The Darkness: Blinded by Sin
Notes
Transcript
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- Introduction
- Many of us have sins that we don’t want anyone to know about; as a result we try to commit them out of the sight of others
- We have to remember that even when no one else is looking, God sees all that we do
- Hebrews 4:13; I Cor. 4:5
- We’re going to look at a man with a very interesting sin pattern, and one that many people choose to glance over.
- Da’ T.R.U.T.H. song “Who Am I?” – Story of who not to be
- Samson
- His beginnings – Judg. 13
- Born to Manoah and his wife of the tribe of Dan (Danites)
- Samson is to be a Nazirite from birth
- What is a Nazirite?
- From a Heb. Word meaning “to separate”
- Nazirites were ones who separated themselves from others by consecration to Yahweh (God) with a special vow
- Nazirite vow (Num 6):
- No wine or strong drink, including vinegar, grape juice, grapes and raisins
- No cutting of the hair, letting it grow long
- No touching of the dead
- Samson is to also be a judge over his people
- What is a judge?
- Prominent leaders raised up by the Lord to deliver Israel.
- A Man Ensnared by Sin
- Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 1
- Touching a dead body (the lion)
- Sin looks sweet and enticing, especially when no one else is around to know what we’re doing.
- It’s easy to get others involved with sin, even under the guise of good (giving honey to his parents)
- Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 2
- Drinking wine and strong drink (wedding feast)
- Sin usually invites a crowd
- Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 3
- Cutting his hair
- Gave in to temptation instead of fleeing from it
- Gave up the only visible sign of his vow with God
- Showed that his sin/desires/lusts were more important to him than his relationship with God
- Other Sins #1: Revenge
- After the riddle was solved, killing 30 men
- Burning the Philistines crops
- Other Sins #2: Lies
- Lying to his fellow people about the source of his strength
- Lying to Delilah about the same
- Other Sins #3: Lust
- 1 John 2:16 – This sums up Samson’s life (also James 1:14-15)
- He had a strong desire for women, especially those that he should not be associated with. He allowed lust of the eyes/flesh cloud his judgment and sound wisdom
- It is his lust for women that ultimately cost him and showed how far from God He truly was
- Samson Redeemed by God
- God removed the thing that was blinding Samson to his relationship with God: his sight
- This blinded Samson to the very thing that was causing him to sin: the lust of the eyes/flesh.
- God blinded Samson to get him to see his need for God
- Renewing his relationship with God, while captive, God allowed Samson one final avenging act to bring glory to Himself.
- Application
- Throughout his life, Samson was an example of what not to be. We need to be people who walk in obedience to the Spirit, instead of living according to our flesh (Gal. 5)
- In the end, repentance restored his relationship with God. Repentance is the key to renewed fellowship. Samson’s didn’t come until right before his death, don’t let that be you.
- How will you live your life?