bridegroom carried they all slumbered and slept and at midnight there was a cry made behold the bridegroom cometh to go out to meet him then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps and the food said to the wise give us your oil for our lamps are gone out the wise answered say not so lest there be not enough for us and you but ye go to them that s buy for yourself and while they went to buy the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut afterward came also the other virgin saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said verily I say unto you I know you not watch ye therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour when the son of man cometh scripture has given us this Parable to make us always be ready we must be filled with the fullness of God not walking around just enough to make it to another day I want to be filled with his Spirit right Bishop told a story the other night about his first date with Mom how he had somebody following him when they took off up into the mountains to take her home and it caught my attention Bishop had a full tank but those folks following him got the flashing their lights at him up in those North Carolina mountains and he pulled over and they said we're just about out of fuel now the thing that really caught my attention in the whole story I know there was a better point the love story in the mountains and all that but Bishop said something some of y'all will remember this he said so he got out his Missouri Credit Card I wasn't sure what that was and then he explained that's called a siphon hose and he gave part of his fuel to those folks just to get them back out of the mountains but you can't always do that you see you can't make it on Mama's relationship with Jesus you can't make it on Daddy's relationship with Jesus I know your Grandmama was a wonderful but you've got to stay full of the Holy Ghost somebody hear me we've got to stay full every day we've got to be at the master's table feeding ourselves we've got to be at the refueling when it comes to the house of God that's why we assemble together that's why we have camp meetings and conferences and revivals I want to be full with the fullness of God not as the foolish virgins who found them eles looking for oil to trim their lamps remember over in the Book of Ruth the first chapter one of the saddest statements you will find reminding you that Naomi her husband ALC had passed her two sons also had passed now Naomi had only her two daughter-in-laws and she tried to send them away she tried to to sent orpa away and Ruth away but orpa left and Ruth clav to her mother-in-law but in the midst of all of this sorrow Naomi made a very difficult statement it says in Ruth 1:19 so they too went until they came to Bethlehem came to pass when they were Come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and they said is this Naomi they didn't recognize her she had been through grief she had lost her husband she had lost both of her sons one daughter-in-law had gone back to her Kindred she now only had Ruth with her and she said unto them call me not Naomi call me Myra for the almighty have dealt very bitterly with me and here's the statement that's so difficult to read for she said I went out full and the Lord ha brought me home again empty I see so many nowadays who feel like they can leave the safety and the protection of the house of God oh I I don't need the consistent going to church man we'll go to church monthly uh we can make one service every two weeks oh I I might make one night of camp meeting I I I might might visit every once in a while I don't need all that church and all the time their fuel is going down doesn't happen all once all they still feel like they're operating but suddenly they'll find themselves on a Barren Journey they'll find themselves in a no man's land with troubles and trials and suddenly they're needing the Holy Ghost to minister to them and they've gotten empty they have no resources too many take their family away full but come home empty but you see there's another thing that can sometimes happen in the Book of Matthew the 12th chapter verse 43 we read when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through Dry places seeking rest and findeth none then he said I will return into my house from whence I came and when he is has come he findeth it empty swept and garnished let me stop there when the unclean Spirit has gone from a man I would give you this analogy this would be comparative to someone who repents of their sins and then they go no farther please hear me many times a move of God will so convict heart and souls in a church service God will move them and let them know that I want to fill you with my spirit and folks will will come and they'll cleanse themselves through repentance oh God forgive me of my sin and God receives their request and he forgives them of their sins but they stop right there they don't follow through to get filled with the Holy Ghost they don't take on his name with water baptism I feel good enough I just repented I I've got all that uncleanness out of me because God has forgiven me it goes on to say then goeth he and taketh himself seven other Spirits more wicked than him and they entered in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first even so shall it be also under this wicked generation let me tell you repentance is the first step in salv ation but it's not the only step that's just the beginning I'm thankful when you come you must repent of your sins but once you've repented of your sins you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission the forgiving of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Hallelujah you see if you got an empty house it said seven spirits came back more wicked there's a lot of folks get full but they ain't full of the Holy Ghost they may be full of baloney but they ain't full of the Holy Ghost you see you can find yourself filled with the wrong thing in the Book of Genesis when God spoke to Noah he said the Earth is corrupt and he said it's filled with violence that's what the scripture said God said to Noah the end of All Flesh is coming God had had enough he said the Earth is filled with violence and I will destroy them behold I will destroy the Earth but the Bible says that Noah found Grace in the eyes of God you see the frightening part of that is yes Noah and his family would be the only ones who would survive the Earth was filled with violence but you know scripture also tells me that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be when the son of man shall appear as it was in the days of Noah they were filled with violence what's our days like today what are our headlines filled with today we've become a world of violence we've become a world filled with violent tendencies as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be let me tell you you better get ready to meet the Lord Jesus Second Coming is at hand we don't need to be running around with an empty tank we need to be full of the Holy Ghost every day I can't stand to go around without being filled with the spirit I can't chance it one day Hallelujah you see when you're filled with the Holy Ghost there's not room for anything else to be in there violence Proverbs talked about there shall no evil happen to the just but the wicked shall be filled with Mischief Proverbs 14 said the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways check it out when someone decides to leave God it's all about them it's not about him I'm hurt I'm offended I don't like this I don't like that you can't afford to let your soul get empty and be filled with Mischief or to be filled with your own ways oh God help me stay full of the Holy Ghost every day how do I do that I renew myself every day I talk to him daily I prayed to him brother Whitley preached such a mighty message just teaching me how to pray I want to be reminded every day I got to talk to him I got to stay full Romans 1:28 said this and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness malice maliciousness full of eny murder debate deceit malignity Whisperers backbiters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inv venters of evil things disobedient to Parents Without understanding Covenant Breakers without natural affections implacable unmerciful who who knowing the judgments of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do it I want to be filled with the spirit not filled with unrighteousness the backslider filled with his own ways Proverbs also said a better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than a house full of stries or living in a Strife filled atmosphere you see I'm convinced that many marital problems that arise arise is because one of the other are not staying filled with the Holy Ghost many of the battles in in person relationships that we Face problems with is because we don't stay filled with the Holy Ghost you see right after God did a special work for Peter and John when they heal the lame man at the gate called Beautiful they were called on the carpet as we say they were brought before the elders and the rulers and the scribes and they were questioned and they asked them by what power did you heal the man at the gate called beautiful and the Bible words it this way it's so beautiful it says and Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said to them he be to tell them they later on it would be stated that they saw them and perceived they were ignorant and unlearned men but they took notice that they had been with Jesus let me tell you if you'll stay full of the Holy Ghost whatever Endeavor you go into God will give you special Authority and special ability now I let let me be plain here all you students saying uh-huh I don't have to study I'm just going to pray don't work that way if you'll prepare yourself and then you'll get full of the Holy Ghost God will reveal to you he will bless you he'll bring things to your remembrance if you're in a workplace if you'll stay full of the Holy Ghost you'll find favor in your workplace hear me this is no fairy tale if you'll stay full of the Holy Ghost God will will do miraculous things for you but if you're running around on empty I'm facing this trou I need to go back to church and pray right quick sometimes it's too late you need to already be filled musicians praise team get ready what does that feeling look like you know it you could help me quote it acts 21 says and when the day of Pentecost was fully come they're all with one accorded in one place let me tell you if you're in this house tonight and you don't have the Holy Ghost you need to get filled with the Holy Ghost tonight and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared to them clothing tongues like as a fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all given a little dose got a little fill a little up my spine and chill gave Jesus a golf clap and signed a membership roow it said they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and begin to speak let me tell tell you how you going to know your fool you'll speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance I'm here to tell you you need to be filled with the Holy Ghost you don't need some handshake boy I'm trying to I'm trying to be easy some handshake the preacher's hand and sign a membership book we can do all that I'll shake both your hands if you want me to we'll sign as many books as you want to sign but if you want to have Christ in your life you need to be filled with the Holy Ghost God has not stopped filling his people if you haven't been filled you need to find an altar of repentance say God I'm sorry and then you need to seek for the Holy Ghost it's for you it's for you oh stand with me the Holy Ghost is for everybody in this house Hallelujah you see John said hitherto you ask nothing to my name ask ye shall and ye shall receive that your joy may be filled you've been sad you need to get the Holy Ghost and get your joy filled up if you're not running around on empty and finding yourself confused that I felt good today I felt bad tomorrow you need to say God fill me with your spirit every day I want my joy to be filled he even said blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled you don't want to be filled with unrighteousness you need to be filled with righteousness the psalmist said this let my mouth be filled with praise did you know if you'll go around praising God all the time you don't have room to utter expletives and stupidity I remember working around here many years ago just as a young guy that's a many years ago working on the church and I'd see some of these professional Carpenters we had so many I but I remember brother Jimmy L man he was a praying man that's brother Courtney's grandfather but I saw brother Jimmy lamb one day working in the middle of things and I saw him hit the wrong nail he was a professional but sometimes you can hit the wrong nail not the one that was here but the one that was here you know what he did he said oh thank you Jesus oh thank you Jesus I'd been around other Carpenters didn't say stuff like that and that has always stayed in my mind look if you'll stay filled with the Holy Ghost even when there's trouble even when there's a difficult situation if you'll stay filled with the Holy Ghost he'll provide direction for you he'll provide comfort for you he'll be your strength he'll be everything you need need I go and remind us again that in the Book of John there was so many directions to let us understand the Holy Ghost John 14 told us who the comforter was he he said I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever even the spirit of Truth who the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you you need to be filled it's good to be around him but you need him in you he went on to say I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you in verse 14 of St John verse 26 but the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name who's speaking Jesus is speaking he shall teach you all things and bring all things you remembrance whatsoever I've said to you John 16:7 nevertheless I tell you the truth it's expedient for you that I go out way for if I go not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you what's he saying you need to be Jesus filled tonight you need to be holy ghost filled you need the power of the Holy Ghost working in you praise team come on out here if there's somebody in this house that you've not yet received the baptism of the Holy Ghost I'm going to give you a little bit of a head start but we're not going to wait long because we all need to desire every Sunday every service to be refilled but let me let me say if you haven't received the Holy Ghost yet it's for you tonight I'm going to open the altar in just a moment and I'm asking anybody in this house forget what anybody else around you think don't matter forget what anybody else would say doesn't matter forget about any kind of traditions you've heard that doesn't matter you need to find an altar of repentance and be filled with the Holy Ghost I'm going to open the Altar for you first take just a moment if everyone would bow your heads nobody looking around if there's somebody that you know you need the Holy Ghost and you want the Holy Ghost and you haven't had that experience I'm inviting you first take just a moment Hallelujah God we're trusting in you God we're believing in you hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah then here's what I want us to do every individual in this house that desires to be filled and refilled with the power of the Holy Ghost to be filled with the fullness of God would you step out and make your way around right now for a season of prayer healing comes when you're full of the Holy Ghost Deliverance comes when you're full of the holy ghost power and authority comes when you're full of the Holy Ghost they sing it tonight he's going to pour it out but you got to be the vessel that will be filled come right now Hallelujah yeah yeah shout [Music] Jesus Jesus in the darkness Jesus for my family [Applause] [Music] Jesus Jesus from the Lord fill me again Lord fill me again Jesus in Lord let me not run on empty build me again Lord [Music] [Applause] Jesus Jesus oh yes sh Jesus from the mountain Jesus in the street Jesus in the darkness over every enemy Jesus for I se the Holy Name Jesus your name is power your name is power name is healing your name is healing your name is your name is Love break every stold break every the sh sh through the [Music] [Applause] sh your name is power your name is healing your name [Applause] is we break every stold break every sh sh through the shadow I want us to do this before we're dismissed tonight camp meeting begins Wednesday I want us to pray a special prayer for the power of the Holy Ghost to be manifested healing would take place that the the Holy Ghost would be poured out on every individual who has not been filled let's pray right now together in the name of Jesus Savior we love you God we come before you right now Lord as many will be journeying to this assembly I pray that you would pour out the Holy Ghost in camp meeting let healing be poured out let your power pour out on us let the holy ghost touch every individual Lord as fol