Falling In Love Again—Loving The World
2/20/2011 Judges 15:19-20 1 John 2:15-17
We are in our final message on “Falling In Love Again.” I began with “Loving The Saints,” Pastor Kellie with “Loving The Lord”, Pastor Toby with “Loving The Saints” and I end the series with “Loving The World.” It does not matter how old we are or how young we are, love is going to produce some struggles in all of us. We have seen that true love, always is going to produce an action on our part or on God’s part. We also know that love has the power to excite something within us whenever it is still stored inside of us.
Sometimes things or people we have walked away from whom we once loved, can have a subtle pull back on our lives. I can remember when it was a love affair for me to walk in the doors of Micro Center when I was in love with technology and computers. Walking in there no longer has the same affect on me since a sermon I preached entitled, “what I owe me” and I realize I had been slave to the newest and latest computer gadgets.
I can also remember getting a phone call about 15 years ago from an old girl friend that I had been engaged to. For a moment I was captivated to think she had called me after all those years. We talked about past family members and friends. Then she said, “I know you’re a pastor, so I was wondering if I could call you to get some counseling on a regular basis.” I knew in that moment, this was actually a call from the world to return to something I needed to avoid at all cost. “I told her my wife is also a pastor, and she would do a much better job of counseling with you.” I never heard from that person again.
Very few married people want to have on old girlfriend or boyfriend calling to talk to their spouse. It’s not always they don’t trust their spouse, they don’t trust the motive of the person calling. They suspect the person is trying to re-ignite a flame that was once inside of you . The devil is always seeking to reignite a flame or start of flame burning in our hearts for something we should not pursue or go after, even though at the time it looks like something innocent.
I wish I could say, I have handled all of the calls of the world to come back to me in that fashion, but I have not. There are two key passages in the bible that talks to us about the world. We find in Romans 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, love for the Father[a] is not in you. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
What does the bible mean when it warns us against conforming to the pattern of this world or falling in love with the world. First I want to point out, when the bible says do not do something, then know that it is only natural for us to do it given the right circumstances. As a matter of fact, we will be able to do it without even thinking about it, and not even be aware that it is happening to us.
The world is the system of things around us. The things which get our attention. The things that says “try me” and “do this”. The world offers us fast, easy fixes for almost anything we want. The world offers us endless fun without having to consider the cost. The world offers us religions where we can pick and choose which parts we want to obey and still be right with God.
The world tells us to serve God, but not too much, and don’t tell anybody that you do and accept everyone’s views as equal. The world says make all the money you can and blow it on yourself. Give God a little donation every now and then, but don’t even think about tithing. The world offers us endless distractions with entertainment, advertisements, ways of thinking, alternate lifestyles, beauty competitions, sporting events, political wars and a whole lot more.
It is easy to fall in love with the world because it looks good, sounds good, feels good, promises a lot, and always seems to want to work in our favor. It always has something new to offer to us. I’m not sure what a 3-g phone is, but I know if I want to be on top I need to have a 4-g phone because that’s the latest.
It’s amazing how many of us say we love the Lord and will not give $2 a week in the offering plate, but we boast of our $200 phone, our $100 shoes and our regular cell phone bill being paid on time. Yet when we needed a job, we came forward for prayer that God would provide so that we could be faithful in helping do our part in the church.
John tells us there are three things that cause us to love the world 1) the cravings we have which are our natural physical desires. Anybody here just had an urge inside of you to get something to please your natural body’s desire. I got a stomach ache coming off the last church fast from eating too much too soon.
2) The lusting after that we see with our eyes. Have you ever seen something advertised and said, “I’m going to get me one of those.” You got it, but it wasn’t what you thought. Ever ordered a filet of fish sandwich and compared it to the picture hanging up. 3) the boasting of what we have done. This is really nothing more than pride. Have you ever felt the need to put in a compliment of what you have done, or to let others know you know somebody important? Have you ever exaggerated your part in something?
The reality is, we have all craved, we have all coveted, and we have all boasted, and we have all demonstrated pride. But there is a price for going after each of these. What we go after can control us, it can divide us, and it can distract us from the things of God. All of them can lead to us falling love with something other than God.
Let me introduce you to somebody who was stronger than any football player or real hero that you might know. He was a real person, born in a real place and time in history. He was God’s idea and originated in the heart of God. Before he was born, God told his parents, this child is special. His mother is not to drink any wine or fermented drink during her pregnancy, and she is not to eat any unclean food. The child is never to have a razor on his head to cut off his hair for he is to be set apart to God from birth and he will deliver his people.
Samson’s parents did their part. He grew up looking like an ordinary person. One day a lion came charging at him. Without any kind of a weapon, he tore the lion into pieces with his bare hands. On another occasion he went and killed 30 enemy soldiers in their own town. In yet another situation, he had been tied up with ropes but when the enemy troops came toward him, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him, and ropes on his arms just melted like wax.
He then found the jawbone of a donkey as a weapon and killed a thousand men in one battle. His power was awesome. The amazing thing is, he didn’t have gouging muscles on his body. He just looked ordinary. Nobody knew the secret of his great strength.
Samson did have a weakness. The call of the world on his life came through sexual desires and the ability to just fall for the wrong kind of women. When it came time to marry, he chose a woman outside of God’s people. The marriage started with him being betrayed by his wife, him referring to her a heifer and him leaving her before the first week of their marriage was over. His subsequent actions led to her and her father being killed.
Then after one battle in which Samson killed a 1000 men, it looked as though he was going to die from a lack of water out in a desert area. He cried out to God, please don’t let me die. I’m sure he made his promise, Lord if you get me out of this, I’ll do this and that for you. Well the Lord opened up the ground and water came out of it. Samson drank the water and was revived. He then took his place in society and became the leader that God had intended for him to be.
Just because we are in the place God has been trying to get us, does not mean that we are safe from the love of the world and the subtle ways it calls us back. The Scripture tells us that Samson governed for 20 years. But there’s no record of Samson seeking to grow closer to God or with him falling in love with God.
If we do not direct our energies toward loving God, we will respond to loving the world. The magnetic pull of the world is often times stronger than the pull of God. If we do not want God, the love of the world becomes over powering. Sit around and do nothing and get bored and I guarantee you, it will lead you somewhere you will regret having gone.
Having done what he was called to do for 20 years, the love of the world told Samson, you are missing out on the fun that could be yours. As a matter of fact, you deserve to be able to do something once in a while. Isn’t it strange that we can believe that since we have been faithful serving God, we deserve to be able to have a little sin every now and then. Samson is going to follow the three step pattern. He will have a craving. He will see something or someone and desire it. He will boast that he is Samson and he deserves it.
What part of the world is calling you today. If you say none, then you are already deceived because the call is always going out. The temptation to fall in love with the world is always there. It doesn’t have to be sin, it can be anything that distracts you from God or causes you to put the things of God on the back burner of your life. You intend to get back to them, at some time in the future. There was a song with the lyrics, “come to me, let me put my arms around you this was meant to be.”
At first Samson did not want anyone to know what he was doing so he went out of town where he thought he would not be recognized. Samson left his own city and went to the land of his enemies to find a prostitute in the city of Gaza. . He intended to spend the entire night with her there in Gaza. The people of Gaza saw him go in to her house. His enemies decided to get together in the morning and kill him at the first break of dawn.
But for some reason Samson woke up in the middle of the night to leave. You know even in our rebellion God will give us a warning to help us escape. But God’s patience will not forever stall God’s justice or discipline. Samson not only woke up, but his pride got the best of him and he just had to show off. Instead of sneaking off like he had sneaked in, He goes to the city gates and rips off these massive gates with the bars and all and carries them to the top of a hill. It was his boasting of being able to get whatever he wanted, because he was Samson. His love for the world is getting the best of him. It’s also going to be the gateway for the enemy to set a trap. Satan is eager to give us a poor image of what we desire.
One day he saw another fine Philistine woman by the name of Delilah. This time he really falls in love. He is completely willing at this point to trade his love for God for this woman, Delilah. He leaves the place of leadership that God had given him, and he moves in with this woman. They are just shacking together. The world tells us, there is no need for any commitment. Just have a good time. Samson is sure, Delilah is the best thing that has ever happened to him.
Unbeknown to him, Delilah has struck a deal with the leaders of her people to be paid eleven hundred shekels of silver by each leader if she could find out the source of Samson’s strength so they could overpower him and capture him. Samson is head over heels in love with her, she simply sees him as ticket to her future, wealth and happiness that was not going to include him. The person who wants the relationship the least, has the most power in it, because the other person is willing to give more to maintain the relationship.
She asks Samson, “you know sweetheart. What is the secret of you great strength”. Well Samson loves her, but he’s not quite sure why she’s asking this, so he lies and tells her, “Baby if I’m tied with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I’ll be as weak as any other man. She sees money dancing in her head and hears Cha-Ching as she goes to tell the rulers what she needs.
They give her the seven fresh thongs, she says, “I’ll tie him up” and you have men hiding in the room waiting till I give the signal.” That night she must have been into some crazy sexual fantasy in which she tied him up and he went along with it. Once she had him tied, she said, “wait a minute let me get something from the other room.” She screams, “eye, Samson look out the Philistines have broken in on you. Save yourself.”
He jumps up, the ropes melt and he throws a couple of guys out the window and the rest of them run out faster than you can imagine. He’s dumb enough to thank her for giving him the warning. She says “well you are my man. By the way you made a fool of me by lying to me about your strength. Tell me what it really is.” He says “if somebody ties me with new ropes that have never been used, then I will be weak as any other man.” Well guess what she wanted to do that night in the bedroom. Yes let’s play tie up again. Well the same thing happens with the men, the scream, the fight as before.
Samson again thanks her for the warning. She reminds him, this the second time that he has lied to her after all she’s done for him. He’s still making a fool out of her. This time he tells her if she weaves his seven long braids into fabric he will become as weak as any other man. This time she wore him out in the bed so that he was knocked out when he went to sleep. She then weaved his seven braids. Screamed, the Phillistines are here, save yourself. He wakes up, and the battle is on. This time the Philistine rulers tell her, “ don’t you call us anymore, too many men have rung up too many hospital bills. We are through with you.”
Delilah sees money going out the window. She pulls the how can you say you love me if you won’t do this. You’re suppose to be willing to tell me everything. She’s not his wife. She’s just his girlfriend. She kept asking him this day after day after day. Nagging and on his case. The world will eventually wear us down and wear us out. She probably told him,” baby if you want me to make sex what it use to be for us, you got to give me everything for me to give you everything so tell me the truth. What is your secret.”
He breaks down and tells her. “I was set apart for God from birth. I have never had a razor used on my head. If my head was shaved, I will become weak as any other man.” Her response, “Oh Baby you must love me so much to tell me all that. Tonight do I have an evening planned for us.” Meanwhile she’s sending a text message, it’s on tonight, bring back the men and the bags of money because you will get what you want. I don’t know what she did that night or what she put in his drink, but when he went to sleep. He went to sleep on her lap. He had total confidence in her love for him. She had a man come in and shave his head clean as he slept. When his hair left, so did his strength.
She screamed, “Samson the Philistines are on you” and he jumped up. I can see him saying, “You want trouble, come over here and get it.” But the bible says, “ he did not know that the Lord had left him”. That’s the tricky thing about the Spirit of God. When we choose a life of going after the world, we are usually not aware that God is no longer with us. We think we can do things we use to do, but we can’t. The very things we pursue and dedicate our strength and energy to, can lead to our downfall.
Samson goes to lift one of the guys, and for the first time he couldn’t get the guy off the floor. This time he was the one that went flying into the wall, bashing his head. They beat him down until there was nothing left to beat. They then got ready to put his eyes out. I can see him calling for Delilah. She walks in with her bags of silver and a smile on her face and together she and the men are laughing at him. They gouge his eyes so that he is blind for the rest of his life. They put him in prison, and force him to push a grinding meal to crush the grain.
Once in prison, they forget about him. The only one who does not forget him is God. I don’t know where your love of the world has taken you, but God has not forgotten you. Samson hair begins to grow back. It gets longer and longer. The spirit of God returns to him. One day the Philistines leaders were having a huge party at this stadium style event. The stone platform was supported by two massive columns. They came up with the idea of bringing out Samson so they could all laugh at this blind former threat to them. While waiting, Samson asked someone to help him lean against the support pillars.
He then asked God to help him get back at the Philistines for putting out his eyes. He then put his hands against the massive stone pillars and gave a mighty shove the pillars came crashing down, along with the stone stand with the rulers on top.
When everything came down and the screaming stopped, there were three thousand people dead including Samson. His love for the world had left him crushed and broken buried deep under a pile of rubble. His brothers and his fathers came to dig him out so they could take him home to give him a burial. He was barely recognizable.
My friends Jesus has come to keep us from falling in love with the world. The only way it’s not going to happen is for us to fall in love with Him. It’s not enough to just know what’s right and what’s wrong. There has to be love for God that says, “You’re going to be first in my life no matter what. Pleasing You is going to be far more important than pleasing anyone else, including myself. Falling in Love With Jesus, can save you from choosing to destroy yourself.
Sermon Outline—Pastor Rick
“Loving The World” Judges 15:19-20 1 John2:15-17
A. The Series Falling In Love Again
1. The Aints, The Lord, The Saints
2. Loving The World
3. Love Produces Action
4. Love’s Past Power
5. The Mistrust Of Past Love
B. What Is This World
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, love for the Father[a] is not in you. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
1. That Which Gets Our Attention
2. It’s Easy To Fall In Love
3. There Is The Constant Call To Come
Back For Some More
4. We All Crave, We Covet, We Boast
5. What Is The Price Of Each
6. Falling In Love With Something Else
C. Samson—A Person Created In God’s
Mind
1. His Birth
2. His Power
3. His Weakness
D. Satan Will Take His Time
1. Samson’s Victory
2. Samson’s Deliverance
3. Samson’s Obedience
4. Samson’s Hearing The Call
E. After All This, You Deserve This
1. I Deserve This Sin
2. The Visit To The Prostitute
3. The Demonstration Of Who I Am
And What I Can Do
F. When The World’s Love Entraps You
1. You Will Not See Clearly
2. You Make It Easy To Be Set Up
3. You Will Put Your Confidence In
The Wrong Place
G. Samson Falls In Love With Delilah
1. Trades God For A Lover
2. Different Motives In The Relationship
3. The Teasing Game Begins
4. The Fresh Thongs
5. Suppose Hurt Feelings
6. The New Ropes
7. The Braids In The Fabric
8. How Can You Say You Love Me
9. The Nagging, & Prodding
10. The World Will Wear You Out
11. A Secret Revealed
H. A Final False Warning
1. He Did Not Know The Lord Had Left
Him.
2. How Will We Know God Is Gone
3. His Last View Of Delilah
4. The Lost Of His Sight
5. The Bronze Chains, Grinding In Prison
6. Forgotten By All Except God
I. The Great Philistine Feast
1. The Party
2. The Prayer
3. The Power
J. The Love Of The World Leads To A Pile
Of Rubble
1. His Family Came To Get Him
2. Jesus Comes To Get Us
3. Do We Want Him To Come
