Sunday Morning Worship Service

Well, the Lord bless you. You may move to your seats and be seated. We greet you this Sunday morning, this Father's Day, in the precious name of Jesus. What a privilege it is to be back in the house of the Lord with each and every one of you. I say welcome to all of our guests who would join us maybe for the first time here or returning guests you're at home and we're glad to have you here. We join with the voices that have gone before us welcoming those also who are joining us on our multimedia platforms. Thank you for being in service with us today. And I do say happy Father's Day to all of the fathers in this house. We'll be talking a little bit more to you in a few minutes. But I do want to take just a moment to uh follow up on the remarks >> >> uh Pastor Anthony uh by saying uh a heartfelt thank you to First Apostolic Church for uh your great contributions >> >> to the uh General Ministry Conference, the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ uh held here in our city at the Knoxville Convention Center. I saw so many of you uh there in the services, especially on Wednesday night. Uh thank you so much for being there for your worship, your praise. I do realize uh the sacrifice of living here in town sometimes and attending a an event is uh most challenging when it comes to parking and and walking and all those things that uh uh take place with attending an event when you're not staying in a property downtown. Thank you so much uh for your great contributions. Uh, thank you to the choir musicians uh, for leading in worship on the Wednesday night service. And I want to say a special thank you to our ushering staff. Uh, what a marvelous marvelous job they did uh, uh, managing uh, the services, receiving the offerings. And I give a heartfelt thank you to you. Uh, First Apostolic Church is a church full of servants who who help in the kingdom of God. I received so many uh, wonderful compliments uh, on our city and upon our church in particular for your contributions to the conference. And I say, thank you so much for your help. And again, I I would join with Pastor Anthony's voice as well. We got to uh, slip up there and see that upgraded room and celebrate Bishop and Sister McCool's 70th wedding anniversary. I think that deserves another great big hand. >> >> Now. Now, understand it's it's not that we are being uh, uh, dismissive nor uh, inattentive to what a such a momentous occasion. But uh, uh, Bishop and Sister McCool and I both know they're very uh, practical about celebrating things. Uh, many times uh, the greatest thing we all can do is when the whole family gets together. And their uh, 70th anniversary uh, was June 16th, I believe. Is isn't that correct? Uh, but uh, then on on Thursday night uh, rather than having a great big cake they celebrated uh, with the entire family in that Governor's suite with a a pile about that high of Krispy Kreme donuts with 70 candles well a seven and a zero candles on top of that and it couldn't have been more fun. I promise you I celebrated with uh uh me and sister Jamie their grandkids and their great grandkids and what a time we had. Mom and Dad thank you for the example of 70 years of marriage. Uh we do thank you and we love you dearly. And today being Father's Day I want to I want to take a little bit to talk to the fathers and to tell you a little bit more about my father. So if you will uh indulge me for a few minutes today now at the end of the service I would remind you again there first of all there is a a special gift for every uh man here today uh that you'll receive going out of the sanctuary at dismissal. But in addition we will be having a drawing for some uh special gifts uh from the church and uh uh from Old Bean. So I'm excited about all of that. So I keep you reminded of that. Uh but I want to talk to all the fathers for a few minutes. Calling your attention to the book of James the first chapter. We're going to read a couple of verses. James 1 we'll read verse 17 and 18. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning. Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation. For a few moments this morning, I want to speak to everyone, but especially to all the fathers on a good and perfect gift for Father's Day. A good and perfect gift for Father's Day. Let's pray. Jesus, I thank you for this wonderful day of celebration. Lord, I thank you that you have allowed us the privilege to be back in your house. And Lord, now I pray that your word would minister to us on this beautiful Lord's Day that you've given us. Let your word give us guidance, direction, strength, and confidence to always serve you. For this we're grateful. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Our text said every good and perfect gift comes from above and comes down from the Father of lights. Now, I will not do violence to the word of God by misusing it, but I hope to at least be allowed a little latitude to talk about my father a little bit today. Everyone wants to get when you're giving a gift, you want to purchase a good and perfect gift for special occasions. Father's Day is no different. You want to get something on Father's Day that your dad will want, will need, and will appreciate. And with that said, the next step you have to do is to eliminate anything that he already has. You don't want to buy him something he's already got. So, for me when I start putting that list together Dad, I'm not I'm not to tell you what I got you, but let me tell you three things that I knew I didn't need to purchase for you. I didn't need to purchase a flashlight, a pocket knife, or the word of God. I knew he would have those three things at his immediate immediate disposal. IN FACT, I GUESS IF I ASKED Bishop today, "Do you have the word of God?" He'd pull his iPad out and he's got every version you can think of on his iPad. And if I asked him, "Bishop, have you got a flashlight on you this morning?" I didn't set this up. "Have you got a flashlight on you? Show me. Show me. Show me." Read read I knew where it would be. He Look look he he he's got a pen light in his pocket. See, y'all see that? And I didn't set this up. Now, when he came in the door, I asked him, I said, "Hey Dad, have you got your pocket knife on you?" He said, "I got my britches on, don't I?" And he pulled out his pocket knife and showed it to me. There's three things I knew I wouldn't have to get my dad for this Father's Day. That was a flashlight, pocket knife, and or the word of God. That's my natural father. But speaking of the Father of lights, our spiritual Father, the Bible said that there is no variableness in him. In other words, he's consistent. He has a fixed pattern. He's not given to change. Our heavenly Father is not up one day and down the next. The NIV version of the Bible reads this way with James 1:17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Malachi 3:6 said it this way, "For I am the Lord, I change not." Neither did my dad. Dad's always got a flashlight, a pocket knife, and the word of God. So, begin thinking about it just a little bit in the comparison in the natural and the spiritual. SO, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE bit about my dad and his having flashlights. There may be a Maglite or a flashlight in the glove box of every vehicle he owns. A penlight in his shirt pocket, a zillion candle spotlight on a charger in the garage. Am I right, Mom? In his desk drawer, you'll find at least one flashlight, if not many. Sprinkled through the home in any place he frequents, you will find a flashlight. In the days before rechargeable lights, he also has a battery caddy that'll hold like 120 batteries to make sure all of his different flashlights will work when they're needed. By the way, I have never had anyone satisfactorily explain to me why there's no such thing as a B battery. There's A's, double A's, triple A's, C's, D's, and 9 volts. And don't anybody start Googling while I'm preaching to figure that out, okay? But Dad always had the proper battery because when there was a need for a flashlight, he wanted to make sure it worked. And as he exemplified in the natural the importance THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS A need for a flashlight, the father of light scripturally gives us this example. John 8:12 said, "Then Jesus again said spake Jesus again unto them saying, 'I am the light of the world.' He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." The Jesus that I serve became the light OF THIS WORLD. HE PROCLAIMED, "I am the light." WE TALK ABOUT THE NATURAL, BUT IN THE SPIRITUAL, YOU NEED A LIGHT in this dark dark world we're living in. Our Father has light to light our way. In John 9, we read it. He said, "I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work. As long as I'm in the world, I am the light of the world." John 12:46 said, "I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Just just as sure as my daddy always had a flashlight, Jesus is always the light in a dark dark world. We need to know that our heavenly Father is lighting our way even today. The psalmist said it this way, "For thou will light my candle. The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." Aren't you thankful for the light of Christ in your life? BUT THEN I SAID MY DAD ALWAYS HAD A POCKET KNIFE. I WAS TAUGHT AT A YOUNG age that A POCKET POCKET knife was a valuable tool, not a weapon. My dad always had a pocket knife. And in a different era, frankly, because of his example, I carried a pocket knife even to school. I had teachers sometimes, "Hey McColl, could I borrow your pocket knife? I need to sharpen my pencil." And yes, I do know how to play mumbly peg. And if you don't know what that is, young folks, don't worry about it. But it involved facing across from a friend and sticking your knife up in the ground. You had to put your foot here, and then you got a chance to do here. It was a lot like Twister with a pocket knife, okay? But my dad was my example with pocket knife. His knife was usually sharp, but very well used. Dad's knives were rarely pristine for long, but they were functional. The primary blade of his knife was usually had scratches and impen- imperfections on the edge where he had used it to cut electric wires and anything else that he might need to. Dad was always, and still is, partial to a two-bladed middleman old-timer jackknife. Had one in his pocket today. It's not necessarily a collector's item, but it was functional. And you see, as he used it, if he ever broke the tip off of that pocket knife, that wasn't a problem. Now, it was a flathead screwdriver. Kept using it. Now, in contrast, and he's probably listening this morning, my Uncle Gary was a butcher by trade when he was younger. He could put an edge on a knife with the best of them. He valued a pristine Case double X, a straight, a Kissing Crane, a Boker, a Buck, or a Gerber. Most of the time you would approach my Uncle Gary, he usually had a knife or a multitude a multi-tool in a sheath on his belt. BUT HE ALSO WOULD HAVE A BETTER collectible knife in HIS POCKET FOR SHOWING OR FOR DROPPING IF you know what I mean. If you don't know what dropping knives are, let me tell you you better be careful with Uncle Gary. Because you may end up trading your Case double X for a Walmart special. I remember seeing my dad and my Uncle Gary working together. And Uncle Gary knew how dad treated a knife. And my dad one day playfully asked Uncle Gary, he said, "GARY, LET ME BORROW YOUR KNIFE TO OPEN AN OIL CAN OR CUT A PIECE OF WIRE." AND UNCLE GARY WOULD DO JUST LIKE THIS. HE'D GET ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN HIS POCKET LIKE THAT AND HE'D SAY, "NO, USE your own." CUZ HE KNEW HOW DAD USED a pocket knife. It was functional, not collectible. But she you see, my heavenly Father has something sharper than a POCKET KNIFE. HEBREWS 4:12 SAID, "FOR THE WORD of God IS QUICK AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and MARROW AND IS A discerner of the thoughts and intent of the heart." You see, our heavenly Father has equipped us. He is the example of that word becoming that sharp sword that divides asunder those things that have to be divided. I'm thankful for his light and I'm thankful for the sharpness of his word that protects God's directs. And you see, most importantly to me, my dad always had the word of God at his disposal. I constantly saw my dad reading, studying, preaching, or preparing to preach with the word of God. It was always without varying or change. Never a desire to redirect the message of truth and salvation. He would by example, when I was home, study and prepare to with love, care, and preach the word. Dad has always been in my life a preacher of the gospel. Ecclesiastes 12:9 says, "And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yea, he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words. And that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wisers goads, and as nails fastened to the masters of assembly, which are given from one shepherd. And further by these, my son, be admonished. Of making of many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. I saw my dad study many times when he was tired. I saw him every Sunday preparing for Sunday school. Whenever I got up, he was already up preparing for service. I saw him study. There was a time that our church in its infancy didn't have co-pastors, associate pastors, lead pastors, uh student ministry pastors, ministers in the church, there was a time that the song It's All in Him could apply to the pastor. I can remember my dad being the MC of the service, the song leader, and then the preacher. At one time, I can remember well Bishop McCool teaching Bible class on Sunday morning, preaching a broadcast message, preaching Sunday night message on the radio three times a day, five times a week, teaching Wednesday night Bible class, and teaching Wednesday morning school Bible class, and also sometimes preaching in chapel service on Friday. I want to tell somebody if I had to study for that many messages every week, I'd be from Genesis all the way back in the maps looking for a message. It would be incredible, but I saw him constantly studying and preparing to preach the word of God. Things haven't changed. I still go by Mom and Dad's house, and many times I'll go in Dad has his laptop out, and he's reading, studying the word of God. For 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, but shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase under more ungodliness." Why would we be a godly church before because we've had leadership that does not seek out ungodliness, but stays in the word. I thank you, Dad, for an example. He didn't need more word, he didn't need a pocket knife or a flashlight. But, let me tell you this. Since Dad has always been a good example for me, I've never been ashamed for anyone to say of me, "Hey, you You know, you're like your dad." So, I consequently find myself most usually in possession of a Swiss Army pocket knife, a Leatherman multitude, and at least one flashlight. And yes, this is not staged, but there's my flashlight, a Swiss Army knife, and my mini Leatherman multi-tool that I carry most of the time. You see, I have in my office my first Thompson Chain Reference Bible, as well as many other Bibles in my house because of the example my daddy was. I have a iPad with me today that has several versions of the word of God on it that I can study with. Furthermore, while through the years I have given my son Anthony and my son-in-law Nate a few pocket knives and flashlights, the love that they have for the word of God is more dear to me than anything I could ever give them. Yeah, I've I've given my daughter Ashley and my daughter-in-law Kelly as well. And yes, my wife, I've given them those little Swiss Army Classic SD knives that they keep on their keychains sometimes. But, I'm more thankful than anything that I've been able to give them an opportunity, and they've taken advantage to be workers in the kingdom of God. Anthony has always loved getting a Bible. Anthony even has or at least had a Bible that had Tennessee orange leather cover on it. Well, Nate had a custom-made leather-bound emerald green Bible that he treasures among the many. If you've ever been in his office, you'd understand. I hope that some way some way somehow that I as a father and a father-in-law have been an example to another generation. I'm not worried about pocket knives and flashlights, but I want them to love the word of God and the work of God. And I speak to every man in this house today. Some of you may have been just as fortunate as I have been to have a wonderful father as an example in the natural. But some of you in this house you might not have been as fortunate maybe. You might not have had your father in your life. You may have lost your father out of your life early in your life or you might have had a father who had never turned his life over to the Lord. You may have had a less than desirable example as a father. I've got good news for you today. Your heavenly father is still the perfect example who has the good and perfect gifts for everyone. I I've quoted it before and to some you've heard this. But there's a song this time of year goes through my mind that I have to quote just a verse and a chorus. Brother Jerry Dean's brother Dan Dean who fabulous writer and songwriter with Phillips, Craig, and Dean, a gospel group. He penned these words to a song that he entitled, "I Want to Be Just Like You." This was the verse that said, "He climbs in my lap for a good night hug. He calls me dad, and I call him Bub. With his faded old pillow and a bear named Pooh, he snuggles up close and says, 'I want to be like you.'" I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight, tripping over the toys as I turn out the light. And I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see he's got a father in God cuz he's seen Jesus in me. Lord, I want to be just like you cuz he wants to be just like me. I want to be a holy example for his innocent eyes to see. Help me be a living Bible, Lord, that my little boy can read. I want to be just like you cuz he wants to be like me. Our heavenly Father wants every one of us to be like him. And while I give the example of fathers and sons, I got news for you. Daddy's girls in the house, too. He wants us all to be just like him. Matthew 5:14. Now, remember in John, he said, "I'm the light of the world." But now in Matthew 5:14, he said, "Ye are the light of the world." I want to be like Daddy. I want TO BE JUST LIKE HIM. IF JESUS WAS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, LET ME BE THE LIGHT of the world. Now, A CITY THAT'S SET ON A HILL THAT CANNOT BE HID. NEITHER DO MEN LIGHT CANDLES AND PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL. I CAN'T HIDE MY TESTIMONY. I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS. I WANT TO BE LIKE HIM. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is heaven in heaven. Praise team musicians, get ready. James, that we read in our text, said every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. And cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. And it went on to say, "Of his own will beget he us with the word of truth." He's given us truth. He beget that was born in us. If we're his followers, that he should be a kind of first that we should be a kind of first fruits in his creation. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. Daddy's given an example how you need to be if you're going to be like him. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Here's his example. Be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own self. Here's what Jesus said about giving gifts, the good and perfect gift. In Luke 11:9, I say unto you, "Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? You want the good and perfect gift? He's got the Holy Ghost for you today. Hallelujah. If you need THAT GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT, THE HOLY GHOST IS A GIFT PROMISED TO ALL WHO believe and who ARE FOLLOWERS, WHO TAKE ON HIS NAME. Stand with me. Yes, I realize that some under the sound of my voice may not have a natural father to emulate. But you have a spiritual father who has the good and perfect gift for you. Whatever your circumstance and relationship, some under the sound of my voice right now, you might not even have good feelings about your father and previous generation. Sir, Jesus is calling you to step up and be the father that maybe your daddy wasn't. He's blessed you. Scripture tells us that children are heritage. It also says that a they're like arrows in a quiver. You He The more you got the more blessed you are. You're You're If you God has blessed you with several children. You have the opportunity to step up and be a first generation example of Christ in your sons and your daughters life. You have a heavenly father who should be your example who loves you. Who's perfect in every way. Ephesians 1:2 said grace be to you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY places in Christ according as he has chosen us in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Romans speaks of the way we become the sons of God is the spirit of adoption. Said for if you live in the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God I want to be spirit led today. If you're spirit led, they are the sons of God. You're his sons, he's your daddy. You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry >> >> Abba father. His word tells us we're the light just as he was the light. It gives us the strength of the word as a powerful two-edged sword. The psalmist said he's His word would be a lamp into our feet, and into our path. So, I close with this. In Acts the 2nd chapter, it said, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, I will pour out my spirit upon some of us? No. I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." I told you, daddy's girl's involved, too. He said, "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. YOU CAN'T PROPHESY IF THE SPIRIT hadn't been poured out on you. He on your sons AND YOUR DAUGHTERS, I'M GOING TO POUR OUT MY SPIRIT. LISTEN TO ME TODAY, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER HAS HIS SPIRIT TO POUR OUT ON ALL FLESH. HALLELUJAH. YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY. YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL SEE shall see dreams. Let me tell you, he has it for us today. Here's what I'd like us to do. I know we have a few more things to happen here at the end of the service, but right now, right where you are, rather than us stepping out today, praise team's going to sing, and right where you are, I want you to ask your heavenly father to give you the good and perfect gift. I want you to be a little selfish. Instead of you giving a gift, I want a gift from him today. RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, I WANT you to lift your hands and lift your voice. Let's talk to Jesus a little while. Mighty God, I love you. Lord Jesus, you are my heavenly father. Lord, you came to this earth and robed yourself in flesh and was the Son of God, but now you have gone back and you are my heavenly Father. LORD, YOU WERE THE FATHER IN IN CREATION. LORD, you were the Son IN REDEMPTION AND NOW YOU ARE THE HOLY GHOST, YOUR SPIRIT living in us. God, I pray if there's a person in this house right now who has not yet received the spirit of adoption, Lord, that you would touch their heart right now. Let a Holy Ghost anointing, let a Holy Ghost anointing FALL. THAT'S RIGHT, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. Don't you be afraid to cry out to him. Hallelujah. Holy Ghost, I pray that you move on this Father's Day today. >> >> Oh, hallelujah. Yeah, that's right, just love him just a moment. Savior, I love you. I want to be more like you. >> >> I want to be more like you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> >> Would you lift your voice and sing that with the praise team? >> >> Hallelujah. >> >> It's time could you just lift up your hands and let's say Jesus, I want to be more like you. In every part of my life, I want to be like you, Jesus. You're the ultimate example of what it means, oh God, to be a great father, a great parent. Would you clap your hands unto the Lord today for that mighty word? Be thankful for that. Amen. Amen. You can be seated.