I'm Going To Set Your Tail On Fire!

I'm Going to Set your Tail on Fire

Judges 15:1-6

As we look around us today we will see we live in a very similar day as Samson. The Philistines had dominion in Israel. Who were the Philistines? They were pagan idol worshipers, They shook their fist in the face of God. If we were to look at at one well known Philistine by the name of Goliath, we can get a rough summary of how the Philistines were. We are the same today. It don't take very long to realize we have no desire for God in this world anymore. I don't have time to go into a whole lot of detail but the thoughts and desires of men's heart are only evil continuously. Society cold and calloused, no concern for humanity. We have TV shows, movies and web sites devoted to some of the most wicked perverted stuff you can imagine. This world is full of hell, and as Isaiah said it ...Hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure... and so it goes. The church today has not distanced herself from the world in their actions, but has greatly distanced itself with their message. The churches today who have not compromised and turned to worship centers, have turned into funeral homes. (I would consider going to some of these worship centers just to see somebody that was excited to be at church.) Sunday morning services these days are nothing more than a form, no feeling, no faith, just a form. Sunday nights have turned into social gatherings, and Wednesday night......(well who goes to church on Wednesday night anymore, anyway?) In this ever darkening society we have become yellow back cowards, who are afraid of offending somebody. We lack praise, we lack passion, we lack fire. Oh do we lack fire. My mom used to tell me when I misbehaved or when I wouldn't do my chores she would say "I am going to set your tail on fire" and that will be my title today I am going to set your tail on fire.

Look with me today at our passage and I'll preach what the Lord has laid on my heart to preach. In our passage today we have a pretty amazing story. Samson here the judge of Israel takes 300 hundred foxes put them tail to tail , put a fire brand between there tail and sent them running through the fields. Some skeptics may ask where Samson got 300 hundred foxes. I don't know, and really don't care the Bible says 300 hundred it is settled for me. Some may ask how he was able to direct where these foxes went with their tails ablaze. He was smart enough to tie them tail to tail which means they had to go one way. You see Samson before he was born was appointed by the Lord to judge Israel. He was God's man, a God did a mighty work through Samson. I want to look at just a few things about this.

I. The Man- Samson Gods man, one of the few men in the Bible that specifically says the Spirit of God moved on him mightily. God always has his man. Samson was a man with:

a. Purpose-God put Him where he put him for a reason. Samson was just the man for such a time as this. Look at verse 14:4 God has an express purpose for this man. (The man that God has put here has a purpose. It is not just to fill a position, it is not just to keep up with the status quo. God's man at Elmira Baptist Church has a real purpose. I am not here by accident but by divine will of God.) As long as God has a purpose for His man at Elmira, he has a purpose for you at Elmira. When God don't send a man, He has no purpose for you. Samsons sole purpose was to deliver Israel from the hands of the enemies. Upon this rock I will build my church...we are delivering this community and you children from the hands of the enemies.

b. Passion- Samson was a very passionate man about everything he did. He was passionate about where he got a bride. 14:2-3 He was passionate about his business (killing the lion, setting fox tails on fire, taking the gates of the city, etc.) He was passionate in battle. (He killed 30 men at Ashkelon, He killed 1000 with new jawbone of an ass, He killed more when he died than he did while he lived.) We need some preachers with passion, that with tears will reach the lost, that will stand with the enemy breathing down his neck and proclaim the truths of this Book, That will cut to the chase with sin and call it like it is "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle" call sin...sin.