Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....November 6, 2017
How weak do you feel in your belief? Can you survive in this world of hate and violence? This week I would like to take you into the world of the weak....the weak who became strong by faith.
Growing through weakness! Lessons from Samson
Samson’s life was characterized NOT by his weakness, but by his strength. Why is that? Because he grew through his weakness. He turned to God in his time of weakness and God turned that moment when Samson was weak, into something great! God can and will do the same for you if you only have the faith to believe He can.
This week we focus on Judges 16:19-31
In our times of weakness, we will grow because we will have NO choice BUT to ask God for His help!
GROWTH is NEVER easy or comfortable.
The reason you grow in those circumstances is because you must trust in God! And each time you trust God, it causes your FAITH TO GROW!
God desires us to grow....THROUGH WEAKNESS!
This week, let’s see what we can learn from Samson about spiritual growth.
Our story begins in Judges chapter 13.
ISRAEL WAS BAD AGAIN --The nation of Israel has yet once again turned her back on God. So God allows the Philistines to persecute the Israelites for 40 years!
MANOAH AND AN ANGEL --But a man by the name of Manoah had a wife who was told by an angel that they were going to soon give birth to a son. And this son that was going to deliver Israel from her enemies! Good news to say the least! Not only was he going to finally have a son…but his son was going to be a hero! How many of you would like to hear the news that your son would be the hope for America? Now you’re kind of experiencing the excitement that Manoah was beginning to sense.
DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD
But this angel gives some specific instructions on how to raise their child…
The angel told them that their son was to be a Nazirite. Set apart from birth. Samson was going to act different and look different than the rest of the world. He wouldn’t drink alcohol. He wouldn’t go near dead or unclean things. And he wouldn’t cut his hair.
It was obvious from looking at Samson that he was different. Can I take a moment to say the same thing about Christians? From the time you were born (born again), you were called to be set apart! Called to look differently and act differently than the rest of the world. How are you doing?
This is part of the litmus test of Spiritual Growth. “DO I LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD IN WHICH I LIVE?”
I think we’ve swallowed the hook that says, “I’m no different than the world…I’m just forgiven.” You ARE different! You have the Holy Spirit living inside of you! You have an eternity that is glorious! You are called to LIGHT and SALT to a dark, bland world! There better be some differences in our actions, behavior and attitudes!
So anyway, Samson grows up as a Nazirite, dedicated to God. Called to be Israel’s defender and deliverer from the Philistines.
SAMSON VS.THE PHILISTINES--
Chapters 14 - 15 have stories of Samson’s dealings with the Philistines. He sets the grain fields of the Philistines on fire using 300 foxes. His wife ends up being burned to death by the Philistines as a result of these fields being burnt. So Samson attacks and kills 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.
SAMSON: SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY--
In chapter 16, it’s the beginning of the end for Samson. He falls in love with a woman named Delilah. And Delilah was given 28 pounds of silver from each of the rulers of the Philistines in order to deliver Samson into their hands. 28 pounds of silver is worth approx $7500.00! So his girlfriend tries to coax his secret out of him a total of 3 times. And finally Samson ends up with a shaved head.
19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
20 Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!"
He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I’ll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.
Don’t put yourself in the position to be weak. Recognizing the danger of sin (vs. 19-20)
1. Samson’s position
Our hero was set apart from birth. Called to deliver and defend his nation from the philistines. And where was our hero? Lulled to sleep in the lap of the enemy!
This wasn’t the first time Samson put himself in this position! Samson had repeatedly put himself in the position to fail spiritually.
--He married a Philistine woman! (Judges 14:1-3)
His family tried to convince him otherwise, and Samson’s response to his dad was: “She is the right one for me.”
--He slept with a prostitute (Judges 15:1)
Are you getting the picture? His sexual appetite was an area that could put him in the position to fail! As I was preparing this week, I thought.. "I just didn’t understand Samson. 3 times Delilah came to him. And I thought, “How could Samson have been such an idiot? Then Holy Spirit convicted me. He said, "Are you any smarter when it comes to sin? I just laughed. Because I knew he was right! Time and time again, we set ourselves up to fail, don’t we?
2. Your position
Is there an environment or situation that keeps causing you to be weak? Are you repeatedly putting yourself in that position to fail?
Parents: I know you love your kids. And I want to ask a question with gentleness and sincerity: Are you putting your kids in a position for them to be weak? What Do I mean? Well, let me give you some insight into life a little bit. I have a friend who grew up a preacher’s kid with two sisters. One was his twin sister. They had rules just like any family of things they were allowed to do and not allowed to do. One of the things each of the kids knew growing up was that they were not allowed to go to dances. Why did their parents make this rule? This is something my friend could not understand up until he became a youth minister and started to understand some things.
His father was wise and knew what went on at dances and what goes on after dances. He understood that his teenage son had raging hormones and that he probably did not need to be put in a dimly lit room, in close proximity to a scantily dressed female. His dad was keeping him from a position of weakness. Did each of the kids like this rule? No. Each year did they would ask to go the dance? Yep. Did their parents ever change their mind? No. Do you think my friend was glad that his parents made that rule? You bet.
Having said that, parents, does your teenage son have a computer in his room? That is a position of weakness! Get it out of his room! Put that computer in a place where the rest of the family is!
Do you know who your kids hang around with? What content there are putting on their face book and instagram sights? These are things YOU AS A PARENT need to know.
Friends? -- Do you hang around friends who are a poor influence on you? Who constantly use language that is inappropriate for you? Or tell stories that are not right?
Co-workers -- Or are you working with people who continually cause you to have bad thoughts or bad habits? Who influence you to cheat the company out of money or time?
REMEMBER:
1st Corinthians 15:33
“Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character!”
Superman avoided Kryptonite at all costs because it was deadly! What is your Kryptonite? If it’s alcohol, DON’T EAT AT A BAR EVEN IF THE FOOD IS GOOD!
If you have trouble watching your mouth because the people you are around use bad language, time to get new friends.
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. 22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, "Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands."
Recognize when you’re strong, and when you’re weak! (vs. 21-23)
You see, even though Samson was known for his strength, there was a point in his life that he became weak. And I firmly believe that each of us can relate to the story of Samson. Because Samson was not strong all the time and he was not weak all the time. And I know that is how it is for me. I am not spiritually strong all the time. But I’m not spiritually weak all the time either. It’s important to recognize where you’re at!
Spiritually speaking, today I am _______________________________
Are you strong or weak in your faith this morning?
Maybe it’s when you are under stress. Maybe you have a particular sin that keeps coming back to haunt you. Maybe it’s when think back to a situation that happened that caused you embarrassment and failure.
A. Samson’s situation
Did you catch it? Three words. But profound. “PHILISTINES SEIZED HIM” Something they could not do except he was now weak! As the Philistines gouged his eyes out, it was then that he realized he was weak. And it was about to get a lot worse.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS…
B. Our enemies want to take advantage of our weakness!
1. Delilah…She may have asked the secret of his strength, but she was wanting to
really know his weakness! So she can EXPLOIT that weakness and defeat
Samson!
2. Who is our enemy? Wal-Mart? Disney World? Is it lost ones? Is it other
churches? Is it your church family? NO! It’s time we recognize our enemy!
Our enemy is described as a PROWLING lion! A lion on the hunt. Stalking
his prey! And WE ARE HIS PREY!
Satan…prowling lion…knows our weakness! Wants to tempt us!
Like a shark who smells blood in the water of life so does Satan seek to destroy us!
But here’s the good news!
C. God wants to use you despite your weakness!
Numerous examples of how God used men and women who were weak!
David’s sin with Bathsheba - started out as an adulterous affair, which led to lying
which led to murder.
Moses - Killed a man in anger.
(note: God will use people despite their weakness once they RECOGNIZE their weakness and repent of any sin found in their life)
David repented of his sin with Bathsheba when Nathan came to him to confront Him
Moses recognized what he did was wrong and fled to Midian…
God is a God of second and third chances. His grace and patience endures a lifetime!
So where are you? Are you in a season of spiritual strength or spiritual weakness? RECOGNIZE WHERE YOU’RE AT IN LIFE!
25 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, 26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, "Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them." 27 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. 28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O 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." 29 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, 30 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.
31 Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led [e] Israel twenty years.
If you recognize that you are weak, then here’s what you can do:
3. Rely on God for strength! (vs. 25-31)
This is where the GROWING THROUGH WEAKNESS comes into play.
When you are weak and have no where to turn, God often times ends up being the one we look to!
ILLUSTRATION: Cancer has made a lot of people weak…but it has made a lot of people strong in their faith!
How ironic is it that Samson begs God to ‘remember him’? The problem wasn’t that God forgot Samson, the problem was that Samson forgot God! But in his moment of weakness, he remembered one key FACT: GOD IS STRONG!
A. God is the source of Samson’s strength! (vs. 20)
--Source of Samson’s strength:
It says, “the Lord left Samson.” We wonder, LORD HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? It was Samson’s decision…not God’s
David learned from Samson’s lesson:
Psalm 51:10,11
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
David saw what happened to Samson. How the Lord was the giver of strength and victory. And so he writes this song after being confronted by his own sin.
So Samson places his hands on the pillars of the temple and pushes. And God is glorified! Just as God is the source of Samson’s strength…so too
B. God is the source of OUR Strength!
Moses knew this - Exodus 15:2 Moses sings a song after they cross the red sea. Listen to what Moses sang:
1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD :
"I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
David Knew this - Psalm 18:1 simply says: “I love you, Oh my Lord. You are my strength!”
Paul knew this - Phil 4:13 “I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who gives me strength.” Even be content in times of need!
The question remains: DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH? When you are weak, you need to rely on God’s strength.
Why is it that we don’t like to ask for help? Because we don’t like to admit that we’re weak. So we mask our weakness by putting on a brave face. Well that’s just a pride issue. And you know what happens when you have pride in your life, right?
Proverbs 16:18
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
DESTRUCTION AND FAILURE!
Samson’s life was characterized NOT by his weakness, but by his strength. Why is that? Because he grew through his weakness. He turned to God in his time of weakness and God turned that moment when Samson was weak, into something great! God can and will do the same for you if you but turn to Him in your weakness! I love you all:)
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
Don’t let anyone bring you down so low as to hate them. Release them from the hold they have on you and continue on with peace in your heart.
Life is short and is not worth wasting your time trying to figure people out or prove anything to them. The only person you have to prove anything to is yourself.
Strive to be the best person you can possibly be, be strong, and walk away. Holding on to bitterness and anger will only hinder your happiness.
Your life is much too precious to spend another minute worrying about someone that doesn’t bring you happiness. Say goodbye and wish them well. After all, they’ve made you a stronger person.
They’ll see the light someday.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
Messengers from John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,
“ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Woe to Unrepentant Cities
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST
Again the disciples of John the Baptist come to see Jesus—this time with a question from John himself (11:1–19).
John wants to know if Jesus is really the Christ, or whether they should look for someone else. John has a personal interest in this. The Messiah (Christ) is expected to release captives from prison—and John is in prison!
John’s problem is this: Jesus is performing miracles, but there is no sign of the mighty judgment with Holy Spirit and fire which John himself had promised and expected. And Jesus is not at all a holy man by Jewish standards—he doesn’t appear to fast and he keeps bad company.
Jesus sends a message back to John. He quotes words from the prophet Isaiah. There are signs of the Messiah’s work in the ministry of Jesus. The blind are seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame leaping and the dumb shouting (Isaiah 35:5–6)! Best of all, the poor are hearing the good news that God’s kingdom is coming (Isaiah 61:1).
As John’s disciples leave, Jesus pays tribute to his faithful cousin. He is the greatest of the prophets—the one who Malachi predicted would prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). Even so, he is the last of the old order of Law and Prophets—an Elijah rather than a Simon Peter.
Jesus reflects how people resist making a commitment—like children refusing to join in each other’s games. John plays a dirge and Jesus plays a dance—but neither is acceptable. People complain that John starves and Jesus stuffs—and so find reason to reject them both! But both are true expressions of the wisdom and purpose of God.
TOWNS WHICH REJECT JESUS
Jesus continues to be exasperated. The towns in which he has preached and worked so many miracles are still resisting the gospel (11:20–24).
Three lakeside towns in particular—Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum—have had a unique opportunity to turn to God. They have seen and heard the Messiah.
The pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon, given the same chance, would surely have repented. If Sodom had received a visit from Jesus, it would never have been destroyed. But these Galilean communities have rejected God—and will themselves be rejected by him on Judgment Day.
AN INVITATION TO REST
Jesus turns from frustration to praise. God is Lord of all. Even the way people respond to the gospel is in the Father’s hands. He hides his truth from those who know everything (or think they do) and makes it clear to ‘little children’—the humble people who know nothing but their need of God. How typical of the Father to work this way!
Jesus thanks his Father for the task he has been given. Only Father and Son know each other completely: mind to mind, heart to heart, they are God. And Jesus is commissioned to make his Father known—inviting sinful humans to share their life and love.
Jesus commits himself wholeheartedly to his Father’s will—and invites us to do the same (11:25–30). Those who are tired of life, or weighed down by dead religion, can come to him for rest. Like a skilled and careful carpenter shaping a yoke, he will fit us with the gentle, liberating purpose of God. Our yoke goes across his shoulders too, for he shares it with us—setting the direction of our life and taking the strain.
Christ as Messiah-King
Matthew presents Jesus primarily as the Messiah-king who humbly suffers on behalf of, and is present with, his people. Some of the messianic titles employed by Matthew are “Christ” (1:1, 16–18; 2:4; 11:2; 16:16–20; 23:10; 26:63, 68; 27:17, 22), “king” or “king of the Jews/Israel” (2:2; 21:5–9; 27:11, 29, 37, 42), “Son of David” (1:1, 20; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9, 15; 22:41–46), and “Emmanuel” (1:22–23). The last title is derived from Isa 7:14, a text used in early Christianity as a prophecy of Christ’s unique birth and interpreted messianically (Luke 1:31, allusion). Each of these (except Emmanuel) is used frequently in public settings because the messianic-secret motif is not as prominent in Matthew as in Mark.
The title “Son of David” is used to show Jesus’ royal descent from the Davidic line. Matthew employs this title more frequently than Mark, while retaining the tradition that Jesus is greater than David (22:41–46 / Mark 12:35–37) and expanding upon Jesus’ role as the humble king (Matt 21:4–5, with the fulfillment citation absent from the parallel Mark 11:1–10). In keeping with this tendency, Matthew’s passion narrative retains all of Mark’s references to Jesus the “king of the Jews/Israel” (Matt 27:11, 29, 37, 42 / Mark 15:2, 18, 26, 32). This Son of David suffers as the humble king of Israel who remains greater than David. The Greek title for the Messiah, “Christ,” is used in public (23:10) and private (16:16–20) settings with its full messianic implications. Finally, the Matthean title “Emmanuel” (“God with us”) forms an inclusion with 28:20 “remember, I am with you always,” denoting the continual presence of the Messiah among his people.
Puskas, C. B., & Crump, D. (2008). An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts (p. 94). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Puskas, C. B., & Crump, D. (2008). An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts (p. 94). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., pp. 420–421). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 420). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 420). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 11:20–30). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 11:11–19). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 11:1–10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
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