Read | Judges 16:23–31
Now the Philistine leaders gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said:
Our god has handed over
our enemy Samson to us.
When the people saw him, they praised their god and said:
Our god has handed over to us
our enemy who destroyed our land
and who multiplied our dead.
When they were in good spirits, they said, “Bring Samson here to entertain us.” So they brought Samson from prison, and he entertained them. They had him stand between the pillars.
Samson said to the young man who was leading him by the hand, “Lead me where I can feel the pillars supporting the temple, so I can lean against them.” The temple was full of men and women; all the leaders of the Philistines were there, and about three thousand men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertain them. He called out to the LORD, “Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more. With one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” Samson took hold of the two middle pillars supporting the temple and leaned against them, one on his right hand and the other on his left. Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” He pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the leaders and all the people in it. And those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed in his life.
Then his brothers and his father’s whole family came down, carried him back, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. So he judged Israel twenty years.
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Each week, we’re reminded that experiencing God happens best through Scripture alongside others—join us for worship today at one of our five campuses and grow together in faith. Today’s sermon is titled, "Samson."
Focus
In preparation for today’s sermon, read this blog from the Story of Scripture team at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Samson—Strength in the Mess
“Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more…” —Judges 16:28
What do the prostitute Rahab and the morally compromised Israelite judge Samson have in common? At first glance, seemingly nothing.
Who was Rahab? A Canaanite outsider living in a city doomed to destruction by Israel. She lived in the very margins of Israel’s story.
Who was Samson? Israelite insider, a judge set apart from birth as a Nazirite, born into the covenant people of God. Arguably, Samson stood at the center of Israel’s story.
Yet both appear on the same honor roll—the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11.
Full stop. What is going on here?
Different characters, but a similar story arc: God is involved in the messiness of life.
Samson’s life is marked by impulsive decisions, broken vows, and relationships that dishonor God. Chapter after chapter, it seems as though he squanders the calling placed on him as a Nazirite.
Yet…God still works through him.
And God works through people like you and me.
Today’s passage continues the theme of an amazing message: wrapped in the most unlikely of clothes. In the very messiness of life, God is telling a story about fixing broken things—and broken people.
So, what do we learn from the story of Samson in Judges 13–16?
First, God raises up his leaders for his reasons, even in dark times. When Israel had capitulated to the Philistines, God was already raising up his leader. his deliverer—Samson.
Second, God-given gifts must stay rooted in God. Samson began to think his power was in his hair instead of in the Spirit of the Lord. Gifts, wrongly used or applied, can forfeit God’s purpose and expose our weaknesses.
Third, personal compromise and moral failure can unravel one’s calling. Samson’s fall did not happen overnight. It was a series of impulsive decisions, broken commitments, and misguided relationships.
And finally, God’s grace can restore God’s purpose even through broken endings. Even though Samson’s life ended tragically, God graciously restored Samson’s strength in one final act of deliverance, serving to begin the deliverance of Israel from her enemies—the Philistines.
The story of Samson—as much as it swerved off course from God’s ideal plan—is a reminder that no matter how messy life gets, how much our own foolishness can complicate things, God will still accomplish his plan, and his grace is never exhausted by our failures.
Pray
Ask God for protection for your campus staff, and for renewed energy and wisdom.
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.
