Sunday Morning Worship Service
by Mark McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Luke 11:11-13, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 John 2:1-2, 1 John 3:1-3, John 8:31-47, 1 John 2:13-20, John 14:1-18, John 14:26, 1 John 2:21-25, John 10:24-30

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/mark-mccool--sunday-morning-worship-service-61
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. You may move to your seats. We greet you on this Sunday morning in the precious name of Jesus. We welcome each one of you to the house of the Lord. So honored to have you here at First Apostolic Church. This is a beautiful day that has been set aside by tradition as Father's Day. And we at First Apostolic Church take advantage of this day to make sure that we recognize the institution that God has created of families, of fathers, and of mothers and of families. And we do honor every father who is in this house today. Could you give all of our fathers a great big hand of appreciation? We're living in a a desperate. Sir, I I see that Bishop has learned to use the multimedia. You know, uh I I have had the opportunity to uh work with him just a little bit. Uh uh I'm not a tech wiz, but every once in a while, Bishop will uh ask me for uh some advice on how to make this work on his computer or his laptop. And if I can't figure it out, we go to Eastston because that generation knows how to make it work. But with that said, apparently he found another picture of me at uh uh 123 West Columbia, our basement church. And it indeed is a privilege and I'm blessed. Uh didn't know that uh uh Bishop was able to download all those pictures, but thank you, Dad. Uh on Father's Day, uh you couldn't have been a father without me is all I can tell you. I'm I got that line from him, by the way. Um, but I do honor all of our fathers and I take just a moment before we get into the word again to uh repeat u and honor we do have apostolic royalty here today and I truly mean that. Uh, Sister Susie, Sister Suzanne, uh, we so loved Elder James and and your family and understand we're going to be family soon and I'm I'm excited about that as well. We love you guys and so honored to have you worshiping with us as we are with all of our guests who are here today. I want to get into the word of the Lord and I do have a message for Father's Day and uh I hope uh uh you will understand. Bishop always taught me if you were the last one with the mic, be prepared. So I'm the last one with the mic today. And so uh he had pictures of me. I don't have pictures, but I do have something else I'm going to read to you in a few minutes. So, Bishop, I was prepared for you today. I just want you to know that. Calling your attention to the book of Luke, the 11th chapter, and we're going to read three verses. Luke 11, beginning with verse number 11. If a son, this is the words of Jesus, if a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, little f, will he give him a stone? An obviously ridiculous rhetorical question. Or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If then, if ye then being evil, in other words, being flesh, if you then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more, everyone say, how much more? How much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? for a few moments this morning. I would speak to you on this subject. How much more? How much more? Let's pray. Savior, I love you. Lord, we're grateful for your presence that we are experiencing in this house. Lord, for every word of praise that's gone up, for every hand that's been lifted, every heart that's been touched. But Savior, now we come before you wanting to hear from your word. I pray that your word would minister mightily to us, God. that all that we say and do not be of our lips or our knowledge but of the anointing and the authority of your word. Father this we're grateful and thankful in Jesus name we pray. Amen. I would first tell you I know this is Father's Day. This is not Mool's day. So I don't want you to at nauseium hear too much about the Mool family. Uh but with that said, it was in my plans to tell you about my father. In 2001, I was asked to compose a letter about Bishop Mcool to be a part of a book celebrating at that time 53 years of ministry. This being Father's Day, I want to go back just a little bit and read you the letter that I composed in 2001, some 24 years ago, about Bishop Mcool, my father. The letter reads, "Greetings in Jesus name. I've been asked to write a letter concerning my relationship with Bishop Billy Mcool. I consider this quite a daunting task for I know him in many different aspects of life. I know Bishop Mcool as my pastor and evangelist as founder and administrator of Apostolic Christian School and Apostolic Kitty Academy. I know him as an uncompromising counselor, arbiter, and negotiator. I know him as a bus driver, a mechanic, a tractor operator, a plumber, an electrician, a ditch digger. I know him as a musician and a singer. In this text, I introduce you to a Bishop Billy Mcool that most do not know. I am privy to a Billy Mcool that most have not met. 1 Timothy 3:2 states, "A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife." It has been stated, "The greatest thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." I'm a witness that my father loves my mother. Furthermore, my mother loves my father. In these days of broken marriages, violated vows, battered and brutalized wives, adulterous affairs, and flirtatious flings. I know a man and a woman who love each other so much that the very idea of misplaced affections is simply an absurdity. The very thought of raising a hand to his wife has never been an option. They have shown me all caps real love. Thanks mom and dad for your example. 1 Timothy 1:4 states, "One that ruleth rule ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. I'm his only child, so I'm a witness to his teaching. My dad taught me to play ball, ride motorcycles, and how to enjoy life. He taught me the importance of behaving myself wisely at all times. He had when needed a look that let me know without a word the gravity of a given situation. Everybody know what daddy's look is like. He also had a belt that when needed seemed to defy the laws of gravity. I'll leave that right there. He always corrected me with love and mercy and without abuse. Most important, he taught me to love God and God's church. I was never neglected, but I knew that the work of God was one of the most important things in our lives. I was taught that the people of the church are the greatest people in the entire world, and to serve them in any minuscule capacity was an extreme honor. If this letter makes it appear that I'm proud of my parents, it's because I am. I want to especially say thanks for not being my just my bishop, but for also being the greatest father any boy could have with great affection. Mark Mako, Dad, I love you. I love you dearly. We love our bishop, don't we? But I am aware that today there are many of you and most of you have just as fond of thoughts and comments concerning your father and rightfully so. You should. Some of you no longer have your father with you and today brings a bit of sadness yet fondness of memories of a wonderful father. Sadly, there are still others because of life circumstances you did not grow up with a father in your life or you had to deal with an individual who was a male parent, but they were anything but a father to you. But no matter your circumstances today, hear me. I've got good news for everybody in the house. We have not a father. We have the father available to us all in this house. No matter your circumstances, your fondness or your lack of a relationship with a natural father, we have the father, our father, our heavenly father. Our text gave the example of a good earthly father who is a provider of good things. one who provides bread, fish, and an egg. This was an example of provisions in that day, not a stone, a snake, or a scorpion. Typically in our home, as I was growing up, dad was the provider who gave instructions and mom was the one who gave the cautions and the warnings. For example, dad said, "This is how you ride a motorcycle." Mom said, "Don't pull out in traffic and don't try to find ramps to jump over." Dad said, "This is a skill saw. This is how you use it." Mom said, "Don't cut off your fingers or the legs of the table in the house." Dad said, "This is how you hit a baseball." Mom said, "Don't knock the neighbor's window out." One gave instructions and provided while the other gave the cautions. In the book of John, we find or rather in the book of First John, we find some spiritual fatherly instructions and provisions. First John 2:1 said this, "My little children, these things I write unto you that you sin not." That's pretty good instruction if you ask me. That kind of cuts to the chase. No extra there. The instruction was don't sin. Wow. If we could just all follow those instructions, man, it would certainly simplify life. You sin not. But there's too many of us who just do not read the instructions or when we hear them, we don't listen to them. But he went on in his writing. He said, "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father. Not a father, the father. Who's that advocate? Jesus Christ the righteous. Notice the punctuation. It says we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ. This was not two separate and distinct individuals, but these were two positions of authority. And he was introducing the advocate. There was some direction being given. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only also for the sins of the whole world. Let me tell you about the father today. He provided the propitiation for everybody in the house. He's my father. He's my daddy. Oh, I can brag on my natural father. But let me tell you about all of our father. He provided the propitiation, the substitution for the sins of the whole world. That's you and me. He instructed us not to sin, but there were provisions. Not for willful sin, but for weak in ability not to sin. Humanity. The father would then give gifts. Our text said, "If we being evil or we being flesh will give good gifts, how much more?" How much more? First John 3 began listing some of the gifts that were given. The gift of the Holy Ghost is mentioned in our text, but first John 3 says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God." We have the opportunity to take on his name. We have his name as part of the gift and we have his love. Therefore the world knew us not because it knew not him. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that walketh this hope in him purifith himself even as he is pure. Not only do I have his name, I want to be like my daddy. I'm thankful to be like his my daddy. I want to have the father's attributes. Sister Jamie and I had an interesting thing happen here a few days ago. We were getting some supplies for some event that was going on here around the church. And we were in in line at Hobby Lobby. And uh uh I was kind of in my peripheral vision. You can tell when somebody's kind of looking you over and checking you out. And there was a lady behind just kept looking at us. And finally, she apparently got up the nerve. She said, "Are you Reverend Mcool?" I said, "Guilty. She said, "I heard," she said, "we used to before all the days of internet and all of that stuff that everybody's streaming things now." She said, "We used to get up early in the morning getting ready for church and we would watch your service before we went to our service." And she told me what denomin she attended. And she said, "I heard you preach a message when I was about 12 years old." Well, she looked like she was about as old as me. So, I was hoping she was mistaking me for my dad. In fact, I was kind of glad I was. That was a badge of accomplishment because she thought I was my dad. She said, "You preached a message with a beer bottle." And I had to think just a minute. I said, "Yes, ma'am. I remember that message for here's what Bishop preached. I got to take credit for it. There was no need to try to correct her at this point. But here's what Bishop preached. Bishop told that he'd got up on Sunday morning. On Saturday night, somebody had driven by his house and thrown a beer bottle in his yard. And he said he went out to pick it up and was going to put it in his garbage. And he said, "I got to thinking about the garbage man come by, see this beer bottle. He going to think the preacher's been nipping a little bit. He said he started to take it across the street and put it in my garbage can, but said that wouldn't have been nice either. So instead, he said, "I believe I'm just going to take it to church and preach with it." So he washed it out good, came to church, and sure enough, when he went on the broadcast, he set a brown bag up on the podium. And when he started to preach, some of y'all remember this message. I'm thankful that I did that I could recount it with the lady. He unwrapped it and he set that bottle out there and the label on the bottle was Milwaukey's best and the title of Bishop's message was if this is Milwaukeekey's best Milwaukeee's in a mess. And then all he did was preach from the warning label. If you're pregnant, don't do this. Don't take this because it's law. It may it may cause defects in your child. Don't operate heavy equipment. Don't drive a car. That this may cause some I want to be like my daddy. I was thankful that I was mistaken for my earthly father. But let me tell everybody in the house, let this world accuse us of being whatever they may. Let us be like Jesus. I want to be like my heavenly father. Everything I do, everything I say, no matter what I enter into, let me be like Jesus. I want to be one of his children. Let me reflect his thoughts. Let me reflect his attitudes. Let me be like Jesus. I want to be like the father. You see, Jesus had to have a little discussion one time with the Jews because uh the Jews wanted to argue about who their daddy was and they wasn't really sure. Well, they had a I'll call it a who's your daddy discussion. John 8 verse 31 it said then Jesus then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him if you continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." They answered him. We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou, ye shall be made free?" They were a little bit indignant of his statement. Jesus answered and said to them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committh sin is a servant to sin." Uhhuh. And the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abideth ever. If the son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. And I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my capital Father. You do that which you have seen with your little Father. He was distinguishing between almighty God, the position of father and his fleshly position that he had taken as God manifest in flesh as the son. They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. All right. Abraham's our father. Jesus said unto them, if you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham, you do the deeds of your father. Then they then said they to him, we be not born of fornication. We have one father, even God. Now now they started arguing. They Abraham was the father. Now they said, God's our father. Jesus said unto them, "If God were your father, you would love me. You will have the attributes of your father. You'll talk like him, walk like him, and act like him." Why do you not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my words? Jesus made it plain who their daddy was. He said, "Yeah of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father, ye do." He was a murderer from the beginning. You're the ones wanted to kill me. The devil was a murderer from the So, you're acting like your daddy. There's an old country saying that works. It said if it walked like a duck and talks like a duck and quack like a duck, it's a duck. You can put it in a cage and try to get a song bird out of it. Oh, you gonna get the quack. If you look like the world and you talk like the world and you act like the world, you're not a child of God. Now, that's what he's trying to get across. He said you're acting like your daddy, the devil. He was a murderer and you want to murder me. Ye are your of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and bowed not in the truth because there was no truth in him. When he speak of the lie, he speak of his own. For he is a liar and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Some folk get mad. You start telling the truth. Which of you conceiveth me of sin and say the truth? Why do you not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words. Ye there therefore hear them not because ye are not of God. Besides that, you don't listen to what he said. You see, and I hasten John in first John rather would give advice to fathers. In 1 John 2:13, he said, "I write unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children because you've known the father. I have written unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning. I've written unto you the young men because you're strong and the word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the wicked one. He said, "Love not the world." What are you in love with today? Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world. Who am I acting like? Who am I talking like? Who am I going the places that he would go? And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, and he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Little children, it's the last time. And as you have heard that the antichrist shall come even now, please notice this. Don't lose this. On Father's Day, said you've heard the antichrist has come in. There's folks walking around everywhere. They they looking for 666. They're looking for all kind of horns and beasts and dragons. He said even now there are many antichrist whereby we know that it is the last time. I am not a revelation preacher. I love the book of the revelation but for me to stand before you and tell you I can interpret what all those things are. I can't just be transparent. Hope they don't make you leave. But I will quote one fell some of you might have heard of. He's not a prophet. Fellow by the Mark by the name of Mark Twain. Mark Twain said it's not the things in the Bible that I don't understand me don't understand that scare me. He said it's the things that I do understand. I do understand what sin not means. I get that. And we're worried about an antichrist from the future. If we're God's people, we're going to be caught up. We're going to be protected. We're going to have all of those things come to pass. But he said there's antichrist, right? You tell me there's not antichrist in this world right now. There are those that like to close the doors of the churches. There are those who think that the church is unneeded and that that the church is is is vile to ci civilization. Verse 19 even said this there went out they went out from us there those who have once walked with the Lord. He said they went out from us but they were not of us. For if they had been of us they would have no doubt have continued with us. Now, I'm not talking about somebody that moves to another apostolic church and and the circumstances of their life. You know better than that. But there are those who have once walked in the truth, have once communed with the father that have walked away from serving God, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they that they were not of us. But here's the difference. He said, "But we have an uncction." That's an anointing from the Holy One. And you know all things. You want to be a knowit all, get the anointing of the Holy Ghost. He said, "You're going to know it all. You're going to have that extra sense of the power of the Holy Ghost leading you, guiding you, and directing you." Praise team, musicians, get ready. We must today establish one more time in our minds on this Father's Day, we're thankful for our natural fathers that we have, but who the father really is. Jesus would give us insight and no better day to preach it than on Father's Day of who the father is. John 14:1 said, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me." Jesus talking, "In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." There's a revelation taking place that Jesus would be God manifest in flesh. And he was going back to prepare a place for us. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also, whether I go, you know, and the way you know. Jesus is let Oh, hallelujah. Just see the insight. He's letting us know who the father really is. Thomas was sitting there. Thomas couldn't figure it out, man. You're messing with my brain. Jesus, he said, "Lord, show us the father that it sufficeth or it satisfies us." Jesus said unto him, he didn't say, "The Father," he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me." If ye had known me, you should have known my father. Also, from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. Philip spoke up and said, "Hey, wait, Lord, show us the father that it sufficeth us." Jesus said, "Have I been with you so long?" Hallelujah. He said, "Have I been so long with you and you have not known me, Philillip?" When you've seen me, you've seen the father. Hear me in this house today. When you know Jesus and you have him inside you, you've got the father. You've got his attributes. He said, "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very work's sake." Man, Jesus has given us mighty revelation that we should all rejoice about today. Verse 12, he said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my father. And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do." Who's talking? Jesus. He said, "Ask in the name of Jesus. If you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray the father. Oh, here's a little more insight coming. This This is Father's Day here. Here's the more coming. How much more? Here's the how much more that our text talked about. He said, "I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter with a capital C 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 you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." Jesus speaking, he said, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." Jesus is coming to you. How does he come? Well, John said it this way. John 14:26, "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he'll teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I've said unto you." Let me tell you, you need the comforter. You need the Holy Ghost. That's the good gift that he's talked to us about in our original text. Stand with me. You'll think I'm quitting. First John 2:21. I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, because you know it, and that no lies in the truth. Who is a liar? But he that denyth that Jesus is the Christ, listen, there's too many in this world, they're not truly realizing that Jesus is not Jehovah Jr. He's not the second person in the Trinity. But Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. He was not an eternal son. He would occupy the sunship until he would pay that supreme sacrifice for everybody in this house. That he would be the father to us all. Who is a liar? But he that denith Jesus Christ, he is the antichrist that denth the father and the son. Whosoever denith the son, the same hath not the father. He that acknowledgeth the son hath the father also. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you and shall continue in the son and in the father. Here's the final gift, the final promise. And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life. I'm promised heaven today when I have that proper relationship with the father. I receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ living in me. I'll give you one more passage and we really will be finished. John 10:24 said, "Then came the Jews round about him, said unto him, how long dust thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered and said, "I told you." And he believed me not. the works that I do in my father's name, they bear witness of me. He said, I've been telling you, I've been showing you and you you you won't believe me, but you believe not because you're not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice and I know them. They follow me and I give unto them eternal life. There it is again, the ultimate promise. and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. So I go, so I and my verse 30, I and my father are one. They wanted it plain. They got it plain. He said, I and my father are one. When you've got Jesus in your heart, you've got the father. You have the comforter, the Holy Ghost in your heart. Now, what are you going to do about it today? Is my question. Cuz there was one more verse. You know what the Jews did after that when Jesus explained it? It said the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Will you accept him or will you reject him today? Do you know the father? Are you happy to have the father in your life? Could we lift our hands and love Jesus just a moment? Could we praise him? Lord Jesus, I love you. I thank you on this day that we celebrate earthly fathers that we have revelation of who you are and who's we are. God, we come before you so grateful for the good gifts that you provide for us. Lord, you provide an advocate for sin. You provide the propitiation for our sins. Lord, you provide the power of the Holy Ghost to live in us daily. You dwelling inside us. And Lord, we thank you for the promise of eternal life this day. Now, Lord Jesus, if there's a person in this house who has not yet repented of their sins, Lord, I pray that they would open their mouths right now, right where they are, and they would begin to repent and say, "Lord, I'm sorry for my sinning." And God, I know that you will receive their repentant heart right now. Hallelujah. God, if there's one who has not been baptized in your name, the name of Jesus. Lord, we are prepared today to baptize them in your name, the saving name, the healing name. And Lord, you have pro promised the gift of the Holy Ghost evidenced speaking with tongues. Now Lord, I pray that your power be poured out and manifest right now. Lord, we bless your name. We bless your name. Hallelujah. Praise team, would you lead us in worship? Hallelujah. I want to be more like you. I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. I want to be a vessel you work through. I want to be more. Oh, would you sing that to the Lord right where you are? I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. [Music] I want to be a vessel you work through. I want to be more like you. I realize that we have an end of service gift today, but I think it would be appropriate for just a few moments for everybody to step out from your seat and let's gather around for a season of prayer of thanking the father for the relationship that we have with him. Thanking him for the good gifts. If you don't have the Holy Ghost, come and get it. If you haven't repented of your sins, come and do it. Whatever you need to do in this house, God has the provision for you. We're going to sing. We're going to praise a little while and then we'll proceed. Let's praise unto the Lord. Sing it now. I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. [Music] Yeah. I want to be a vessel. You work through. I want to be more like you. Sing it unto the Lord. Yeah. I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. Oh, I want to be a vessel. You work through. I want to be more like you. Would everybody lift your voice and sing? I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I want to be a vessel you work through. I want to be more like one more time to the Lord. I want to be more like you, Jesus. I want to be more like you. [Music] I want to be a vessel. You work through. I want to sing that line again. I want to be a vessel. I want to be a vessel. I want to be a vessel. You I want to be that vessel. Father, I want to be one more. Just one more. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I want to be a vessel you work through. I want to be more like you. Now, would you lift your hands and love him? Love him together right now. Father, we bless your name. Father, we give you praise in this house. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Glory. Glory. Lord bless you. I'm going to let you move to your seats.