Sermon Preview
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This coming Lord’s Day morning we will be considering (for the third time) the life and exploits of that most famous Biblical character named “Samson.” Our text will be Judges 14:1-19 with a special focus upon verses 1-4.
I suspect that we would all confess that we’ve learned some things about this man that we didn’t know to be true, and that his life’s story has been set before us in a different light than we have previously observed. I can tell you that for such a long period of my own life, what I knew about this man was fragmentary. He was really strong! He killed a whole bunch of Philistines with the jaw bone of a donkey (15:15). He got involved with a woman named “Delilah” who tricked him into giving up his secret. And then, he met his end at the temple of Dagon as he, literally, ‘brought the house down,’ and killed more of Yahweh’s enemies in this act of self-sacrifice than he did in all of the pervious twenty years he judged Israel (16:30).
But, as we are now seeing, there is much more to this man than this! And his story and his place in the history of God’s Old Covenant people is very important and somewhat complicated! As we have said before, there is much to learn from him and from God’s dealings with His persistently rebellious people at this stage of their history.
So far, we have discovered that things were really bad by the time Samson came on the stage. And we have also learned that Samson’s appearance itself was most unusual. He was called to be the savior of his people while in his mother’s womb. And his unnamed mother had been unable to have any children until the angel of the Lord appeared to her and announced that she would give birth to a son. And she would give birth not just to any little boy, but to one who would “begin to save” the Israelites “from the hand of the Philistines” (13:5). And then we remember how the Spirit of God came over Samson, and began to “stir him,” moving and empowering him to do the Lord’s bidding (13:25).
And here is precisely where the problem is for us. Over and again in the inspired record of his adventures, we are told that Samson was empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit. And yet, in these 4 chapters of Judges (13-16) he looks like anything but a man full of and led by the Spirit of the Lord! There is tension abounding in the life of Samson!
That tension reaches its full magnitude in 14:4 where we are given a piece of inside information about Samson that serves as the key truth regarding his whole life. According to this verse, all that Samson did, even in his willful defiance of the commands of the divine Word, was “from the Lord”! What a perplexing claim! Even in his sinning, Samson was accomplishing the will and purposes of Yahweh! Here we encounter the incomprehensible mystery of divine providence, and a truth that will not only confound us initially, but will comfort us ultimately, and point us to the cross of our blessed Savior and Lord!
I can’t wait to explore this passage with you, and I look forward to seeing you on the Lord’s Day as we joyfully come together in His Wonderful Name!
Much love and many prayers,
Mike
Upcoming Events:
February 4, 3:30 PM – Alleluia Choir at Church House
February 4, 4:30 PM – Youth Group
February 6, 6 PM – Women’s Evening Study
February 7, 9:30 AM – Women’s Morning Study
February 9, 6 PM – Parents Night Out
February 11, 3 PM – Elliott Meet and Greet
February 13, 9 AM – Senior Fellows Breakfast
February 15, 6 AM – Men’s Morning Study
February 21, 6 PM – Diaconate Meeting
February 22, 6 PM – Mom’s Coffee Night
February 23, 6 PM – Senior Fellows Night at the UAH Hockey Game
February 24, 2 PM – Stafford Baby Shower
February 25, 2 PM – New Members Class
March 1, 11:30 AM – Women’s Monthly Lunch
Announcements:
Youth Group: Youth Group meets again on February 4 at the church at 4:30 PM for all students in grades 6-12. Invite friends and neighbors!
Women’s Bible Studies: The Women’s weekly studies are ongoing. The Tuesday evening study is at 6 PM, while the Wednesday morning study is at 9:30 AM.
Men’s Bible Study: The Men’s Morning Bible Study is also back in action, meeting every other Thursday. The next meeting is February 15 at 6 AM.
Women’s Monthly Lunch: The next Women’s Monthly Lunch is March 1 at 11:30 AM.
Alleluia Choir: Alleluia Choir for students in Second through Sixth Grades will resume on Sunday, February 4th, meeting from 3:30-4:20 PM upstairs in the Church House. New choristers are always welcome.
Parents Night Out: There will be a Parents’ Night Out on February 9, 6:00-8:30. We will have a winter theme, with crafts, games, a movie and probably pizza. Please contact Faithann Gibson if you are interested in helping out. We hope we can give the parents at our Church a Valentine’s Day treat!Her email: faithanngibson@gmail.com
Elliott Meet and Greet: On Sunday February 11 from 3-5 PM there will be a Meet and Greet time to welcome our newest staff member Matthew Elliott and his wife Meghan. It will be held at the church. Please join us in welcoming them.
Senior Fellows: Senior Fellows will meet for breakfast 9 AM, Tuesday, Feb 13 at the Church House. Visitors are welcome. Call 256-503-2853 for more information. They will also attend the UAH Chargers Hockey Game at the Von Braun Center 6 PM, Friday, Feb 23. Carpools leave the Church at 5 PM. Visitors are welcome. Call 256-503-2853 for more information.
Stafford Baby Shower: There will be a baby shower to celebrate the arrival of Baby Stafford on February 24 at 2 PM at the church. Contact Fatihann Gibson to help.
New Members Class: The next New Members Class will be on February 25 from 2 to 6 PM at the church. Childcare will be provided, and there will be a meal immediately following. Attending the class does not obligate you to join the church, but those wishing to join must attend the class. Visitors will not receive this notice via email, so if you know of any visitors interested in church membership, please help make them aware of the upcoming class date.
Mom’s Coffee Night: Moms’ Coffee Night is a small fellowship for moms to gather and pray. Date is Thursday, 2/22, from 6:30 to 8:00. Contact Nikki Profozich if you want to be involved and plan to invite a mom-friend from your school or homeschool group to join us. We’d love to have guests so that we may pray for our children together!
Prayer Requests:
Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Suzi Jones, Robin Holloway, Chris Smotherman, Elizabeth Holton, Janet Chou, Ramona Edwards, Nolan Osmer.
Expecting: Please pray for the the Townsley family, expecting in March, and the Staffords and Deans, expecting in April.
Bereavement: Please pray for Joe Randall, whose sister died this week.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); RUF at Alabama A&M; Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky Garcia (seminary student).