Samson: What Could Have Been. II

Judges 16:21-23+25-30  Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.  But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shave.  Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate.  While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.  When they stood him among the pillars, Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.”  Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.  Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”  Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he live.

Intro:  The scripture tells us that even though Samson was a shallow, self-absorbed, disobedient, and an under-achiever.  God heard his pray and allowed him to be used as an arm of deliverance for his people.  In fact, his last act of deliverance was greater than any other of his previous ones put together.  The scripture teaches us the end can often be greater than the beginning.

Haggai 2:9  'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts.

 So what happened to Samson that finally brought him to a place where God could use him in a greater way than at other any time in his life.

V.21  -  Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.

# 1  -  Samson could no longer walk by sight.

 The first thing that the Philistines did was gouge out his eyes.  So Samson’s greatest accomplishment came afte he was blinded. 

2 Corinthians 5:7  We walk by faith, not by sight.

There is only one kind of faith and that is blind faith.  Faith by its nature is sightless.

Hebrews 11:1  Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Faith does not see obstacles or hindrances. 

Mark 11:23  I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Faith does not recognize impossibilities.

Mark 10:27  “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Faith only recognizes possibilities.

Mark 9:23 All things are possible to him who believes.

Faith recognizes God’s Word.

Romans 10:17  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Hearing implies a spoken Word.  Samson finally learned the essence of faith.  Which brings us to our second point.

# 2  -  Samson was finally willing to be led.

V. 26  -  Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 

This is one of the toughest areas for people to get a handle on.  It’s not in our nature to be led, especially here in America.  We want to independent and in control, but the key to power with God is the ability to be led.

Psalm 143:10  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on to firm footing.

Psalm 119:133  Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.

That was Samson’s biggest problem.  He was in control and God was not.  Samson had to have his eyes gouged out and put into shackles before he finally yielded control.  What has to happen in our lives before some of us will yield control over to God?  Ultimately, Samson had to pay the ultimate price to achieve his greatest victory.  He had to die.

 V. 29-30  Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

# 3  -  He had to die to achieve his greatest victory. 

To achieve optimum power, authority and success in our walk with God and in life is going to require you to die. 

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Romans 6:6-8  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 6:4   We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

A person who has truly died to himself will be a person of great faith because nothing else exists except God and His promises.

A person who has truly died to himself will be a person who can be led by the Spirit of God, because he has been blinded by faith and must trust God to guide him.  They live by…..

Proverbs 3:5+6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will guide and direct you path.  

Last week spoke briefly about how God desires to restore or make up for the years that that disobedience, pride, bad decisions and other sin had destroyed or stolen from us.   

Joel 2:25  And I will restore and make up for the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar has eaten away.

Well, the question now is how de we begin the restoration.  Are you tired of just hearing about how God wants to restore things to you?  Would you like to actually begin to see some of the restoration happening in your life? 

Well, here’s how you can start.  One of the ways that the word restore is translated from the Hebrew is the word “Shub”.  Like in….. 

Isaiah 57:18  I have seen the ways of man, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him.

The word “shub” means to turn back or return.  The Word “Shub” is also the Hebrew word for repent.  Repentance is where you begin the road to restoration.  We all repent when we come to Christ or when we make mistakes and His blood covers our sin, but the effects of our sin live on.  I’ve always believed that if we want God to begin to make up for the ears that we’ve lost there needs to be a different kind of repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:10  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

When we repent it’s usually because we feel bad about something or regret the way life has turned out.  Godly sorrow is not about regret and what we’ve lost.  Godly sorrow is about being anguished over our being separated from God.  You see we can even make repentance about us.

Psalm 51:10-12  Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.