Advancing Word Podcast Dr. T. D. Stubblefield

Someone defined discipleship as “thought accompanied by endeavor.”  In the Book of Judges, Chapter 7, Gideon leads three hundred Israelite soldiers with unconventional weapons to victory against a vast Midianite army.  Their actions demonstrate the characteristics that should be present in the life of every disciple.  In this sermon, Part Three of the series, “Improving Our Serve”, Dr. Stubblefield shares “The Three B’s of Discipleship”.  

In Part 2 of the series, “Improving Our Serve”, this sermon focuses on the account of Naaman the Syrian general recorded in Second Kings, Chapter 5, verse 1 -15.  Despite his position of power and prominence in the Syrian nation, military renown, and wealth, Naaman was a leper.  His visit to the prophet Elisha in Israel began with the faithful witness of a Jewish slave girl and culminated in healing and spiritual wholeness as he experienced firsthand the awesome power of God.  Naaman became a witness too!   

In the first of a series of sermons around the theme, “Improving Our Serve,” Dr. Stubblefield focuses on worship.  Using Second Samuel, Chapter Six, verses 12 – 15, he makes the compelling case that worship is the church’s SPD, “Spiritual Prime Directive”.  Worship is the pressing priority of the church and the perennial occupation of heaven.  Worship is compliant, costly, compelling and contagious.  Like King David in the text, worship gives every child of God an opportunity to “breakout”!  

If the life of Jesus was a movie, the Transfiguration recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and in the Second Epistle of Peter is a “spiritual trailer” and “a preview of coming attractions.”  It revealed God’s purposes regarding the death of His Son on Calvary and is the precedent that is the future hope of the Church because Jesus tasted death for all of us and His transformation on Mt. Hermon was the powerful pregnant prelude to His resurrection.  On a practical note, this sermon reminds us that the “glimpses of glory” God gives us in everyday life and in ministry stabilize us when we are facing challenges.

This sermon focuses on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Nine, verse 36, and the compelling profile there of Jesus’s ministry as the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.  His compassion is the hub around which this text and sermon pivots and pulsates.  Jesus models compassion with His searching awareness, His sincere affection and His sobering assessment.  These commitments propel the sacrificial accommodation that is the powerful prelude to Resurrection Sunday.  Jesus gave His life on the Cross for those who are helpless, harassed and hopeless.  He lives now not only as the Compassionate Shepherd but also as the Conquering Sovereign.   

The Cross on which our Savior died is at the epicenter of human history.  It defines everything that goes before it and determines everything that comes after it.  One of the seven sayings or utterances of our Lord from the cross was “It is finished.”  This cry was not the wobbling, woeful words of an abused victim but the triumphant trump of a valiant Victor.  “It is finished” is not the rant of a tragic resignation but the regalia of treasured redemption.  These powerful and poignant words of Jesus announce not only the “finish of the start” but the “start of the finish.”