Dudley Rutherford - Samson and the Judges

January 21, 2026 | 27:29

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.'
  • 00:09:12.338 --> 00:09:17.176
  • 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."
  • 00:09:23.683 --> 00:09:27.453
  • 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."
  • 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.717
  • Verse 18, "when delilah saw that he had told her everything,
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  • She sent word to the rulers of the philistines."
  • 00:11:40.986 --> 00:11:43.422
  • 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
  • 00:12:06.412 --> 00:12:08.781
  • Of the lord, the lord's blessing, the lord's power,
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  • Because samson's strength was not his own.
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  • 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,
  • 00:12:23.529 --> 00:12:25.698
  • 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.
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  • 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,
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  • And the first thing they did was they gouged out his eyes,
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  • 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,
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  • 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?
  • 00:13:45.311 --> 00:13:48.380
  • This once strong, young, fast, handsome ruler,
  • 00:13:48.380 --> 00:13:53.118
  • Leader, governor.
  • 00:13:53.118 --> 00:13:56.021
  • How did this start?
  • 00:13:56.021 --> 00:13:58.757
  • Well, if you go back to verse 1 of chapter 16, it says--
  • 00:13:58.757 --> 00:14:03.629
  • And this is in this chapter.
  • 00:14:03.629 --> 00:14:05.164
  • In this chapter, he goes down to gaza.
  • 00:14:05.164 --> 00:14:10.369
  • He goes in to see a prostitute.
  • 00:14:10.369 --> 00:14:14.306
  • That's how the chapter starts, him going to gaza,
  • 00:14:14.306 --> 00:14:18.444
  • Hanging out with a prostitute.
  • 00:14:18.444 --> 00:14:21.647
  • How does this chapter end?
  • 00:14:21.647 --> 00:14:25.150
  • He's blind, his hair is gone, his strength is gone.
  • 00:14:25.150 --> 00:14:31.457
  • God has removed his hand of blessing, his power no more.
  • 00:14:31.457 --> 00:14:35.961
  • He is bound with bronze shackles,
  • 00:14:35.961 --> 00:14:37.796
  • Tied like a mule at the grinding stone
  • 00:14:37.796 --> 00:14:41.066
  • 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
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  • For your generosity.
  • 00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:17.322
  • And we will see you here again next time on "lift up jesus."
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  • 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