1 SERMON ~ FINISHING WELL ~ JUDGES 15 & 16 ~ 03.11.07 Prayer: INTRODUCTION: Most people have heard of Billy Graham, but how about Chuck Templeton and Bron Cliffort, have you heard of them? All three of these young men rose to prominence in their middle twenties. One seminary president after hearing Chuck Templeton - a brilliant, dynamic preacher, called him the most gifted, talented young preacher in America. Templeton and Graham became very close friends. Most observers thought that Templeton would be the one who would rise to the top. One magazine wrote a feature article calling Templeton the "Babe Ruth of evangelism." Bron Cliffort was another gifted, young fireball evangelist. Many believed that Cliffort was the most gifted, powerful preacher to come up in the church for many centuries. People lined up for hours to hear Him preach. At the age of twenty-five, Cliffort touched more lives, influenced more leaders, and set more attendance records than other clergyman in American history. National leaders vied for his attention. He was: tall, handsome, dashing, intelligent and sophisticated. He seemed to have everything. In 1945 Graham, Templeton and Cliffort launched out of the starting blocks like Olympic gold medalists. But why haven't you heard of Chuck Templeton and Bron Cliffort? The answer may surprise you. By 1950 Templeton had left the ministry. He pursued a radio career. He became an announcer and a newscaster, telling the world that he no longer believed Jesus Christ was the son of God. He became an atheist. By 1954 Cliffort had lost his family, his ministry and his health. Eventually he lost his life because of his addiction to alcohol. This once famous preacher died of cirrhosis of the liver at the age of thirty-five in a rundown hotel. He died unwept, un-honored, and unsung. In 1945 all three of these young men with extraordinary gifts were preaching for the purpose of multiplying the church by thousands of people. But within ten years only one of them was still on track for Christ. In the Christian life, it's not how you start, but it's how you finish that counts. Samson s life, perhaps more than most, shows us, what could have been, and demonstrates the importance of finishing well.
2 BODY: 1. A GOOD BEGINNING: (A). Samson Given Everything that he Required: In Judges 13, 14 we discovere that Samson was given all of the resources that were necessary for him to realise the potential that God had for his life. o God s Plans Samson was a promise and a miracle baby from God, as his mother was barren. o God s Instructions Samson s parents were given instructions by God on his role and purpose in life. Samson was to be a Nazirite, a life long vow of separation, and consecration to God. o Godly Parents - Samson was also blessed with godly parents. Before he was conceived. They asked God how they should train up and guide their future child. o Empowered by the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit came upon Samson to give him power. With a beginning ordained by God, with his life s work planned by God, and with the start to life that Samson had, you could be forgiven for thinking that Samson was set, that he had it made; that there was nothing that could hold him back. But Samson s life demonstrates that a good beginning doesn t guarantee a good ending The English poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, Great is the art of beginning but greater is the art of ending. Let s look at the closing scenes of Samson s life and learn from those scenes why he didn t finish as well as God had intended. 2. SAMSON S DEMISE: Samson s demise began when he disagreed with his parents about marrying a Philistine girl. Then he shunned and broke his Nazirite vow and defiled himself. He disregarded the warnings of God, disobeyed the Word of God, and was subsequently defeated by the enemies of God. (A). Samson Tempts Himself (Judges 16:1-3): Read Judges 16:1-3 Samson trusted in himself. He deliberately exposed himself to the enemy, with a self-confidence that bordered on carelessness. He went to Gaza, the strongest city of the Philistines and flirted with the enemy.
3 Samson did NOT fail because the temptation was too strong. He did NOT fail because the temptation was inescapable. Samson failed because he toyed and trifled with sin, until, finally, he gave in to sin. Samson s life demonstrates power without purity and strength without self-control. (B). Samson Betrays Himself (Judges 16:4-22): Samson, the strongest of men, finally fell to his third female fatale. But it is in this relationship with Delilah that we see three principles that lie at the heart of why we: you and I succumb to temptation. (1) Moral compromise always makes us vulnerable: If Samson had not of had a sinful relationship with Delilah, he would never have been open to this temptation. In Samson s life moral compromise is obvious, but perhaps in our lives it is more subtle. It may take the form of what material we watch on TV, read in magazines or view on the internet. It may include the kind of values that we accept. To compromise even in our thought lives, makes us very vulnerable. (2) Temptation comes to us in attractive packages: The Philistines didn t hire Tugboat Annie to entice Samson, they hired a beauty queen. They hired a woman that was sexually attractive, and Samson wanted her very much. And so it is with us. When sin comes it will not come as something ugly and destructive. Sin will always be dressed up to be attractive and desirable; it will appear fulfilling and good. Do you think that Satan would be effective if he came to you and said that he, wanted to destroy your effectiveness as a Christian, that he wanted to blind and enslave you? Satan always puts his poison in the middle of something highly attractive. It was only later that Delilah was revealed for what she really was. (3) Temptation comes when we choose the wrong kind of girl: Samson had an uncanny ability to choose the wrong kind of girl. And now he chooses Delilah who I believe is a type of Satan. Delilah means devourer, and that is exactly what the devil wants to do with us. 1 Peter 5:8, Peter paints a vivid picture of Satan, stating that, he walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Samson fails to use reason when choosing Delilah. Instead, he is blinded by love that finally ends in physical, moral and spiritual blindness. Samson should have taken the advice of James. Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he WILL flee from you (James 4:7).
4 Read Judges 16:19-21 Samson had done what was right in his own eyes; now the Philistines gouged them out. He had refused to discipline his own life; now he became a slave and prisoner of his enemies. He had visited a prostitute in Gaza and escaped without harm; now he was a prisoner in Gaza. He had pursued Philistine women; now the strong man was grinding grain - forced to do a women s work. When we give up, give away, and reject everything that God gives us; we then become enslaved by the devil. 3. SAMSON: GOD S RESTORATION OF A FAILURE: (A). The Samson in Each of Us: Samson may have lived and died more than 3000 years ago, but in one sense, Samson is still alive and well. There is a Samson in each one of us. Each one of us has encountered Delilah, and like Samson most of us have been stupid enough to visit her more than once. There are many commonalities between us and Samson, and that paints quite a negative picture. But praise God that there is also some good news. There are also parallels, and importantly contrasts between Samson and Jesus: Parallels: o At the time of the births of both Samson and Jesus, God s people had largely neglected and forsaken God. o Both Samson and Jesus were sons of promise. o Scripture tells us that the birth of both babies was foretold by angels: with Samson it was the angel of the Lord - Jesus Himself. While the birth of baby Jesus, was announced by the angel Gabriel. o Both Samson and Jesus were mocked before their deaths. o Both prayed to God for strength before they died. Contrasts: o It was promised that Samson would begin to deliver Israel, while it was promised that Jesus would completely and fully deliver Israel. o Samson was not to touch anything unclean, while Jesus mission was to come and to touch the unclean. o The unclean that Samson touched made him defiled and unclean, while the unclean that Jesus touched became purified and clean. o The Spirit of God came upon Samson, whilst Jesus was continually filled with the Spirit of God. o Samson trusted in his own strength, where as Jesus trusted in His Father s strength.
5 o Samson lacked self-control, while Jesus entire life, was a life of self-control. o Samson gave into temptation, Jesus resisted temptation. o Samson was overcome, while Jesus overcame. o Samson s death was needless, whilst Jesus death was needed. o Samson took life to deliver, while Jesus gave His life to deliver. Perhaps some of us have chosen to spend more time with Delilah than with God? Perhaps like Samson, you have been more willing to reveal all, to the Delilah s of this world, than to give all to God? Perhaps like Samson you have been living in a world of false security, believing that Delilah cannot harm you? And perhaps like Samson you have realized all too late that Delilah is indeed stronger than you? Perhaps like Samson you have experienced the bondage and slavery that comes as a result of visiting Delilah. Perhaps like Samson you are now in bondage, blinded by sin, with no apparent light in sight? Perhaps like Samson enslaved by sin, the ridicule, taunts and jeers that Samson endured from the Philistines, are for you replaced with thoughts and accusations from the devil. Perhaps Satan is telling you that you have rejected God and that now God was rejected you. Perhaps he is telling you that you are worthless and lost. That there is now no hope for you? If any or all of these ring true for you, then thank God that the life of Jesus stands in stark contrast to that of Samson. Thank God that Jesus overcame where Samson failed. And thank God that Jesus is only too willing to restore you, as He did Samson. (B). God s Restoration of Samson (Judges 16:23-27) Few people in Scripture fell as low as Samson did. When Samson awoke in Delilah s lap, his hair was gone, his strength had vanished and his fellowship with God was broken. Read Judges 16:25-27 VISUALISATION Samson is now in total darkness. Where his eyes once were now there is nothing except hollow recesses. He cannot see, but he can hear. Even from his prison cell the noise reaches him. Yes, it sounded like a chant, becoming more audible by the minute, until it finally builds to a crescendo: We want Samson, We want Samson,
6 We want Samson. So Samson was taken out from his cell and led into a massive stadium, a temple. He doesn t have to see to know that there are thousands of eyes fixated, upon him, staring with glee at their once feared enemy. He is led out like an animal on a chain, a blind, broken, and a defeated man. He is led by a young boy, which further highlights his weakness. Perhaps the reason that the Philistines haven t killed him earlier may be so that now they can make the most of their defeated foe. He is led into the centre of the temple where everyone can enjoy seeing the festivities. He is then toyed with, ridiculed, forced to do degrading acts, treated cruelly all of which are gleefully approved of by the thousands of Philistines in attendance. From this picture it could be rightly said that Samson has not been more humiliated in his life. Surely Samson is at his lowest ebb? Read Judges 16:22 Never before has a man with no hair on his head been happier to see hair now growing. The only problem is that Samson cannot see it he is blind. But he can feel that hair growing. The hair that his mother so many years before, when he was only a young boy had told him was a special sign that he was dedicated to God. The hair that his mother had told him never to cut, the hair that his mother was so proud of was now beginning to grow back. But this verse is not so much concerned with what was occurring naturally on the outside of Samson s head, but rather, what was occurring spiritually on the inside of Samson s head. Samson s growing hair was an indicator of his fellowship with God, which was restored and growing. In verse 20, after Samson s hair is shaved off, we read that the Lord departed from him. However, the fact that his hair is now returning, is also a sign that God is once again in communion with Samson. During the period that Samson had been grinding grain, he had time to reflect, on his life and where it had come off the rails. In his absolute weakness he now begins to reach out to God, and God unreservedly accepts him. As he undoubtedly confesses his sin to God, God instantly forgives him, however not all of the consequences of his sin are erased. His hair begins to grow, but he does not receive new eyes. His guilt is gone, but he still has to live with the ramifications of his sin until his death. This reminds us NOT to trivialise and minimise the seriousness of sin and its consequences. However, we must also NOT miss the significance of God s forgiveness. God did not give Samson his eyes back, but He did use Samson s blindness to enable him to do what he could never have done if he had sight. The grace of God took the results of Samson s failure, and used his apparent weakness and his blindness to bring about a great victory.
7 (C). God s Restoration Evidenced by Samson s Prayer (Judges 16:28-31) Read Judges 16:28-30 Samson has obviously already accepted God s forgiveness. He does NOT say in this prayer, Oh Lord I know that blew it before, I know that I am unworthy I believe that Samson did pray like that, as he spent countless hours grinding grain. That was part of his confession and repentance to God. But Samson now knows that God has already forgiven him. His sin had been dealt with. It was now part of the past. Perhaps some of us struggle in this area. Do we accept the forgiveness of sin, or do we keep digging it up and replaying it over and over again in our minds, mining our actions for every last gram of guilt? We do NOT need to keep punishing ourselves for our sin to please God. Samson NOW trusts God whole heartedly and is fully committed to God. We only have two recorded prayers by Samson. And it is no coincident that this is the first time that we read of Samson praying before he used his strength. He is now totally dependant upon the strength of God, rather than his own strength. Sadly, Samson possibly never had a clearer understanding of what God wanted him to do with his life than he just prior to his death when he prayed this prayer. This was the prayer of a man committed to pay the price of death, if that was the cost of victory. Importantly, restoration is NOT based on performance, and yet Satan tempts us, to believe that it is. We convince ourselves that we have to earn God s favour. That we have to achieve before God is willing to love us. When Samson had physical ability and capacity he proved to be a complete failure. But now that his powers were gone, he realises his need, he repents, and calls on God, and God meet s Samson s need. CONCLUSION: By God s grace, failure, properly dealt with, can be a giant step forward in our growth to Christ-likeness. In the goodness of God, He can use blinded and broken people, people who have been total failures, but people who have sought forgiveness and are now totally forgiven. Are you a failure? The good news is that, we have a God who is willing to restore failures. THE HAIR CAN GROW AGAIN!