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CSI:Church Scene Investigation
Part Two - Reputation
Andrew K. Fox

Look at these famous brands and their respective slogans:


" Be the first to know - CNN
" Fair and balanced - FOX
" How many bars do you have - AT&T wireless
" More bars in the right places - Singular wireless
" Television for women - Lifetime
" Away go troubles down the drain - Roto Rooter
" Covers the earth - Sherwin Williams
" 57 varieties - Heinz
" I'd like to bring the baron home tonight - Pizza
" Follow your nose - Fruit Loops
" Kid tested mother approved - Kix
" Eat fresh - Subway
" Think outside the bun - Taco Bell
" It's not just for breakfast anymore - Florida Orange Juice
" King of beers - Bud
" Good things come to those who wait - Guinness
" The best part of waking up - Folgers
" Be a pepper drink…. - Dr. Pepper
" Because I'm worth it - L'Oreal
" The best a man can get - Gillette
" We'll leave the light on for you - Motel 6
" See what brown can do for you - UPS
" When it absolutely has to get there tonight - FedEx
" What happens here stays here - Vegas

All these companies began business by staying focused on what they did and did not do. Throughout the Gospel of John Christ is presented specifically and not generally. (John 5:19) "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 8:28) "…I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." (John 12:50) "So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (Isaiah 50:7) "Therefore have I set my face like flint…" He focused his eyes on the cross and did not take his eyes off the prize for one moment. Last week we looked at 'reputation.'


" What is meant by reputation? Certain estimation held by someone
" Who gives reputation? God gives it like the seven churches in Revelation
" How do we gain it? With God by faith and community by giving reputation

The desired future

Christ knew what not to do that kept him focused on what to do. This was his reputation. His disciples, family, certain Pharisees and even Pilot tried to keep him from the prize. Peter tried to build booths on the Mountain of Transfiguration but Christ said 'we don't do that Peter.' The same disciple tried to defend Christ in Gethsemane but Christ said 'we don't do that.' When his family stood outside the house where he was preaching they wanted him back in the carpenters shop but Christ said 'we don't do carpentry.' The Israelites wanted him to be their leader and overthrow Rome from Judea but Christ said 'we don't do military takeovers and overthrows' and demonstrated this by riding into town on a donkey. People called him Rabbi but Christ said 'we don't do seminary.' What was it that Christ did that gave him his reputation? (Luke 4:18-19) "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Mark 2:17) "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." He demonstrated this by eating with sinners and tax collectors while at the same time being anointed by a prostitute. He touched the dead, lepers, healed on the Sabbath, had a good meal when everyone else fasted, he was not afraid to say 'you have heard it said…..but I say unto you' Because Christ stayed focused on what he did and did not do his reputation is not just world-wide but painted over the pages of history.

Conclusion

Most adults are still thinking about what they want to be when they grow up and churches try to do everything leaving the body of Christ under-resourced, under-manned, under-financed and exhausted. The question in CSI is what do we do as a church and what do we not do as a church?

(Matthew 13:3-9 / 18-23) Message: "A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams…Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. The seed cast in the gravel-this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams."

Sower, Seed and Soil

Find the right soil and you will find the seed in you. That seed is your reputation. It is what you do. The parable shows that it took some time for the farmer to find the right soil. Once he had found it he unloaded everything he did into everything he was. You farm that reputation for the rest of your life. Christ sent out 72 disciples telling them 'when you find the right soil unload and unpack everything you are but if the soil rejects the seed get out of town.' Our church has a certain seed. The seed is not negotiable. That seed does not choose the soil but the soil chooses the seed. The seed tells you nothing but the soil shows you what is in you. The seed searches for an acceptance. Someone, somewhere in someplace will release who you are. Never change the seed. People will try and change the seed in you. Pastor's that start out with vision end up selling the vision like Esau to Jacob for the sake of some peace. A family member will sell their seed for peace at home. Separation happens when the seed is rejected. The reason why your kids love to be at someone else's home is because their seed is accepted there. The soil chooses where you live, whom you marry, where you hang out, and your battles, how much to give and what to commit your life to.

Apple trees and vineyards

(Luke 13:6-9) Message: "A man had an apple tree planted in his front yard. He came to it expecting to find apples, but there weren't any. He said to his gardener, 'What's going on here? For three years now I've come to this tree expecting apples and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?' The gardener said, 'Let's give it another year. I'll dig around it and fertilize, and maybe it will produce next year; if it doesn't, then chop it down." The apple tree was absorbing all the goodness of the soil and giving nothing back. It was a consumer not a contributor. It only exists because you give it permission to exist. Never let a person or program or someone's agenda define the whole vineyard. If I can walk into any ministry our church as a guest then it's part of the vineyard. But if that ministry treats me like a stranger it's an apple tree. (Deut 22:9) "Don't plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard. If you do, you will forfeit what you've sown, the total production of the vineyard." Churches try to do too much instead of locking into the seed of who they are shown by the soils harvest.

Our soil shows what we do

Like Christ, we have seen people over a six-year period either expecting or wanting us to do this or that. The end product has been an apple tree in a vineyard. Our seed is the change through challenge. The unsaved and unchurched respond to the seed. People come to our vineyard that wants answers that are down to earth, up front and real. The soil is not indicative of a certain generation but a certain desire. That soil accepts the dialogue from the pulpit. It accepts the worship and music. Our seed looks for the seeker but not in a sensitive way but change through challenge. Therefore it is not acceptable seed to every soil.


" We do not do Bible narration on a Sunday by telling stories
" We are not led by boards, committees or church members
" We don't do 'share a song' or 'sing a little ditty'
" We do not solicit ministry from the crowd but expect it from the platform
" We do not have glory meetings where everything is about us
" We do not promote denomination
" We don't do Bible study for knowledge alone but to be experienced

Bad soil Not Bad People

Like the parable of the farmer you learn to see bad soil and sow nothing into it. Ask any farmer who has had a bad winter or summer. Bad soil has a way of forming its own little harvest. Herod, Pilot and the High Priest had nothing in common except killing Christ. We believe in equipping God's people to serve by releasing them into the call of God on their life. Bad soil can faithfully attend, be generous in giving, supporting privately and publicly but the moment it is release the reality of a private agenda, a wounded heart, or rebellious spirit comes out.

Working the soil

(Genesis 2:5) Message: "At the time GOD made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground-GOD hadn't yet sent rain on Earth, nor was there anyone around to work the ground…" The rain is not in our control. That is the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit. But we can control the working of the ground. Every ministry needs to ask themselves 'have I been working towards a harvest or am I asking for resource, manpower and finance I have not worked for?' Or in other words 'am I an apple tree or part of the vineyard?' Every day I am working the soil to receive the seed that God has put in me for you.

Vineyard Apple Tree
Puts money where their mouth is Makes a meager donation
In spiritual terms the church is the hub A spoke of the wheel of the wheel
Leaders are respected and honoured Leaders are a target
The seed gives 30-60-100 The seed gets exited but dies
The vineyard speaks the same language The apple tree has his own voice
Lives in a bigger context Their own context

Conclusion

Our reputation comes from never compromising the seed that brings change into peoples lives through challenge.

LOST
Part Two - God
Andrew K. Fox

Listen to this teaching as given on Sunday evening September 10th.

Introduction

Last week we looked at the Bible as a whole. Today we are looking at God. Not in terms of his nature, attributes, titles and names but in terms of how he has revealed himself to us. First, look at the exhaustive list of false gods.

Greek gods

There were 11 main gods that do not include Hercules. They were known as the Olympians who ruled the world of men:


Aphrodite - love and fertility
Apollo - prophecy, music and healing
Ares - war (Airees)
Artimis - virginity
Demeter - agriculture (Deemeter)
Dionysus - war
Hephaestus - blacksmiths (Hefeestus)
Hers - marriage (Heeruh)
Hermes - underworld (Hurmeez)
Poseidon - sea and earth
Zeus - King of all gods

Roman gods

There were 20 main gods in Rome but this does not include the multiple gods worshipped by families for various reasons:

Jupiter - king of gods
Juno - queen of gods
Neptune - sea
Pluto - death
Apollo - sun
Diana - moon
Mars - war
Venus - goddess of love
Cupid - god of love
Mercury - messenger god
Minerva - wisdom
Ceres - earth
Proserpine - underworld
Vulcan - blacksmiths
Bacchus - wine
Saturn - time
Vesta - house
Janus - doors
Flora - flowers
Plutus - wealth

Egyptian gods

The purpose of the ten plagues was to pull down any perceived power that the Egyptian gods had before the eyes of those who worshiped them. The list does not include all the gods:


Amon - creation
Anubis - god of the dead
Bast - cat god
Bes - dwarf god
Chons - moon god
Dua - stomach god
Geb - earth god
Hathor - cow god
Isis - mother god
Ka - life god
Maat - truth and justice
Min - fertility god
Mut - wife of Amon god of creation
Nephthys - goddess of the dead
Nut - sky god
Osiris - vegitation god
Qetesh - love god
Ra - sun
Selket - scorpion god
Set - god of chaos
Shu - god of the air
Sobek - crocodile god
Taweret - hippo god
Wepwawet - god of war

Bible gods

There are 27 names gods in the Old and New Testament:


Adrammelech - Sepharvite god.
Anammelech - Sepharvite god.
Ashima - Samaritan Moon goddess.
Ashtoreth - Canaanite goddess.
Baal - Canaanite god
Baal-berith - A regional variation of Baal.
Baal-peor - Moabite regional variation Baal.
Baal-zebub - Philistine variation aspect of Baal.
Baalim - Canaanite god
Bel - Assyrian and Babylonian god
Chemosh - Moabite war god.
Dagon - Philistine and Babylonian god
Diana - Ephesian goddess,
Jupiter - Roman god
Mercurius - Roman god
Milcom - Ammonite god
Molech - Ammonite god
Nebo - Assyrian and Babylonian god
Nergal - Assyrian and Babylonian god
Nibhaz - Avites god
Nisroch - Assyrian god
Rimmon - Babylonian and Syrian
Succoth-benoth - Babylonian fertility goddess
Tammuz - Assyrian - Babylonian god
Tartak - Avites god
Corinth - Unknown god

(Hebrews 1:1) "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways…" In what ways did God reveal, disclose, unveil himself? There are twelve specific times where God revealed himself which led to the complete and ultimate revealing in Christ.

#1 - Nature

(Romans 1:20) "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." This revealing is so certain that no one can miss it.

#2 - Providence

The moment by moment care and control of the world is his providence. (Matthew 5:45) "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 14:17) "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Daniel 2:21) "He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them." When you take time to notice it you can see the quiet ways in which God provides. The survival of the nation Israel is unprecedented in the history of nations how God reveals himself by providence.

#3 - Conscience

(Romans 2:14-15) "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them."

#4 - Casting Lots

(Proverbs 16:33) "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." The replacement of Judas was undertaken this way. (Acts 1:26) "Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."

#5 - Urim and Thummim

These were two mysterious stones held in the breastplate of the High Priest that determined the will of God. (Exodus 28:30) "Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord."

#6 - Dreams

God used dreams to communicate information. (Genesis 31:11-13) "The angel of God said to me in the dream, `Jacob.' I answered, `Here I am.' And he said, `Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.' " God used Daniel and Joseph in explaining dreams and interpreting them.

#7 - Visions

God used visions to communicate important truth. (Isaiah 6:1) "Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple." The nation lost its King to leprosy so God gave a vision of his throne filled with his glory. Ezekiel saw a vision of God's throne where a river flowed from it. The person receiving a vision is often overwhelmed by it. This was not limited to the Old Testament. (Revelation 4:2) "At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it."

#8 - Literal voice

When God wanted to say something specifically he would sometimes literally speak like the boy Samuel. This was not limited to the Old Testament. (Luke 9:35) "A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." God spoke to the disciples and endorsed who Christ was.

#9 - Theophanies

This is a manifestation of God. The burning bush is a theophany. (Exodus 3:2) "There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up."

#10 - Angels

Gabriel was a specific angel sent to people by God with a message. The two prominent people were Daniel and Mary. (Daniel 9:21) "…while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice." (Luke 2:10-11) "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

#11 - Prophets

The prophets of the Old Testament were inspired by God to convey a direct message from God. They focused on warning Israel and detailing the kingdom of God to be established by Christ. The New Testament prophets played the foundational role in establishing the church. (Ephesians 2:20) "…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." They also revealed the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 3:5) "…which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets."

#12 - Miracles and supernatural events

The ten plagues of Egypt revealed God was the only God and all Egyptian gods were false. Christ did many miracles that revealed God.

#13 - Christ

The greatest and most complete revealing of God was in Christ that surpassed all other revelations. (Hebrews 1:2-3) "…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being…"

What did Christ reveal about God?

" That God is Father, Son and Spirit in terms of relationship are one. But this is inscrutable and incomprehensible because Christ does not explained it. (Matthew 11:27) "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." (Matthew 28:19) "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" (John 14:9) "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

" That Father, Son and Spirit are in perfect unity. That there is that in the Father that constitutes him as 'Father' and not the Son and Spirit. That there is that in the Son that constitutes him as 'Son' but not the Father and Spirit. That there is that in the Spirit that constitutes him as 'Spirit' not in the Father and Son. The Father is therefore the begetter, the Son is the begotten and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. Because they are distinct they can be perfect in unity. (John 17:11) "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:21) "…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you."

" That the Father, Son and Spirit cooperate. They are not identical as a person, or in terms of relation but cooperate fully. The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father in terms of relationship. The Father is with the Son and the Son is with the Father in terms of fellowship. The Father is not from the Son but the Son is from the Father in terms of authority. The Spirit is from the Father and the Son in terms of nature, relationship and authority. No part of the Trinity works separately or independently. (John 5:32) "There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid". (John 5:37) "And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me."

Conclusion

Does God still reveal himself in nature, providence, conscience, casting lots, urim and thummim, dreams, vision, literal voice, theophanies, angels, prophets and miracles? (Hebrews 1:2) "…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things…" Probably with the exception of the Urim and Thummim God can reveal himself in any way. But why would he surpass the one he has exalted to something less glorious than his own Son? Be on your guard against ministry that does not exalt Christ as the heir of all things. (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) "Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified…"


If you would like to see previous transcripts or hear audio available you can find them here.:

  • Are You Hungry? Series
  • The Lion the Witch and You! Series
  • Promise Land to Promise Life Series
  • Discovery.God Series