Judges, Samson 2
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Judges, Samson - 2, Rough Draft
Judges, Samson - 2, Rough Draft
Big Idea - The temptation of romance and sex (outside of marriage) will pull me away from God’s purpose for me.
Context
The worst thing I can do for you as a pastor is to speak about the temptations of sex or romance as if I’m not subject to sexual temptation. Like any other Christ following man - I have to make the spiritual decision daily to choose purity, both sexually and romantically. The minute you think you are past temptation in the area of sex and romance you have made yourself the most vulnerable. We are in this fight together. It is a battle of the heart and mind.
We have church family in this room that battle sexual addiction.
We have church family that battle the lie, If I only could have a romantic relationship with this kind of person, I would be happy, or if I could have sexual a sexual relationship with this kind of person - I would be happy.
The church in America has ignored speaking about the temptations of sex and romance too long. It is one of our greatest temptations and areas of spiritual failure.
Once a year in Bible college our president would come to the men’s dorm and speak on sexual temptation. One example he gave of personal struggle was when he was driving his car and up ahead saw a barley clothed long haired, blonde long legged jogger running up ahead. His senses griped him with the temptation of getting a good look at this beautiful woman. He fought very hard as he approached the jogger, after he passed buy he fell to his temptation and brief took a look back in his rear view mirror to sneak a peak at her beauty. It was in that very moment he realized that he had gotten all worked up for nothing. The jogger was a man.
Transition - As we look at Samson this week we will see that Samson too struggle with sexual sin.
We will also see
Samson’s temptation of romance and sex pulled him away from God’s purpose for him.
Samson’s purpose - , “… he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
***Samson’s purpose - , “… he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
Samson’s purpose - , “… he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
We ended our message last week with the fact that Samson had ministered to Israel by being their spiritual leader for over 20 years.
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.”
How did a whole building come down with 2 pillars close together pushed?
We ended our message last week with the fact that Samson had ministered to Israel by being their spiritual leader for over 20 years.
Today we will see 2 major sins, Romantic and sexual, that Samson made that deeply effected his life.
These 2 spiritual failures came after 20 solid and faithful years of ministry.
We could say, after 20 years of teaching Sunday School, 20 years of working with children, being a deacon, missionary or Pastor… After 20 years of being the leader of Israel - Samson fell prey to his heart and his physical desires.
Transition - So we see in our first point -
I. Age and a season of long spiritual success does not protect me from sin.
and 16:1-3 sets a strong context for this story
Samson saw a prostitute and he slept with her.
By todays’ standards Samson was not a young man - guesstimate that he was at least 40 years old and could have easily been older. He wasn’t tricked into sin because of being young and ignorant.
Samson fell into sin because he decided that a desire of his body was more important than the Word of the Lord.
Samson believed a lie - If I sleep with this woman I will be happy.
How heavy were the doors of the city?
I have served God for 20 years I deserve this experience.
Samson rationalized and compromised.
This one compromise led him down a road to not fulfilling the purpose that God had for him - so begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.
We see glimpses of Samson’s ability to fulfill his purpose...
Verse 2 gives us a glimpse of Samson’s potential.
2 The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here.” And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, “Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.”
The men of the city of Gad who were enemies of Samson decided at daybreak they would kill Samson.
Samson had different plans, Samson left the prostitute in the middle of the night while it was still dark,
lifted the gate of the city (between 5 and 10 tons)
hiked with the gate on his shoulders to a hill 40 miles away and left it there.
When a city looses its doors/gate it looses its defenses.
When the doors of a city are broken down in war the city is considered taken.
This brought great shame on the Philistine men in the city of Gaza.
Transition - This first act of premarital sex opened the door for another encounter - A romantic encounter - that would lead Samson to his death.
Strory Tell - After Samson slept with the prostitute he sn
How heavy were the doors of the city?
4 After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
Judges 16:4-5
The scriptures tell us that Samson loved a woman. A foreign woman who did not love the Lord.
Vs. 4, After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek
Let’s be clear about love.
You choose who you love.
Culture says, You fall into love. Love is a power that easily overtakes the heart and the will. The emotion is stronger than my ability to fight it. You helplessly fall into love.
That is a lie from the pit of hell.
Why?
You fall in love with the person that you choose to dwell on. The person you chose to spend time with. The person you chose to believe.
You don’t “fall in love” without making a decision to allow your heart and mind to dwell on infatuation.
You choose what messages you will believe.
Example - If I physically have this woman she will fulfill me.
If I romantically experience the love of this man pursuing me I will be satisfied.
Do not You believe the lie, “Just follow your heart.”
You choose what messages you will believe. If I have this woman she will fulfill me. If I experience this love I will be satisfied.
You fall in love with the person that you choose to dwell on.
-When you find yourself developing feelings for someone who is not a Christ follower. AND when you find yourself thinking unholy thoughts about someone.
By begging God in prayer for the power of His Spirit, you must resist.
Illustration - I had a person who was very close to me, who would meant well, but would give me bad advice. They would say, just follow your heart.
My heart is not filled with wisdom.
My heart is full of selfish desires.
My heart lies to me about what really is best.
Big Idea - The temptation of romance and sex will pull me away from God’s purpose for me.
When I followed my heart I exposed myself to being manipulated into sin.
When I followed my heart I exposed myself to being manipulated into sin.
Transition - We see that with Samson
You choose who you dwell on. You don’t “fall in love” without allowing your heart and mind to dwell on infatuation. You choose what messages you will believe. If I have this woman she will fulfill me. If I experience this love I will be satisfied.
I must actively guard my heart from falling prey to trap of ungodly lust or romance.
II. The enemy is looking for an opportunity to kill me/wreck me. vs. 5-6
Romance or sex on of the greatest tools.
III. Attraction and the desire to please will blind us from pleasing God.
6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.”
Samson:
Bind me with seven fresh BOWSTRINGS. When he slept she did.
Judges 16:vs. 6-17
The Philistines came in to ambush him - he snapped the bow strings.
2. You have mocked me, NEW ROPES, while he slept.
The Philistines came in to ambush him - he snapped the bow strings.
The strongest man, Samson, failed when it came to their desire or women.
3. You have lied to me, WEAVE THE LOCKS OF MY HAIR, while he slept
The Philistines came in to ambush him - he shook the weave loose.
Can I ask you this, After the Philistines ran in 3 times to ambush you, wouldn’t you begin to think that you were in a life or death situation?
Samson had given himself to the Romance of Delilah - that he was blinded to reality - and to God.
Finally Samson gives in to Delilah and tells her the secret of his hair.
18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.
18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. 22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
Judges 16:18-02
Samson - The strongest man, failed when it came to his desire or women.
The strongest man, Samson, failed when it came to their desire or women.
The strongest man, Samson, failed when it came to their desire or women.
The strongest man, Samson, failed when it came to their desire or women.
King David - The man after God’s own heart, failed in His desire for women.
King Solomon - The wisest man, failed in his desire for women.
Illustration - There is someone who I call a friend who suffered the similar failure. He was a very successful Southern Baptist pastor of several churches with thousands of members. He had 40 years of ministry, grown children and grandchildren … the man who married Susan and me. A man who I had the honor of teaching his children Bible at a christian school… He held the highest office of the administrative side of the Southern Baptist Convention.
He had an emotional affair … not physical, Romantic, but he went too far.
It cost him his ministry - He will never lead again, like he once did.
The thousands he ministered to over the years - many have lost respect.
This man is not for all the good he did (and it was much good), but for being the person who had an emotional Romance with someone other than his wife.
Now know him not for all the good he did (and it was much good), but for being the person who had an emotional Romance with someone other than his wife.
This is someone I still love to this day.
You are not the exception. If you follow your appetite, you will be devoured by it.
You are not the exception. If you follow your appetite, you will be devowere
We are not just talking about the physical or sexual part of a relationship, but also the relationally romantic side.
Attraction/Romance/Sex that does not honor God will never deliver on its promise to satisfy. It will leave you empty and in pain.
vs. 18-21
Sin wants you to sign a contract with it.
If you will follow me, then I will make you happy/satisfy. You fulfill the contract with sin, but it will always fail to do its part. Why? Because sin cannot do what only God can do.
Examples:
Big Idea - It will pull me away from God’s purpose for me.
Transition, Finally we see this.
Transition, Finally we see this.
V. God invites me to repent (turn from) from the hope I have foolishly placed in romance and sex.
Story Tell -
A long time later, after Samson had been in slave labor pushing a thousand pound grinding wheel, his hair grows back.
It appears that during this season of blindness and misery, that Samson was humbled, he repented and turned back to God
Philistines have a worship festival to their pagan God.
In their pagan temple 3,000 philistines were packed in worshiping Dagon and praising Samson’s capture.
They bring blind Samson out to shame him.
Samson found the 2 center pillars, main architectural supports for the roof, asked God for strength one last time, with all his strength he pushed the support pillars down.
Killed 3,000 philistines and himself.
In Samson’s blindness, he was finally able to see God.
Samson was a savior for the Israelites that failed in many ways.
Transition - There is a Savior that didn’t fail.
His name is Jesus.
Jesus did not need blindness to humble Him to see God.
Jesus was & is God.
Jesus chose humbleness by coming to earth and living in poverty.
Jesus did not fail in death because Jesus fulfilled His purpose by dying for sin.
Unlike Samson, Death was not the end of Jesus story because Jesus showed His power over sin and rose from the dead.
Jesus did not fail in sexual or romantic sin, but did forgive those did fail.
Samson didn’t have the strength to forgive sin, but Jesus has the power to forgive your sin. To forgive it right now.
Maybe your sin is like Samson’s.
You have placed your heart in the hope of Romance, but not in the hope of your Savior.
Maybe you have sinned in your body and done impure acts that are not holy.
God is able now - to forgive you. Will you cry out to Him?
Pray.
Our culture worships experiences. It looks for the height of pleasure and follows it in worship.
How did a whole building come down with 2 pillars close together pushed?
Our culture worships experiences. It looks for the height of pleasure and follows it in worship.
Picture of Philistine architecture.
Our culture worships experiences. It looks for the height of pleasure and follows it in worship.
Example -
The victory of being a football/baseball champion.
The thrill of shooting the biggest deer.
The experience of physical intimacy.
The group worship of being in a crowd at the big concert or dance.
Stand for the hymn of response.
The high or release of drug or alcohol abuse.
The pleasure of having children.
The sense of accomplishment in promotion.
The joy of having grandchildren.
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Closer - Jesus is the better Samson.
Samson was to be the savior and began to fulfill his purpose at the end of His life, but never really succeeded.
Jesus came to earth to become the savior of sinners and not only succeeded in paying the price for our sins on the cross. He rose again majestically.
Jesus did not half way succeed - He conquered sin and death.
So much so that we remember Him and celebrate what he did.
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Dagon - Fish God, God over agriculture for Philistines
How did a whole building come down with 2 pillars close together pushed?
Picture of Philistine architecture.
Our culture worships experiences. It looks for the height of pleasure and follows it in worship.
Example -
The victory of being a football/baseball champion.
The thrill of shooting the biggest deer.
The experience of physical intimacy.
The group worship of being in a crowd at the big concert or dance.
The high or release of drug or alcohol abuse.
The pleasure of having children.
The sense of accomplishment in promotion.
The joy of having grandchildren.