Judges Chapter 16

Intro: Samson is the story of Wasted Potential – The man was incredibly blessed & gifted – Yet incredibly undisciplined

A)Samson was a man w/ Tremendous Privilege & Potential – Miraculous birth / Godly Parents / special calling / supernatural gifting

B)Yet He squandered the resources that God had given him & ignored his calling { Life became a story of waste –

1) A story of what could have been / of what should have been – but unfortunately WASN’T –

C) The Story of Samson illustrates for us three powerful principles that are found in the word of God

#1 Prov 16:18- Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

#2 1 Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

#3 Sexual sin is extremely destructive:

Prov 6:26-27 26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?

Tonight I want to begin with a Quick review – Consider 3 Character falls that we saw last time that would eventually lead to Samson’s Down fall.

A) #1 Attraction to the world – 1 Sam 14:1 Samson went down to Timnah - Philistines territory

B) There against the wishes of his father – Samson YOKE himself to an unbeliever !!!

1) Down fall – Attraction to the World – Worldly women

No doubt today – Surfing the Net – Porn

C) #2 Samson had a disregard for authority -

1) Didn’t listen to his fathers objections Ch.14

D) He lacked a fear of God – Samson’s life would be marked by constantly pushing the envelope – see how much he could get away with.

#3 Samson Played around with the call of God upon his life

A)As a Nazarite he was supposed to be separated unto God – Not drink wine – Ch.14 – Partying

B) Not touch dead body – Ch.14 Kills a lion – way back – bee hive in carcass – takes some honey –

1) Total disregard for his calling – Prideful – above the law attitude

C) Telling riddles – throwing temper tantrums – chasing foxes –

1) God has gifted him for so much more – God has plans for this guy that are never going to materialize because he never gets serious w/ God

D) So those are 3 Character flaws that will continue to re-surface in the Story of Samson that will lead to his DEMISE

We left off in Ch. 15 – Samson judged Israel for 20 yrs – 20 yrs that were uneventful –

A)God had raised up Samson to be a deliverer – for the people of Israel they were still living under the oppression of the Philistines

B) But once again we see Samson – not taking seriously his call- 20yrs of just maintaining - Not progressing –

1) Comfortable – no wars – no fights – NO CHANGE

C) Christian life is serious of Battles – { Danger of complacency & comfort

CH.16 :1Now Samson went to Gaza & saw a harlot there,& went in to her.

A)Now we are not sure – when this happened in that 20 yr time period –but it was probably during the end –

B) But once again we see Samson being attracted to the World – Gaza was one of the 5 major cities of the Philistines

1) So once again – Samson puts himself in a place that he has no business being – Slipped even further – Harlot – pure lust

C) 1 Cor 10:13

13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

D) Samson did not fail because the temptation was too strong – Nor did he fail because it was inescapable

1) Samson failed because he toyed around with sin until he finally gave in

This episode of failure in Samson’s life is not very well Known – but what he sowed here in Gaza he would later reap in Sorek – Delilah

A)Unbridled passion : that leads him to take a huge risk –

B) Samson walks right into the camp of the enemy – right into one of the strongholds of the Philistines – place where he was hated

1)Lust does that – Huge risk – put everything on the line – Careless

C) Again we see a subtle self confidence – that he was above being touched by this – That he was somehow – Invincible

1) See what happens – RD V. 2-3

D) Samson’s enormous strength – Huge gates wood & metal carries them some 38 miles –

1) Again playing around – showing off – See how invincible I am.

E) Samson keeps thinking – I am getting away with my sin – Drink nothing happens – Dead body – God still anoints – Harlot – escape

1) Easy to Rationalize – Nothing is happening – God is still working – it must be ok – Biggest deceptions of the enemy

Listen the reason nothing is happening – doesn’t mean that God is approving – it simply means that God is waiting – Repent

A)Your sin will find you out – it will be revealed – It will bring you down – but God in his grace – waits – repent –come to senses

RD V. 4-6

B) Here Samson is so blinded by his own pride & sin that he doesn’t even see what she is up to. Let me afflict you – Please –

1) Instead of getting out of there, Samson is going to play a game w/ temptation

2 Tim 2: 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

C) SPELLED FLEA – WHY ?

1) Interesting thing about fleas – fleas thrust w/ their back legs those little legs according to National Geographic . Study

D)Thrust in Little flea legs is 11 times stronger than the space shuttle when it leaves planet earth –

1)That is what I want from the Lord – Lord give me FLEA legs Power to

get as far away from this temptation as I possibly can !!!!

E)Also Note – FLEA = FUGO - I LIKE THAT - FOOL GO !!!!

1) Get out of here – or else I am going to end up a fool !!!!

Samson was a fool but he didn’t flea – Stays there – plays around with temptation

A)Listen Temptation comes to us in attractive packages – the Philistines didn’t hire – the Bearded lady to entice Samson – Pretty Delilah

B)Satan is the same way – he doesn’t come along and say – Hey I want to destroy your life – go do this – what do you think ?

1)No he comes wrapped up in a Beautiful package – entice – appeals to the flesh – Lots of Delilah’s - We need to flee- RD V. 7-13

C) Now he is getting closer – Hair – Slipping

1)Sin & compromise distort your perception to see things clearly & it limits your ability to make RATIONAL DECISIONS

D)Compromise causes your vision to become Distorted

1) and I also believe THAT HIS PRIDE– caused him to think that he was beyond being affected –

E)It will never HAPPEN TO ME SYNDROME – THIS WON’T AFFECT

ME I AM TOO STRONG !!!!!! I’M SAMSON

1) WHEN IN REALITY HE IS ONLY ONE MORE STEP AWAY FROM DISASTER !!!! { YOU TONIGHT ?

14-16

Now here we see a good example of how relentless the devil is – He is not going to let up – Position of compromise is a position of weakness

A)Satan will continue to come at you – until you fall – Position of compromise puts you out of the place of God’s hedge of protection

B) David place of compromise when he sinned with Bathsheba

C) Place of compromise is where it starts – Ungodly friendship – unhealthy relationship

1) An inner net chat room –

D) You think – no big deal I can handle this – computer – no filter

1) He is going to be relentless

E) Delilah was relentless – she pestered him daily until he told her

V.17-20 - Saddest verses in the Bible –

Listen is that what it is going to take ? –

Judg 16:21

21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. [big man]

A)Sin does – Blinds / binds / grinds -

B) It BLINDS you

"Leave me alone... I know what I'm doing... I can handle myself"

C)You are BLIND to what is really going on your life

1)Your personality is changing... Your efficiency is being diminished

D)All the time you are saying: "I can stop any time.... I'm in control"

1) You are BLIND to the reality of the deterioration of your life

2.) SIN BINDS you- You wake up one day and discover that you are NOT in control- I CAN'T stop it.... I CAN'T walk away from it

3.) SIN makes life a GRIND- No more joy.... No more thrill

Your life is a miserable grind and you are bound to it

Mathematics of sin is always the same – Add to your sorrows / subtract your Joy / Multiply your problems / divide your heart

C) Solomon’s wisdom –

Prov 6:26-28

26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread;

And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?

28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?

NKJV

Prov 7:24-27

24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;

Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,

Do not stray into her paths;

26 For she has cast down many wounded,

And all who were slain by her were strong men. [ Strong men]

27 Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

NKJV

So Samson is reduced to a crust of Bread – He is completely humiliated – he is an animal to be caulked at – He is about to be put on Parade

RD v. 22

22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

In the midst of a dungeon; God gives him hope not only is his hair returning, more importantly, his heart is also returning

A)I think it is safe to assume – that Samson came to his senses & repented of his Pride & Sin – God shoes Grace

B) God resist the Proud but he gives grace to the humble

1)No matter what kind of mess we have put ourselves into because of our sin, God can bring us hope.

C)He rarely makes it all better instantly, but He definitely brings hope

V.23-25

Samson may have justified his sin in his own mind by thinking he was only hurting himself.

A)But his disobedience led to the giving of glory to false gods - he was their trophy

B)The message preached by the followers of Dagon was clear: "our god is stronger than the God of Israel, because we have conquered Samson."

C) How often has the disobedience of God's leaders led many to doubt our God!

V.26-31

Here is the end of a life that COULD HAVE BEEN different

A)He COULD have gone down in history as one of the greatest deliverer's in Israel's history

B)Here is the end of a life that SHOULD HAVE BEEN different

1) He SHOULD have been a hero

C) BUT he was a man who NEVER WAS- Because he NEVER conquered his own flesh

This 3,000 year old story is very relevant to each of us today

A)You see, the story of Samson is being lived out in countless lives of people today

B)There are people who are NOT fulfilling their potential because of lack of COMMITMENT

C)They COULD be a better witness for Christ..... They SHOULD be a better witness for Christ....... But they are NOT

1) Playing around with their gifts - not taking seriously their call – living with one foot in the world

D)They COULD be doing more... They SHOULD be doing more..... But They are NOT

1) BECAUSE they are not committed to Jesus as you should be

Is that YOU?

The life of Samson screams to us today to make a FULL COMMITMENT of our lives to Jesus Christ