Sunday Morning Worship and Word (May 22, 2022)
by Mark McCool
May 22, 2022 · First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Acts 26:24-29, Colossians 2:8, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Galatians 1:11-16, James 1:14-15, Romans 3:23, 1 John 4:17-18, Colossians 2:13-14, Colossians 2:15, Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 8:11-13, Ephesians 3:11-12, 1 John 5:14-15, Luke 11:9, Acts 2:38

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-morning-worship-and-word-may-22-2022
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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i'm gonna let you move to your seats and you may be seated greetings and welcome to first apostolic church it is truly an honor and a privilege every time we get to fellowship with every one of you here at this assembly we welcome all of our guests if this is your first time to be with us here at first apostolic church we welcome you and we want you to continue to worship with us and we want you to feel the welcome of this assembly i realized that we are just on the the edge and the beginning of uh vacation season we have folks going to and fro and we pray for all those who are journeying those who are returning home we're also getting school out graduations taking place and we're thankful that i'm glad to have brother preston home lord bless you good to have you after school is out up in indiana welcome home lord bless you i want to say uh how proud we are of so many of our students we'll be talking more about that tonight but tonight is the graduation of apostolic christian school and i would remind one more time all of our elders and ministers all of our acs and aka staff and all of the choir and musicians if you would uh immediately upon dismissal uh if you would make your way if you have children get your children then come in for our uh rehearsal it will be brief but we will go over the things we need to do for tonight's graduation we also have apostolic kiddie academy graduation tonight i believe we have 25 graduates uh going into first grade which is awesome as well i give them a great big hand bishop mccool mentioned this in his prayer but i want to make this a special point of prayer for first apostolic church i've been in touch with bishop roland baker in auburn hills and of course this is uh my dad's original home church but they're pastor brother steve worman he's 51 years old and suffered a severe stroke just a couple of days ago and they are asking that all of our church family all believers uh commit brother warman to special prayer and we're going to do that bishop said that the next few hours were very crucial and so we're praying for him in fact let's do this before we go to the word of the lord i want us to have one more uh uh group prayer and uh let's stand together with focused prayer and we're gonna pray for pastor warman right now let's pray mighty god we do love you lord we're grateful that you are the healer and the prayer answerer lord i'm praying right now that you would intervene and bring a special healing touch for pastor warman lord you know the faithfulness you know the times that he's carried your gospel now lord i pray that you would reach down and minister to him minister to the auburn hills church lord give them strength give them courage and give them comfort today lord we're believing you for it we're thanking you for it and we trust in you in the name of jesus we do pray amen and amen lord bless you you can be seated let me say that over the mic so everyone else hears it uh we want to say we're so glad to have sister betty richmond we uh had the homegoing serving this service this past wednesday night of uh elder richmond and sister betty we're so glad to have you and the entire uh richmond family they're here where they're always working and glad to have you here and we'll continue to pray for strength for you sister betty i want to call your attention this morning to the book of acts the 26th chapter the book of acts the 26th chapter and as you're finding that in your bible or your electronic device uh let me once again say uh honor to our bishop our pastoral staff our ministerial staff all those working here at first apostolic church today to the saints of this assembly i'm excited to get into the word of the lord today acts the 26th chapter begin reading at verse number 24 and as he does spake for himself festus said with a loud voice paul thou art beside thyself much learning doth make thee mad but he said this is speaking paul i am not mad most noble festus but speak forth the words of truth and soberness for the king knoweth of these things before whom also i speak freely for i am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him for this thing was not done in a corner king agrippa believeth thou the prophets i know that thou believest then agrippa said unto paul almost thou persuade us me to be a christian almost thou persuades me to be a christian for a few moments i would speak to you on this subject the consequences of almost the consequences of almost let's pray save your anoint our message anoint my voice anoint my mind that i could speak as your mouthpiece lord let us receive all that you would have from us this day we thank you and praise you for this opportunity in jesus name we pray amen if you read in acts back chapter 24 and chapter 25 you will find the progression of paul now accused of seditions against the jews and paul understanding the law and understanding the rights of a roman citizen working his way through a politicized governmental judicial system and going through the appeals process to make sure that everything that he does is not an attempt to just appeal for his freedom but if you really watch what paul did paul used the appeal process to get to testify to every level that he could possibly testify to never mistake paul was appealing for his freedom but most of all every level every judge he went before every magistrate he looked for an opportunity to testify to his conversion the passage of scripture that i read in your hearing he has now reached multiple levels of appeal and he is now standing before festus and king agrippa and he once again is appealing to them he had made his appeal that he would appeal all the way to caesar if he must and as he begins his appeal he becomes so excited he has so much fervor telling about his experience on the road to damascus telling where he had come from he gets so excited that uh festus says hey hey calm down you're you're you're crazy you're acting mad there's something wrong with you understand this is the same paul when he had testified before felix he was so powerful in his testimony the bible said that felix trembled and felix said when i have a convenient season i'm gonna call for you i mean he was getting promises and recognition from the elite judgments and the elite leaders of that day but now we read that as he explains what's going on he addresses king agrippa and he said thou believe it's the prophets you can't deny what i've just said i know you do and agrippa trying to be political realizing that he knows everything paul is saying is really true he said almost thou persuade us me to be a christian you see agrippa i hope you can understand the decision you're making right now and you realize is you realize the consequences of almost on the surface it sounds like a wonderful victory in paul's testimony but you see there's consequences to almost if you almost won what does that mean you lost if you get your report card and you say mom i almost passed that probably means summer school if i say i almost graduated that definitely means summer school if you say i almost finish my task that means it's incomplete if you say i almost made it whether that shooting free throws catching buses or jumping mud puddles if you almost made it you either missed your free throw missed your bus or your money when you say i almost made it if someone almost survived an accident that means they died almost means only a little less than very close to nearly all but as good as practically but let me ask you today what does it mean to be almost saved what does it mean to proclaim he was almost saved what does it mean to be an almost christian some of the saddest words that could ever be uttered almost thou persuades me to be a christian for you see satan and humanity will be satisfied with you if you will settle for being almost satan will be satisfied if you'll be an almost christian humanity and its philosophies will be satisfied if you say almost is good enough colossians 2 8 says this beware lest any man spoil one commentator interpreted that word spoil here and notice that as lest any man intimidate you through philosophy through vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after christ if i can get you mankind says satan would agree if i can get you to be intimidated by man's philosophy by vain deceit by the traditions of men after the rudiments of the fundamentals of this world you'll be an almost christian you can almost be saved you can be comfortable around the christians but yet you're not saved for you see it said don't let man spoil you don't let man's philosophy intimidate you man's philosophy can be intimidating have you ever been intimidated before i have intimidation can be a powerful force if you ever found yourself in an intimidating situation you know the first day of school the first day of college ah you ever been in a courtroom i wasn't guilty of anything but i was intimidated by everything that was going on i visited a courtroom one day and i was supposed to be there to uh just simply make sure something else happened and i was sitting there minding my own business and there was a fella walked in with a hat on he ought not to done that i want you to know there was a bailiff and no uncertain term sir remove your hat you're in the courtroom i was checking to make sure i didn't have a hat on it was intimidating it was a scary place i remember asking sister jamie for a date for the first time you think that was bad i had to go then ask her mama if i could ask her out there's a lot of situations that can be intimidating i mean you can find yourself intimidated by a menacing dog that gets between you and the door even a chihuahua named killer you can get intimidated or to be intimidated means to make someone afraid to make timid or fearful to frighten especially to compel or defer by or as if by threats you see man's philosophies sometimes intimidate folks from really being sold out christians they become almost christians he said don't let man's philosophies intimidate you or spoil you that term spoil means to plunder taken from an enemy in war or from a victim in robbery to lute satan will intimidate you he will spoil you and he'll be satisfied if you'll be an almost christian remember judas got real close judas kissed the door to heaven when he kissed jesus yet he went to hell he almost made it but he wasn't there but you see man's philosophies that colossians spoke of their philosophies now the word philosophy we all use it but i have to have definitions what really is philosophy philosophy defined is the study of ideas of knowledge in other words you're examining knowledge and putting your idea together what knowledge is about the study of truth what is truth is that really truth the study of the meaning of life what does it mean and this is what mankind tries to do it tries to take the absolutes of christ and get folks saying well is that really necessary is this really true is it really essential that's the philosophy of man he said don't be intimidated or spoiled by the philosophy of man you see here's god's philosophy it's a whole lot easier god's philosophy is found in ecclesiastes 12 13. let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear god and keep his commandments this is the whole duty of man it's just that simple fear god and obey his word you've got it covered forget the philosophies of man don't be spoiled don't be intimidated i remind our students who are graduating from apostolic christian school i remind you who are going into higher education i go i remind all of you who are influenced by secular education if you're not careful man's ideas man's interpretation of things will mess your mind up so much it'll have you so confused you'll believe this is that and that is this folks can't decide what gender they are it's not that hard people it's not that difficult to figure out but this world has messed man's mind up so much with his philosophies oh is it murder is or is it choice it's not that hard fear god and keep the commandments this is the whole duty of man he goes on to use the word vain deceit vain means too proud of your own appearance abilities achievements having no real value deceit means dishonest behavior behavior that is meant to fool or trick someone you see the enemy will intimidate folks with vain deceit it's about me it's about how i look it's how about it's how i'm perceived in the community he goes on in colossians say don't be spoiled or intimidated by the traditions of men you see paul if anybody had the right to be a little stuck on himself paul did paul had a pedigree paul had a reputation paul had uh multiple qualifications as both a roman citizen and a jewish citizen paul could speak with the philosophers he could speak with the lawyers he had the rights of a roman citizen which were above others yet he could speak to the jews and and he because of his authority and his ability he was familiar with the traditions of men but oh and paul got a revelation of who the lord really was when the lord came and spoke to him on the road to damascus suddenly paul's philosophies changed the traditions of men didn't mean what they used to he gave his testimony in galatians as well did you notice the theme throughout once paul was turned from saul he became the number one witness he testified everywhere he went he told folks about his experience in galatians 1 11 he said but i certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man he said i've already been through all the man stuff for i neither received it of man neither was i taught it but by the revelation of jesus christ let me tell you if you're going to be an all christian you've got to have the revelation of jesus christ and who he is it can't be in the traditions of man's denominations you need a revelation of who jesus christ is today hallelujah for you have heard of my conversations in time past in the jews religion how that beyond measure i persecuted the church of god and wasted it and profited in the jews religion above many my equals in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers but when it pleased god who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in me that i might preach him among the heathen immediately i conferred not with the flesh and blood i didn't have to go get another degree to find out the revelation of who jesus was i didn't have to go to a magistrate and get some kind of paperwork and documentation there was a revelation took place there's too many people in this house you know what it's like to have the revelation of who jesus is that's why you can't contain yourself that's why you get excited you're not an almost christian you see tradition caused paul to persecute the church revelation made paul a witness of the church and then it mentioned in colossians don't be intimidated by or spoiled by the rudiments the fundamentals of the world here's what the fundamentals of the world give you james 1 14 said but every man is tempted when he's drawn away of his own lusts and enticed and when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin sin when it is finished bringeth forth death the habits the vices the rudiments the fundamentals of this world only lead to death it it amazes me we live in a college town we live here in at the university of tennessee and i'm thankful for all the good that our university does in educating folks but sadly very few attend the university without being influenced by the rudiments and the fundamentals of the world they learn misguided direction oh folks go online now not looking to see who get who can get the finest education they want to find out what's the best party school to attend i'm a university of tennessee graduate i can talk about my school if i want to uh there's a reason why you don't see a lot of churches on cumberland avenue but you see bars you see places that direct folks not toward higher education but takes you toward the debasing rudiment desires rudimentary desires of the flesh you see romans said for all have sinned and come short of the glory of god satan wants us to think that the rudimentary fundamental negative actions of flesh is what we all should do that way you can be an almost christian you can fit in on sunday one place and you can fit in with the world the rest of the time so he closes the deal and all these things with this satan brings fear to intimidate us fear of being different than everyone else fear of being thought to be odd or peculiar the fear of not fitting in with all else that's around but first john 4 17 says this here is our love herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness are you a bold christian or you an almost christian that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world am i like the world or am i like jesus in this world there is no fear in love if i learn to love jesus fear won't affect me but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment that's what intimidation is about he that feareth is not made perfect in love can i give you the premium prime example that jesus was and is for us to show us how to not be intimidated or spoiled by this world in an article by imperium romanum it states crucifixion was a form of capital punishment used in ancient times including by persians romans phoenicians and carthan engines on slaves freedmen pirates rebels and other non-citizens in the case of ancient rome an additionally low-status citizen could be sentenced to such death especially in the case of a serious crime for example treason of one's country sentenced to crucifixion he was tied or nailed to a stake or a large wooden cross and left there until his death it was an extremely long and painful death in addition to disgracing the con the convicted the main purpose of the punishment was to discourage others from committing similar crimes by way of intimidation let me say from then even until now mankind and his supposed wisdom has tried to use the cross to intimidate others racists have used it in an attempt to intimidate those who are different from them supremacists have used a form of the cross to be emblematic of their twisted views yet christ took the emblem why do we sing on a hill far away stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame mankind's wisdom and twisted ideology has taken the cross and try to make make it an intimidating sign for those who disagree or those who are different yet christ took the cross and changed it forever he changed what it represents to all humanity it is not intimidation anymore instead the cross is my victory it's my emblem of victory the empty cross he somebody here this preacher today jesus showed us how to be all together christians not almost not intimidated by some emblem not intimidated some by some ideology colossians 2 13 said and you being dead in your sins the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all your trespasses blotting out the handwritten the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way and nailed it to his cross the thing that said i was going to be intimidated he put it up against the cross and he nailed it there with his body oh can we on this beautiful sunday morning be reminded once again verse 15 of colossians 2 says and having spoiled principalities and powers now what did we say spoiled we got a warning don't be spoiled or don't be intimidated i submit to you when you know jesus christ suddenly the cross becomes principalities intimidation powers intimidation he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it suddenly the things that ought to be intimidating to us has been turned the emblem of suffering has been victory the enemy does not like the empty cross man's philosophy does not want the scriptures preached he took what should have been intimidating and made it the intimidation that represents his victory philippians 2 said let this be that this mind being you which was also in christ jesus who being in the form of god thought it not robbery to be equal with god but made himself of no reputation took upon in the form of a servant was made in the likeness of men and being found in the fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross wherefore god also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name you want to talk about intimidation you want to talk about being spoiled that at the name of jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that jesus christ is lord he is lord i'm not intimidated i'm not going to be an almost christian oh i don't want to make that claim [Applause] but he went on just stay with me i'm a little bit excited about what the word's telling us today romans said it this way but if the spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwell in you the spirit that raised up jesus from the dead dwell in you who raised jesus from the dead jesus said destroy this temple and in three days i will lift it up i want you to know ah the things that ought to be intimidating to us suddenly he took it and changed it we're not afraid of death anymore we're not afraid of man's philosophies the rudiments of this world he that raised up christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh i don't have to follow man's philosophies and be intimidated by them for if we live after the flesh we shall die but if you if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live you can read the rest of it it just excites me so much you see our weapons against the enemy's intimidation and that being an almost christian and the consequences of being almost our weapon against that is confidence in christ you're not intimidated if you've got the confidence in christ you're not spoiled if you've got confidence in christ ephesians 3 11 said according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in christ jesus our lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him first john 5 14 said and this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he hears whatsoever we ask we know that we have a petition that we desire of him oh hallelujah is it any wonder he said in luke yes if you ask it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you we need no more almost christians musicians come quickly for after agrippa said almost thou persuades me this was paul's answer he said i would to god that not only thou but also everybody that hears me this day he said this is going to be for free for everybody else i'm talking to the king everybody else listen he said i would that you were both almost and all together such as i am except for these bonds the term all together means holy and completely he said you don't need to be an almost christian king you need to be an all together christian god's looking for some folks that's got it all together today god's looking for some people that say i've got it all together because i completely believe and trust in him god desires all together witnesses not almost witnesses oh i thought about witnessing i wish i'd have said something god desires all together attendees of church not those that said well i almost went to church last sunday god desires folks that pay their tithe and give their offerings like well i almost gave in that offering god desires almost no god desires all together worshipers not you know if they'd have sung that song just one more time i believe how to give god a golf clap god's looking for some altogether worshipers that know how to show up and show out when his spirit moves they're not waiting for somebody else you know if he'll run i'll run if she'll shout i'll shout if they'll lift their arms i'll lift my hands no somebody's going to be i'm all together i've got it all together i'm going to be a worshiper i'm going to be a praise stand with me are you almost are you all together today almost christians are convinced of the desirability of embracing christ they just don't do it they feel greatly excited with regards to christ and christianity but they just don't commit some even reform their evil habits yet they are still just almost persuaded i don't want to be almost saved today i don't want to be almost a christian i'll close with this on the day of pentecost when peter had preached and they said what must we do peter didn't give them a plan to be almost saved he gave them a succinct simple plan of salvation he said repent repent there's nothing almost about that that's simply saying god i'm sorry god forgive me god i'm sorry i'm changing my ways i'm turning around then he said be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost that's just about as clear a plan as you could receive that's just as clear as it can be so i challenge everybody in this house today do you want to be an almost christian and suffer its consequences or do you want to be an all together christian i want to be an all together christian how about you i want to have it all together in christ if you need to talk to the lord about something in just a moment i'm going to open this altar and i'm going to invite everybody in this house to come if you're needing to repent you can repent if you've been serving god you're filled with the holy ghost but there's some stuff you just needn't get to get back together the same thing that gave you salvation in the beginning you can come back to an altra prayer and say god i'm just needing to talk to you i need you to straight some straighten some things out i need you to turn some things around in my life i need you to make some things right whatever you have need of today the altar is open for you would you step out and come and get what you need from the lord right now hallelujah hallelujah [Music] hallelujah hallelujah i have this confidence because i have confidence yes i've seen the faithful have you seen how faithful god is hallelujah [Music] [Music] when i go through the rivers i will not be drowned my god will take away so i am not afraid [Music] he will keep his promises yes he will there [Music] i is not lose heart here i will lift my arms and start to sink into the night my [Applause] [Music] i won't [Music] when i am in the fire i will not fear the flame i'll stand before the giant declaring victory my god will make the way always beside me no shadow oh rivers i will not be drowned my god declaring [Music] always beside me [Applause] behind [Music] [Applause] [Music] i am not [Music] i won't be overcome declaring victory my god will make a way so i am not afraid my god will make a way so i am not afraid would you lift your hands and love jesus again would you love him hallelujah savior i pray to my savior i love you savior i thank you for the work you've done thank you jesus thank you jesus let me once again say thank you for being with us here on this sunday morning pastor whitley reminded me he said he misspoke earlier old habits die hard the graduation begins tonight at 6 30 not 7 30. that does begin at 6 30. i would remind all of the choir if you would assemble on the platform i need elders and ministers to assemble from the second seat on on my right hand side i'll need acs and aka staff to assemble here the remainder of you are dismissed in jesus name please don't forget to get your children before you take your places though thank you so much