Sunday Morning Worship | Pastor McCool “Refreshing”
by Mark McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Acts 3:19-20, Acts 3:6, 1 Samuel 14:23-31, 1 Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:12, John 6:35, John 4:5-20, John 4:39, Romans 12:1-2, Titus 3:3-5

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-morning-worship-15
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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Lord bless you I'll let you be seated greetings in the precious name of Jesus what a privilege it is to see every one of you back in the house of the Lord on this Sunday morning we welcome all of our guests if this is your first time being with us here at First Apostolic church we say welcome thank you for worshiping with us and we hope you will feel the welcome of the friendliest Church in town we're glad to have you a part of our service today and all say I am so excited I was absolutely elated when I saw one of our you'll always be one of my kids okay but one of our former students from Apostolic Christian School brother Michael hollifield class of 88 is that right brother Michael I want you to make your way up here brother Michael is now ministering working in the Kingdom of God in the great state of Texas but he's always an Apostolic Christian School Eagle always will be but most importantly he's a man of God and I am so elated and excited to have him back home brother Michael would you greet us this morning greetings everyone it's such an honor to be here today I am you know how can I put this I'm home that's just the best way to put it I remember you know growing up in this church and all that has been done through the McCool family and quite honestly if you don't know this month as Pastor appreciation month so I just want to go ahead and throw that out there take care of your pastors but what they've done in my personal life and what they've done for people all over the world it is such an honor to be back to see familiar faces and not only see familiar face but see the kids that work he has now grown up and have their own kids but I want to say thank you for what you're doing you have no clue of who you're reaching you have no clue of who you're connecting with but to keep doing what you're doing every single Sunday every single day reach folks that that are unlovable love folks that that feel like they they're never going to be anything because I was that one person at one time and somebody prayed for me and somebody loved me and somebody somebody continued to to to pour into me and I'm so thankful for what God is doing here and again please continue to do what you're doing God bless you all hallelujah thank you brother Michael I love you my friend so much I am so thankful for our students who go on in Ministry I have to tell you this about brother Michael brother Michael when he left here he was in the military served our country faithfully and in Bishop's office uh he has some special mementos brother Michael that he values dearly brother Michael uh was in Germany I believe it was when the Berlin Wall was torn down and brother Michael made some trades and actually has some mementos with uh East German soldiers has a chunk of the Berlin Wall some things that he sent to Bishop Bishop keeps those in his office in a curio he's very proud of but we're most proud of you carrying the gospel the Jesus name message in the field that God has given you to minister we love you dearly thank you for all of you who Faithfully serve in the kingdom of God I'm excited about getting into the word today how about you oh I believe I saw brother Kennedy's grandbaby here this morning but glad to have that grandbaby here this Grandpa this is good stuff isn't it really Kennedy awesome awesome uh I'm going to get into the word of the Lord with you today uh I'll let you keep your seats but if you would turn in the word to the book of Acts the third chapter the book of Acts the third chapter I want to begin reading at verse number 19. we'll read two verses Acts 3 beginning at verse number 19. repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you I want to take that little statement in verse number 19 and cast that as my title this morning I want us to talk about times of refreshing times of refreshing let's pray savior I love you I'm grateful to be in your house I thank you for your marvelous presence that we've already experienced thank you for the power of the Holy Ghost that's in this house now Lord let your word indeed refresh and change us this day for all this we're grateful and thankful in Jesus name we pray amen and amen I would call your attention to the statements made in verse number 19 it mentions to repent and be converted I want to talk just a little bit about this but I would give you context for our text scripture for you see Peter was answering the voice of Skeptics and doubters who were questioning by what power that the lame man who was laying at the gate who'd been lame from the Bible says from his mother's womb that had asked alms of Peter and John and Peter had said Silver and Gold Have I None but such as I have give I Thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk and he took him by the hand the Bible said he went leaping and if you read the whole passage I mean it's fun to read about it if you'll read about it because it talks about the people ran together and there was excitement a healing had taken place and then there were always Skeptics when God does something who were voicing their opinions at what was going on and they wanted to know what power this was done by and he said this wasn't by any uh Holiness or or miracles of me but this was done at the hand and at the name and the power of Jesus Christ the praise team they were singing about that just the mention of his name I've got news for you there's power in the name of Jesus there's healing power there's forgiving power there's saving power there's delivering power in the name of Jesus so Peter was just reminding folks these Skeptics these who had other ideas about what power this was taking place and he made this statement to them which was frankly offensive to the super Pious among them who thought they were so spiritual who thought they were above any question of their personal walk he said repent ye therefore and be converted and he said that's how you get your sins blotted out and then he used that phrase when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord well let's define so we'll know what everything means to repent means to feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or something wrong something you did something you want to make right or do right to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's own life that's a dictionary definition of repentance but the term refresh has several definitions and we'll talk about this time our times of refreshing for the term refresh means to make or have more energy and feel less tired or hot you're refreshed to restore strength and animation to to revive that means refresh to freshen up to renovate that's refresh to restore or maintain by renewing Supply and replenishing to refresh now those who in the work a day world and in the secular world who study productivity among employees have come to the understanding that productivity and human efficiency are increased by the work and working people of any company if there is a time of refreshing we all like to say vacay if you will trouble listen to me folks want to make the whole life a vacation and they don't want to work that's another message for another day but there is a reason that you are allotted sometimes for vacation a time for as we sometimes say recharging your proverbial batteries a time of restoring and replenishing and please understand as your pastor I'm certainly not encouraging folks to take an extended vacation away from church but at the same time I do know that there are times that you need to get away just a little while to refresh yourself there's nothing wrong with that Jesus even called the disciples away and found a time of drawing a way for a refreshing of his Humanity I remember a few years back our local minor league baseball team they had a slogan that they were advertising said come and watch one of our games said it's a nine inning vacation in other words you can get away for a two or three hours and and and and watch the Smokies play and you'll forget everything and you can get refreshed it may be a day on the lake but not during church 18 holes of golf but don't do that during church a jaunt to the mall for heaven's sakes limit your spending or even a good meal with your family for just a little while it's a getaway a a time of refreshing you know what we have better staff meetings around here when sister Jamie announces there's going to be Refreshments served we're going to get refreshed while we're there we understand this importance of refreshing but I want everyone to also realize the importance of spiritual refreshing a time of refreshing spiritually in our lives it's important that we find a consistent time of spiritual refreshing and it comes with consistent Church attendance and participation how can that be refreshing I got news for you I need a refreshing from this working day world if you get out in this world and suffer all the stuff that you have to go through in a lost ugly world I need to be in the house of God and find a refreshing it's refreshing for me to come and hear bible study on Wednesday night it's refreshing for me to come in here on Sunday morning and the praise team it some starts feeling good in me being in a good praise and worship service should refresh you a timely anointed message should leave you feeling like you just had a quick getaway vacation man sometimes we'll go to a conference and I'm needing to hear something go to a camp meeting and there'll be a man of God will preach something well the ladies will go to the women's of spree Comforts there'll be a a woman who will teach mildly from the word of God and open and and you go away like I've just been refreshed I feel better about things Peter said there would be times of refreshing I mean the praise team can learn a new song and it's better than a fresh drink of water from a Cool Spring there's a refreshing in the presence of the Lord and you see it's not wrong to refresh spiritually Samuel the 14th chapter I want to read you a little story and hopefully it will Enlighten us a bit on this idea of being spiritually refreshed verse 23 said so the Lord saved Israel that day so you know the end of the story Israel won and the battle passed over Beth Haven and the men of Israel were distressed in other words they were in need of refreshing it said they were distressed in that day for Saul had adjured the people saying curse me the man that eateth any food until evening that I may be Avenged on my enemies so none of the people tasted any food and all they of the land came to a wood and there was honey up on the ground and the people were coming into the wood behold the honey dropped but no man put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath now I'm going to stop there but we're going to keep reading in a few minutes I want you to get the picture God had blessed and given a great Victory to Israel against the Philistines but Saul had got out of touch with the leading of the Lord if you if you read further you'll find out that God's people were servants to the Philistines and they'd been practicing sword control it wasn't gun control they had sword control they had disarmed all of the Israelites saved for Saul and his son Jonathan there was no Smiths among God's people if they needed their instruments of tilling the ground sharpened they weren't even allowed to sharpen their own instruments of tilling the ground for they the Philistines feared that they would attack them so they had to go to the Philistines to even sharpen an ax or a hole or any kind of instrument of metal and Saul and Jonathan where they loan armed members of the Israelites and those swords were intended only to keep the people in line not to be in an instrument of attack but God began to raise up leaders like Jonathan and you have to understand Saul because Saul had lost the anointing he had lost the direction of God Saul called a fast when they needed to be feasting now preacher you preaching against fasting I am not there's a time that we need our flesh under subjection there's a time of fasting and prayer that we all must do if we will keep our flesh under subjection but you see Saul had resigned himself to be the leader of servants to the Philistines if we aren't careful we'll find ourselves making ourselves servants to sin we will not take advantage of what God has for us the substance to live a Victorious Life and we'll go around all the time a servant to All the Troubles and trials of sin God gave him a victory but they were faint because Saul had decreed out of a personal Vendetta it wasn't I'm looking out for the good of the people he said I want to be Avenged of my enemies as long as you're doing things in the kingdom of God with a personal Vendetta you're not going to have the fullness of what God has for you it's for the greater good are we Soul winners are we trying to take care of self all the time make sure that you know the things that you do the things you try to accomplish that the ultimate goal is being a soul winner and not making you look good and selling your personal battles he said everybody fast so I can be Avenged of my enemies and when they came to the woods after God had given them a victory they were faint they were hungry and there on the ground the Bible said honey dropped on the ground but no man out of obedience to the leader would partake of it and the people feared the oath that Saul and said but you see while Saul was having his pity party and resigning himself to being the leader of servants his son Jonathan hadn't heard his father's command so in verse 27 we read but Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath wherefore he put forth the end of the the rod that was in his hand and he dipped it in a honeycomb and he put it to put it to his hand put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were enlightened he was suddenly being nourished he was being refreshed he was having a sugar rush if you will he'd been in battle God had given him a victory it was not time to fast it was time to replenish and renew and partake of what God had put in front of him then answered one of the people and said thy father straightly charged the people with an oath saying curse be the man that eateth any food this day and the people were faint then said Jonathan my father hath troubled the land saying I pray you have mine eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey how much more if happily the people had eaten freely today of The Spoils of their enemies which they found for had there not been a much greater Slaughter among the Philistines and they smoked the Philistines that day from mishmash to agenon and the people were very faint preacher what are you saying was Jonathan supposed to be disobedient at this point he was doing what was only cut to come natural God had provided something for him and he was partaking of it now please understand this is the same Jonathan that he and his armor Bearer had stood up and showed themselves to a Garrison of Philistines and literally mopped up the ground with them the Bible says that it looked like a fresh plowed field when they finished with the Philistines and I said before I believe in fasting but life will not always be a fast there's sometimes there's going to be a time of feasting that there is a time of refreshing getting into the house of God getting into the presence of the Lord and renewing yourself spiritually Jonathan had realized the essentials of replenishing himself I see folks come in from this work a day world they faced folks that lacked integrity they faced a whirly whirl that has so many politicized influences in it they've had to deal with folks who have evil agendas who may be their boss or who maybe has some kind of authority over them and I've seen them come into the house of God and right around the altar right in the worship service there's honey dripping there's a renewing to give them encouragement and strength and sometimes folks are just that close to having what they need to make it another day and be strong but instead they wallow in their fainting they wallow in some silly reason that I'm not going to praise I'm not going to worship I'm just too beaten down I'm just in too much trouble let me tell you there's honey dripping today if you've been going through something you need to come to the house of God and find you a refreshing get involved let something take place in your life you need a refreshing today you need a renewing today now's no time to fast I'm not calling a fast today I'm calling a feast get all God has for you enjoy his presence he's got wonderful things for you [Applause] some partake and some ill conceived self-limiting man-made restriction placed on them when all the time the Holy Ghost is being poured out freely the Holy Ghost is coming so free they're faint and the Honey is dripping all around you see there's miracles in the presence of the Lord if you'll just partake of the honey and let me tell you there's a specific place where it happens the refreshing takes place the Honey's at the house you need to be in the house of God the Honey's not out there in the world the Honey's not in all of the worldly places that folks go to find substitute entertainment there's miracles in the presence of the Lord hear me today there are things that God does that rarely happen anywhere else but in the house of God oh brother cool I don't need a church I don't need a preacher I can read the Bible for myself all the sky is My Sanctuary all the fields are my church scripture said forsake not the assembling of ourselves together I need you and you need me and we need to Feast together on the honey of the Holy Ghost I don't need to isolate myself off someplace and right what are you saying preacher I'm saying you need to be at church when we have church what preacher are you wanting a big crowd yes I want a big crowd for me no but for you I want everybody to experience what we're experiencing there's refreshing there's no renewing when you don't think you can make it another day when you think I can't make it through the week suddenly I come into Wednesday night bible study and I feel the honey flowing something gets you can make it you can make it I come in things have been tough all week quit yelling preacher I want everybody to understand me I get excited about that there's honey dripping it's right here don't leave without a Holy Ghost for you [Applause] oh First Corinthians 3 and 2. Hebrews 5 and 12. compare the nourishment of God to milk and meat and strong meat there's a spiritual refreshing when you get in his presence John 6 35 said and Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life hmm that's not stale bread I'm telling you it's better than bread sticks at the Italian restaurants I it's better than Old Charlie's honey rolls he's the bread of life he said I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst some of y'all if you're still thinking in the natural saying I'm hungry right now but let's think in the spiritual a minute let's think in that inner desire that whole that we have in our soul when we don't know Jesus you've experienced it before I never want to be in that place in that place where I Jesus is not there feeding and providing and nourishing you see the Bible uses these analogies of bread and strong meat and meat and and water refreshing there's another definition of the word refresh as I was reading through a multiple definitions refresh means to give some one more of a drink to fill someone's glass again to refresh their glass to run water over or restore water too isn't it amazing if you get thirsty enough how just a simple drink of water can refresh you you know we're a little bit spoiled I I don't know if most of us really know what it's like to be thirsty you think about it we don't just drink water now we got brands we're loyal to our brand of water man I love Aquafina you know I love Dasani no not me I like that little square bundle I like Fiji oh I like Perrier it sparkles well preacher I'm not quite that picky I I do the Mountain Valley stuff Sam's choice I even drink Deer Park water foreign but have you ever been really thirsty I'm talking about really thirsty I'm talking about cottonmouth rubber holes laying in the backyard well it's been hot in the first sip you're gonna get it's going to be warm and you're the third guy in line but you're willing to turn the spigot on and drink out of a rubber hose that tastes kind of ugly but you're so thirsty it's gonna work if you get thirsty enough I said if you'll get thirsty enough and let the Holy Ghost come in and refresh you don't stick your nose up at some service cause it didn't quite meet your name brand get in the house of God let the Holy Ghost refresh you and renew you hear a Bible study hear an evangelist preach here a Sunday school teacher teach we don't need to be so spoiled there's a refreshing every time you come into this house [Applause] you see Jesus Illustrated the need for getting a fresh drink of water you know where I'm going most of you who are Bible scholars for Jesus in his flesh was weary and needed water but he had already said we preached about it last week there was a must he said I must need to go to Samaria well when he got Samaria here's what happened verse 5 of Saint John the fourth chapter then cometh he to a city of Samaria she's called sitkar near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave his son Joseph now Jacob's Well was there and notice this is Jesus going from Humanity to being God manifest in flesh Jesus therefore being worried with his journey sat thus on the well and it was about the sixth hour there cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus said unto her give me the drink for his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat then said the woman of Samaria unto him how is it that thou being a Jew ask us drink of me which I'm a woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans now hear me in the house today there's a real important tidbit and nugget that we need to realize right here this woman was making a General assumption about prejudice hear me she assumed because she was a Samaritan and Jesus was a Jew that all Jews were Prejudiced and therefore there should be no dealings let me tell you there should be no Prejudice in the house of God you're not pleasing to God Jesus was being reversed discriminated against if you will for she was saying I know how all you folks are so I'm not going to receive your message some of us need to go out of our way to make sure there's no Prejudice in our heart that we don't have some preconceived idea about any nationality about any ethnicity that we are all God's people we worship together we praise together we have church together because we are one in Christ can I get a witness in the house today the church hasn't got room for prejudice the church has this woman was dwelling on what she had heard about all Jews she was dealing with a different animal today she was dealing with a different creature because this was God manifesting flesh what are we supposed to be Jesus is supposed to be living inside us we need to take the gospel to Every Creature to all the world and put aside some of that mess that is limited the scope of who we can reach [Applause] the woman said in him rather let me step back he said to her if thou knew it's the gift of God and who it is that you saith to me today rather give me the drink that would have asked of him and he would have given the Living Water he said if you knew who you were talking to right now you would be asking for reciprocity I'll give you a drink of natural water if you'll give me that Living Water the woman said unto him sir and she's talking to Jesus she hadn't got it yet she's still thinking in the natural she said sir that's nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence house thou that Living Water you see as long as we always think in the flesh we will come up with excuses not to let God do a miraculous thing in our life as long as we're trying to find the limitations the obstacles rather than seeing the miracle and the spiritual message that God has for us we will never accomplish what we need Jesus is right there in front of her and she's making excuses why he can't give her this living water he's talking about she said her thou greater than her father Jacob which gave us the will and drank thereof himself and his children his cattle Jesus answered and said in her whosoever drinketh this water shall thirst again he said you're still thinking in the natural but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto Everlasting that's Jesus living inside you you see when you get the Holy Ghost Inside you there's a refreshing there's a renewing in the spirit you want to be in his house you want to be in his presence woman said in him sir give me this water don't be too proud when you get the revelation of who Jesus is to say give me give me what did scripture say you have not because ye ask not and when you do ask you ask a miss listen he's got something great for you if you're in this house today if you'll say give it to me you can't let your preconceived ideas get in the way you can't let your Prejudice and your past experience get in the way you've got to say Jesus give it to me I'm ready for it give it to me now I need that refreshing I need that renewing Jesus said unto her go call thy husband become hither woman answered and said I have no husband Jesus said you got that right well that's not the way he said it Jesus said in her that's well said I have no husband for thou has had five husbands and he whom now has is not thine husband and that says Thou truly in the day that they lived even now five husbands she probably hadn't been greatest to get along with her she'd been a bad choice of character apparently Jesus that was a nice voice and you you've been divorced five times you shacking up now but let this illustrate everybody in the house before you get to making too many excuses that there's no way God can do a work in your life there's no way you can receive the Holy Ghost there's no way you can be forgiven remember what Jesus said what he was dealing with in the day much of this woman she was looked at as child she was looked down on as a Samaritan likely there were those who would take her life at the drop of the hat if they had to to cover all the evil that she'd been involved with the woman said sir I perceive that thou art a prophet verse 39 she started testifying and many of the Samaritans of the city believed on him for the saying of the woman listen if you've been forgiven of sin you don't have to go into the Gory details most folks know what your sins were anyway you don't need to be itemizing and revisiting your sins but you need to be telling people I'm serving a God that can forgive your sin you can't believe what he forgave me of so I know he can forgive you that's what being a witness is about when you start telling other the woman started telling other Samaritans and many of the Samaritans of City believed on him the saying of the woman which testified he told me all I ever did listen Jesus knows and he still wants to save you Jesus has every detail and he still loves you musicians come quickly a draw to a close about refreshing and renewing for there was one other definition of refresh that I have not read to you yet because it's been just in the past few years it's been added to the dictionary anew statement of refresh it means to update or renew as an image a display screen or content of a computer memory especially by sending a new signal to put something such as a page on the internet into a computer's memory again in order to show any new information to cause an updated version of to appear on the computer screen that's the last definition of refresh that I found but I put that up against the word that he used in our original text that said repent ye therefore and be converted there's one thing it's one thing to repent but it's something else after your pet to be converted for here's the definition of being converted now remember what refreshing was as a computer you get new information you you've updated you you know some of y'all are praying that your telephone don't have one of those updates because it takes a month to learn to operate it again you know to update to refresh but to be converted means having been adapted to be suitable for a new purpose I'm glad that when I repented of my sins God called me to a new purpose in my life I'm to fulfill his purpose not my purpose the sins I've committed they've been forgiven they've been washed away now the refresh button has been hit and I've got a new purpose in life Romans 12 1 said I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a Living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is a reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing or the refreshing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good acceptable and perfect will of God Titus 3 3 said for we ourselves also were past tense sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures has he talked about you yet living in Malice and envy hateful and hating one another has he read your mail yet but after that the kindness and love of God our savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the watching of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost stand with me if you're in this house today I want you to know God has a purpose for your life [Music] time to come in experience the honey of the Holy Ghost it's time to find the refreshing of life-giving water that Jesus spoke of at the well whichever analogy you choose to apply to your spiritual condition it's time to have a refreshing in your life I wonder if today would you bow your heads a moment if there's anybody in this house that you're just needing a refreshing oh I've been struggling I I I need to experience a refreshing in my life let me tell you it's just as simple it's taking a step by faith gathered around an altar of repentance or an altar of renewing an altar of refreshing it's just that easy [Music] Jesus said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon the serving God take that yoke he said learn of me I'm making lowly in heart ye shall find rest for your souls not turmoil not arguing not tumble not disagreement but you'll find rest for your soul listen if your home has been recently a place of disagreement if your home has been a place of tummel and turmoil it might be that you're needing a refreshing oh there's cares of life there's challenges of life that we all must face and when we Face them by ourselves we we grow faint but maybe the Holy Ghost today is trying to tell you I need you back where you need to be and I want to do some miracles in your life I want to do some wonders in your life if you want to refreshing in this house if anybody's in this house you want to refreshing and renewing would you step out would you come around the Altar for a season of refreshing I know I need refreshing I know I need renewing would you step out and get what you need from the Lord today receive refreshing and renewing in the Holy Ghost hallelujah hallelujah gonna walk down here [Music] change things Jesus [Applause] relationships [Music] would you touch us right now would you advise right now Jesus Jesus yourself permission [Music] hey hey Jesus [Music] [Applause] if you if you want if you walk [Music] [Applause] [Music] is the best way s [Applause] his name is Jesus name Jesus Jesus the Holy Ghost is right now hello [Music] [Applause] [Music] today is Jesus name is Jesus [Music] his name is Jesus [Applause] lift your hands and love Jesus right now [Applause] oh Hallelujah Glory Glory ah now when you leave this place go claiming Victory go out of this place refreshed renewed restored understanding I'm going to be back in his house again for a fresh renewing a fresh refilling every time I come into His presence he renews me Hallelujah First Apostolic church thank you for your praise for your worship would you greet any guests that you see someone that you do not know women's prayer time we have we pray first at six o'clock brother Jeremy musicians and praise team five o'clock choir 5 30. Lord bless you you