The Triple Threat Stance Series

OPEN: (We began the sermon by showing portions of two separate videos by Michael Jordan describing the “Triple Threat” stance and how it works. The first video we showed the first 17 seconds of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqHAut0qI10&feature=related. We followed that clip with the last few moments of another video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JB6HuKPGwg. We began this second video at the 1 minute mark and ran it until the end)

The Triple threat stance has become a staple of good offensive playing in Basketball. A player who masters this technique can gain the ability to essentially outplay the defense if he knows how to read his opponent. Done right the player has the ability to

· Shoot

· Pass

· Or dribble

This versatility can ultimately set the team up to score.

As I was researching this stance, I found that how you stand and how you hold the ball makes all the difference in how successful a player will be.

ILLUS: For example, I watched one video where the coach held the ball over his head and asked his young players to tell him how many options he had if he held ball this way.

Only one.

The only thing the player can effectively do while holding the ball that way is to pass. Therefore, this coach went on to say, in order for the triple threat to work the player has to hold ball low.

Another video showed a coach demonstrating the need to plant one foot learn to pivot to the right or left increase his offensive threat.

So, in other words, there was only one right way to do the triple threat.

If you don’t do it right, you can lose your advantage, lose your edge against the other team, and ultimately you can lose the ball to them.

Done right – this stance is a powerful tool in playing basketball.

Done wrong – it can end up costing you your possession of the ball.

APPLICATION: Now this morning, we find Jesus introducing His own version of the triple threat. This stance that Jesus models for us in this text is a powerful tool that can help us be versatile, outplay the opposition, and ultimately help us score in a big way for Jesus.

But you have to do it RIGHT

A lot of Christians… and a lot of churches DO do it right.

But, then again a lot of Christians… and a lot of churches don’t because they misunderstand the importance of doing things God’s way.

So, let’s take the three parts of what I see is Jesus’ triple threat stance in this text.

1st – I want to address the issue of Truth.

Jesus said: God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:24

In our brotherhood, we have a strong commitment to God’s truth.

One of our mottos is: “In ESSENTIALS unity, in opinion liberty, and in all things love”

Guess what we regard as being essential? (The Bible)

EVERYTHING in the Bible is essential.

But not everything is covered by the Bible and we tend to cover those matters as opinions and grant people freedom in those matters unless those issues directly contradict things we find in Scripture.

But no matter what issue we may face, we are obligated to show love to others.

We have another motto that says much the same thing:

“Speak Where The Bible Speaks And Be Silent Where The Bible Is Silent”

We want to SPEAK on the essentials found in Scripture.

But if it’s not in Scripture – we leave that as matters of opinion and we try to be SILENT on those issues.

Now Jesus – when He spoke to this woman at the well - emphasized truth to her.

In fact, He emphasized four distinct truths that day.

The 1st truth was this: This woman had a need.

Jesus answered (her), "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." John 4:13-15

Jesus was telling her – “YOU NEED what I can give you.”

“You have a thirst that only I can quench.”

Now, she kind of doubts that… so Jesus introduces to her the 2nd truth:

And that 2nd truth was this: She was a sinner.

He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

"I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." John 4:16-18