“Macho Men” or “Men of God”?

Pastor Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture:   2 Timothy 2:1-2

God is looking for faithful men who can be entrusted with the next generation.  Samuel and Samson were both born during the time of Israel’s rule by judges.  Both were special gifts from God---both were born of barren women and were dedicated to God by their mothers.  Yet they walked two different paths.  Samson tried to be a “macho man” (“Village People” sang “Macho Man”) while Samuel determined to be a man of God.

Samuel

1.       Samuel was a man who knew God’s voice (I Samuel 3:1)

a.       Are you listening to God?  Are you saying, “Here am I Lord.  Speak, for you servant is listening?”

b.       God is looking for those who will listen for His voice

2.       Samuel was a man who called people to repentance (I Samuel 7:3)

a.       The word of the Lord was rare in those days

b.       Samuel was raised up to turn people back to God.

1)       Samuel was used by God to address the sins of ungodly people, prophets, priests, and kings

c.       God is looking for men who will turn people back to God

3.       Samuel was a man of prayer and intercession (I Samuel 12:12-19)

a.       No man will become a mighty man of God without first becoming a mighty man of prayer.

b.       I Timothy 2:8  “I desire that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.”

c.       I Samuel 12:23  Don’t sin by failing to pray for God’s people

d.       God is looking for men who will pray for their leaders, their families, and for the people

4.       Samuel was a man who feared God rather than man (I Samuel 15)

a.       As a young man, Samuel proclaimed the word of the Lord to Eli, the High Priest

b.       Samuel stood to proclaim the word of the Lord even to the king

          c.       God is looking for men who will fear God above all others

5.       Samuel set in God’s order for the generations to come (I Samuel 16) 

a.       Samuel anointed the lineage of king David

b.       God is looking for men who have a vision for the next generation

Samson

1.       Samson was a man who had a godly heritage (Judges 13:1ff )

a.       An angel foretold that Samson  would be a nazirite from his mother’s womb

b.       Samson never reached his God-ordained potential because he chose to be a macho man rather than a man of God.

2.       Samson was a man blessed and stirred by God (Judges 13:24-25)

3.       Samson was a man called to deliver Israel from the Philistines (Judges 15:20)

4.       Samson was a man who experienced the Spirit of God (anointing) coming upon him mightily many times (Judges 15:14-15  Samson broke their cords and slew 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey)

5.       Samson was a man who experienced answers to his prayers (Judges 15:18-20  Samson asked and received water from the donkey’s jawbone)

6.       Samson was not put in prison for his stand for God.  He was not ridiculed by the Philistines for his convictions.  Rather he was bound and ridiculed because he laid his head on the lap of this world’s Delilah.

7.       The outcome of Samson’s ways:

a.       Binding:  Samson was bound by men because he refused to be bound to the Lord.

b.       Blinding: Samson was blinded by men because he refused to keep his eyes on God.

c.       Grinding:  Samson was forced to labor for men because he refused to labor for God.

Invitation

1.       God is looking for men who can be entrusted with the next generation.

2.       Will you choose to be a macho man or a man of God?