CHRIST CONNECTION
INTRO: SAMSON AND DELILAH
1: JUDGES 16:4-31
A) STORY OF SAMSON A JUDGE OF ISRAEL
B) STRONG MAN OF THE BIBLE
C) THE MIGHTY WARRIOR
D) A HERO OF THE FAITH HEB 11:32
E) A MAN WHO BECOMES PRISONER DUE TO HIS OWN PASSION.
POINT: A LOOK AT HOW SAMSON THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE BIBLE LOST HIS STRENGTH BECAUSE OF HIS LACK OF POWER AGAINST SIN AND THE DEVIL.
2: HE LOVED A WOMAN
A) THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL WHAT KIND OF WOMAN SHE WAS
B) WE BELIEVE SHE WAS PHILISTINE
C) A WOMAN OF THE ENEMY OF ISRAEL
D) SATAN SEEKS TO DESTROY AND DEVOUR WHOM HE MAY
E) HE WILL TRY TO DO SO BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY
POINT: MANY TIMES THE DEVIL DOES HIS BEST WORK THROUGH THOSE YOU LOVE. THINGS YOU LOVE PEOPLE OR PLACES OR ACTIVITIES OR POSSESSIONS THAT PUT A WALL BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO LOSE YOUR CONNECTION TO CHRIST.
3: CONNECTION
A) EVERY CHILD OF GOD IS CONNECTED TO JESUS CHIRST
B) HIS BLOOD ATTACHES US TO HIM
C) WE OUR BORN INTO HIS FAMILY BY ACCEPTANCE
D) SAMSON WAS A NAZARITE NEVER HAD A RAZOR COME UPON HIS HEAD
E) HIS CONNECTION TO GOD WAS HIS HAIR
POINT: IT WAS HIS IDENTIFICATION WITH GOD HE WAS TO PROTECT HIS IDENTITY AND HIS STRENGTH AND MIGHT WOULD REMAIN WHEN HE NEEDED IT. SATAN SOUGHT TO BREAK THE RELATIONSHIP UP BETWEEN GOD AND SAMSON WITH DELILAH.
BODY: WHAT’S AT STAKE
1: RELATIONSHIP WITH CHIRST
A) THE BIBLE SAYS I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST
B) THIS SHOULD BE THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP IN EVERY CHRISTIAN PERSONS LIFE
C) SAMSON HAD TASTED WHAT THE WORLD HAD TO OFFER
D) HE LIKED IT AND GOT CLOSER AND CLOSER TO IT AND FARTHER AWAY FROM GOD.
POINT: AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE TO LIVE A WELL BALANCED LIFE. WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR LOVED ONES AS WELL AS THOSE WE WITNESS TO AND SEEK TO SEE SAVED. IT IS EASY TO GET LOST IN THE MIX OF ALL THIS AND NEGLECT ONE OF THE AREAS. SADLY THE ONE WE FORGET ABOUT IS THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH CHRIST.
2: THE EFFECT
A) OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS SUFFER
B) WE CAN’T LOVE AS WE SHOULD WITHOUT THE LOVE OF GOD PRESENT IN OUR MIND
C) OUR FAMILIES STRUGGLE
D) THE THINGS WE SET OUT TO DO FAIL
E) SAMSON HID HIS SECRET FOR A WHILE BUT HE FINALLY GAVE IN AND TOLD DELILAH
POINT: SIN WILL WEAR YOU DOWN SLOWLY BUT SURELY YOU WILL CRUMBLE. THE LONG TERM EFFECT OF ON GOING HABITUAL SIN IS DEADLY. SAMSON HAD TOOK FOR GRANTED THAT GOD WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT. HE IS THERE BUT HE CANNOT ASSOCIATE HIMSELF WITH SIN. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SIN IN OUR LIVES BY GOING TO CHRIST.
3: THE OUTCOME
A) SAMSON IS CAPTURED
B) EYES GOUGED OUT
C) IMPRISONED IN GAZA GRINDING WHEAT
D) HE WAS A SLAVE NONE THE LESS
E) HE WAS MOCKED AND BELITTLED BY PHILISITNES
POINT: THE MORAL WEAKNESS OF SAMSON LEAD TO HIS DESTRUCTION. SATAN WILL CLOUD OUR MINDS WITH ANYTHING. HE WILL MAKE US JUSTIFY THINGS WE KNOW IN OUR SOUL IS WRONG. WHEN YOU EVENTUALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU GIVE UP YOUR IDENTITY WITH CHRIST IT IS A VERY SHORT WHILE BEFORE YOU SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
CLOSING: SAMSON’S DEATH
1: MAKING SPORT OF HIM
A) V 23 THE TEMPLE OF DAGON
B) A FEAST AND SACRIFICE TO THEIR GOD
C) SAMSON WAS BROUGHT FOR ETERTAINMENT
D) THEY MOCKED HIM AND GAVE PRAISE TO THEIR GOD
POINT: TO START IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SAMSON AND THE PHILISTINES WERE THE ONES FIGHTING. ACTUALLY IT IS GOD PROVING HE IS THE ONE TRUE GOD. HE WILL USE SAMSON ONE MORE TIME.
2: THE PILLARS OF THE HOUSE
A) HE ASKED TO BE LEAD TO THEM TO LEAN UPON
B) HE CALLS ON GOD V 28
POINT: GOD GRANTS HIS REQUEST AND HE SERVES GOD ONE MORE TIME. AFTER GRINDING IN THE PRISON HOUSE HE HAS HAD TIME TO THINK THE BIBLE SAYS HIS HAIR BEGAN TO GROW BACK. THE POINT IS SAMSON WAS IDENTIFYIGN HIMSELF WITH GOD AGAIN.
STRONGEST MAN IN THE BIBLE WAS WEAK BUT BECAUSE OF HIS TRUST AND FAITH IN GOD HE WAS RESTORED. HE WAS CONNECTED TO GOD.
CHRISTIAN CONNECTED TO CHRIST CAN DO ANYTHING.
WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR IDENTITY TO THE WORLD YOU LOSE
