Judges - Samson 1
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, Samson 1
, Samson 1
Judges - Samson 1
Judges - Samson 1
JUMP STRAIGHT IN -
Last week we were reminded that Israel was caught in a cycle of sin.
Maybe you can identify with it. Maybe God is dealing with you on this now.
Intro the “Cycle of Sin” Graphic
We also observe in Samson’s life this same cycle.
It is a cycle that we all have struggled with.
Some of you now in this room would say, “Yes, even right now I am in this cycle.”
***There is this pattern in Samson’s life that seems similar to the pattern of “cycle of sin”. At the beginning of his life he seems solid and growing, then at marriage there is a spiritual change. But in 15:20 he is actively judging Israel.
Then, he is falls to Delilah, is humbled with blindness and the stone wheel and comes back to God at (around) his death.
Today’s message is a message of grace.
Basic Truth - (For the Christ follower) God will not abandon me in my spiritual failure, but sin does exact a high price.
Basic Truth - God will not abandon me in my spiritual failure, but sin does exact a high price.
While there is consequences for sin, sin does not cause God to abandon me.
You see there are some in this room now that feel like do to your past sin, God is far off.
We will look in Samson’s life today and see God’s kind grace and patient mercy amidst Samson’s failures.
What shall separate us from the love of God.
Pray
Transition - To understand God’s great grace we must first start with truth that...
God has placed a unique spiritual call on my life.
1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
Judges 13:1
5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
Judges 13:
-The angel of the Lord came and announced her pregnancy. Why?
Samson was born in a miracle birth - His mother could not get pregnant.
- His mother could not get pregnant.
-Samson was born in a miracle birth.
Similar to Sarah (Abraham), Similar to Samuels Birth with his mother Hannah.
A. Samson’s Spiritual Call. Nazarite. He was set apart from birth. vs. 4-5
He was set apart from Birth to live a life for God.
-Not touch anything dead.
-Never cut his hair.
-The angel of the Lord came and announced her pregnancy.
-Abstain from drinking alcohol
-His purpose went even further than the average Nazarite.
5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
Judges 13:
Hang on to Samson’s purpose. We will lean on it this week and next week.
God raised up Judges in Israel, people with a special call because God would not let the people of Israel be snuffed out.
Pay attention to this.
While God’s people were worshiping foreign Gods, God did not give up on His people. God has been a God that has reached out to traitors.
While God’s people were worshiping foreign Gods, God did not give up on His people.
God had purposed in not give up on His nation of traitors.
Even while God’s people had left Him, God did not allow His people to be snuffed out.
Question, Jonathan - Is this still true today? Does God still show patients to traitors? Does He still today reach out to traitors?
Yes, How do I know this? -because God has reached out to you.
Like the nation of Israel, God has not let you be snuffed out.
Question - How do I know that?
-The fact that you have been given the grace to be here today (whether you have been dragged here or you woke up delighting to come to the church house - God is reaching out to you. He is doing so right now.
-Will you say in your heart to God right now, “Thank you that you are a God that pursues those that have struggled to serve other gods. Thank you that today, you are pursuing me.”
-Samson was given a special purpose and the Christ follower has been given a special purpose.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Israel was doing all it could to destroy itself from within, but God was going to preserve His nation.
B. You can see your unique spiritual call by looking around you -
10-40 window, and the lack of the Gospel
Born into a nation where religion can be freely expressed, where the sharing of religious ideas is not oppressed
Southern United States, Gospel Rich, Access to the Gospel is all around you
Maybe you had parents who were believers and pressed on your the importance of following the God of the Bible.
Why would God create a confrontation, a stirring with the enemy?
Would you, in your heart at this moment say a prayer of praise to God right now - “God thank you that you have a unique calling on my life.”
Samson was given a special call and you have been given a special call as well.
Transition - The Bible also tells us that Samson experienced a time in His life where he grew both physically and spiritually with God.
2. Samson grew physically and spiritually. I must grow spiritually as well.
24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
We see 2 things given to Samson from the Lord, both God’s blessing and God’s Spirit.
First God blessed Him - The scriptures do not say specifically how God blessed Him, but we know this.
Answer - God wants to do something. In this case, He is working to set the people free from the bondage of the Philistines.
24 And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” 25 And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go.
-The greatest blessing anyone can receive is when God blesses us with Himself.
-When God saves you, He not only saves you from sin, but He saves you to Himself.
God gave Samson the greatest gift He could possibly give Him - Himself.
25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Spirit of the Lord began to stir in Him - Literally “Impel” or drive Samson.
Spirit of the Lord began to stir in Him - Literally “Impel” or drive Samson.
For the believer the Holy Spirit has been given to you.
God has saved you to Himself and given you Himself.
God uses the sin of Samson to work His will and plan.
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Transition - As in many of our lives there were spiritual failures in Samson’s life.
There is not a person in this room, both Christ follower or unbeliever who has dealt with spiritual failure.
3. I must deal with my spiritual failures (Chapter 14)
Samson’s spiritual failure started with Romantic attraction.
Many of you have heard of Samson and Delilah, but today it is not Delilah - this is the girl before Delilah.
Her name is not given, but we do know that she was not a follower of the God of the Bible - she was a Philistine. Samson was very attracted to her.
So attracted that he forgot his spiritual purpose which included being a Nazarite, keeping Himself holy, leading Israel toward freedom.
Samson chose to marry this Philistine Girl. A girl who did not worship the true God.
Any girl that was not a Jewish follower of the true God Israelite boys were forbidden to mary.
All Christ followers are commanded only to marry other Christ followers.
Samson ignored God and followed his own wants, his own desires.
During the week long wedding celebrations with the Philistines Samson decided to do some gambling.
I will give you a riddle, if you can get it right I will give you 30 changes of clothes. If you cannot answer the riddle, you will give me 30 changes of clothes.
Samson tells a riddle that there is no way they will get.
Earlier, Samson killed a lion with his bare hands. Shortly after when going to look at the carcass bees had made a home in carcass and Samson touched something dead when he helped himself to the honey.
15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?” 16 And Samson’s wife wept over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?” 17 She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people. 18 And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,
“What is sweeter than honey?
What is stronger than a lion?”
And he said to them,
“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have found out my riddle.”
19 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. 20 And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
When Samson pursued this young woman he thought he knew what was best.
Application - When you and I follow our own wants and desires and ignore God - the attitude of our heart is, “I know better than God”.
My friends-
God is not completely good because He has withheld what appears good to me.
I will provide for myself what is good.My friends-
Sin will take you farther than you wanna go
Sin will leave you longer than you wanna stay
Sin will cost you far more than you wanna pay
Will you take a moment right now in your seat and pray to God,
God is not completely good because He has withheld what appears good to me.
“Lord would you help me now to say “No” to the sin that has me believing that I know what is best for my life.”
I will provide for myself what is good.
Samson had this sinful attitude. You have had this sinful attitude as well.
***Note there is so much great material in these 3 chapters that we have to skip, please go back today and read ...
Enter here - Examples of The Spirit of the Lord rushes on Samson.
4. Continuing in effects God’s purpose for me.
5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
For 100 years after Samson’s life the Philistines remain a problem.
For 100 years the Philistines remain a problem.
There is no military battle or land taken back or surge against the Philistines that takes place.
-Yes, there are some small victories that Israel has through Samson, but his purpose of beginning to save Israel from the Philistines seems to be missed.
Why? The sinful distractions in Samson’s life.
Our sin can effect our effectiveness in the ministry God has called us to.
We have all seen how impurities, selfishness and addictions in our life have drawn us away from God and caused us to be in-affective in ministering to others.
We all have regrets…none of us are immune from them.
The difficult truth is this - that there are consequences to our sin. It can distract us from the spiritual purpose that God has place before us. In Samson’s life, it certainly did.
Transition - Although Samson is in sin, God does not abandon Him.
5. Despite my struggle with sin God will not abandon me.
5. Despite my struggle with sin God will not abandon me.
Even in a time where Samson had sinfully provided for himself, God had not left him.
Enter here - Examples of The Spirit of the Lord rushes on Samson.
19 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.
19 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.
Judges 14
Later on in Judges there is this tiny verse that is very telling. It is a verse that tells us that there was a long season in Samson’s life where he walked in repentance close with God.
20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
For those who follow Christ, God does not abandon.
Even when we have made sinful mistakes that we regret, God will abandon.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why? Because the blood of Christ that was spilled out for your sin is powerful for the sins of the past, present and future.
But for those who do not know Christ. There is abandonment.
This final abandonment is an eternal abandonment. At death you are sent to a place of regret, fire and fury.
A place where God’s judgement on sin and anger toward sin is in full force.
A place where God has withdrawn his patience, mercy and grace. Withdrawn any second chance.
Christ follower, If you are in sin like Samson and have gone your own way, you have abandoned God.
-Will you come back to Him now.
If you have not followed Christ and trusted Him with all of your life, will you say yes to Him now?
-He has a purpose for you that does not end in abandonment, but ends in full acceptance and forgiveness.
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God authority is so great that He uses anything he wants to bring about His plan and His glory. God has authority over
Samson’s marriage to the Philistines shows:
A. His parents lack of spiritual leadership and desire for what is right.
B. How intermarriage with pagans was status quo.
***Somewhere here deal with the issue of 14:4,
4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
God can be so big that He uses someone sin to bring about His results.
While God is not the author of evil. God took Samson’s desire for marriage, lack of spiritual standards from his parents, cultural acceptance of intermarrying pagans and pointed Samson’s selfish desires in the direction of the Philistine girl.
Why? To bring glory to Himself and save His people.
How could God use sin to bring about His holy purposes?
That doesn’t seem logical or Biblical.
Answer - God makes the rules and He does what He pleases.
Sometimes humans don’t perfectly understand. But we know this, God is God. He does what He wants.
demons (and on occasion uses them to bring about His plan)
Sickness/cancer - and uses cancer to bring about His plan
Sin - and can use sin to bring about His plan
What does this tell us about God? There is nothing that limits Him.
God does what He pleases.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
1. God is so powerful He can use any means He chooses to do His will.
Despite Samson’s call to be a spiritual leader Samson chooses his own way.
The scriptures say that God was in it
4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
Judges 14:
Illustration - Whatever your political position is the current president has disrupted Washington D.C. and brought imbalance to the system. This is part of his strategy to shake things up and get them done.
It seems like Israel is in a period of occupied peace. They have submitted to Philistine rule having finished fighting the oppression.
Samson is raised up to push back against the oppression of the Philistines.
Note - The Israelites are intermingling with the Philistines who have oppressed them. At this point there is relatives peace between the oppressed and the oppressor. Samson’s interaction with the woman from Timnah creates a confrontation with the Philistines.
Why would God create a confrontation, a stirring with the enemy?
Answer - God wants to do something. In this case, He is working to set the people free from the bondage of the Philistines.
God uses the sin of Samson to work His will and plan.
God authority is so great that He uses anything he wants to bring about His plan and His glory. God has authority over
demons (and on occasion uses them to bring about His plan)
Sickness/cancer - and uses cancer to bring about His plan
Sin - and can use sin to bring about His plan
What does this tell us about God? There is nothing that limits Him.
God does what He pleases.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
II. God in His mercy can still use someone struggling in sin to do His will.
Argument from silence - One big problem we see in Samson’s life is that He never led a military campaign to free God’s people from the Philistines.
Samson’s spiritual leadership was seen in one verse-
20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
III. The Spirit of God must empower us to fulfill His calling.