HANDS FULL OF HONEY

TEXT: Judges 14:5-9

Introduction

A. It is a remarkable feat for an unarmed man to slay a lion

1. Stranger still, a swarm of bees filled it with their honey

2. On top of this, Samson took the honey without being stung

3. The Bible was not written with the intent of being a good story

B. This incident makes a fine picture of the Christian life

1. Struggles of life

2. Joys of life

3. Sharing of blessings

C. A type of Christ

1. The conqueror of death & hell

2. The destroyer of the roaring lion

3. Today He stands with His hands full of sweetness to give to His own

D. Samson is symbolic of every Christian in the world

1. Helped by divine grace in his spiritual struggles

2. He knows the victory of faith

E. This passage is a reminder of what a Christian should be

1. Conqueror & comforter (slaying lions & distributing honey)

2. Wrestles with the powers of evil & shares the goodness of the Lord

I. the believers life has its conflicts

A. To become a Christian…

1. Is to enlist as a soldier

2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2. Is to enter upon a pilgrimage (the road is often rough)

B. The man who thinks he can glide into heaven without a struggle has made a big mistake

1. No cross, no crown

2. No conflict, no conquest

3. No sweat, no sweet

C. Conflict begins early in the life of a believer - Judges 13:25

1. Samson was a child on the verge of manhood

2. God began early to train His hero for a life of conflict (the Philistines)

3. This conflict with a wild beast showed Samson his strength when under the influence of the Holy Spirit

4. God was training him for future combat with even greater enemies (Israel’s enemies)

D. Men are trained for victory over evil by combat with it

1. It is a dangerous thing to be free from trouble

2. Solomon is an example

E. Conflicts may be very terrible - Judges 14:5 - "a young lion"

1. To be a soldier of the cross is not child’s play

2. Conflicts teach us the value of our gracious Savior

3. Conflict weans us from the earthly & makes us hunger for the eternal glory yet to be revealed

F. Conflicts happen when we are least prepared (alone & unarmed)

1. Human help & sympathy are precious, but there are times of spiritual conflict when we cannot expect it

2. There are times we must stand alone (this is the way to strength)

G. The victory was won by the Spirit of God - Judges 14:6

1. When the Holy Spirit is our help, we need neither company nor weapon

2. This is our one necessity – power of the Holy Spirit (with God all things are possible)

II. the believers life has its sweets - JUDGES 14:8-9

A. We are not always killing lions, sometimes we are eating honey

1. Some do both at once

2. Joy to earnestly contend for the faith

B. The sweets enjoyed by a believer are the choicest sweets: what is sweeter than honey?

1. What is more joyful than the joy of a saint

2. We are never sorry for this joy (the world’s joy brings sorrow)

C. The joys of the Christian life are plentiful (enough for himself & others too)

1. Pardoned sin, hope of heaven, love of God

2. After receiving of His goodness, infinite goodness still remains

D. Joys are often found in the former places of conflict (temptation)

1. Alcoholic

2. Drug Addict

III. the believer is to share these sweets - Judges 14:9

A. It is our duty & privilege to communicate the Gospel to others

1. It is a natural response to do it immediately (spiritual instincts)

2. He shared it with those nearest to him

B. He did it the best he could

1. He did not have any dishes available, so he used his hands -judges 14:9

2. Some make the excuse, "I cannot speak well"

3. Your friends may die before you learn proper speech

4. Tell them of Jesus in your present ability

5. Tell them of Jesus as best as you can, and never cease as long as you live

C. He took them some of it

1. He did not tell his father & mother were the honey was

2. A display of grace in one’s life is better than talking about it

3. The grace of God in us will be an attraction & an invitation all by itself

4. A holy life is the best sermon

D. Samson did this with great humility - Judges 14:9 - "but he told not them"

1. To many people like to boast of their accomplishments

2. They want credit for what they do

3. Would you still do what you do for the Lord if no one ever knew about it

4. The Holy Spirit finds humility so rare that He takes care to record it

5. Say much of what God did for you & little of what you did for Him

6. We have been left on earth to tell others of what God has done for us

Hands Full of Honey

A. It is a remarkable feat for an unarmed man to slay a lion

1. Stranger still, a swarm of bees filled it with their honey

2. On top of this, Samson took the honey without being stung

3. The Bible was not written with the intent of being a good story

B. This incident makes a fine picture of the Christian life

1. Struggles of life

2. Joys of life

3. Sharing of blessings

C. A type of Christ

1. The conqueror of death & hell

2. The destroyer of the roaring lion

3. Today He stands with His hands full of sweetness to give to His own

D. Samson is symbolic of every Christian in the world

1. Helped by divine grace in his spiritual struggles

2. He knows the victory of faith

E. This passage is a reminder of what a Christian should be

1. Conqueror & comforter (slaying lions & distributing honey)

2. Wrestles with the powers of evil & shares the goodness of the Lord

I. the believers life has its conflicts

A. To become a Christian…

1. Is to enlist as a soldier

2. Is to enter upon a pilgrimage (the road is often rough)

B. The man who thinks he can glide into heaven without a struggle has made a big mistake

1. No cross, no crown

2. No conflict, no conquest

3. No sweat, no sweet

C. Conflict begins early in the life of a believer - Judges 13:25

1. Samson was a child on the verge of manhood

2. God began early to train His hero for a life of conflict (the Philistines)

3. This conflict with a wild beast showed Samson his strength when under the influence of the Holy Spirit

4. God was training him for future combat with even greater enemies (Israel’s enemies)

D. Men are trained for victory over evil by combat with it

1. It is a dangerous thing to be free from trouble

2. Solomon is an example

E. Conflicts may be very terrible - Judges 14:5 - "a young lion"

1. To be a soldier of the cross is not child’s play

2. Conflicts teach us the value of our gracious Savior

3. Conflict weans us from the earthly & makes us hunger for the eternal glory yet to be revealed

F. Conflicts happen when we are least prepared (alone & unarmed)

1. Human help & sympathy are precious, but there are times of spiritual conflict when we cannot expect it

2. There are times we must stand alone (this is the way to strength)

G. The victory was won by the Spirit of God - Judges 14:6

1. When the Holy Spirit is our help, we need neither company nor weapon

2. This is our one necessity – power of the Holy Spirit (with God all things are possible)

II. the believers life has its sweets - JUDGES 14:8-9

A. We are not always killing lions, sometimes we are eating honey

1. Some do both at once

2. Joy to earnestly contend for the faith

B. The sweets enjoyed by a believer are the choicest sweets: what is sweeter than honey?

1. What is more joyful than the joy of a saint

2. We are never sorry for this joy (the world’s joy brings sorrow)

C. The joys of the Christian life are plentiful (enough for himself & others too)

1. Pardoned sin, hope of heaven, love of God

2. After receiving of His goodness, infinite goodness still remains

D. Joys are often found in the former places of conflict (temptation)

1. Alcoholic

2. Drug Addict

III. the believer is to share these sweets - Judges 14:9

A. It is our duty & privilege to communicate the Gospel to others

1. It is a natural response to do it immediately (spiritual instincts)

2. He shared it with those nearest to him

B. He did it the best he could

1. He did not have any dishes available, so he used his hands -judges 14:9

2. Some make the excuse, "I cannot speak well"

3. Your friends may die before you learn proper speech

4. Tell them of Jesus in your present ability

5. Tell them of Jesus as best as you can, and never cease as long as you live

C. He took them some of it

1. He did not tell his father & mother were the honey was

2. A display of grace in one’s life is better than talking about it

3. The grace of God in us will be an attraction & an invitation all by itself

4. A holy life is the best sermon

D. Samson did this with great humility - Judges 14:9 - "but he told not them"

1. To many people like to boast of their accomplishments

2. They want credit for what they do

3. Would you still do what you do for the Lord if no one ever knew about it

4. The Holy Spirit finds humility so rare that He takes care to record it

5. Say much of what God did for you & little of what you did for Him

6. We have been left on earth to tell others of what God has done for us