Sunday Morning Worship Service | Pastor McCool

Lord bless you I'm going to let you move to your seats greetings and welcome to First Apostolic Church what a privilege it is to see every one of you in the house of the Lord we welcome everyone if this is your first time being with us we say welcome and we thank you for joining with us to worship we welcome all of the saints of God who are here those who are joining us on all the multimedia platforms thank you if you're not able to be here in person thank you for being in service with us and I understand brother Danny Cole is able to be back in the house Lord Brother Danny and sister Deanna it's so good to have y'all back Lord bless you these folks have been fighting sickness and illness and they're back in the house of the Lord I love you guys good to see you so good to have everyone here this morning I saw a guest card earlier a young man named Christian Christian I don't know where you are but we're honored to have you here at First Apostolic Church worshiping with us as well I want to Echo and magnify what our Bishop said and what Pastor Anthony stated at the beginning of our service and pre-service announcements please please please know that next week is a very special weekend we're having as Bishop called our marriage maintenance our marriage Retreat this is uh an event that is very special and part of First Apostolic Church this is a tradition that we have every year is a special time and we have our largest couples enrollment ever this year and we're thankful for that and we're excited to have brother and sister Woodward from Canada from Fredericton New Brunswick Canada but our roots go deep with them he is part of the family of the parent family which was uh Bishop L.A parent my dad's bishop and pastor and we're so honored to have brother and sister Woodward going to be with us also uh brother and sister Roberts from North Carolina will be with us doing some entertainment some singing and they'll be with us in the service on Sunday as well a special time that we are reminded of the one of the most sacred relationships that God ever ordained was the marriage relationship between a man and a woman and we celebrate that and we will be talking to you more about that in this upcoming weekend but don't you miss it we do give honor to all of our pastors our ministers our leadership to all of the saints of God this morning I would let you know that we are praying for pastor Whitley and Easton they are ministering in Arthur Tennessee today and we're praying that the Lord would be with them as they preach there they should be home tonight and we're praying for them as they Minister there I want to get to the word of the Lord this morning I call your attention to the book of Acts the 24th chapter and as we're turning there I want you to help me say something say anything can happen now I want you to say it like you believe it anything can happen anything can happen I just believe that God is going to do some mighty works for us today and forevermore this is the theme that we have chosen for this new year that anything can happen when we come into the presence of the Lord when we're in his will and I would also keep you reminded of our continuing thought our goal is our goal is that's why we're here today so I want us to get to the word of the Lord expecting God to do what is needed in this service Acts 20 we'll begin reading at verse number one 24 1. and after five days ananias the high priest descended with the elders and with a certain orator named tertullis who informed the governor against Paul and and when he was called forth tertulus began to accuse him saying seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness notice that underline that in your mental picture seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness and that very worthy Deeds are done unto this nation by thy Providence we accept it always in all places most noble Fest Felix with all thankfulness not miss notwithstanding that I be not further tedious unto thee I pray thee that thou what's hear us of thy clemency a few words if we have found this man a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the nazarenes who also have gone about to profane the temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law but the chief Captain Licious came up on us with great violence took him away out of our hands for a few moments I would speak to you on this subject today disturbing Satan's peace disturbing Satan's peace let's pray savior we love you we are grateful for every individual that's in this house we thank you so much for the praise that have gone up and the power and presence of your Mighty holy ghost that we've experienced already the Lord I pray that you administer through your word let me speak as your mouthpiece for I'm nothing without you God let me say what you'd have me to say and let us receive and act upon your word this day in the name of Jesus we pray a man and amen in court proceedings one of the most critical times is when the accused stands before the judge here's the charges against him or her then they enter a plea and our text Paul stands accused of multiple charges before Felix the Roman governor and these charges are presented by the high priest of the Jews ananias via his representative his Barrister his orator a certain orator named tertulis he was well versed in the art of debate and disputation and never mistake when the enemy brings charges against you he will send his best orders to make accusation against the followers of Christ their polemic prowess their passionate presentations can make good appear bad and Bad appear good their rhetoric can make evil seem normal and virtue appear unacceptable such was tortillas as he made his presentation and made a case against Paul before Felix it should also remind we as believers and followers of Christ that we should always be careful how we present the gospel as well we should also be sure that when we present the gospel to the laws that we present it pleasantly and palatable so a hungry world will find what they need this is why the scripture says the preacher saw it acceptable words but in our text we find a skilled orator now bringing charges against accusing Paul and one thing he said if you'll notice in his craftily worded introduction he brags on the Roman occupation that the Jews find themselves under no notice how he stretches the truth greatly he says oh we've been enjoying quiet Ness under Rome's leadership oh you have done so many things and under your Providence they're such worthy Deeds then man he is spreading it on thick as they sometimes say he said we accept it always in all Place most noble feelings and we're so thankful for you now the real truth was the Jews didn't like the occupation they were fighting with the leadership all the time but in his presentation he's making sure that he Butters up the judge before he makes the charges and in particular he mentioned we've been enjoying quietness and his inference is we've been enjoying peace and quiet until this Paul came along Paul's been disturbing the peace I looked up what the definition according to finelaw.com in January of this year for disturbing the peace is and it said disturbing the peace also known as breach of the Peace is a criminal offense that occurs when a person engages in some some form of unruly public Behavior such as fighting or causing excessively loud noise when a person's words or conduct jeopardizes another person's right to peace and Tranquility that person may be charged with disturbing the peace laws exist that make it a crime to create a public disruption or commotion these laws vary from state to state but they typically prohibit for example fighting or challenging someone to fight in a public place using offensive words or words likely to incite violence in a public place shouting in a public place intending to incite violence or unlawful activity knocking loudly on Hotel doors of sleeping guests with the purpose of annoying them remember that everybody's going to marriage your tree holding an unlawful public assembly shouting profound profanities out of a car in front of a person's home over an extended period allow an excessive dog barking in a residential area intentionally playing loud music during the night that continues even after a fair warning not on it goes these were examples of disturbing the peace and tertullis is saying it was peaceful here it was quiet here till this Paul came along Now understand speaking in the natural and the civil world we should all strive to be as Romans 12 17 said recompense to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the sight of all men if it be possible as much as life in you live peaceably with all men now in our natural civil world that should be the posture of we the Believers but I also want to let everybody know in the spirit world it is my intention to do everything I can to disturb Satan's peace at every turn I hope I disturb him every time I open my mouth I hope every time I come into the house of God he is so upset he can have no peace I've said it before but I say it again I'll fight him with everything that's in me I'll kick I'll claw I'll bite if I lose my teeth I'll try to gum him to death I want to disturb Satan's peace I don't want him to find peace in First Apostolic Church when we come into this house this is not a place that I want the enemy to find Solace and safety I wanted to get on his nerves I want it to bother him I want him complaining I want him griping I want him fighting I'm not here to make a treaty I haven't showed up to coexist I want to disturb Satan's peace how about you I take you back to our text for Paul was experiencing standing charged with multiple offenses but understand this was not Paul's first desktop as brother Whitley defined the other day he had been into it with the Jews and the denominal elite of his day in several situations in Acts 21 he calls the stir because he took greets to the temple to the point that the Roman soldiers and centurians had to rescue him from the Jews can you imagine the Jews didn't want any Sinners at their Church did you know there's a lot in the denominal world sadly that we can develop such a spirit that we don't want the lost in here we want all these perfect little Christians showing up listen this is a hospital for the loss we're going to have people with problems we're going to have people in need of spiritual enlightenment we're not closing the door to the lost our goal is sold I wanted to upset Satan when somebody decides to come to First Apostolic church or I don't want them in there those people may love them and lead them to Christ when given an opportunity to give explanation for his actions he stood up and gave a testimony about his Damascus Road experience and his conversion he had once attacked the Christians he'd brought them and hand and foot and brought him to be tried and convicted and killed and he gave testimony firsthand unashamed of his conversion to be a witness for Christ once a captain even started to examine him in other words question him looking for answers by scourging or whipping until he discovered that Paul was indeed a Roman citizen and had to hold his hand for this was not proper to whip and Scourge a Roman citizen he appeared before the council he proclaimed his lineage as a Pharisee caused another near riot between the Pharisees and the Sadducees concerning the resurrection of the Dead son like Paul is going to have a hard time defending himself he's got a record and at this point the Jews have had enough the denominal world of that day have had enough of this Troublemaker Paul this witness for Christ so I want you to notice get the background notice what happened in Acts 23 just a chapter back from our text it says and when it was day 23 12 and when it was day certain of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eaten or drink so they'd killed Paul now that sounds like a good church going folk doesn't it and they were more than 40. that's a bunch of folks that's decided we're going to end Paul's life which had made a conspiracy there was an assassination plot a conspiracy to take Paul's life and they came to the chief priests and the elders and said we have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul now therefore ye with the council signifying to the chief captain that he bring him down and to bring him unto you tomorrow as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him and we or ever he come near are ready to kill him they they even got with the leadership of the Jews said man if you'll just calling to come down we'll be waiting we're going to take him out Paul's sister heard of The Conspiracy she informed the Roman Captain who was the occupying government and the Roman Captain would increase the security to protect Paul's life before he would appear before Felix so I want us to examine just a moment what were the charges against Paul now we're still talking about disturbing Satan's piece but we have an example of what happened when Paul was accused it said for we've found this man this is back in Acts 24 now 5. for we found this man pestilent fellow a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world in other words we know every Jew that there is and he's bothering all of them a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarene who hath gone about to profane the temple who we took and would have judged according to our law now few definitions just so I'll understand it you probably already get it but I had to Define it for myself a pestilent fellow that term pestle means destructive of life injuring or endangering Society causing displeasure or annoyance a mover of sedition sedition incitement of resistance to or an Insurrection against lawful Authority a ringleader of the sect of the nazarenes a leader of a ring of individual engaged especially in improper and unlawful activities man what accusations and he's profaned the temple that means to treat something sacred with abusive irreverent contempt and of course he had Disturbed the peace because he said we'd had quietness until Paul but let me ask you a question as we transition back and forth from what's Happening to Paul to us let me ask you today if you were accused of being a follower of Jesus Christ would there be enough evidence to convict you think about it a moment if some if some admit to a Tribunal and ascertain enough truth that you can be found guilty of being Holiness today word said be ye holy as I am Holy but can there be enough evidence to call me holy could they look at my pictures on Instagram and Facebook and prove yeah their holiness foreign could they look at my vacation pictures and determine whether I'm a follower of Christ more than a follower of Mickey could they send a detective following me from one place to another and by the evidence of the places I frequent and the things I do the places I go could they determine whether I'm a follower of Christ or not if accused of being a worshiper could the prosecution find any proof to convict you if blamed with being righteous in Christ could they find any discernible signs to convict me if somebody said he walks in the spirit would there be any fruit to testify to your guilt Galatians 5 22 said but the fruit of the spirit is love do I exemplify that Joy do I have peace long-suffering gentleness goodness Faith meekness Temperance against there is no law could I be convicted well I begin to look at the charges against Paul and I begin questioning my own life I've been begin questioning what scripture could I find am I guilty today he was charged with being a pestilent fellow one of the definition of definitions of pestilence means destructive of life well Galatians 5 25 said and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh and the affections and lusts if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit I've crucified the flesh guilty when you say you've crucified the Flesh and you're living in the spirit if you're going to call me a pestilent fella I'm guilty I've tried to Crucify My Flesh well he was also charged with sedition causing resistance well in the spiritual sense James said in James 4 7 submit yourselves therefore to God resist the devil and he will flee from you if I'm going to be charged with the Sedition of resistance I'm guilty I want to resist the devil at every turn I want to be a resistor we need to have a resistance movement against anything Satan would place in our way guilty [Music] and I found it quite interesting Paul was referred to as the ring leader of the sect of the nazarenes studied this just a bit the noted Bible commentator Adam Clark said of this passage that this is the only place that this word occurs in the New Testament this term ring later and by definition it means this is a military phrase and signifies the officer who stands on the right of the first rank the captain of the front rank of the sect of the nazarenes how many times did we used to sing I'm a soldier in God's Army and I'm fighting straight for victory I will not give up I will not turn around I'm a soldier marching Heaven bound I'm in the army of the Lord I want to be on the front line yeah I want to be a ringleader to tell folks about Jesus the Nazarene so yes I'm guilty I'm guilty of being a ring leader can you Proclaim today I'm guilty of being a ringleader in leading folks to Christ one commentary said that a ringleader was also the flag bearer or the standard Bearer can you represent Christ are you his standard today he was charged also with profaning the temple Pastor Anthony so aptly preached a few Services ago that my house shall be called a House of Prayer he told of the story when Jesus walked into the house and saw them buying and selling he said my house shall be called a house of prayer and you've made it a den of Thieves and he began going to the whip against the money changers if I'm found and called profaning the house of God because I want to keep it pure as a place and a House of Prayer then that's what we are we're guilty that's why we have Prayer Revival that's why we gather around the altar that's why we constantly preach about the importance of talking to the Lord for ourself we don't need a middle man to pray for us we should all have a prayer life am I guilty according to the charges and yes he was charged with disturbing the peace the psalmist said Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord I have to make this point every time I read this frankly it did not say let a Joyful Noise happen it says make a joyfulness there is an intentional concerted effort to make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord but I don't feel joyful what you're feeling in the wrong place if you're in the house of the Lord you ought to be joyful you ought to be excited you need to be thankful for what he's done for you he woke me up this morning he started me on my way I got my family with me oh yeah I face trials and tests but I'm able to come to the house of God I can breathe God's air I can walk into this place we ought to be joyful today Make a Joyful Noise guilty yeah serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing know ye that the Lord he is God it is he hath made us and not we ourselves we are his people and the Sheep of his pasture many went on enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and enter his course with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name why because the Lord's good you ought to be happy in trouble just cause he's good besides that his Mercy is how long how long Stephen and his truth endures to all generations if I'm disturbing Satan's peace guilty guilty first episode today [Music] in fact my peace gets Disturbed when the church gets too quiet that's what disturbs me Paul had an opportunity he says I'm going to answer the charges verse 11. he said because that thou mayest understand get the picture to tulis has done a marvelous job in presentation he's a great spin doctor to make him look so evil and so guilty for following Christ he said Paul said because that thou mayest understand that there are yet but 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship he said all I was doing was doing what I do and they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man neither raising up the city neither in the synagogue nor in the city neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me he said you hadn't got any proof he said but now I'm going to confess he said your charges you don't have any real proof but here's just some proof he said I need to confess he said but this I I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy so worship by the god of my fathers believing all things which are written in the law and in and in the prophets and I have hope toward God he's saying the very things that's disturbing your peace are the things and the way that I worship that's just what I do that's just who we are we're worshipers and praisers it shouldn't disturb the believer's peace for somebody to get happy and shout and lift their hands and clap their hands every once in a while somebody will take a lap around the place that's okay too every once in a while somebody will dance just a little bit that's still in order at First Apostolic Church some might call that heresy I call it worshiping God the god of my fathers he said and have hope toward God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the Dead both of the just and the unjust and herein do I exercise myself to have always conscious void of offense toward God and toward me here was his confession he said I worship I believe in the law I have hope toward God and I exercise my faith guilty and I hope it disturbs the enemy's peace in every turn so let me ask you today it's a praise team and musicians get ready how do you play can you plead guilty to the charges being a follower of Christ can someone who maybe walked through the doors today you know your heart's sick of sin your heart's sick of the life that the enemy has portrayed to you as success and you're searching to find something to feel the emptiness that you have would you confess before God that you're a sinner that's what how repentance starts you have to come to the realization when you repent you can confess to me all you want to I can't forgive sin you can confess to your neighbor your Barber your mechanic they make them fix your car and cut your hair but they can't forgive you sin what you need to do is find you an altar of repentance and say God I'm sorry I'm a sinner I don't deserve Mercy I'm guilty of sin because you see when you're guilty You're simply saying I'm justly liable and deserving of the penalty of what I've been charged with you see there's too many that are looking to find a different plea to avoid controversy some will say I'm not guilty you know Peter tried that for a while he got accused of being a follower of Christ he said no I'm not a follower of Christ Jesus had already prophesied to tell him that the would Crow three times and he would deny he was accused and denied denied denied and the Barnyard preacher jumped up and preached his message some would want to claim I'm not guilty you know there's another plea that said our court system is called pleading no contest that means I'm going to stand without admitting guilt I'm not going to deny the charges but I refuse to admit guilt well Jeremiah tried that Jeremiah said I'm not going to make mention of his name anymore I'm not going to speak anymore in his name but Jeremiah couldn't hold on to no contest or giving a plea of standing mute he said but his word was in my heart he said it's like fire fire shut up in my bones he said I couldn't stay listen when you've had an experience with Christ you can't be quiet about it you can't come to think of it Paul even one time had to defend himself against a plea of insanity he stood before Festus he got so excited he he started giving his testimony and he was so joyous when he went before Festus Festus stopped and said Paul you're beside yourself you're mad he said no I'm not pleading insanity I'm not mad he said but I speak forth the words of truth and soberness [Music] so here's what I'd ask us to do as we stand [Music] if you're a sinner in this house oh preacher that's too blind I don't want to admit I'm a sinner until you come to the realization that between you and Christ you're a sinner you can't start you can't progress in Repentance first John 1 9 said if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we say that we have not sinned we've perjured ourselves we make him a liar and his word is not in US for you see [Music] we're standing today before the righteous judge foreign Paul told Timothy he said henceforth there's a crown laid up for me crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge if I'm going to be judged today I care not what man thinks and certainly do not care what the enemy thinks but I do want to be judged by the righteous judge I'm sure that's why the psalmist knew and said judge me oh God and plead my cause against an ungodly Nation if you're in this house today and you simply want to have your sins forgiven it starts at an altar of repentance in just a moment we're going to open the Altar and let everyone who would want to come and repent do so but at the same time I want every saint in the house to examine our own lives and say God cannot be found guilty of being your follower can I be found guilty I want to disturb Satan's Peace by doing everything I can to be a follower of Christ open the Altar for all who would come and pray right now Satan sinner would you make your way down for a season of prayer to say God I want to be where you would have me to be hallelujah hallelujah that's right come right now in Jesus name Hallelujah yes Hallelujah [Music] that cannot be shaken in the name of Jesus the enemies [Music] hear these prayers hear the prayers go ahead and [Applause] talk to him right now Jesus I tell you Jesus I praise him thank you thank you and your forgiveness of being a follower of Christ today [Applause] everything in Jesus name is [Applause] in Jesus name [Music] that cannot be shaken in the name of Jesus and [Applause] pushing back the darkness [Applause] [Applause] [Music] and I am free in Jesus Christ would you lift your hands and give High Praise [Music] hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah Hallelujah I would ask everybody in the house today leave this place guilty but forgiven that's what we are we're guilty but we're forgiven in Christ Go From Here expecting a great time in the Lord we'll meet back tonight prayer time at six the main Evangelistic service at 6 30 would you greet everyone if there's a guest or someone that you do not know make them welcome and find their acquaintance in Jesus name amen