1 00:00:02,166 --> 00:00:03,066 We're going to wrap up 2 00:00:03,066 --> 00:00:06,366 the life of Samson today in judges 16. 3 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:11,866 But before we do, I need to feel like I need to, 4 00:00:11,866 --> 00:00:15,766 in my pastoral role and authority in this church. 5 00:00:19,533 --> 00:00:21,966 Acknowledge what's what's happening on Tuesday. 6 00:00:21,966 --> 00:00:24,466 It's a big deal. 7 00:00:24,466 --> 00:00:27,466 And while I trust completely the sovereignty of God, 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,666 his sovereignty does not equal abdication of responsibility. 9 00:00:32,833 --> 00:00:35,700 And so God has in his mercy and grace, 10 00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:40,200 given the citizens of this nation, a great opportunity to vote. 11 00:00:40,866 --> 00:00:43,866 And we should take that opportunity. 12 00:00:44,133 --> 00:00:47,133 However, we have to remember that, 13 00:00:47,233 --> 00:00:49,100 our faith as Christ followers 14 00:00:49,100 --> 00:00:52,100 must inform and direct that vote. 15 00:00:53,466 --> 00:00:56,366 Now, personally, people have asked, well, what about you? 16 00:00:56,366 --> 00:00:59,566 What are your thoughts on the election and the candidates and whatnot? 17 00:01:01,866 --> 00:01:04,866 Neither candidate is personally appealing to me. 18 00:01:06,933 --> 00:01:10,400 You. But honestly, it doesn't matter 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,133 because I'm not looking for a life role model. 20 00:01:12,133 --> 00:01:15,000 I got one in Jesus. 21 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,000 And so as a Christ follower, 22 00:01:18,433 --> 00:01:21,233 I'm not voting for personality. 23 00:01:21,233 --> 00:01:24,233 I'm voting about policy, 24 00:01:24,566 --> 00:01:27,566 and I'm voting about policy. 25 00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:32,066 That, most closely aligns with my theology. 26 00:01:33,533 --> 00:01:36,466 And that's the role of a Christ follower. 27 00:01:36,466 --> 00:01:40,100 And so the policy that aligns most closely with my theology is one, 28 00:01:40,566 --> 00:01:43,800 the protection of life that begins in the womb. 29 00:01:45,700 --> 00:01:46,733 It's very important. 30 00:01:46,733 --> 00:01:49,733 And that policy aligns with theology. 31 00:01:51,366 --> 00:01:53,366 Another 32 00:01:53,366 --> 00:01:56,366 policy aligns with my theology is the sanctity of life, 33 00:01:57,500 --> 00:01:59,966 not just 34 00:01:59,966 --> 00:02:02,966 in the womb, but once that life 35 00:02:03,133 --> 00:02:05,766 is on this planet in physical form 36 00:02:05,766 --> 00:02:08,766 and throughout its life. 37 00:02:09,533 --> 00:02:11,933 And part of that means 38 00:02:11,933 --> 00:02:15,633 that, the sanctity of life and the sanctity of what 39 00:02:15,633 --> 00:02:19,266 it is to be male and female means those things don't get crossed. 40 00:02:20,133 --> 00:02:22,200 And boys don't belong in girls sports. 41 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,400 No girls locker rooms. 42 00:02:27,233 --> 00:02:28,366 So that's my theology, 43 00:02:28,366 --> 00:02:31,366 and that's how it informs my vote. 44 00:02:32,166 --> 00:02:35,166 But also not just the sanctity of life, 45 00:02:35,700 --> 00:02:38,533 but the sanctity of marriage. 46 00:02:38,533 --> 00:02:41,533 And the policy that aligns most closely with that is that marriage is 47 00:02:41,533 --> 00:02:45,233 it is a holy institution between a man and a woman. 48 00:02:47,533 --> 00:02:48,300 And my theology 49 00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:51,300 informs that vote and all my theology also informs 50 00:02:51,633 --> 00:02:54,633 the policy of the support of Israel. 51 00:02:56,466 --> 00:02:59,466 And lastly, if I were to tell you 52 00:02:59,566 --> 00:03:02,700 about my voting habits, it aligns 53 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:05,700 with my theology that also includes secure borders. 54 00:03:07,866 --> 00:03:09,933 And so I charge you 55 00:03:09,933 --> 00:03:12,933 in the name of Jesus if you claim Christ to vote, 56 00:03:13,066 --> 00:03:16,066 but to make sure that your vote aligns with your theology 57 00:03:16,766 --> 00:03:20,800 because your policy must bend to your theology. 58 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,100 Your theology was never bend to anything. 59 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:29,700 And so as you understand biblical theology, 60 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,600 make sure that you take advantage of the opportunity given to us by God 61 00:03:35,433 --> 00:03:38,400 as free citizens to cast a vote 62 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,100 and make sure that that vote aligns with biblical theology. 63 00:03:43,166 --> 00:03:44,500 Is that clear? 64 00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:46,500 It's clear. 65 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:49,500 Judges 16. 66 00:03:50,033 --> 00:03:51,900 We spent four chapters looking at the life 67 00:03:51,900 --> 00:03:54,900 of Samson in the Book of Judges. 68 00:03:54,966 --> 00:03:58,000 And Samson is probably the most well known 69 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,900 judge of all the judges in the book of judges. 70 00:04:02,266 --> 00:04:05,100 He is the one that if little kids 71 00:04:05,100 --> 00:04:09,566 hear Bible stories in Sunday school, if parents talk to their kids 72 00:04:09,566 --> 00:04:10,733 about Old Testament stuff. 73 00:04:10,733 --> 00:04:12,900 Samson is one of the heroes. 74 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:17,266 He's the typically the big guy that pushes over pillars and that God uses. 75 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,666 That's a very simplified understanding of who Samson is. 76 00:04:20,666 --> 00:04:23,066 Samson is a very complex man. 77 00:04:23,066 --> 00:04:24,700 Great dichotomy. 78 00:04:24,700 --> 00:04:27,733 He's an enigma. He is called set apart 79 00:04:27,733 --> 00:04:31,200 by God, but rarely ever does he live according to his call. 80 00:04:32,966 --> 00:04:33,700 He is a man of great 81 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:36,700 failure and a man of great strength. 82 00:04:37,566 --> 00:04:40,366 And he absolutely walks away from his calling, 83 00:04:40,366 --> 00:04:44,833 away from his God, and that God continues to empower him and to use him. 84 00:04:44,866 --> 00:04:47,633 It's a wonderful study. 85 00:04:47,633 --> 00:04:49,966 In in a man who was called by 86 00:04:49,966 --> 00:04:52,966 God yet fails time and time again. 87 00:04:53,433 --> 00:04:56,433 A lot of people look at Samson, and they would describe him as a man 88 00:04:56,733 --> 00:04:58,666 who didn't live up to his potential. 89 00:04:58,666 --> 00:05:02,533 I don't like talking about potential, because inherent 90 00:05:02,533 --> 00:05:06,300 in when we talk about our potential, it means there's something within us 91 00:05:07,166 --> 00:05:10,166 that is capable of something in us 92 00:05:10,166 --> 00:05:13,166 that has, that has some power and weight to it. 93 00:05:13,666 --> 00:05:16,900 When you talk about the Christ follower, you are not talking about your potential. 94 00:05:16,900 --> 00:05:19,366 I talk about God's potential because the Bible says 95 00:05:19,366 --> 00:05:22,133 with man it's impossible, but with God it's possible. 96 00:05:22,133 --> 00:05:25,800 And so I don't talk about potential because as a Christ follower, 97 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,966 I almost only talk about God's pictures on God's potential. Is. 98 00:05:31,733 --> 00:05:32,966 Unlimited potential. 99 00:05:32,966 --> 00:05:35,966 So what I rather is talk about are call 100 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,933 because regardless of the potential you think you have, God 101 00:05:39,933 --> 00:05:43,333 has a call on your life and we can embrace 102 00:05:43,333 --> 00:05:46,333 that call or squander that call. 103 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:48,900 God's potentials unlimited and unmatched. 104 00:05:48,900 --> 00:05:51,900 It doesn't matter about the vessel. 105 00:05:52,066 --> 00:05:54,700 It matters about the God in the vessel. 106 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:57,266 And that potential unlimited. 107 00:05:57,266 --> 00:06:00,033 But that vessel has a call on it, 108 00:06:00,033 --> 00:06:03,400 and we can embrace that call or deny that call. 109 00:06:04,466 --> 00:06:06,666 And there will be results on 110 00:06:06,666 --> 00:06:09,333 either way with either decision. 111 00:06:09,333 --> 00:06:12,600 So Samson is a man who had an a great call of God 112 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,433 on his life, who denied that call most of his life. 113 00:06:17,733 --> 00:06:19,766 And so as we wrap this up, 114 00:06:19,766 --> 00:06:22,766 the most famous judge of all the judges, 115 00:06:22,766 --> 00:06:25,933 nearly 20% of the book is dedicated to Samson. 116 00:06:25,933 --> 00:06:28,800 There's other judges in the book of judges. They get one verse. 117 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,000 This man gets four chapters. 118 00:06:33,066 --> 00:06:35,100 And so, as we wrap up his life, 119 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:38,100 let's look together at judges 16. 120 00:06:38,966 --> 00:06:42,533 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. 121 00:06:42,566 --> 00:06:46,433 Now, Gaza is one of the five cities that the Philistines have, 122 00:06:46,566 --> 00:06:50,933 have, have taken up residency and leadership of within, within, 123 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:53,100 the Promised Land. 124 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:54,166 And I don't know if you've 125 00:06:54,166 --> 00:06:57,933 heard about Gaza lately in the news, but that's it's an ad. 126 00:06:57,933 --> 00:07:00,366 He saw a prostitute 127 00:07:00,366 --> 00:07:02,633 and he went in to spend the night with her. 128 00:07:02,633 --> 00:07:05,633 I mean, he went and he paid for her services. 129 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:08,166 The people of Gaza were told Samson is here. 130 00:07:08,166 --> 00:07:12,600 So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. 131 00:07:13,666 --> 00:07:17,066 They made no move during the night, saying that Dawn will kill him. 132 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:20,166 They wanted to get rid of Samson because he was the judge 133 00:07:20,166 --> 00:07:25,800 that God was using to to subdue the Philistines, the enemies of God, 134 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,500 so that his God's people could live freely in the Promised Land. 135 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:31,166 And so 136 00:07:31,166 --> 00:07:34,466 what we see right off the bat, Samson, and this has been the trajectory 137 00:07:34,466 --> 00:07:36,433 of his life. It's just this downward spiral, though. 138 00:07:36,433 --> 00:07:37,766 He's called by God 139 00:07:37,766 --> 00:07:42,500 and he accepts that call, this downward spiral of destruction and degradation. 140 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:44,233 And he's in this place where he shouldn't be. 141 00:07:44,233 --> 00:07:45,633 Gaza. 142 00:07:45,633 --> 00:07:47,900 And he sees a prostitute 143 00:07:47,900 --> 00:07:50,333 and he pays for her services. 144 00:07:50,333 --> 00:07:52,700 Listen, this is a one of the things we've got to realize, 145 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:55,700 and we see it so clearly in Samson's life. 146 00:07:56,766 --> 00:08:00,000 You and I are not strong enough to flirt with the enemy in enemy territory. 147 00:08:01,500 --> 00:08:04,400 We're not strong enough. 148 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,400 As you look at Samson's life in Scripture. 149 00:08:07,566 --> 00:08:11,466 I want you to start drawing the, the the analogies between 150 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,566 these women and his life. 151 00:08:14,566 --> 00:08:17,933 And and and in this case, the problem. 152 00:08:17,933 --> 00:08:19,166 We'll see it in Delilah later 153 00:08:20,666 --> 00:08:23,733 representing sin and Samson representing 154 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,400 some of is called by God who indulges in sin. 155 00:08:29,100 --> 00:08:31,633 And what we see in him is a man called by God, 156 00:08:31,633 --> 00:08:35,700 who thinks he's strong enough to flirt with the enemy in enemy territory. 157 00:08:36,533 --> 00:08:39,266 Do you see that? 158 00:08:39,266 --> 00:08:42,400 And so many people of those of us who claim Christ, 159 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:46,500 we're still infatuated with the enemy 160 00:08:46,766 --> 00:08:49,033 and the things of the enemy. 161 00:08:49,033 --> 00:08:51,733 And we flirt with temptation, 162 00:08:51,733 --> 00:08:55,200 and we flirt with things that we know are contrary to God's word, 163 00:08:56,533 --> 00:08:59,466 because we think we're strong enough to handle it. 164 00:08:59,466 --> 00:09:03,966 Or we play in the enemy's playground thinking there's no consequence. 165 00:09:04,066 --> 00:09:05,000 And here's the problem. 166 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,133 God is so merciful and so gracious and so patient with us. 167 00:09:08,333 --> 00:09:11,166 We feel like we get away with it time and time and time again. 168 00:09:11,166 --> 00:09:14,166 And we we wrongly assume that because we get away with it, 169 00:09:14,166 --> 00:09:16,133 that there is no consequence, that God doesn't care. 170 00:09:18,366 --> 00:09:21,366 I'll be very careful. 171 00:09:23,833 --> 00:09:26,000 Second Timothy two 172 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:30,900 says, flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness and faith, 173 00:09:30,900 --> 00:09:34,000 love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 174 00:09:34,133 --> 00:09:36,000 There are some things that God says. 175 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,166 Don't flirt with this. 176 00:09:38,166 --> 00:09:39,300 Don't toy with it. 177 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:40,500 Don't play with this. 178 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:42,766 Don't see how close to the fire you get. 179 00:09:42,766 --> 00:09:44,833 Don't see how close to the edge you can get. 180 00:09:44,833 --> 00:09:47,833 Don't mess with some things. 181 00:09:49,033 --> 00:09:52,033 Because you're not strong enough to flirt with the enemy 182 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,600 and enemy lands. 183 00:09:58,800 --> 00:09:59,433 Samson 184 00:09:59,433 --> 00:10:02,433 has flirted with the enemy for so long 185 00:10:02,766 --> 00:10:05,400 he thinks he's strong enough 186 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,400 to have a handle on it. 187 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,600 Just ring a bell for anybody. 188 00:10:15,333 --> 00:10:18,333 But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. 189 00:10:18,466 --> 00:10:21,466 Then he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate 190 00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:24,900 together with the two poles, and tore them loose, barred all. 191 00:10:25,333 --> 00:10:28,633 He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the 192 00:10:28,633 --> 00:10:29,766 hill that faces Hebron. 193 00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:33,900 So Samson, in his 194 00:10:35,233 --> 00:10:38,866 his anger, in his vengeance, he knows they're out to kill him. 195 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:41,966 He takes over the city gates, 196 00:10:41,966 --> 00:10:45,300 rips them out of their foundations, and takes them up on it. 197 00:10:45,366 --> 00:10:47,433 Here's what he's doing. 198 00:10:47,433 --> 00:10:50,700 A city without gates is unprotected. 199 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:53,900 A city without gates is going to be conquered. 200 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:55,200 Okay. 201 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,533 And so what he's doing is saying, I'm going to rip out your city gates 202 00:10:58,533 --> 00:10:59,833 and leave you unprotected. 203 00:10:59,833 --> 00:11:02,833 Leave you vulnerable so you can be destroyed. 204 00:11:03,166 --> 00:11:06,633 Now, just understand these city gates that he turns out 205 00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:11,900 through archeological study, they have found similar gates. 206 00:11:12,533 --> 00:11:15,566 And these things, as far as I have understood and read, they 207 00:11:15,766 --> 00:11:18,766 they wade anywhere from 2 to 4 tons 208 00:11:19,366 --> 00:11:22,233 solid, very heavy wooden doors 209 00:11:22,233 --> 00:11:26,933 encased in iron on iron posts, driven into the ground 210 00:11:28,666 --> 00:11:29,600 2 to 4 tons, 211 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,533 and he turns them out, puts them on his shoulder and walks 212 00:11:32,533 --> 00:11:35,766 them up a hill to sit there to tell the city were unprotected, 213 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,500 and they're going to be destroyed. 214 00:11:37,500 --> 00:11:40,733 One thing we know from Scripture that Samson 215 00:11:40,733 --> 00:11:43,000 was this man of incredible strength, right? 216 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,000 Though like when the Spirit of God will come upon him, 217 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:46,933 he was endowed with supernatural strength. 218 00:11:46,933 --> 00:11:49,933 This is certainly one of those times. 219 00:11:50,666 --> 00:11:52,266 Was it two times? Was a four times. 220 00:11:52,266 --> 00:11:53,700 I don't care if it's 400 pounds. 221 00:11:53,700 --> 00:11:56,533 It's still a pretty awesome feat, 222 00:11:56,533 --> 00:11:58,300 right? Right. 223 00:11:58,300 --> 00:12:00,666 But I want you to understand what's happening here. 224 00:12:00,666 --> 00:12:04,466 He tears off the walls of the city, leaving the city unprotected, 225 00:12:05,566 --> 00:12:08,533 leaving it vulnerable to the enemy. 226 00:12:08,533 --> 00:12:10,400 And he's making a statement. 227 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,100 He's making a statement not knowing what will be written in Proverbs 228 00:12:14,100 --> 00:12:18,266 20 2528 that says a man without self-control. 229 00:12:18,266 --> 00:12:20,500 All is like a city without gates. 230 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,966 All. What has Samson lacked his whole life? 231 00:12:26,766 --> 00:12:29,766 Self self-control. 232 00:12:30,466 --> 00:12:31,466 And in his self 233 00:12:31,466 --> 00:12:35,700 righteous anger, he rips off these city gates, removes them, thinking, ha ha, 234 00:12:35,833 --> 00:12:38,700 I showed you you are now without protection. 235 00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:40,366 You are now doomed to destruction. 236 00:12:40,366 --> 00:12:44,366 Not realizing his whole life has been that very statement. 237 00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:48,100 Samson, you are a man without self-control, 238 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,300 and you're just like a city without its gates, 239 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:54,300 doomed to destruction. 240 00:12:56,933 --> 00:12:58,766 But part of the fruit of the spirit we know from Ephesians 241 00:12:58,766 --> 00:13:01,866 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and 242 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,800 self-control. 243 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,766 Sometime later, he fell in love with the woman 244 00:13:11,766 --> 00:13:14,766 in the Valley of Sorrow, whose name was Delilah. 245 00:13:15,266 --> 00:13:17,233 Yeah, I did this in the first service. 246 00:13:17,233 --> 00:13:19,800 It worked pretty well for a moment. 247 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,533 Have you ever been to one of those dinner theaters, those drama ones 248 00:13:23,533 --> 00:13:27,866 where the bad guy would come out and it would be a good movie and the. 249 00:13:27,866 --> 00:13:30,366 Good morning. Hey, have ever been one of those? 250 00:13:30,366 --> 00:13:31,666 So. So let's do that. 251 00:13:31,666 --> 00:13:33,066 Okay. Let's just be done right now. 252 00:13:33,066 --> 00:13:35,066 Sometime later, he fell in love with a woman 253 00:13:35,066 --> 00:13:37,300 in the valley of sorts, whose name was Delilah. 254 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:39,033 Yeah. 255 00:13:39,033 --> 00:13:42,033 Hey, it not nearly as good as the first service. 256 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,233 The rulers of the Philistines 257 00:13:46,233 --> 00:13:49,233 went to her and said, see if you can lure him into 258 00:13:49,333 --> 00:13:52,300 into showing you the secret of his great strength 259 00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:56,400 and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. 260 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,866 Each one of us will give you 1100 shekels of silver. 261 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,533 Don't do it anymore. 262 00:14:03,533 --> 00:14:06,533 It was just a one time thing. 263 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:09,900 Here's what I want you to understand. 264 00:14:11,700 --> 00:14:12,033 When? 265 00:14:12,033 --> 00:14:13,166 When? 266 00:14:13,166 --> 00:14:16,500 When they ask her, see if you can lure him into showing you 267 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:18,300 the secret of his great strength. 268 00:14:18,300 --> 00:14:20,166 I shared this first. In the first week. 269 00:14:20,166 --> 00:14:23,166 We talked about Samson. 270 00:14:24,300 --> 00:14:25,733 We've always thought of Samson. 271 00:14:25,733 --> 00:14:31,166 Had this big Herculean, like Jason Momoa, like yoked guy, right? 272 00:14:31,733 --> 00:14:34,200 This huge man who has this great strength. 273 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,533 I don't think he was like that. 274 00:14:36,533 --> 00:14:39,000 I think he was a real skinny, 275 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,366 engineer type with glasses and a pocket protector that drove a Prius. 276 00:14:42,366 --> 00:14:45,800 I just don't think that guy just saying 277 00:14:47,533 --> 00:14:50,533 I don't think he was this big, hulking man. 278 00:14:50,533 --> 00:14:52,500 I think it was a little skinny. 279 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:55,500 Like a marathon runner looking type of guy. 280 00:14:55,933 --> 00:14:59,600 Why? Because they're asking what is the secret to his strength? 281 00:14:59,666 --> 00:15:02,333 If he were this huge man, they were like, of course he's strong. 282 00:15:02,333 --> 00:15:03,633 We get a look at him. 283 00:15:03,633 --> 00:15:06,300 I mean, it's huge. Of course you can do this. 284 00:15:06,300 --> 00:15:08,433 I think he was this 285 00:15:08,433 --> 00:15:11,200 because this is the way God works. 286 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,866 God always uses the unexpected to do the unexplained. 287 00:15:15,866 --> 00:15:18,200 Always. 288 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,800 You don't look the part great. 289 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:21,766 You don't have the background. 290 00:15:21,766 --> 00:15:24,700 Great. You're not where you should be. Great. 291 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:27,700 You're a perfect candidate for God to do some incredible stuff through. 292 00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:30,466 So, so see if you can look at this show. 293 00:15:30,466 --> 00:15:34,866 And they said, we'll give you each, 1100 shekels of silver. 294 00:15:35,166 --> 00:15:38,233 This equates to, in our world, about $300,000. 295 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:39,900 So our 296 00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:44,000 money I'm here with inflation and the shrinkage of your food 297 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,400 packages and stuff and gas prices, you know, it just all I mean, we get it. 298 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,400 It's a lot of money. 299 00:15:52,133 --> 00:15:55,133 And so she agrees. 300 00:15:55,733 --> 00:15:58,600 So the last set of Samson, some of the secret of your great strength 301 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,933 and how you can be tied up and subdued now again, please, 302 00:16:03,366 --> 00:16:06,466 I told you at the beginning of this series 303 00:16:06,933 --> 00:16:09,800 that judges is an R-rated book. 304 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:10,100 Okay? 305 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:13,100 And I'm going to do my best not to get too R-rated, 306 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,800 but if you're little, cover your ears. 307 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:19,300 Sam. Here's what's going on here. 308 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:22,100 Samson is not thinking that he's in any danger. 309 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:24,266 Samson is thinking he's in for a fun night with his. 310 00:16:24,266 --> 00:16:24,900 With his girl. 311 00:16:27,233 --> 00:16:29,866 That's literally what's going on. 312 00:16:29,866 --> 00:16:32,866 He's so oblivious to the danger of the enemy. 313 00:16:33,900 --> 00:16:36,900 He thinks the enemy is going to be fun. 314 00:16:37,500 --> 00:16:40,733 He's so oblivious to the wiles of the enemy. 315 00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:47,566 You know, and and this is 316 00:16:47,566 --> 00:16:50,566 this is our relationship with sin. 317 00:16:53,033 --> 00:16:56,033 She's out to get him killed. 318 00:16:56,166 --> 00:16:59,166 He's thinking she's fun. 319 00:17:00,333 --> 00:17:03,033 And this is exactly what we do. 320 00:17:03,033 --> 00:17:05,733 We think flirting with sin 321 00:17:05,733 --> 00:17:08,000 is fun. 322 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,000 And all the while, sin has one 323 00:17:12,100 --> 00:17:15,100 desire to steal, kill, and destroy. 324 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,366 And it will tie us up. 325 00:17:19,366 --> 00:17:22,366 And it won't be fun. 326 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,600 To understand. 327 00:17:26,766 --> 00:17:27,900 And so if you read verses 328 00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:32,100 seven through 14, Samson goes through this whole, these three, 329 00:17:32,433 --> 00:17:36,533 three tricks of Delilah, and he tells her three things that don't work 330 00:17:37,066 --> 00:17:40,166 about the secret of his strength just because he can, so he can mess with her. 331 00:17:40,900 --> 00:17:44,633 And he says through these few verses, first time heals. 332 00:17:44,633 --> 00:17:48,400 Hey, you don't just tie me up with seven fresh bow strings like from a bow. 333 00:17:48,933 --> 00:17:49,833 He says I'll be your weakness. 334 00:17:49,833 --> 00:17:51,733 Any man you can do with me whatever you want. 335 00:17:51,733 --> 00:17:53,700 And so she does. 336 00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:55,700 And then she cries out on ships in the Philippines. 337 00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:56,000 You're here. 338 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,000 And he breaks the bow strings and she's like, oh, Samson, you don't love me. 339 00:17:59,033 --> 00:18:00,200 How come you didn't tell me the truth? 340 00:18:01,666 --> 00:18:02,133 Please tell me. 341 00:18:02,133 --> 00:18:03,900 The sugar is like, okay, I hear it. 342 00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:06,333 So here's the truth. Tie me up with seven and use ropes. 343 00:18:06,333 --> 00:18:08,566 I'll be your weakness. Any man you can do me whatever you want. 344 00:18:08,566 --> 00:18:10,733 So she ties him up with seven on your ropes 345 00:18:10,733 --> 00:18:13,266 and she's like, oh, Samson, that feels good. You. 346 00:18:13,266 --> 00:18:14,333 And he breaks the ropes. 347 00:18:14,333 --> 00:18:16,000 It's like, oh, so you love me. 348 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,000 How could you lie to me? 349 00:18:20,166 --> 00:18:21,333 And so the third time 350 00:18:21,333 --> 00:18:24,333 he says, well, we've so, you know, he's got this long hair 351 00:18:24,666 --> 00:18:25,633 because I want you to remember 352 00:18:25,633 --> 00:18:29,166 what was the, the the Nazarite, this vow that he had taken the fall 353 00:18:29,166 --> 00:18:32,400 God, what were the three things around this Nazarite veil? 354 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,400 Do you remember? There were three things. 355 00:18:35,700 --> 00:18:38,466 So? So one of them was once you made this vow. 356 00:18:38,466 --> 00:18:40,866 Agree to this vow, you shaved your head. 357 00:18:40,866 --> 00:18:43,866 And then you didn't let a razor touch it until your vow was complete. 358 00:18:44,633 --> 00:18:45,066 Okay. 359 00:18:46,066 --> 00:18:48,166 The second thing was that you don't. 360 00:18:48,166 --> 00:18:49,700 You don't mess with fermented drinks. 361 00:18:49,700 --> 00:18:51,766 So no wine, no beer. 362 00:18:51,766 --> 00:18:54,766 Like, no, no grapes, no raisins. 363 00:18:54,766 --> 00:18:56,266 You just stay away. 364 00:18:56,266 --> 00:18:58,733 The third thing was you don't go near a dead body. 365 00:18:58,733 --> 00:19:02,633 Whether it's a funeral for a loved one or a dead car. 366 00:19:02,633 --> 00:19:05,033 You just don't go near a dead body. 367 00:19:05,033 --> 00:19:08,300 And so what we've seen in Samson's life, he is transgression. 368 00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:11,300 All of these vows his whole life. 369 00:19:12,700 --> 00:19:15,000 And so now it comes to the to, to, 370 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,966 to the overriding symbol of his vow and his consecration. 371 00:19:18,966 --> 00:19:21,200 God, his hair 372 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,100 is in seven great braids. 373 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:24,833 And he says, just, just take my hair, 374 00:19:24,833 --> 00:19:28,400 weave it into a weaver's loom and I'll be trapped. 375 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:30,233 And so she does. 376 00:19:30,233 --> 00:19:33,233 And he wakes up and he, you know, breaks himself free. 377 00:19:33,366 --> 00:19:35,900 And she's she's at her wit's end. 378 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:37,433 So how come you keep lying to me? 379 00:19:39,166 --> 00:19:41,566 Judges 1615 then she said to him, 380 00:19:41,566 --> 00:19:44,600 how can you say I love you when you won't confide in me? 381 00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:48,066 This is the third time you've made a fool of me, 382 00:19:48,066 --> 00:19:51,500 and haven't told me the strength of the secret of your great strength. 383 00:19:52,533 --> 00:19:58,433 I mean, what a conniving, manipulative, wretched woman she. 384 00:19:58,533 --> 00:20:02,000 She doesn't want Samson to tell her the secret of her strength 385 00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:06,166 so they can share, you know, what's really going on in their lives 386 00:20:06,166 --> 00:20:08,100 and have complete transparency. 387 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:09,700 She wants to know the secret. 388 00:20:09,700 --> 00:20:11,233 So she can't sub. 389 00:20:11,233 --> 00:20:14,233 So she can anchor so she can destroy him. 390 00:20:16,033 --> 00:20:18,600 He's going to sink in this thing and this is going to be fun. 391 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:20,466 We're gonna have a good time. 392 00:20:20,466 --> 00:20:24,366 She's thinking, yeah, I'm going to lure you with that so that I can destroy you. 393 00:20:25,633 --> 00:20:26,733 And I'm telling your friends, 394 00:20:26,733 --> 00:20:29,733 this is the nature of sin and temptation. 395 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,233 This is how it works. 396 00:20:34,233 --> 00:20:37,233 And we don't realize how deadly it is. 397 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:40,933 We don't believe the word of Scripture that says to flee from this stuff 398 00:20:40,933 --> 00:20:44,100 because it will tie you up, bind 399 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:47,100 you up, and destroy you. 400 00:20:52,300 --> 00:20:54,933 With such nagging, she prodded him day after day 401 00:20:54,933 --> 00:20:57,933 until he was sick to death of it. 402 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,833 He, Samson, 403 00:21:00,833 --> 00:21:03,833 does a horrible job at picking good women. 404 00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:08,300 This is what his first wife did that ended up dying. 405 00:21:09,066 --> 00:21:10,333 And so he told her everything. 406 00:21:10,333 --> 00:21:13,333 Listen, leaders don't give in to pressure. 407 00:21:14,366 --> 00:21:16,833 Let me just tell you that. 408 00:21:16,833 --> 00:21:19,033 He just gives him the nagging, gives him the pressure. 409 00:21:19,033 --> 00:21:21,166 You know, I'd rather just give in and be done with it. 410 00:21:21,166 --> 00:21:22,200 Leaders don't do that. 411 00:21:25,100 --> 00:21:26,366 So he told her everything. 412 00:21:26,366 --> 00:21:30,366 No razor has ever been used on my head, he said, because I have been a Nazarite 413 00:21:30,366 --> 00:21:33,366 dedicated to God from my mother's womb. 414 00:21:33,633 --> 00:21:36,233 If my head was shaved, my strength would leave me 415 00:21:36,233 --> 00:21:39,233 and I would become as weak as any other man. 416 00:21:41,833 --> 00:21:44,266 And so he tells her everything. 417 00:21:44,266 --> 00:21:49,300 And then verse 18, she sets him up one more time, and in verse 18 418 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:52,300 she goes to the field, she leaders, and she says, okay, guys, I got it. 419 00:21:53,233 --> 00:21:55,200 I know the secret. 420 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,966 Come on back in line. Wait 421 00:21:57,966 --> 00:22:00,966 and make sure you bring your money. 422 00:22:02,066 --> 00:22:04,200 And so 423 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:05,833 verses 19 and 20, 424 00:22:05,833 --> 00:22:10,566 after putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off 425 00:22:10,566 --> 00:22:13,633 the seven braids of his hair and so began to subdue 426 00:22:13,633 --> 00:22:16,633 him, and his strength left him. 427 00:22:16,833 --> 00:22:17,933 Then she called Samson. 428 00:22:17,933 --> 00:22:19,700 The Philistines are upon you. 429 00:22:19,700 --> 00:22:22,766 He awoke from his sleep and thought, I'll go out 430 00:22:22,766 --> 00:22:25,766 as before and shake myself free. 431 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,800 But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 432 00:22:30,766 --> 00:22:32,733 I want you understand 433 00:22:32,733 --> 00:22:35,733 how profound this is. 434 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,800 He had flirted with sin so much 435 00:22:41,933 --> 00:22:44,933 he didn't think there were any consequences to it. 436 00:22:45,466 --> 00:22:48,966 He mistook the presence and the mercy and the grace of God 437 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,200 for God, winking at his sin and not caring. 438 00:22:53,333 --> 00:22:56,166 And so once again he thought, oh, just go out and do a lot of dumb before 439 00:22:56,166 --> 00:22:59,166 it's going to be all right. No big deal. 440 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,733 Not knowing that the Lord had left him. 441 00:23:10,566 --> 00:23:10,900 First 442 00:23:10,900 --> 00:23:13,900 Corinthians 1613 says this be watchful. 443 00:23:14,033 --> 00:23:16,266 Don't go to sleep. 444 00:23:16,266 --> 00:23:19,600 Stand firm in the faith, act 445 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,600 like men and be strong. 446 00:23:24,033 --> 00:23:27,033 Quit flirting around with you're certainly flirting around with. 447 00:23:27,766 --> 00:23:29,300 Don't act like it doesn't matter. 448 00:23:29,300 --> 00:23:30,600 It's not important. 449 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,466 Wake up. Open your eyes. Act like a man. 450 00:23:33,466 --> 00:23:34,400 Be strong. 451 00:23:40,133 --> 00:23:43,133 The devil is such a clever barber. 452 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,200 Who knows how to lull us to sleep? 453 00:23:51,766 --> 00:23:54,766 And cut off that connection 454 00:23:55,233 --> 00:23:58,233 between us and God. 455 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,400 He knows how to allow us to sleep 456 00:24:03,066 --> 00:24:05,866 and convince us that compromise 457 00:24:05,866 --> 00:24:08,866 is not deadly. 458 00:24:10,533 --> 00:24:13,533 He's a much craftier barber than Delilah. 459 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,166 See, here's what I know. 460 00:24:18,166 --> 00:24:21,633 Constant compromise leads us to be numb to God's presence. 461 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,433 Did you notice what the Bible said? 462 00:24:24,433 --> 00:24:27,433 He didn't realize the Lord had left him. 463 00:24:27,866 --> 00:24:30,300 He had compromised so much 464 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:34,033 he couldn't realize that God had withdrawn his hand 465 00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:37,600 was even more frightful than that. 466 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:42,433 Is this Samson's life of compromise now meant not only could 467 00:24:42,433 --> 00:24:46,166 he not feel God's presence now, he couldn't even recognize his absence. 468 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:52,433 His compromise 469 00:24:52,433 --> 00:24:56,666 led him to the point where not only God, where are you now? 470 00:24:56,666 --> 00:24:59,433 He didn't realize even that God was gone. 471 00:25:07,033 --> 00:25:10,033 Samson is a cautionary tale 472 00:25:10,333 --> 00:25:13,333 of a life who has the call of God on him, 473 00:25:14,266 --> 00:25:18,733 who played around with compromise so much he lost his ability 474 00:25:18,733 --> 00:25:21,733 to recognize God's presence and to realize his absence. 475 00:25:25,533 --> 00:25:28,500 It's the passage in Ephesians one that I pray over myself 476 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:32,700 and my family every single morning, and it is this 477 00:25:33,333 --> 00:25:37,466 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, 478 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:41,966 may give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation 479 00:25:42,966 --> 00:25:45,633 so that we may know him better. 480 00:25:45,633 --> 00:25:49,200 I pray that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened, in order 481 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,166 that you may know the hope to which is called you 482 00:25:51,166 --> 00:25:54,933 the riches of his glory, inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably 483 00:25:54,933 --> 00:25:59,700 great power for us who believe that power is the same as the mighty strength 484 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:03,800 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead, and seated him at his right 485 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,666 hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, 486 00:26:07,666 --> 00:26:10,366 power and dominion, and every name that is invoked 487 00:26:10,366 --> 00:26:13,133 not only in the present age, but also in the one to come. 488 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,833 I want, I want my family to know 489 00:26:17,833 --> 00:26:21,633 and to feel and experience the presence of Almighty God, 490 00:26:23,066 --> 00:26:25,366 to be endowed with the spirit of wisdom 491 00:26:25,366 --> 00:26:28,366 and revelation, to know him better. 492 00:26:29,466 --> 00:26:33,300 Compromise will ruin that and destroy that every time. 493 00:26:33,533 --> 00:26:35,900 And a life of compromise will become a life 494 00:26:35,900 --> 00:26:37,400 that doesn't even recognize our own. 495 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:38,100 The presence of God. 496 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:40,533 But the absence of God and God. 497 00:26:40,533 --> 00:26:43,533 I pray that doesn't happen to me and my family. 498 00:26:45,666 --> 00:26:48,166 Jesus himself said in Matthew 28, I am with 499 00:26:48,166 --> 00:26:50,433 you always to the very end of the age. 500 00:26:50,433 --> 00:26:53,433 My prayer is that we're a people. 501 00:26:54,633 --> 00:26:57,633 Who refuse to live lives of compromise, 502 00:26:58,666 --> 00:27:01,666 so we will be aware of his presence. 503 00:27:05,833 --> 00:27:07,200 Verse 21. 504 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,600 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, 505 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,466 and took him down to Gaza, binding him with bronze shackles. 506 00:27:13,466 --> 00:27:16,433 They set him to grinding grain in the prison. 507 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:20,766 Samson and the 508 00:27:20,766 --> 00:27:24,833 other than the heart issue that he has, because he's got a heart issue, 509 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:28,566 what is led Samson into sin? 510 00:27:28,566 --> 00:27:29,633 Time and time and time again. 511 00:27:29,633 --> 00:27:32,566 Remember when we first met Samson in his adult life? 512 00:27:32,566 --> 00:27:36,133 It says he saw a woman in Timna and said, 513 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:39,300 I like the way she looks, daddy, go get her for me. 514 00:27:39,466 --> 00:27:42,466 And then he's in Gaza and he sees a prostitute 515 00:27:42,900 --> 00:27:44,766 and he goes in and pays for her services. 516 00:27:44,766 --> 00:27:46,800 And then he sees Delilah. 517 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,800 What has led him away from God? 518 00:27:49,900 --> 00:27:52,900 His eyes and what's been gouged out. 519 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,000 Don't miss this. 520 00:27:57,566 --> 00:28:00,566 Don't miss this. 521 00:28:01,466 --> 00:28:03,233 God may destroy in you 522 00:28:03,233 --> 00:28:06,233 that which you use to disobey him. 523 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:10,200 God may destroy in you 524 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,266 that which you use to ignore him. 525 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,200 Not because he's mean. 526 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:17,366 Not because he's angry. 527 00:28:17,366 --> 00:28:20,366 Because he wants you. 528 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,700 To understand. 529 00:28:26,966 --> 00:28:27,666 I'll ask you again. 530 00:28:27,666 --> 00:28:29,900 Because maybe you didn't hear me. 531 00:28:29,900 --> 00:28:32,900 Do you understand? Yes. 532 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:37,766 What? 533 00:28:37,766 --> 00:28:40,766 What a tragic life. 534 00:28:40,833 --> 00:28:41,100 Right. 535 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:44,100 I mean, look at this call God has on him. 536 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,200 What a sacrifice of a call 537 00:28:48,633 --> 00:28:50,433 has got done incredible things for us. 538 00:28:50,433 --> 00:28:52,766 I'm sure he has. 539 00:28:52,766 --> 00:28:55,500 Has God done all that God desired to do through his life? 540 00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:58,500 I kind of doubt it. 541 00:28:59,466 --> 00:29:01,566 Did God use him even in his sin? 542 00:29:01,566 --> 00:29:05,400 Yeah, but God used him not because of his own use and despite his sin. 543 00:29:07,566 --> 00:29:10,566 And I just wonder how much more 544 00:29:10,633 --> 00:29:13,233 had Samson honored his vow 545 00:29:13,233 --> 00:29:17,266 and honored the God who created him and made him and called him? 546 00:29:18,566 --> 00:29:20,700 How much more of he could have stepped 547 00:29:20,700 --> 00:29:23,700 into this incredible call from an Almighty God? 548 00:29:25,466 --> 00:29:28,466 I wonder how much Samson left on the table 549 00:29:29,300 --> 00:29:30,966 not of his potential, 550 00:29:30,966 --> 00:29:33,900 because it's God's potential work in terms of its unlimited future. 551 00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:38,066 But I wonder how much of the call of God he left on the table 552 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:41,100 unrealized. 553 00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:44,900 I mean, at this point, you look at it, the tragedy. 554 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,300 But there's a verse in chapter 16 that I absolutely. 555 00:29:48,433 --> 00:29:51,333 And years ago I underlined this and highlighted, 556 00:29:51,333 --> 00:29:54,066 and this has been one of the verses I've held on to. 557 00:29:54,066 --> 00:29:57,066 And every morning I'm like, oh Lord, yes. 558 00:30:00,100 --> 00:30:01,466 But the hair on his head 559 00:30:01,466 --> 00:30:04,733 began to grow again after it had been shaved. 560 00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:08,233 I don't laugh because I'm bald. 561 00:30:08,233 --> 00:30:11,233 There's a there's a spiritual thing going on here. 562 00:30:13,533 --> 00:30:14,600 I don't want you to miss it. 563 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:15,133 This beautiful. 564 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:19,466 The sign of Samson's call and vow. 565 00:30:19,466 --> 00:30:21,300 And the source 566 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:23,533 of the strength that God gave him was his. 567 00:30:23,533 --> 00:30:26,533 What? His hair. 568 00:30:26,633 --> 00:30:27,700 That was the sign. 569 00:30:27,700 --> 00:30:30,300 I'm consecrated to God. 570 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:33,300 That was removed and 571 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:36,800 God's hand was taken away. 572 00:30:37,566 --> 00:30:40,566 And he's sitting in this jail blind, 573 00:30:41,866 --> 00:30:44,866 crushing grain for the end, doing the enemy's work. 574 00:30:45,833 --> 00:30:48,600 And one day, I don't know how long took. 575 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,600 One day he reaches that. 576 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,600 Oh. Stubble. 577 00:31:00,566 --> 00:31:03,433 I got his whiskers 578 00:31:03,433 --> 00:31:06,433 right. 579 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,600 And instantly he knew 580 00:31:09,833 --> 00:31:12,666 God. He was so good to me. 581 00:31:12,666 --> 00:31:15,466 Because even though I have degraded 582 00:31:15,466 --> 00:31:19,133 everything you've given me, every call you put on my life. 583 00:31:19,300 --> 00:31:24,366 And even though I'm in the dungeon of and your hand is still on me. 584 00:31:24,433 --> 00:31:27,866 Because your mercy and your grace is making the stubble come back. 585 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:30,200 You understand? 586 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:31,066 Like immediately. 587 00:31:31,066 --> 00:31:33,600 You know, God, I know that you see me. 588 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:35,200 I know that you hear me. 589 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:39,633 I know that you still chose me because there's stubble that's coming back. 590 00:31:40,700 --> 00:31:43,200 I'm not lost 591 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,200 and I'm still valuable to you. 592 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,933 You still call me. 593 00:31:48,933 --> 00:31:50,833 And with everything I've sacrificed, 594 00:31:50,833 --> 00:31:53,833 you still have a future. 595 00:31:53,833 --> 00:31:57,566 Listen, my friends, sometimes you just have to be aware 596 00:31:57,566 --> 00:32:00,566 enough of the stubble that's coming back. 597 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,700 God's not done. 598 00:32:04,700 --> 00:32:07,733 You may be bald, blind and in a jail cell. 599 00:32:07,733 --> 00:32:09,900 Grinding grain. 600 00:32:09,900 --> 00:32:11,533 Watch for the stump. 601 00:32:11,533 --> 00:32:15,633 Because the stubble on your head is an indication of God's 602 00:32:15,633 --> 00:32:18,633 mercy and grace. God. 603 00:32:19,733 --> 00:32:22,200 And when the Bible says his hair begins to grow, 604 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:27,900 that is the Bible statement that he reasserts and reaffirms his vow to God. 605 00:32:29,433 --> 00:32:32,433 God, if you'll still have me. 606 00:32:32,833 --> 00:32:35,100 I'm yours. 607 00:32:35,100 --> 00:32:37,500 That's a beautiful verse of Hope. 608 00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:38,833 It's a beautiful verse of mercy. 609 00:32:38,833 --> 00:32:41,833 It's a beautiful verse of grace. 610 00:32:45,033 --> 00:32:47,800 And in verse 23 and 24, 611 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,333 all these Philistines are together, 612 00:32:50,333 --> 00:32:52,766 and they're having this huge for thousands of people, 613 00:32:52,766 --> 00:32:57,400 and they bring Samson out to be their little puppet, make fun of him. 614 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,200 And this is what they say. 615 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,200 Our God has delivered our enemy into our hands. 616 00:33:04,233 --> 00:33:06,000 They put it in terms of their God 617 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,000 against Samson's God. 618 00:33:10,433 --> 00:33:13,400 They think they beat God. 619 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:15,700 Listen, 620 00:33:15,700 --> 00:33:18,700 don't you ever believe that you beat him. 621 00:33:19,033 --> 00:33:22,033 Don't you ever believe that you be God? 622 00:33:22,166 --> 00:33:23,633 Galatians six seven and eight says, 623 00:33:23,633 --> 00:33:26,633 God will not be mocked. 624 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:30,966 You may have gotten away. 625 00:33:30,966 --> 00:33:31,633 We may have gone. 626 00:33:31,633 --> 00:33:34,300 I may have gotten away for a lot of stuff for a long time. 627 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,200 But in the absence of repentance 628 00:33:39,266 --> 00:33:42,266 and the absence of God's mercy and grace, 629 00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:45,200 that bill will come to 630 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,200 because God will not be mocked. 631 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:51,466 And in verses 632 00:33:51,466 --> 00:33:54,500 25 through 27, while all these Philippians 633 00:33:54,500 --> 00:33:57,500 were in high spirits, they shouted, Bring out Samson to entertain us. 634 00:33:57,500 --> 00:34:00,700 So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. 635 00:34:01,233 --> 00:34:03,700 When they stood him among the pillars. 636 00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:07,366 Samson said to the servant who held us had put me where I can feel 637 00:34:07,366 --> 00:34:10,566 the pillars that support the temple, so I'm a lean against them. 638 00:34:11,166 --> 00:34:14,166 Now the temple was crowded with men and women. 639 00:34:14,333 --> 00:34:17,066 All the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof 640 00:34:17,066 --> 00:34:20,166 were about 3000 men and women watching him perform. 641 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:24,366 And so he says, just, 642 00:34:24,366 --> 00:34:29,100 just put me in the Hebrew for the servant that was watching was a little boy 643 00:34:30,100 --> 00:34:32,333 that they thought Samson was no threat. 644 00:34:32,333 --> 00:34:35,333 They put a little boy to watch him. 645 00:34:36,066 --> 00:34:36,733 No, no. 646 00:34:36,733 --> 00:34:38,933 They knew the secret to Samson. 647 00:34:38,933 --> 00:34:41,933 Samson's vow and strength was what 648 00:34:42,133 --> 00:34:42,566 is there? 649 00:34:42,566 --> 00:34:45,466 I would think you would have a barber 650 00:34:45,466 --> 00:34:48,466 on standby in the prison every day. 651 00:34:49,300 --> 00:34:53,000 You know, I'm saying, like, hey, just do whatever you do. 652 00:34:53,033 --> 00:34:56,033 Just make sure his hair done wrong. 653 00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:58,633 But here's what happened. 654 00:34:58,633 --> 00:35:02,500 They just get so cocky and so arrogant, 655 00:35:03,066 --> 00:35:06,066 thinking that they can outwit and outmaneuver God. 656 00:35:08,066 --> 00:35:10,966 Let us never think that. 657 00:35:10,966 --> 00:35:13,966 And so he puts them between these pillars. 658 00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:18,166 Then, Samson, pray to the Lord. 659 00:35:18,166 --> 00:35:21,033 Sovereign Lord, remember me. 660 00:35:21,033 --> 00:35:24,566 Please, God, strengthen me just once more 661 00:35:24,733 --> 00:35:28,166 and let me, with one blow, get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes. 662 00:35:28,533 --> 00:35:29,633 Now listen. 663 00:35:29,633 --> 00:35:32,133 There are two times in Samson's 664 00:35:32,133 --> 00:35:35,366 life recorded life that we have where he ever talked to God. 665 00:35:35,966 --> 00:35:38,400 One of them, when he was in great need and thirsty, he said, God help. 666 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:38,966 I'm thirsty. 667 00:35:39,966 --> 00:35:40,566 This is the 668 00:35:40,566 --> 00:35:43,700 only time or from the death of his soul. 669 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,333 He acknowledges the sovereignty of God and submission to him. 670 00:35:47,333 --> 00:35:50,733 One time, and it was at the end of his life 671 00:35:50,733 --> 00:35:53,733 when he had lost everything. 672 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,000 He finally cried out, sovereign Lord! 673 00:36:00,466 --> 00:36:03,466 You rule. 674 00:36:03,766 --> 00:36:06,766 And I'm submitted to you. 675 00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:12,300 He finally acknowledges 676 00:36:12,833 --> 00:36:16,166 the sovereignty and the might of God. 677 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,833 What is it going to take in yours? 678 00:36:19,833 --> 00:36:21,766 In my life, 679 00:36:21,766 --> 00:36:24,766 for us to finally acknowledge the sovereignty of God, 680 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:28,566 his holiness, his might, 681 00:36:28,566 --> 00:36:31,500 his supreme authority, 682 00:36:31,500 --> 00:36:33,400 and humble ourselves and submit to him? 683 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,400 What's it going to take? 684 00:36:37,566 --> 00:36:40,566 Are we going to force God 685 00:36:41,766 --> 00:36:44,766 to blind us and put us 686 00:36:45,466 --> 00:36:48,466 in a dungeon? 687 00:36:48,533 --> 00:36:51,533 I pray not. 688 00:36:52,933 --> 00:36:55,933 That's what it took for Samson. 689 00:36:56,333 --> 00:36:57,666 What will your story be? 690 00:37:02,033 --> 00:37:03,300 But I want you to tell it. 691 00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:06,300 And I love this about his prayer. 692 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,600 Because the prayer that's always answered. 693 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:13,200 This. 694 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:16,200 Father, just remember me. 695 00:37:17,933 --> 00:37:20,933 Just remember me. 696 00:37:21,066 --> 00:37:21,933 It's the prayer. The song. 697 00:37:21,933 --> 00:37:24,300 It's the prayer that was offered by the thief on the cross. 698 00:37:24,300 --> 00:37:27,066 And in Luke 23 699 00:37:27,066 --> 00:37:30,066 he said, Lord, when you come into your kingdom, remember me. 700 00:37:31,466 --> 00:37:32,966 It's the prayer that's always answer. 701 00:37:32,966 --> 00:37:35,966 We say, father, don't turn a blind eye to me. 702 00:37:37,500 --> 00:37:40,500 I am lost right now, but I want to be found. 703 00:37:41,266 --> 00:37:42,833 I am forgotten right now, but 704 00:37:42,833 --> 00:37:45,833 I want to be remembered 705 00:37:45,933 --> 00:37:48,933 by you. 706 00:37:48,933 --> 00:37:52,000 And so, God, in the depths of my despair and all my brokenness. 707 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:53,433 God, would you please. 708 00:37:53,433 --> 00:37:55,500 Would you just 709 00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,500 remember me? 710 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:04,066 I wonder if you prayed that prayer. 711 00:38:06,966 --> 00:38:09,966 No promises to perform. 712 00:38:11,833 --> 00:38:14,833 No vows of great commitment. 713 00:38:16,566 --> 00:38:17,366 None of the God. 714 00:38:17,366 --> 00:38:20,366 If you do this all, do this. 715 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:22,966 Just a simple heart's cry. 716 00:38:22,966 --> 00:38:26,266 From the depths of brokenness and blindness. God. 717 00:38:28,666 --> 00:38:31,666 Remember me so I can be yours. 718 00:38:34,366 --> 00:38:36,466 The Psalms have reached toward the two central pillars 719 00:38:36,466 --> 00:38:39,666 on which the temple stood, bracing himself against them, his right hand on one 720 00:38:40,133 --> 00:38:41,466 and his left hand on the other. 721 00:38:41,466 --> 00:38:44,133 Samson said, let me die with the Philistines. 722 00:38:44,133 --> 00:38:45,900 Then he pushed with all his might, 723 00:38:45,900 --> 00:38:48,900 and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. 724 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:51,933 Thus he killed many more when he died 725 00:38:51,933 --> 00:38:54,933 than while he lived. 726 00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:58,500 That's the end. 727 00:39:00,466 --> 00:39:02,566 You just wonder what that call of God 728 00:39:02,566 --> 00:39:05,566 originally entailed. 729 00:39:06,866 --> 00:39:09,033 You see the degradation of compromise. 730 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:12,833 Did God use them to subdue the enemies? 731 00:39:12,833 --> 00:39:13,500 Absolutely. 732 00:39:13,500 --> 00:39:16,500 But how tragic. 733 00:39:21,066 --> 00:39:22,166 So we have to realize 734 00:39:22,166 --> 00:39:25,400 that Samson was a great conqueror who never allowed God to conquer him. 735 00:39:29,700 --> 00:39:30,266 And friends. 736 00:39:30,266 --> 00:39:33,266 We have to allow God to conquer us. 737 00:39:36,733 --> 00:39:37,100 Part of 738 00:39:37,100 --> 00:39:42,133 that means becoming remorseful, which leads to repentance. 739 00:39:42,166 --> 00:39:45,166 God, I'm sorry. 740 00:39:45,766 --> 00:39:47,933 I'm very sorry. 741 00:39:47,933 --> 00:39:49,333 I flirted with the enemy. 742 00:39:49,333 --> 00:39:51,066 I've played around with compromise. 743 00:39:51,066 --> 00:39:53,033 I've given in far too many times. I'm gone. 744 00:39:53,033 --> 00:39:56,700 I've gone to bed with the devil more times than I can recount. 745 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:01,600 And God, there was remorse in my heart. 746 00:40:03,133 --> 00:40:06,133 For the sacrifice of your call. 747 00:40:06,933 --> 00:40:09,533 And I repent. 748 00:40:09,533 --> 00:40:10,200 I come to you. 749 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:10,933 I ask you forgiveness. 750 00:40:10,933 --> 00:40:13,933 I accept what Jesus did on cross 751 00:40:14,233 --> 00:40:16,200 and allow yourself to be conquered by him. 752 00:40:18,100 --> 00:40:18,700 As I was 753 00:40:18,700 --> 00:40:22,666 talking with some friends about the book of Judges and and 754 00:40:22,666 --> 00:40:26,033 and someone said, you know, it just seems so depressing. 755 00:40:27,566 --> 00:40:30,000 Well, it is. 756 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:33,100 You look at the downward slide of the judges and he started great. 757 00:40:33,566 --> 00:40:34,766 And it just got worse or worse. 758 00:40:34,766 --> 00:40:37,766 It's going to get a lot worse before we're done with this book. 759 00:40:38,433 --> 00:40:41,066 And some of that, they said I was just talking to someone yesterday 760 00:40:41,066 --> 00:40:44,066 and they said even with Gideon, I was like, getting was awesome. 761 00:40:44,066 --> 00:40:48,233 But he was a really broken person at times. 762 00:40:48,266 --> 00:40:50,300 Absolutely. He was so depressing. 763 00:40:50,300 --> 00:40:52,366 I said, well, here's what we have to understand 764 00:40:52,366 --> 00:40:55,166 about the book of judges especially, but about all the Old Testament. 765 00:40:55,166 --> 00:40:59,066 Listen, the Old Testament biographies are not necessarily for imitation, 766 00:40:59,766 --> 00:41:01,133 but rather for our instruction. 767 00:41:02,733 --> 00:41:04,566 So some of these, like Samson, 768 00:41:04,566 --> 00:41:07,600 he he's not given to us in Scripture for us to imitate. 769 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,600 Please do not imitate Samson. 770 00:41:11,566 --> 00:41:14,166 But they're there for our instruction. 771 00:41:14,166 --> 00:41:17,166 Let us learn together. 772 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:20,033 And I love the fact 773 00:41:20,033 --> 00:41:23,033 that through all of this, 774 00:41:23,033 --> 00:41:25,966 that we know that while the promises of Scripture 775 00:41:25,966 --> 00:41:29,533 is that God is always faithful, he's always faithful because. 776 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:34,033 Because remember second Timothy 213, if we are faith, let's hear what 777 00:41:35,300 --> 00:41:37,500 remains faithful. 778 00:41:37,500 --> 00:41:40,100 So even in our failure, God is still faithful 779 00:41:40,100 --> 00:41:43,100 that in remorse and repentance. 780 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:45,966 He's faithful. 781 00:41:45,966 --> 00:41:48,433 But, but, but while the promise of Scripture 782 00:41:48,433 --> 00:41:52,300 is that he is always faithful, it also give us a false sense 783 00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:55,300 of confidence that compromise isn't gravely costly. 784 00:41:57,566 --> 00:42:00,600 Will God be faithful despite our sin? 785 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:01,666 Absolutely. 786 00:42:01,666 --> 00:42:06,000 However, let's not be so ignorant nor arrogant 787 00:42:07,266 --> 00:42:09,100 to have a false confidence 788 00:42:09,100 --> 00:42:12,233 that our compromise isn't greatly costly. 789 00:42:14,266 --> 00:42:17,266 It's is clear for. 790 00:42:20,300 --> 00:42:22,533 And allow God's patience 791 00:42:22,533 --> 00:42:25,533 to lead you to repentance. 792 00:42:27,366 --> 00:42:29,933 I've said all the time, and I want you to remember this, 793 00:42:29,933 --> 00:42:32,933 that God's desire is that we are his, 794 00:42:33,533 --> 00:42:36,533 and he pursues us in three ways. 795 00:42:36,733 --> 00:42:39,900 One of the ways God pursues us is through blessing, 796 00:42:40,933 --> 00:42:43,833 and he pours out his blessing on us with the desire 797 00:42:43,833 --> 00:42:45,966 that we realize that every good and perfect gift 798 00:42:45,966 --> 00:42:49,800 comes down from the father of lights, who doesn't change light shifting shadows. 799 00:42:49,900 --> 00:42:53,900 Every good thing we have in life does not come from our own ability, 800 00:42:54,033 --> 00:42:57,300 but by God's mercy and grace as gifts to us. 801 00:42:57,466 --> 00:42:59,366 And he intends those gifts to us 802 00:42:59,366 --> 00:43:03,400 and the goodness to us, to drive us to thankfulness and gratitude to him. 803 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:04,766 Thank you Lord, you've been so good. 804 00:43:05,766 --> 00:43:06,866 But most of us don't 805 00:43:06,866 --> 00:43:09,866 turn to God out of his blessing. 806 00:43:09,866 --> 00:43:11,800 He desires not to break us. 807 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:13,800 But if we don't turn to him out of his blessing, 808 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:17,100 he desires us to turn to him because we realize how much he's blocked 809 00:43:18,266 --> 00:43:19,500 in our lives. 810 00:43:19,500 --> 00:43:21,200 Because the truth is, we haven't. 811 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:24,200 We haven't reaped all we've sowed. 812 00:43:24,333 --> 00:43:27,333 Some of us is so some really bad seed 813 00:43:27,933 --> 00:43:31,200 and we've reaped some of it, but we haven't reaped all of it yet. 814 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:36,066 And so if we don't come to God in gratitude and submission, 815 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:39,900 out of gratefulness for the blessing, he says, well, 816 00:43:39,900 --> 00:43:43,266 maybe you'll realize what I've blocked from you, and my mercy and grace 817 00:43:43,266 --> 00:43:46,566 is so heavy on you, I've not allowed you to reap all you've sown. 818 00:43:46,566 --> 00:43:47,433 And you'll come to me. 819 00:43:47,433 --> 00:43:49,766 Cause you realize how much I've blocked from happening. 820 00:43:51,866 --> 00:43:54,866 But unfortunately, like Samson, most of us don't. 821 00:43:55,633 --> 00:43:58,433 And his only other option through blessing, through rocking, 822 00:43:58,433 --> 00:44:00,933 is through breaking. 823 00:44:00,933 --> 00:44:02,700 He says fine, 824 00:44:02,700 --> 00:44:05,700 if you're not going to submit to me because I've been so good to you 825 00:44:06,133 --> 00:44:08,833 and you're not going to realize my mercy, my grace over your life, 826 00:44:08,833 --> 00:44:11,766 I'm more of a block than I will allow you to be broken. 827 00:44:11,766 --> 00:44:15,100 Not as punishment, not because I'm angry, 828 00:44:15,366 --> 00:44:18,366 but because I want your heart. 829 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:21,400 And some of you, God says, will not come to me 830 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:24,400 unless I allow you to be broken. 831 00:44:26,166 --> 00:44:29,166 To understand. 832 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:33,600 I've heard it said that in biblical times, 833 00:44:34,033 --> 00:44:37,200 when a shepherd would have a sheep that was a constant wanderer, 834 00:44:37,966 --> 00:44:41,633 and he would go find the sheep, they would injure the leg of that 835 00:44:41,633 --> 00:44:43,166 sheep and sometimes break it. 836 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:47,600 So he couldn't wander off so much. 837 00:44:48,166 --> 00:44:51,166 And I wonder if Jesus, as our good Shepherd. 838 00:44:53,566 --> 00:44:56,566 Not that he desires to, but has to. 839 00:44:56,700 --> 00:44:59,700 So we'll quit walking away 840 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:03,000 allows breaking. 841 00:45:04,333 --> 00:45:07,333 It doesn't have to be that way. 842 00:45:07,833 --> 00:45:10,833 So I would encourage you in this moment 843 00:45:11,066 --> 00:45:14,066 to allow God's patience to lead you to repentance. 844 00:45:17,933 --> 00:45:20,933 Why don't you pray with me? 845 00:45:23,766 --> 00:45:25,800 Father, you are a good God. 846 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:27,000 Good. 847 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:29,433 And you are so patient, so full of mercy, 848 00:45:29,433 --> 00:45:32,433 so full of grace. 849 00:45:33,166 --> 00:45:36,166 You don't treat us as our sins deserve. 850 00:45:36,466 --> 00:45:39,100 You don't count our iniquity and transgressions against us. 851 00:45:39,100 --> 00:45:40,966 You've levied all of that on Jesus. 852 00:45:40,966 --> 00:45:43,400 Thank you 853 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:43,833 Jesus. 854 00:45:43,833 --> 00:45:46,833 Thank you for bearing the penalty of my sin. 855 00:45:49,066 --> 00:45:51,633 But father, I acknowledge 856 00:45:51,633 --> 00:45:54,633 that there are plenty of times when I still flirt with the enemy. 857 00:45:54,633 --> 00:45:55,400 And I'm sorry. 858 00:45:59,733 --> 00:46:01,500 I confess that to you and I repent. 859 00:46:01,500 --> 00:46:04,500 God, I don't want to. 860 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:08,866 I don't want to flirt with the enemy in enemy territory. 861 00:46:08,866 --> 00:46:11,866 I know it will destroy me. 862 00:46:12,733 --> 00:46:13,833 And God, I know that 863 00:46:13,833 --> 00:46:16,833 there are people here who would say the same thing. 864 00:46:17,100 --> 00:46:20,100 And so would you hear our hearts and would you respond 865 00:46:20,500 --> 00:46:23,500 according to the full measure of your mercy and your grace? 866 00:46:24,500 --> 00:46:26,766 Hear us now, 867 00:46:26,766 --> 00:46:27,066 friends. 868 00:46:27,066 --> 00:46:30,066 I invite you in the quietness of this moment between you and God. 869 00:46:32,966 --> 00:46:34,500 To repent. 870 00:46:34,500 --> 00:46:36,366 To repent. 871 00:46:36,366 --> 00:46:39,366 Say, father, I'm sorry. 872 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:43,200 I flirt with the enemy. 873 00:46:44,466 --> 00:46:47,466 I stay in his territory. 874 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:50,866 There's so much of my life 875 00:46:50,866 --> 00:46:53,866 that I've compromised. 876 00:46:54,500 --> 00:46:57,500 It's led to bondage. 877 00:46:57,733 --> 00:47:00,733 It's led to incarceration. I, 878 00:47:00,866 --> 00:47:02,766 I thought I was strong enough, and I'm not. 879 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:07,800 And, father, I ask you. 880 00:47:08,633 --> 00:47:09,666 To be patient with me. 881 00:47:09,666 --> 00:47:12,666 Still, it's. 882 00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:18,200 And I repent of my sin. 883 00:47:19,366 --> 00:47:22,366 I accept the forgiveness that you've offered me 884 00:47:23,533 --> 00:47:26,533 through Jesus and what he did on the cross. 885 00:47:28,100 --> 00:47:29,866 And today, 886 00:47:29,866 --> 00:47:32,866 Jesus, I ask you to be the leader of my life. 887 00:47:36,233 --> 00:47:38,733 God, I submit to you 888 00:47:38,733 --> 00:47:41,733 and your word. 889 00:47:43,533 --> 00:47:46,533 Have mercy on me. 890 00:47:49,000 --> 00:47:51,100 Father, I thank you 891 00:47:51,100 --> 00:47:54,100 that you're not willing to cast any of us aside, 892 00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:57,400 that you still allow the stubble to grow. 893 00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:00,400 Yes, that there's mercy and grace, 894 00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:03,533 there's renewal and there's life. 895 00:48:03,533 --> 00:48:05,833 There's more on the other side going forward 896 00:48:05,833 --> 00:48:07,566 than there was on the backside going back. 897 00:48:07,566 --> 00:48:09,633 I thank you for that. Thank you. 898 00:48:09,633 --> 00:48:12,633 Thank you, father, for those of us in this place 899 00:48:13,633 --> 00:48:16,433 who have chosen you, who have come to you in repentance, 900 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:19,300 would you move in such a way 901 00:48:19,300 --> 00:48:22,433 that your spirit would be on us and upon us? 902 00:48:24,333 --> 00:48:25,466 Would you give us a call 903 00:48:25,466 --> 00:48:28,666 that is far beyond us, and a commitment 904 00:48:28,666 --> 00:48:31,666 to be committed to your Kingdom and your call in this world? 905 00:48:32,900 --> 00:48:35,900 We are yours. 906 00:48:36,900 --> 00:48:39,900 Because you've given us yourself. 907 00:48:41,766 --> 00:48:44,300 Beloved Jesus, in your name I pray. 908 00:48:44,300 --> 00:48:45,900 Amen. 909 00:48:45,900 --> 00:48:48,900 Listen, if you made some decision to follow Jesus, we want to know about it. 910 00:48:49,700 --> 00:48:51,466 You can do it electronically on our app. 911 00:48:51,466 --> 00:48:52,233 There's a cardigan, 912 00:48:52,233 --> 00:48:55,633 so I'll put it in the box on the back wall to stop by the start here booth, 913 00:48:57,000 --> 00:48:59,533 I've written a little book just called foundations that helps you 914 00:48:59,533 --> 00:49:02,600 understand some of the foundational stuff of Christianity and our faith. 915 00:49:02,833 --> 00:49:05,700 It's free for you at the start here, but if you want to pick one of those up. 916 00:49:05,700 --> 00:49:09,233 But please let us know how we can help you walk and take some next steps. 917 00:49:09,233 --> 00:49:11,966 And growing in your faith and your commitment to Christ and His kingdom. 918 00:49:16,633 --> 00:49:17,700 Thank you for the opportunity 919 00:49:17,700 --> 00:49:20,700 to go through judges 16 with you this morning, 920 00:49:21,666 --> 00:49:24,166 three judges 17 in preparation for next week. 921 00:49:24,166 --> 00:49:26,266 And I just want to let you know, 922 00:49:26,266 --> 00:49:29,266 the story in the book of judges is going to get a lot worse. 923 00:49:30,433 --> 00:49:32,833 It's going to get a lot worse. 924 00:49:32,833 --> 00:49:34,966 Eventually, we're going to get to the story 925 00:49:34,966 --> 00:49:37,700 of a Levite 926 00:49:37,700 --> 00:49:40,700 who's with a lady who's killed, 927 00:49:41,433 --> 00:49:44,433 and they cut her body up into 12 pieces, 928 00:49:44,766 --> 00:49:47,766 and then male parts of her body to 12 tribes. 929 00:49:48,966 --> 00:49:51,966 And it is a complete degradation of humanity. 930 00:49:53,033 --> 00:49:56,800 But through all of this, as bad as it gets, 931 00:49:57,700 --> 00:50:00,633 we see a God 932 00:50:00,633 --> 00:50:02,933 who continues to be merciful. 933 00:50:02,933 --> 00:50:05,933 Though his justice is real, 934 00:50:06,433 --> 00:50:09,433 full of mercy and full of grace, 935 00:50:09,500 --> 00:50:12,466 who orchestrates even horrendous 936 00:50:13,966 --> 00:50:16,266 somehow for good. 937 00:50:16,266 --> 00:50:19,200 It's just incredible. It's incredible. 938 00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:20,566 And so stay with us through a bit. 939 00:50:20,566 --> 00:50:22,900 Read judges 17 for this next week. You understand? 940 00:50:22,900 --> 00:50:24,833 You got it, I love you. 941 00:50:24,833 --> 00:50:26,900 It's good for us to be together. Jeff. Let's sing one more.