How To Avoid Wasting Your Life (Judges [13]15-25)
How To Avoid wasting Your Life
Text: Judges 13:15-25
Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)
Date Preached - (03/17/02)
Introduction:
ILLUS: College days - It seems like it was just yesterday.
My point is -- I was reminded of how quickly time goes by.
You've undoubtedly had times where you've been reminded of the same thing.
Usually when we're reminded of that truth -- there's another thought that comes right on the heels of it.
That is - I want to do all I can not to waste it!
One Character in Scripture who wasted a great opportunity and privilege and heritage is Samson.
We looked at the great beginning Samson had last week as we considered his godly parents and the prayer of Manoah.
I don't want words like "he wasted it" or "she wasted it" to be written over my life story.
- I'm sure that reflects the heart of the average person here tonight. And the good news is – that’s one reason why the Lord gave us the story of Samson.
This is not a fable to read before bedtime. This is the powerful, life-changing, truth of the Word of God.
In these chapters, the Lord has given us clear, specific principles to help us avoid ending up like Samson.
Tonight I'd like us to study three characteristics of Samson that led to his being a "wash-out" for God.
I. Samson Wasted His Life Because He Did Not Recognize The Seriousness of the Times.
The story of Samson's life is contained in Judges 13-16. I'd like to take this first point from the overall context of the book.
These days of the judges were serious times for God's people. - and frankly, more times than not, they were seriously bad.
I say that for two reasons: - they were serious because:
A. Joshua had died.
Please look over at chapter 2:7 - These are haunting verses – READ Judges 2:7-15 (NOTE 7, 9 & 12)
The passage says that as long as Joshua was alive, and as long as those who served with Joshua were alive--the people served the Lord –
But when a new generation came along.... things went downhill, and they went downhill, quickly.
These were serious times!!!
Who's fault was it that this generation did not know the Lord?
How did they get to this terrible position?
1) one possible answer is that the parents did not teach this truth to their children.
Deut. 6 had made it very clear that the parents were to be transferring truth across the generations on a daily basis.
They certainly didn't see the importance of modeling truth to their children because they were supposed to have driven the Caananties out of the promised land
So this generation who came after Joshua let the Caananites stay in the land
· Pretty soon they befriended them
· Then they children to intermarry
· Soon they were worshipping one another's gods.
And all the while, the kiddies in these homes were watching, and learning, and developing a view of God, and a view of life that was sinful and wrong.
So who's fault was it that the truth was not transferred across the generations.
1). You could make a strong case that the parents hadn't done all they were supposed to do.
2). But you could make an equally strong case that the children hadn't been receptive to what the parents tried to teach.
When we get into the actual life of Samson, we're going to see that that was definitely the case.
The point here is -- these were serious times because of what had happened after the death of Joshua.
Samson should have know that...
Because of the seriousness of the times, Samson shouldn't have wasted a minute of the time God had given him.
But as you read the story of his life, it seems like Samson just didn't get it.
Of all the words you might use to describe him, words like "serious" and "discerning" would never come up.
The times were also serious….
B. Because of the cycle of sin God's people were continuously falling into.
As you read the story of these twelve judges, you can't help but see one major point...
There was a continuous cycle that the children of Israel refused to break out of.
1) They would fall into sin and become like the unbelievers around them
2) God, out of love would chastise them because of their sin and cause them to be conquered by other nations
3) The people would cry out for deliverance
4) God would send a judge to lead them
5) But after they achieved military victory and the resulting rest, instead of living for God in thanksgiving to Him, they would fall right back into their sinful ways.
Samson should have known this - Samson was the last of the twelve judges
His life should have been characterized by a seriousness because these were serious times!!!
But that’s not what you find Samson doing with his life. He didn't take life, and the things of God seriously.
Instead you find him living wrecklessly
· He told his parents to get him a wife from among the Philistines (in direct violation of God's commands) - he was wreckless.
· He messed around with the dead carcass of a lion in direct violation of Nazarite vow -- he was wreckless
And we could follow that theme all the way through these chapters.
That gives us an excellent questions to ask ourselves tonight, doesn't it?
Do we recognize the seriousness, of the times, and has that affected the way we use our time, and our gifts, and our opportunities?
Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
If there's ever been a time when people did that which was right in their own eyes -- its NOW.
That ought to result in a seriousness about the things of God, and the opportunities he has given to live for Him.
ILLUS: - We've had a good example of that recently in the surrender of Stan and Brenda Kamps to the mission field of the Netherlands.
One of things we appreciate about these folks is that there's a seriousness about the way they live.
Sure they can have fun---but when it comes to how they use their lives - they don't want to waste it. - because of the seriousness of the times!!
We've got some folks who serve and serve and serve - and who are serious about growth, and are serious about evangelism.
They're not wasting their lives -- they're investing them - why -- because they recognize the seriousness of the times.
II. He Failed To Benefit From the Spiritual Influence God Placed Around Him – Ch 13
It's hard to believe that Samson chose to live the way he did after studying what chapter 13 says about his parents.
What characteristics stand out to you about Manoah and his wife?
We could organize them differently, but we could surely say:
A. His parents were learners
13:8 - " O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. "
That’s an amazing response to this news.
B. His parents (they were also) respectful
In verse 15 - Manoah didn't realize this man was the Angel of the Lord -- but he knew God had sent Him somehow and he wanted to make a meal.
He was a respectful man. He knew how to treat other people honorably.
C. His parents were humble
In verse 17, Manoah says - what is your name--so that when this comes to pass………
we can take all the credit?…. we can become famous? – ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
It was so they could give honor to the appropriate person.
These parents possessed a humility that wasn't swept away by the way God was going to bless them.
D. His parents feared the Lord
In verse 22, Manoah says -- we're going to die. - we've seen God!
They had a right reverence and awe of the Lord.
When you look at that list, there's a lot of responses:
1) They were everything that Samson wasn't.
Isn't it true -- these are the same characteristics that Samson didn't possess.
In fact, Samson was the opposite of his mother and father in a lot of ways.
2) Another response to the information in this chapter is that good parents sometimes raise foolish children.
We should mention that from time to time around here...
· Because while God calls parents to seek to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of Christ
· And while parents will surely give account at the judgement seat of Christ for that issue...
· The Bible clearly puts the responsibility on the back of the child for how he/she responds to his parents, imperfections and all.
The main lesson we should glean from this material is that Samson simply failed to benefit from all the spiritual influence God placed around him.
Not only did he have the testimony and example of Joshua not only did he have the example of the previous six judges and the cycle of sin of the nation Israel.
Samson had godly parents...and instead of benefitting from their instruction,- he despised it
Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
Samson would come to learn the truth of that lesson all too well.
Can I ask you tonight - who has God placed around you to be a benefit to you spiritually?
EXAMPLES? – We could make a list that would quickly reach double digits.
The question tonight is -- are you benefiting from the spiritual influence of those God has placed around you?
And as a result, are you making your life count for Christ? - or is time slipping through your fingers?
Where the time is gone but not much has been accomplished for the advancement of the cause of Christ?
III. Samson (also) Didn't Let The Holy Spirit Accomplish His Divine Work – 13:25
The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the OT was different than His ministry to believers after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
In the OT, the Holy Spirit came upon people for specific tasks.
But clearly, Samson's unusual gifts and abilities were a direct result of the blessing of the Holy Spirit of God.
And Samson knew that -- at least intellectually.
· He knew the Holy Spirit of God had set him apart for a divine work.
· He knew the Holy Spirit of God had a work to do, both in the nation of Israel, and in the surrounding pagan nations.
But instead of co-operating with the Spirit of God, Samson grieved the Spirit of God.
Instead of accomplishing God's purposes with God's gifts, Samson tried to accomplish Samson's purposes with God's gifts.
And instead of God getting the glory for Samson's strength -- the last scene in this sad tale begins with the Philistines having a drunken feast, offering a great sacrifice unto their god Dagon saying, "our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands."
What a terrible waste of the gifts of the Spirit of God.
Now, the good news is -- that because of Jesus Christ, our relationship with the Holy Spirit is different, and better.
· NT believers are sealed by the Spirit of God.
· NT believers are indwelt by the Spirit of God
· NT believers are gifted by the Holy Spirit of God.
· NT believers are made new by the Spirit of God.
· NT believers are illuminated by the Spirit of God.
· NT believers have the Holy Spirit's sufficient sword, His Word.
· NT believers can begin developing the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God.
· NT believers are enabled by the Holy Spirit to glorify the Son.
Great things can be accomplished for God by those who have the Holy Spirit resident inside.
But every Christian has to decide daily -- Am I going to walk in the Spirit today--or am I going to grieve the Spirit today?
Conclusion: (Review)