The Slippery Slope of Temptation

Text: Judges 16;1-3

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (05/05/02)

Introduction:   

It's been a couple of weeks so let's take a few minutes and think through this account.

Scene 1 is found in chapter 13, which is a long description of Samson's parents and the instructions the angel of the Lord gave about how Samson was to be raised.

And that’s an important part of understanding the verses before us this evening.

Scene 2 We find that in chapter 14, where Samson took off for a Philistine city to find a wife.

INPUT - can anyone tell me what city he went to?  (Timnath)

That too is going to play into the verses we study tonight.

Scene 3 Was the story of the lion, the riddle, and Samson's fiance betraying him.

Samson's already beginning to reap some of the pain and heartache that comes from not obeying God.

Scene 4  Samson came back to marry, only to find out that his "father-in-law-to-be" had given the fiancé to Samson's best man.

So what did Samson do?  (burned the Philistine's crops)

Scene 5  We see the Philistines come up against the men of Judah to take Samson and kill him

And what did the men of Judah do? - They gave in to the enemy.

All of this brings us to the final chapter of Scripture on Samson.

It looks like it may take us several weeks to get through this.

Tonight, we want to talk about "Learning To Handle Temptation."

Every one of us faces temptation every day.

How many of us would say in our hearts tonight---it sure would be good to learn some more things from the Scripture that would help us face temptation more effectively?

With that in mind, let's read Judges 16:1-3

The writer of these verses is making an obvious contrast between two aspects of Samson's character.

On the one hand Samson is ___________, on the other hand he is ________.

INPUT - How would you complete those blanks?  (physically strong / morally weak.)

The amount of physical strength that was required to do what Samson did in these verses was nothing short of supernatural.

Gaza was a large Philistine city (we'll have more to say about that in a minute) that meant that this city gate would have been huge.

We're told that at this period of history, because the Philistines already knew how to work with metal, - that this gate would have probably been covered with metal strips nailed to the heavy wood to prevent it from being burned during an invasion.

So we're talking about something that was incredibly heavy.  Also, the distance he carried it is remarkable...

INPUT - where does the text say Samson carried the gate to? (Hebron -- Do you know how far Hebron is from Gaza? - 38 miles)-(like going from here to Pickering with a city gate on your back)

Because of the nature of some of these exploits, there should have been no question in Samson's mind or anyone else's that this was strength that could only come from our mighty God.

No one would have read these stories and said -- "Boy, he's been pumping iron," or, "He's been taking his protein supplement." “Maybe he’s on steroids.”

What makes this story so tragic is that while Samson made use of the physical strength God gave, he never made use of the spiritual strength.

·         He never became the man God wanted him to be

·         He never became the leader God wanted him to be

·         He never became the example God wanted him to be....

He never sought to learn how our powerful God could give him, not just physical strength, but spiritual strength.

Let’s stop there for a minute and turn over to Ephesians.

We talk a lot about Ephesians 4 because it tells us in very practical terms how a Christian changes and grows.

What did Paul tell the Ephesians about God's power before giving the practical commands?

READ Eph 1:15-20

READ Eph 3:13-21

What God wants for NT believers like you and me, is exactly what Samson did not have.

No understanding, and apparently no interest in learning about how God can empower a person to overcome temptation.

Let's go back now to Judges 16 and study four principles to help us overcome temptation.

I. Temptation Blinds Us To The Danger of Sin

Bible geography is very important in this case.

Gaza was a far different place than Timnath.

Timnath was a little city, it was very close to Israel's border.

But when he went to Gaza, it was a whole new ball game.

The Philistines, at this period of time, had five strong cities - they were the centers of strength, wealth, and military might.

One of those cities was Gaza!

It was also a long way from the border of Israel.

This was a very, very dangerous thing for Samson to do just to satisfy his own lust.

Now you might say, "well, but Samson was strong enough to overcome the Philistines and this story proves it"

Keep reading!! - before this chapter is over, Samson's physical condition is going to be markedly different.

If we don't fight temptation with biblical truth, we're blinded to the dangers of sin.

We'll end up going to dangerous places, and doing things that are wreckless, putting ourselves and probably others in serious spiritual jeopardy.

INPUT - What dangers might temptation blind us to today?

1) Temptation to show off while driving -- the danger of hurting ourselves, or someone else.

2) Temptation to sexual sin -- danger of pregnancy, venereal disease.

3) Temptation to be liked by everyone -- danger of doctrinal compromise.

4) Temptation to have what I want RIGHT NOW -- danger of going into debt and being unable to pay.

ILLUS: There's a trend today to wear T-shirts and hats that have the phrase "no fear" on them. - I'm not saying it's necessarily sinful for a person to wear something like that...

But is that really what God wants us to be like?

Aren't there some things we ought to have a healthy fear of?

In fact, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...Psalms

The right kind of fear/respect of God is going to prevent wreckless living.

Samson was the kind of man who was blinded to the dangers of sin.

He wasn't a cautious man / he wasn't a careful man / He was always "living outside the box" on moral issues.

Can I ask you tonight -- Do you have a healthy respect for the danger of displeasing God?

Would you rather get to heaven and have the Lord say, "you could have gone further on some things" Instead of hearing him say, "you went too far, crossed over the line of sin?"

Sin is dangerous because there is the evidence of a person getting more and more callous / more and more hardened / more and more brash and more brazen...

If a person doesn't handle their "Timnaths," they're going to end up in Gaza.

When a person gets involved in scandalous, life-altering sin--- that's never the first step.

Sin is always a process of making small, measured, steps toward evil.

Samson didn't start in big, dangerous Gaza - he started in little -- "not so bad" Timnath.

ILLUS: Lot in Gen. 19

“Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?)” ZOAR

Men and women who want to handle temptation God's way aren't going to wind up in Gaza, because they're not even going to go to Timnath.

Another lesson we see from these verses is:

II. There Is Little Connection Between Outward Strength/Beauty and Inward Strength/Godliness.

This is a very short story in the Bible, but it makes a big point...

Be sure you're using the right evaluators.

A lot of people would have said, "Samson was really something" - Samson had big muscles - Samson had a lot of women - Samson was fearless - He was a force to be reckoned with.

He may have had a good sense of humor, was a lot of fun to be around - but what do you think God would have said about this man?

His life was a waste / a washout.  His life made very little difference in what God wanted to accomplish at that time, - except to serve as a negative example.

Who cares if you're strong enough physically to rip the city gate off its hinges -- if you're not strong enough morally to overcome the temptation to go into a prostitute?

A person can have a lot of things going for them physically and materially, but if thats all they have...it's a life thats empty.

Am I using the right evaluators? Is it possible that I've put so much emphasis on the outward... / the way I dress / the way I look / my weight / my home / my car?

All this when God would want me to be developing inner strength of character -- and placing the emphasis there.

2 Corinthians 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Another lesson that flows out of these verses is:

III. Don't Underestimate The Binding Power of Sin

Samson's motto was -- it's not going to hurt me....I can handle it, I can handle it - I can stop anytime I want....I’m the exception to the rule!

And what was happening all along? - He was being bound up by his lusts.

And though he doesn't know it yet...he's about to meet another woman - what's her name?  (Delilah)

Let me ask you to look at a couple of passages on this subject:

READ Prov. 5:20-23

INPUT - How would you complete this sentence tonight, "Every time you ________, it makes it a little bit easier to __________ again."

Solomon likened it to cords being tied around you...

At first it doesn't look like much - I can break that - thats not going to affect me...

READ II Peter 2:17-19

What we're studying tonight from the life of Samson is the exact opposite of what our world would like us to believe...

Our world would have us to believe that you have freedom when you get to do what you want……

- when you throw off all restraint - when you get out from under your parent's authority - when you forget about what the Bible says - just do your own thing...

That is not true - real freedom is doing what God wants us to do.

Anything other than that, though it might be enjoyable for a while, is eventually going to make you its slave.

1) Like someone who's hooked on alcohol...

Who wastes his family's grocery money week after week on booze, - who can't keep down a job - who wakes up so hung-over he wishes he would die.

Somehow, that philosophy of "freedom is doing what you want to do" didn't work so well.

2) Like someone who is dying of Aids...

Contracted the disease because he or she would not control the lusts of the flesh.

Where's the freedom in that?  Where's the enjoyment in that?

3) Like a teenager who just wrecked his car and injured some of his friends

All of a sudden the words "drive as fast as you want," and "No one can tell you what to do" sound pretty hollow.

Samson never understood that principle, and it cost him dearly.

The last principle we'd like to study tonight is:

IV. Just Because Judgement Isn't Coming Today, Doesn't Mean Judgement Isn't Coming.

One question that many of us would have about Samson's life in general is...

How could God continue to allow Samson to have strength even after he had sinned so often?

Why didn't God just take away his strength?  Why didn't God immediately judge him?

What are the answers?

Because God is long-suffering, merciful, and full of grace

Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

It is sort of surprising to see Samson sin like he did in verse 1, and be able to perform a great feat like he did in verse 3.

Is Samson the last person who sinned without being immediately and completely judged?

What's the answer to that question?

ILLUS: There's a very easy exercise you can do to answer that: - take your right thumb and your fore-finger like this - put it over your left wrist and squeeze

What do you feel?  (a pulse)

If your heart is still beating, it's a demonstration of the grace, and mercy, and long-suffering of God.

Is it possible to take that for granted?

Sometimes you and I can presume upon His grace - we can think in our hearts -- maybe I can get away with this - maybe I can sin without God knowing, or without Him caring.

The lesson from the life of Samson is -- Just because judgement isn't coming today, doesn't mean judgement isn't coming.

Tie to those who are unsaved

Tie to believers

Tie to Lord's table

Conclusion:     (Review)