No Strings Attached

“NO STRINGS ATTACHED”

(Judges 13.1-3; 24; 16.4-6; 19)

I. THE DRAW OF DISOBEDIENCE

(Judges 14.1,2;3) 1 “Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

2 so he went up and told his father and mother, saying, ‘I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.’

3 Then his father and mother said to him, ‘Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ And Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, for she pleases me well.’”

(Judges 16.1) “…Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.” ***(The draw for Samson was “forbidden fruit”)

A. The world & its temptation offers to feed the fleshly nature of mankind.

B. The Scriptures & the Righteousness of God offers to feed the spirit within every born-again believer.

(Gal 5.16,17) 16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

1. This struggle is so easily seen in the story of Adam & Eve

2. “ “ in the story of Samson

3. “ “ in the story of US

C. But why are we so easily ensnared by the Draw of Disobedience?

1. The apostle Paul asked that question concerning his own life…

(Rom 7.19) “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”

2. But, as for Samson, he took the blessings of God for granted

3. Samson’s focus became distracted from:

- serving God

- to, serving Self

*{ILLUS: He thought he really Wanted Delilah;

He thought he really Needed Delilah…

But in the process of getting what he thought he Wanted & Needed…he actually received what he Didn’t Want & Didn’t Need *(pain, misery & regret - a package deal) }

D. The Draw of Disobedience was strong for Samson (>3,000 yrs ago) … and it still is for us today.

1. Q: Do you feel the strong Draw of Disobedience?

2. Q: Is there something or someone offering to feed your flesh?

3. A: For most, if not all of us, the answer to that question is “yes”

(Rom 13.14) “…put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

4. We need to confess that to God right now, even if we haven’t acted upon it, because even if we have not given in to it, we are susceptible to it (benefits to confessing our weakness to God and asking for and receiving strength)

(2 Cor 12.9) “…My strength is made perfect in weakness.” *(our weakness)

II. THE DEBILITATING ASPECT OF DISOBEDIENCE

(Judges 16.21) “…the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.” *(loss of control; humiliation)

A. There is another familiar example of the debilitating aspect of disobedience *(in the parable of the prodigal son)

(Luke 15.14-16) 14 “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.”

B. We think we can “handle” temptation and sin

a. The fact is, we can’t “handle” it, but it sure can/does handle us

*{ILLUS: doesn’t handle us with care, instead handles us carelessly… like a three year old handle a new kitten}

b. Without a doubt, the greatest Debilitating aspect of Samson’s disobedience, was the damage that he did to his relationship with God.

(Judges 16.20) “…he awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!’ But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.”

i. The New Testament gives us assurance that once the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of us, He will never depart

(1 Cor 1.22) “…(He) has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.”

ii. But when we give into the temptation of sin and the Realization of our utter disobedience “hits” us…isn’t there a tremendous void (the sense that something is missing in our lives)