Pastor Dudley Rutherford seeks to “lift up the name of Jesus across the country and the world through uncompromising biblical teaching.”
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| Dudley Rutherford - Samson and the Judges | January 21, 2026
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the beginning of creation
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- To the fall of man,
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- Through it all, the hope of a savior.
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- This fall, experience the bible like never before.
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- Join dudley rutherford on a journey of a lifetime.
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- If you've ever wanted to understand the bible
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- From beginning to end, this is your chance.
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- Don't just read the story, live it.
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- Coming up next on "lift up jesus,"
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- A journey of a lifetime.
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- Pastor dudley rutherford: he's physically astounding,
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- He's spiritually astounding, his flaws are astounding,
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- But write this down: his comeback is astounding.
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- Even though samson lost it all, god gives him a second chance.
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- How many of you are glad that god gives us a second chance?
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- [congregation applauds]
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- ♪♪♪
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- Pastor dudley: i wanna welcome each of you
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- To the "lift up jesus" television broadcast.
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- I am pastor dudley rutherford, and i'm so glad you've joined me
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- Here today.
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- Do you know what really takes your christian life
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- To the next level?
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- It's not just reading the bible or listening
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- To christian teaching, it's doing it on a regular basis.
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- That's why being here each and every week
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- And hearing this message is so important.
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- My sermon today will give you new insight into god's word,
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- So make sure you have your bible,
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- A pen, and your notes handy, and let's begin.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Pastor dudley: three thousand philistines were in this cave,
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- And that--samson went in there, and all he had was a jawbone
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- Of a donkey, and he went in there,
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- And he himself killed one thousand philistines.
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- He was a strong guy.
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- In chapter 16, the first four verses, he goes to the city,
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- They had a wall with gates, and he ripped the gates
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- Off of its post.
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- And these aren't little gates like you and i have
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- Around your side yard.
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- These were like huge city gates.
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- I've done some research on them.
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- These things were heavy.
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- You and i probably couldn't even pick them up by ourselves.
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- And he picked up these gates and he went to hebron,
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- And that doesn't mean much unless you study it.
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- Hebron is 40 miles away.
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- He carried those gates for 40 miles.
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- And the other thing about that, hebron is uphill.
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- He carried those gates for 40 miles uphill.
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- That's how strong he was.
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- Now, not only was he physically astounding, write this down,
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- He was spiritually astounding.
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- He took what is called the nazarite vow.
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- The nazarite vow.
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- I want you to look at judges 13, starting with verse 2.
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- The bible says, "there was a certain man of zorah,
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- Named manoah, from the clan of the danites.
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- And he had a wife who was sterile and remained childless.
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- And the angel of the lord appeared to her and said,
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- 'you are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive
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- And have a son.
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- I want you to see to it,' verse 4,
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- 'that you drink no wine or other fermented drink,
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- And that you do not eat anything unclean, because'
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- Verse 5, 'you will conceive and give birth to a son.
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- And no razor may be used on his head,
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- Because the boy is to be a nazarite,
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- Set apart to god from birth.'"
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- Why will he be set apart to god from birth?
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- Because this child of yours will begin
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- The deliverance of israel
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- From the hands of the philistines.
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- And as you read later, samson is raised with this nazarite vow.
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- There are three parts of the nazarite vow.
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- Number one, no razor is supposed to touch his head.
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- Thus we know he had long hair.
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- Number two, no alcohol is supposed to touch his lips.
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- That was part of the vow.
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- And number three, he's never supposed to touch
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- Anything that's dead, anything that's unclean.
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- And he takes this vow, he's set apart from birth
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- For the purposes of god to deliver israel from the hands
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- Of the philistines, the enemies of god.
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- Thus this vow, the reason for this vow is that israel
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- Is in one of these cycles where they have fallen into sin,
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- They have fallen into idolatry,
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- God has allowed in his sovereignty the oppression
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- Of the israelites by the hand of the philistines.
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- But here in judges chapter 13, god is raising up a judge
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- By the name of samson to help bring deliverance to them.
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- But not only is he physically astounding and spiritually
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- Astounding, write this down, his flaws are astounding.
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- He has one major weakness, it's women,
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- And if you read the story,
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- Samson fools around with woman after woman after woman.
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- We have three here in chapter 14.
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- He's with a philistine woman from timnath.
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- Chapter 16, verse 1, it says he's with a prostitute
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- From gaza.
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- By the time you get to chapter 16, verse 4, he's with another
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- Woman, another philistine by the name of delilah.
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- All of these women have one thing in common.
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- They're all philistine women.
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- They're the enemies of god.
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- It would be just like today an israeli boy going into his mom
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- And dad and saying, "mom, dad, i'm going to date a woman.
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- She's the daughter of a hamas leader."
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- Same thing.
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- And i can hear that boy's dad saying,
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- "son, i've told you hundreds of times,
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- I'm going to tell you thousands of times,
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- You need to stay away from the philistine women,
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- They're nothing but trouble.
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- Why can't you find a nice jewish girl?
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- But samson ignores the laws of god.
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- He fails time and time again.
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- He compromises over and over again,
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- And eventually he falls in love with a girl named delilah.
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- You say, preacher, why does samson always fall in love
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- With the wrong person?
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- I can answer that.
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- It's because he's always running around with the wrong person.
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- It's like a woman going into a coal mine
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- Wearing a white wedding dress and you cry out, "lady,
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- You can't go into a coal mine wearing a white wedding dress."
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- And she says, "i certainly can if i want to."
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- And you say, "well, you might go in there
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- With a white wedding dress
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- But you're not coming out with a white wedding dress."
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- Samson falls in love with delilah, a woman
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- He should have never even been hanging around with.
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- Now, most of you are familiar with this story
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- Of what happens next.
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- I want you to take your bibles and turn to chapter 16,
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- Judges chapter 16.
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- I wanna read this starting with verse 4.
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- Some of you know this story but i want to read it.
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- "some time later, he," samson, "fell in love with a woman
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- In the valley of sorek whose name was," what?
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- "delilah."
- 00:08:02.268 --> 00:08:03.636
- "immediately, the rulers," now pay attention here.
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- "the rulers of the philistines went to her and they said,
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- 'delilah, we want to see if you can lure him into showing you
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- The secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him
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- So that he--that we may tie him up and subdue him.
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- And each of us, we are willing to give you
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- Eleven hundred shekels, every one of us.'"
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- It didn't take her too long to say okay.
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- Verse 6, "so delilah said to samson," and i can just see her,
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- She's probably running her fingers through his hair,
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- Looking at those big biceps, "'samson, tell me the secret
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- Of your great strength.
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- I don't know how you got to be so strong.
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- How can you be tied up and subdued?'
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- And samson answered her, 'if anyone ties me
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- With seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried,
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- I will become as weak as any other man.'
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- Well, the rulers of the philistines bought her--
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- Brought her seven fresh bowstrings
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- That had not been dried, and she tied him up with those."
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- In verse 9, the philistines were--
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- The men were hiding in the side room,
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- And she called out to samson,
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- "'samson, samson, the philistines are upon you!'
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- And he snapped those bowstrings as easily
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- As a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame.
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- And so the secret of his strength was not discovered."
- 00:09:44.370 --> 00:09:48.507
- This story repeats itself over and over again.
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- At first she uses flattery, then she uses--she starts crying.
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- [congregation laughs]
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- And then she starts to nag him.
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- And no man can handle the nagging.
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- All god's men said?
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- That's the largest amen we've ever had in this church.
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- I want you to turn over and read this story in verse 15,
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- Judges 16, verse 15.
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- This is like the third time this has gone on.
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- "she said to him, 'how can you keep telling me you love me
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- When you won't even confide in me?
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- This is the third time you've made a fool out of me.
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- You haven't told me the secret of your great strength.'"
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- In verse 16, here it is in the bible.
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- I'm not making this up, "with such nagging she prodded him day
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- After day until he was tired to death."
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- It's in the bible.
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- So he told her everything.
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- He said in verse 17, "no razor has ever been used on my head
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- Because i have been a nazarite set apart to god since the day
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- I was born.
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- If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me,"
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- Because his vow would be broken.
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- "i would become as weak as any other man."
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- Verse 18, "when delilah saw that he had told her everything,
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- She sent word to the rulers of the philistines."
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- She said, "'come back once more;
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- He's finally told me everything.'
- 00:11:45.191 --> 00:11:47.059
- So the rulers of the philistines," the bible says,
- 00:11:47.059 --> 00:11:49.628
- "they returned with silver in their hands to pay her.
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- And having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man
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- To shave off the seven braids of his hair."
- 00:11:58.204 --> 00:12:02.575
- And i didn't think about this until i was studying this
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- This week.
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- You know, i've always felt the number seven was the number
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- Of the lord, the lord's blessing, the lord's power,
- 00:12:08.781 --> 00:12:12.451
- Because samson's strength was not his own.
- 00:12:12.451 --> 00:12:14.687
- His strength came from god.
- 00:12:14.687 --> 00:12:17.189
- And the bible--yet the bible says he had seven braids
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- Of hair.
- 00:12:19.525 --> 00:12:21.127
- I don't know if that's symbolic or not, but it says,
- 00:12:21.127 --> 00:12:23.529
- "after having put him to sleep on her lap,
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- She called a man to shave off those seven braids of his hair,
- 00:12:25.698 --> 00:12:29.101
- And so they began to subdue him."
- 00:12:29.101 --> 00:12:31.771
- And the bible says that his strength left him,
- 00:12:31.771 --> 00:12:34.306
- And then she called out in verse 20,
- 00:12:34.306 --> 00:12:36.342
- "'samson, samson, the philistines are upon you!'
- 00:12:36.342 --> 00:12:39.712
- And he woke from his sleep and he thought to himself,
- 00:12:39.712 --> 00:12:41.947
- 'i'm just gonna go out as before.
- 00:12:41.947 --> 00:12:43.549
- I'll shake myself free.'
- 00:12:43.549 --> 00:12:45.050
- But he did not know that the lord had left him."
- 00:12:45.050 --> 00:12:49.622
- Now look at verse 21.
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- The philistines, they seized him,
- 00:12:52.525 --> 00:12:56.128
- And the first thing they did was they gouged out his eyes,
- 00:12:56.128 --> 00:13:02.401
- And they took him down to gaza,
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- Binding him with bronze shackles.
- 00:13:07.072 --> 00:13:12.378
- And the bible says they set him to grinding in the prison,
- 00:13:12.378 --> 00:13:16.649
- And what that was, it was like a beam that came out of a stone,
- 00:13:16.649 --> 00:13:21.687
- And he walked around, and they would throw grain
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- Or whatever and the wine.
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- It was like a press.
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- And all day long, like a mule, like a donkey,
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- His eyes gouged out, he's totally blind,
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- He's in shackles, and he's going round and round
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- And pushing that day after day after day.
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- Do you see him?
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- Can you picture him?
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- This once strong, young, fast, handsome ruler,
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- Leader, governor.
- 00:13:53.118 --> 00:13:56.021
- How did this start?
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- Well, if you go back to verse 1 of chapter 16, it says--
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- And this is in this chapter.
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- In this chapter, he goes down to gaza.
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- He goes in to see a prostitute.
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- That's how the chapter starts, him going to gaza,
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- Hanging out with a prostitute.
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- How does this chapter end?
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- He's blind, his hair is gone, his strength is gone.
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- God has removed his hand of blessing, his power no more.
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- He is bound with bronze shackles,
- 00:14:35.961 --> 00:14:37.796
- Tied like a mule at the grinding stone
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- All day long, pushing a wheel all day long.
- 00:14:41.066 --> 00:14:44.270
- He's chained, he's blind, he's powerless, he's hopeless.
- 00:14:44.270 --> 00:14:47.640
- Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
- 00:14:47.640 --> 00:14:52.177
- And i say to you, don't ever justify sin.
- 00:14:52.177 --> 00:14:54.546
- Do not ever compromise the vows that you take
- 00:14:54.546 --> 00:14:57.383
- Before an almighty god.
- 00:14:57.383 --> 00:15:00.386
- Don't underestimate the importance of following
- 00:15:00.386 --> 00:15:02.554
- The word of god
- 00:15:02.554 --> 00:15:04.990
- And getting in a church that studies the word of god
- 00:15:04.990 --> 00:15:09.228
- And being in a life group where they study the word of god
- 00:15:09.228 --> 00:15:11.497
- And having a christian friend.
- 00:15:11.497 --> 00:15:13.198
- There's nothing better than having a christian friend
- 00:15:13.198 --> 00:15:15.301
- Where you can hold each other accountable
- 00:15:15.301 --> 00:15:16.835
- To the things of god.
- 00:15:16.835 --> 00:15:18.304
- Guard your heart.
- 00:15:18.304 --> 00:15:20.539
- Because whenever anybody falls, it was because of a series
- 00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:23.842
- Of small steps that they took.
- 00:15:23.842 --> 00:15:25.878
- Anytime anybody falls, it was a series of small compromises
- 00:15:25.878 --> 00:15:29.181
- That they made.
- 00:15:29.181 --> 00:15:30.816
- Anytime anybody falls, it's a series of small decisions
- 00:15:30.816 --> 00:15:33.485
- That they have made.
- 00:15:33.485 --> 00:15:34.853
- Just a little step here, a little step here,
- 00:15:34.853 --> 00:15:36.188
- A little step here.
- 00:15:36.188 --> 00:15:37.589
- Just gonna go down to gaza and hang out for a few days.
- 00:15:37.589 --> 00:15:42.528
- And the next thing you know, his life is about over.
- 00:15:42.528 --> 00:15:47.099
- He's physically astounding, he's spiritually astounding,
- 00:15:47.099 --> 00:15:49.268
- His flaws are astounding, but write this down:
- 00:15:49.268 --> 00:15:51.337
- His comeback is astounding.
- 00:15:51.337 --> 00:15:55.708
- Even though samson lost it all, god gives him a second chance.
- 00:15:55.708 --> 00:15:59.178
- How many of you are glad that god gives us a second chance?
- 00:15:59.178 --> 00:16:05.751
- I'm sure that even though samson was blind,
- 00:16:05.751 --> 00:16:11.457
- Pushing that millstone all day long,
- 00:16:11.457 --> 00:16:16.195
- In his mind, with every lap, he's replaying all the mistakes
- 00:16:16.195 --> 00:16:20.532
- That he made and all the errors that he made
- 00:16:20.532 --> 00:16:22.368
- And all the sins that he made and all the decisions
- 00:16:22.368 --> 00:16:24.536
- That he'd made, never ever forgetting god's original intent
- 00:16:24.536 --> 00:16:32.077
- For his life.
- 00:16:32.077 --> 00:16:33.579
- He couldn't get that out of his mind that his original intent
- 00:16:33.579 --> 00:16:35.881
- For his life was that he would serve god all the days
- 00:16:35.881 --> 00:16:37.883
- Of his life and help deliver israel from the hands
- 00:16:37.883 --> 00:16:39.885
- Of the philistines.
- 00:16:39.885 --> 00:16:42.788
- The bible says in verse 23, "now the rulers of the philistines,"
- 00:16:42.788 --> 00:16:46.558
- These are the enemies of god, they decide to assemble.
- 00:16:46.558 --> 00:16:49.495
- They're going to offer a great sacrifice to dagon.
- 00:16:49.495 --> 00:16:52.231
- Who's dagon?
- 00:16:52.231 --> 00:16:53.565
- That's the false god that they worship.
- 00:16:53.565 --> 00:16:55.267
- And they have this temple, and they've all assembled.
- 00:16:55.267 --> 00:16:57.136
- They're gonna offer a great sacrifice to dagon, the god--
- 00:16:57.136 --> 00:17:00.839
- Their god-- to celebrate, saying,
- 00:17:00.839 --> 00:17:02.908
- "our god, dagon, has delivered into our hands
- 00:17:02.908 --> 00:17:05.477
- This man named samson."
- 00:17:05.477 --> 00:17:08.881
- Skip down to verse 25.
- 00:17:08.881 --> 00:17:10.516
- It says, "while they were all in high spirits,
- 00:17:10.516 --> 00:17:12.251
- They began to shout, 'bring out samson to entertain us.
- 00:17:12.251 --> 00:17:16.355
- Bring out samson.'
- 00:17:16.355 --> 00:17:17.890
- So they called for samson."
- 00:17:17.890 --> 00:17:20.993
- It's a massive philistine arena.
- 00:17:20.993 --> 00:17:24.430
- The sun is beating down, there's thousands of people jeering.
- 00:17:24.430 --> 00:17:28.634
- It's a room probably about the size as this room
- 00:17:28.634 --> 00:17:30.836
- If you look around it.
- 00:17:30.836 --> 00:17:32.871
- And down in front is this false god dagon,
- 00:17:32.871 --> 00:17:34.940
- And they're all celebrating.
- 00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:36.308
- They're worshiping their false god.
- 00:17:36.308 --> 00:17:38.143
- The people are celebrating the fact that samson
- 00:17:38.143 --> 00:17:42.014
- Has been delivered into their hands, and they begin to cheer,
- 00:17:42.014 --> 00:17:45.084
- "bring him out, bring him out!"
- 00:17:45.084 --> 00:17:47.753
- And you can hear the clankity-clank of chains.
- 00:17:47.753 --> 00:17:49.688
- The once-mighty warrior stumbles forward, his eyes are gone,
- 00:17:49.688 --> 00:17:54.359
- Hollow sockets where once sight blazed, his mighty frame
- 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:58.897
- Now bent over, scarred from the endless grinding
- 00:17:58.897 --> 00:18:02.401
- In that prison mill.
- 00:18:02.401 --> 00:18:04.036
- He was being led like a lamb to the slaughter
- 00:18:04.036 --> 00:18:06.205
- By a young servant.
- 00:18:06.205 --> 00:18:09.074
- And the bible says in verse 27, "now that temple was crowded
- 00:18:09.074 --> 00:18:12.111
- With men and women; and all," not some,
- 00:18:12.111 --> 00:18:15.280
- But all, "of the rulers of the philistines were there.
- 00:18:15.280 --> 00:18:18.784
- Up on the roof were another three thousand men and women.
- 00:18:18.784 --> 00:18:21.920
- They were watching samson and jeering him,
- 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.856
- Mocking him, laughing at him."
- 00:18:23.856 --> 00:18:26.892
- The once-feared warrior is now nothing but a circus sideshow.
- 00:18:26.892 --> 00:18:33.599
- And the bible says in verse 26,
- 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:35.400
- "they stood samson among the pillars, they brought him out.
- 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:40.739
- Samson said to the servant who held his hand,"
- 00:18:40.739 --> 00:18:43.175
- 'cause he had to be held out--
- 00:18:43.175 --> 00:18:44.576
- He had to be led out by holding a servant's hand,
- 00:18:44.576 --> 00:18:47.312
- And he said to the servant, "can you please put me
- 00:18:47.312 --> 00:18:49.882
- Where i can feel the pillars, the support of this temple?
- 00:18:49.882 --> 00:18:53.318
- I'm tired, i need to lean up against them."
- 00:18:53.318 --> 00:18:57.256
- The bible says in verse 28, look at what it says,
- 00:18:57.256 --> 00:19:02.227
- That samson prayed, "o sovereign lord, remember me.
- 00:19:02.227 --> 00:19:08.767
- O god, please, god, strengthen me just one more time,
- 00:19:08.767 --> 00:19:16.909
- And let me with one blow get revenge on the philistines
- 00:19:16.909 --> 00:19:20.212
- For my two eyes."
- 00:19:20.212 --> 00:19:23.515
- And the bible says in verse 29 that "samson reached toward
- 00:19:23.515 --> 00:19:26.585
- The two central pillars on which the temple stood.
- 00:19:26.585 --> 00:19:30.856
- Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one
- 00:19:30.856 --> 00:19:36.929
- And his left hand upon the other."
- 00:19:36.929 --> 00:19:41.400
- Verse 30, "samson said,
- 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:44.636
- 'let me die with the philistines!'
- 00:19:44.636 --> 00:19:48.207
- Then he pushed with all his might."
- 00:19:48.207 --> 00:19:53.312
- He grits his teeth, his back arches,
- 00:19:53.312 --> 00:19:59.851
- His forearms bulge, his veins rise,
- 00:19:59.851 --> 00:20:03.055
- His muscles long-forgotten begin to ripple
- 00:20:03.055 --> 00:20:05.791
- With divine power from above, and he cries out,
- 00:20:05.791 --> 00:20:11.129
- "now, god, now!"
- 00:20:11.129 --> 00:20:13.699
- And he pushes, and the pillar shifts,
- 00:20:13.699 --> 00:20:16.602
- And dust begins to fall from the top of the arena.
- 00:20:16.602 --> 00:20:20.872
- "now, god, now!"
- 00:20:20.872 --> 00:20:22.374
- As he heaves with all his might, and the pillars groan and crack,
- 00:20:22.374 --> 00:20:26.411
- The roof shifts, his arms outstretched, the pillars break,
- 00:20:26.411 --> 00:20:31.250
- The temple gives way, dagon topples,
- 00:20:31.250 --> 00:20:34.886
- And you could hear screams pierce the dust-choked air.
- 00:20:34.886 --> 00:20:39.625
- Verse 30, "samson said, 'let me die with the philistines!'
- 00:20:39.625 --> 00:20:42.761
- And then he pushed with all his might, and," the bible says,
- 00:20:42.761 --> 00:20:45.964
- "down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it.
- 00:20:45.964 --> 00:20:49.167
- Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived."
- 00:20:49.167 --> 00:20:52.237
- Thus is just one story of the 15 judges over a period
- 00:20:54.940 --> 00:21:03.515
- Of 350 years, all because the people of god--
- 00:21:03.515 --> 00:21:10.155
- Without moses, without joshua,
- 00:21:10.155 --> 00:21:12.557
- Without any kings, it's just the people of god
- 00:21:12.557 --> 00:21:16.161
- Not following and obeying god's word.
- 00:21:16.161 --> 00:21:19.998
- I close this by telling you that all this, and i wish i had a lot
- 00:21:19.998 --> 00:21:22.501
- More time, is a foreshadowing of jesus christ.
- 00:21:22.501 --> 00:21:25.270
- You're going to see as we go through this whole series.
- 00:21:25.270 --> 00:21:28.140
- Abraham points to jesus, joseph points to jesus.
- 00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:31.176
- Last week, moses pointed to jesus.
- 00:21:31.176 --> 00:21:33.045
- Today, judges point to jesus.
- 00:21:33.045 --> 00:21:35.080
- Next week, when you come see the kings, the kings are gonna--
- 00:21:35.080 --> 00:21:37.249
- Everything in the bible points to jesus, right?
- 00:21:37.249 --> 00:21:40.686
- You say, "well, how does this story point to jesus?"
- 00:21:40.686 --> 00:21:43.121
- Well, judges in the old testament
- 00:21:43.121 --> 00:21:45.190
- Were temporary deliverers.
- 00:21:45.190 --> 00:21:49.728
- Jesus will be the ultimate deliverer and judge, amen?
- 00:21:49.728 --> 00:21:58.103
- The judges in the old testament were all flawed.
- 00:21:58.103 --> 00:22:04.209
- Jesus is the perfect judge.
- 00:22:04.209 --> 00:22:07.112
- He had--jesus had no flaws.
- 00:22:07.112 --> 00:22:10.515
- Don't you want--if you're sitting in front of a judge,
- 00:22:10.515 --> 00:22:13.552
- Would you prefer to be in front of a judge that truly knew
- 00:22:13.552 --> 00:22:17.656
- Right from wrong and truly had lived their whole life
- 00:22:17.656 --> 00:22:22.728
- Honoring his father?
- 00:22:22.728 --> 00:22:26.365
- The judges in the old testament were symbolic
- 00:22:26.365 --> 00:22:28.600
- Of the cycles of sin, the cycles of sin, oppression,
- 00:22:28.600 --> 00:22:33.238
- Deliverance, repentance.
- 00:22:33.238 --> 00:22:37.275
- But jesus is the final victory where the cycle of sin
- 00:22:37.275 --> 00:22:43.515
- Will be broken, amen?
- 00:22:43.515 --> 00:22:47.085
- Number four, at this point, there is no king in israel.
- 00:22:47.085 --> 00:22:53.492
- They're longing, they're longing for a king.
- 00:22:53.492 --> 00:22:57.829
- Jesus is the one true king.
- 00:22:57.829 --> 00:22:59.564
- He's the one true judge.
- 00:22:59.564 --> 00:23:01.199
- He's the one true deliverer.
- 00:23:01.199 --> 00:23:04.403
- Number five on that list, and i love this point:
- 00:23:04.403 --> 00:23:07.139
- Samson, in his death, defeated a few of his enemies,
- 00:23:07.139 --> 00:23:14.813
- But when jesus goes to the cross and he dies,
- 00:23:14.813 --> 00:23:17.749
- He defeats all his enemies.
- 00:23:17.749 --> 00:23:21.853
- You say, "well, what enemies are those?"
- 00:23:21.853 --> 00:23:23.655
- Well, jesus defeats sin, he defeats satan,
- 00:23:23.655 --> 00:23:30.095
- And he defeats death.
- 00:23:30.095 --> 00:23:34.566
- I want you to look at these verses in hebrews.
- 00:23:34.566 --> 00:23:36.601
- Stay with me for one more minute.
- 00:23:36.601 --> 00:23:38.036
- The bible says, "he too," jesus, "shared,"
- 00:23:38.036 --> 00:23:42.674
- Everybody say the word "shared."
- 00:23:42.674 --> 00:23:44.943
- "he shared in their humanity so that by his death, by his death,
- 00:23:44.943 --> 00:23:52.484
- He might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is,
- 00:23:52.484 --> 00:23:56.855
- The devil--and free all those who all their lives
- 00:23:56.855 --> 00:24:01.259
- Were held in slavery by," what?
- 00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:03.128
- What are people afraid of?
- 00:24:03.128 --> 00:24:04.529
- What are you afraid of?
- 00:24:04.529 --> 00:24:06.131
- You remember when covid hit?
- 00:24:06.131 --> 00:24:07.566
- What was everybody afraid of?
- 00:24:07.566 --> 00:24:08.900
- Everybody was afraid of dying.
- 00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:12.737
- Samson, how did he die?
- 00:24:12.737 --> 00:24:18.443
- He died like this with everyone jeering him, and yet,
- 00:24:18.443 --> 00:24:25.650
- Through his death, his enemies were defeated.
- 00:24:25.650 --> 00:24:28.787
- How did jesus die?
- 00:24:28.787 --> 00:24:30.522
- As the gentleman said in the communion meditation,
- 00:24:30.522 --> 00:24:34.359
- They were mocking him, they were jeering him,
- 00:24:34.359 --> 00:24:37.162
- They stripped jesus of his clothes,
- 00:24:37.162 --> 00:24:39.064
- They were spitting in his face.
- 00:24:39.064 --> 00:24:40.699
- How did he die?
- 00:24:40.699 --> 00:24:42.033
- Jesus died like this.
- 00:24:42.033 --> 00:24:43.602
- He died with his arms outstretched,
- 00:24:43.602 --> 00:24:47.038
- But it was through his death
- 00:24:47.038 --> 00:24:49.341
- That jesus defeats sin, satan, and the power of death.
- 00:24:49.341 --> 00:24:58.049
- You see, when i look around this room,
- 00:24:58.049 --> 00:24:59.417
- There's one thing we all have in common.
- 00:24:59.417 --> 00:25:00.752
- Every one of you, i don't care who you are,
- 00:25:00.752 --> 00:25:02.087
- What you believe, where you come from,
- 00:25:02.087 --> 00:25:03.588
- You all have an appointment with the grave.
- 00:25:03.588 --> 00:25:08.727
- You need someone who can help you defeat that enemy.
- 00:25:08.727 --> 00:25:14.332
- Or today struggling with sin.
- 00:25:14.332 --> 00:25:15.967
- You need someone to help you defeat the power of sin.
- 00:25:15.967 --> 00:25:19.971
- Satan is alive and real.
- 00:25:19.971 --> 00:25:21.673
- You need someone to help you defeat satan in your life.
- 00:25:21.673 --> 00:25:23.742
- Listen, this is all symbolic.
- 00:25:23.742 --> 00:25:27.412
- Samson is just a shadow of someone
- 00:25:27.412 --> 00:25:29.648
- Who's going to come once and for all.
- 00:25:29.648 --> 00:25:32.751
- He will be the judge of all judges, the king of all kings.
- 00:25:32.751 --> 00:25:35.487
- He's the lord of all lords.
- 00:25:35.487 --> 00:25:36.922
- He's the ruler of all rulers.
- 00:25:36.922 --> 00:25:38.557
- ♪♪♪
- 00:25:38.557 --> 00:25:44.195
- Pastor dudley: oh, i hope you were blessed by today's message.
- 00:25:44.195 --> 00:25:47.465
- As i told you earlier, it's listening to the teaching
- 00:25:47.465 --> 00:25:50.502
- And preaching from god's word on a regular basis
- 00:25:50.502 --> 00:25:54.539
- That makes such a powerful difference in our lives.
- 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:57.409
- So let's plan on being here again next week,
- 00:25:57.409 --> 00:25:59.477
- Same place, same time.
- 00:25:59.477 --> 00:26:00.979
- What do you think about that?
- 00:26:00.979 --> 00:26:02.781
- And if you're ever in the southern california area,
- 00:26:02.781 --> 00:26:05.150
- We would love to meet you on a saturday night
- 00:26:05.150 --> 00:26:07.352
- Or a sunday morning here at shepherd church.
- 00:26:07.352 --> 00:26:10.055
- It's an amazing community that will have a powerful
- 00:26:10.055 --> 00:26:13.124
- And positive impact on your life.
- 00:26:13.124 --> 00:26:16.127
- You can find all the service times and locations
- 00:26:16.127 --> 00:26:18.964
- On our website at liftupjesus.com.
- 00:26:18.964 --> 00:26:22.701
- And in the meantime, i want to encourage you that whatever
- 00:26:22.701 --> 00:26:25.770
- You're doing and wherever you're going, don't forget to always,
- 00:26:25.770 --> 00:26:30.008
- Come on, do it with me, lift up jesus.
- 00:26:30.008 --> 00:26:32.844
- Pastor dudley: hey, it's pastor dudley from shepherd church
- 00:26:36.314 --> 00:26:38.216
- And lift up jesus.
- 00:26:38.216 --> 00:26:39.684
- I just wanna thank you for listening today.
- 00:26:39.684 --> 00:26:41.953
- I don't know about you but anytime the word of god
- 00:26:41.953 --> 00:26:44.122
- Is preached, the bible knows what it's talking about
- 00:26:44.122 --> 00:26:47.592
- When it says it never returns empty.
- 00:26:47.592 --> 00:26:50.295
- I just wanna thank you for being a part of this broadcast in any
- 00:26:50.295 --> 00:26:53.999
- Way, shape, or form, and just want you to know that whenever
- 00:26:53.999 --> 00:26:56.468
- You give, whenever you pray, whenever you lift this ministry
- 00:26:56.468 --> 00:26:59.504
- Up, we are doing our very best to take the message
- 00:26:59.504 --> 00:27:02.907
- Of jesus christ to the entire world.
- 00:27:02.907 --> 00:27:05.610
- If you've never been a part of our ministry,
- 00:27:05.610 --> 00:27:08.046
- Make sure you go to our website.
- 00:27:08.046 --> 00:27:10.115
- There's all kinds of resources and information.
- 00:27:10.115 --> 00:27:12.684
- You make all of this possible so thank you so much
- 00:27:12.684 --> 00:27:15.620
- For your generosity.
- 00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:17.322
- And we will see you here again next time on "lift up jesus."
- 00:27:17.322 --> 00:27:20.859
- God bless you for being here today.
- 00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:22.861
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:22.861 --> 00:27:24.729
- ...
- 00:27:26.398 --> 00:27:30.000