The Challenge of Complete Commitment
Series: A Biblical Guide to Wilderness Survival
September 18, 2011
Hi, I'm Samson... how many of you have heard of me? I heard your pastor was going to be preaching from Numbers 6 this morning, which is all about "The Nazarite Vow". So, since I'm the most famous Nazarite that ever lived, I decided I'd show up and give you a real life example of what a Nazarite DOES and DOESN'T do! You'll find my story in the book of Judges chap.13, but let me give you a quick overview... My Dads name was Zorah, and my Mom's name was Manoah. I came from the clan of the Danites. From my birth I was a special kid. God wanted to use me to free my people out from under the bondage of the evil Philistines! He had a special plan for my life and He gifted me to carry it out...but I squandered my gifts, and as a result I missed God's plan.
Being a NAZARITE meant that I abstained from drinking alcohol...I never cut my hair (you like my long hair????), and...I steered clear of anything that was dead. Because of the promises I made to God He made me strong! VERY strong! In fact... when the Lord came on me...I could break through ropes! (break a rope). One time, I ripped a lion apart with my bare hands! Another time I killed a 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey! AHHHHHH!
The Lord blessed me in a lot of ways. I had a great Mom and a great Dad who was a priest. You might say I was a "Pastor's Kid", (a P.K.!) My parents loved me and taught me about God. I had everything going for me... but instead of doing what God wanted... I did what I wanted. I rebelled against my parents. I rebelled against my God...and you know where it led me? I ended up in a dungeon, my strength gone, both my eyes poked out, my beautiful hair cut bald...pushing a millstone around in the dark, like a common animal! In the end I was given a great victory, but only after repenting of my sin and allowing God to work though me! So listen up as Pastor Chris talks to you this morning about "3 Commitments that will Strengthen Your Life!" It might just SAVE you from a life of misery and waste!
*** Shane read Numbers 6:1-8
Now what Samson didn't tell us was...that a Nazirite didn't make a permanent commitment to look like a hippie and act like a monk all his life. Taking the Naz. vow, was a "temporary" separation from normal life to be devoted to God in a special way. It was actually a mirror for Israel to look into, and be reminded of what she was permanently called to be as a "holy nation". The Naz. was a person who was consecrated to the Lord, just as Israel, as a nation was called to be consecrated and committed to the Lord.
The commitments of the "Naz. Vow" were the same commitments that were required of a priest...so in a sense, it was kind of a temporary lay priest. Someone who for a short time lived at a higher level of ritual purity. Again, the Naz. was a perfect picture of what Israel was intended to be. According to Ex.19:6 they were to become "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.". Of ALL the nations of the world, God had chosen THEM to be his people and to dwell in their midst. So when a person took a Naz. vow, it was a reminder of what they were called to be...different and holy. Set apart for God's purpose.
I want to talk to you this morning about commitments ...because, "Making commitments strengthens your life, while breaking commitments weakens your life." Samson is a perfect example of this. In Samson we have a man, who was exceedingly gifted, a man of great potential, a man who rocketed to the top of the Israeli nation, even becoming a judge....yet because of some char. weaknesses, this mighty man was brought down hard to the mat, because he broke every commitment he ever made. Here was the strongest man who ever lived... but spiritually and emotionally he was a wimp! Physically... He was the "Rambo" of the O.T. but spiritually...he was Pee Wee Herman! You couldn't find a less committed Naz. than Samson...1st he marries a Philistine woman (Judges 14:1-3). He didn't keep himself separate from the enemies of God...he climbed in bed with one! On the way to marry her, he sees a lion's corpse where bees have made their hive (14:8). He vowed to stay away from all corpses, but because he was motivated by his stomach, more than his calling...he went over and scooped some honey out of a dead body.
When he got to the home of his future in-laws he celebrated a feast in 14:10. The Heb. word for feast is 'misteh' and comes from the verb, "to drink". Let's suffice it to say that Samson wasn't the 'designated driver" after the party that night. The commitment to abstain from alcohol was broken. Finally he revealed the source of his strength to Delilah, and she shaved his head...breaking a 3rd Naz. vow (Judges 16). So instead of being a mirror to Israel of who she OUGHT to be...he was a perfect example of what they SHOULDN'T be! He broke every vow he ever made to God. Is that you? Do you make commitments and stick with them? Or are you afraid to make commitments because you're always breaking them?
Unlike Samson, truly strong people guard and protect the commitments they make. They're serious about their commit to the Lord and others. There's an old saying, (that I'm sure you've heard)... "A chain is only as strong as it's what? Weakest link! Well, let me give you another statement that is equally true..."Your life is only as strong as your weakest commitment." (repeat). OUCH! That one speaks to me...I don't want to stand before God in heaven someday and hear Him say... "You ARE the weakest link!!" So from the Nazarite Vow, let me just share with you...3 Commitments That Will Strengthen My Life...
1. The Commitment of SELF-CONTROL
Like we said, the commitment to refrain from wine... wasn't just refraining from wine, but the grapes that made them. (vinegar, grape juice and raisins). Even the seeds and skins from grapes were off limits according to vs. 4. Now, none of that makes much sense until you understand that wine was the primary "symbol of joy" in the ancient world. So when you swore off grapes and all of it's by-products, you were in effect saying..."I am voluntarily turning away from all of life's normal pleasures".
Let me ask you a question...have you ever denied yourself something that you really wanted...or are your only boundaries the lack of available financing? I've denied myself from buying a Ferrari, but only because I can't afford it! If a lack of money is the only thing that keeps you from going 'hog wild' with your appetites then you're headed for a life of pain. In fact, "Anything left uncontrolled in your life will eventually weaken you." It could be the way you spend money, sex, choc., food, alcohol, your emo., the way you manage your time... If it's out of control, it's a ticking time bomb.
Everyone of us has our "pet" indulgence... for Samson it was a weakness for women. Samson was a sensuous play-boy. In three diff. chap, we find him with 3 diff. women. In Judges 14, Samson goes down to city of Timnah, sees a Philistine woman and immediately wants her for his wife. Read Judges 14:1,2. One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, "A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me." All he knew about her was her phys. appearance... and his lust took over from there! What his eyes saw... his body wanted. Know anybody like that? They see a pretty woman, and all they can think about is getting her in bed. Jesus said, "A house build on sand won't last... but listen... neither will a life built on dirt!"
A number of yrs. ago a news headline told of 300 whales who had accidentally beached themselves and died. They were pursuing a school of sardines when they found themselves marooned in a bay at low tide. The small fish had lured these awesome sea giants to their death. The reporter concluded the article by saying: "The whales came to their violent demise by chasing small ends, by prostituting vast powers for insig. goals". How many lives would that describe?
When we allow our uncontrolled desires to lead us to pursuing insignificant little goals, we'll eventually come to the same end as those whales. God has given everyone of us great strengths, great talents...great abilities, but like Samson...we'll never achieve our goals if we allow our "self-indulgences" to control us.
Dr. J.D. Unwin of Cambridge Univ. made a study of 80 civiliz., ranging over a period of 4,000 yrs. and concluded that a society either chooses sexual promiscuity and decline OR...sexual discipline and creative energy. Dr. Unwin writes:"Human society is free to choose either to display great energy or to enjoy sexual promiscuity; the evidence is that they cannot do both for more than one generation." What do you think our society has chosen? What have you personally chosen? Of 21 notable civilizations, 19 perished NOT from conquest from without... but from decay within. Unrestrained self-indulgence (in any area, shopping, spending, pleasure, sex, drugs, alcohol ect.) will always lead to defeat, whether country or individual.
Listen..."Nobody has ever become great, doing as he pleased." Uncontrolled, undisciplined appetites will de-rail you from accomp. your goals, quicker than anything I can think of... Bible says, "He who loves pleasure, will become poor!" -Prov.21:17. Don't give yourself the luxury of a 'pet sin'... just one area of indulgence. Just like one seed of crabgrass will ruin a beautiful Kentucky Bluegrass lawn... A little seed of sin will spread & eventually destroy your life!
Do you want to know what the key to gaining self-control in your life is? It's called, "discipline". Know what discipline is? It's nothing more than talking back to your feelings! When emo. say...
* I don't feel like exercising...
* I don't feel like praying, I don't feel like reading my bible...
* I don't feel like going to church, or playing with the kids...
Simply respond... "That's too bad! You're doing it anyway!" If you've come to this church any amount of time, you've heard me say that..."If you only come to church when you feel like it... the devil will make sure you never feel like it!" So instead of being a slave to your feelings...(through Christ)... you can make your feelings a slave to you! Through Christ, YOU can be the master of your moods! I guarantee you... if you sit around and allow yourself to get into a debate with your feelings... YOU'LL LOSE EVERYTIME! Talk back to them! And even decide IN ADVANCE... what you are going to do! DECIDING IN ADVANCE is at the heart of self-control. See... you don't even leave it open to debate.
Teens...laying in the back of the car seat with your girl-friend or boy-friend... is NOT the time to ask yourself..."I wonder if I should I save myself for marriage?" You better decide that question right here and now! Prov. 13:16... "A wise man, thinks ahead!"
I do what's right... (no matter what my feelings say)... because I've already decided ahead of time to do it, and I won't let my emotions talk me out of it! According to the bible, it's the grace of God working in our lives that gives us the power to do that...-Titus 2:11-12..."For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age".
Now the 2nd commitment that a Nazarite made was...
2. The Commitment of SELF-DENIAL
And that's a commitment that each one of us needs to make this morning if we're going to strengthen our lives. To take the Nazarite vow meant that you would agree to never cut your hair. (Teens...if parents say hair too long...just say I'm taking a Naz. vow!) Now, because hair is a living part of the body, it was a natural symbol for the life of a person. So to let your hair grow without any restrictions, represented giving your life over completely to God's control. It was a symbol that you had given God the reins of your life.
Are you willing to give up control of your life this morning? If you think about, we really don't have control of our lives to begin with! We can't even make our hair grow...(just ask those who are losing it)...yet we like to think we're in control of our lives. So when God tries to direct our lives in a direction we don't want to go... we dig in our heels and say,
* "No! I don't wanna do that! I'll be your believer...just don't ask me to be your follower."
* Jesus, you can be my Savior...but I don't want you to be my LORD!
See the problem is...people want to be close enough to Jesus to get in on all the benefits (like heaven)...but not so close that it requires anything from them! LISTEN!!! Making Him the "LORD" of your life means you lose control...and give it to Jesus!
* You lose control of what you do with your time, your time is HIS!
* You lose control of your treasure. Your money isn't yours anymore...it's His, and so you do with it what He tells you to do.
* You lose control of your talents... whatever gifts that he's given you, you use for His purposes.
There's a big difference between being a believer, and just being a follower. Anybody can be a believer ..."Well, I believe in Jesus, I believe in God" That's easy! But being a follower is totally different! All the sudden I've got 'skin in the game'. The commitment of self-abandonment will lit. save your life...Jesus said, "Whoever loses his life for My sake, will gain it, but whoever gains his life, will lose it!" Want to strengthen your life this morning, take the vow to lose it!
Now there's a 3rd commitment that every true Nazarite would make...it's the commitment of...
3. SELF-SEPARATION
Nazarites made a vow to stay away from dead bodies. Like we said last week, corpses had a defiling power, and so the LIVING God (and people of the living God) were forbidden to touch them. But the Naz. went even further...The duty of preparing the bodies of the dead for burial, would usually fall to a close relative. However, if you had taken a Naz. vow...you couldn't come near the body, even if it was your own parent! So, this was a symbol of an extreme separation from the realm of the dead to serve the living God. That's what Jesus has called us to do...
Are you willing to be separate from the realm of the death and sin? Did you know that that's what the bible tells us to do? Romans 8:5-8 says, 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. In effect, as a follower of Jesus Christ, we're being called to take a Nazarite vow. As a Christian we are called to be separate from this world! To be different. In fact, that's what 'holiness' means...it means, "to be set-apart for God's purposes". That's such a foreign concept for us isn't it? We want to be LIKE everybody else...not different. In fact, the greatest curse in our lives would be to be DIFFERENT! We want to talk the same, look the same, listen to the same music, watch the same TV shows, have the same things. Right now, everybody around me is getting an IPad, and I'd like one too, but I can't figure out what I need it for! The pressures on!
The world tells us that "DIFFERENT is bad!" But as a follower of Christ, we're called to be separate, different, (not because we want to be odd or novel), but because Jesus has given us a different values, different goals, different priorities. Even different DESIRES! We're different from the world because the God we follow is different.
* We don't try and get revenge like Samson did over and over with the Philistines...
* We don't pursue the same selfish, self-serving goals that the world does.
* We ask God to help us control our desires, so that we can focus on serving Him.
God doesn't want us lock ourselves away in some monastery like some kind of a monk. He told us to be, "In the world, but not OF the world". In otherwords, don't take on it's attitudes and habits. We're called to have an extreme separation from the realm of the dead to serve the living God. And believe it or not...far from being shameful, or embarrassing...it's amazingly freeing!
Now...as N.T. followers, we SHOULD have at least the same level of commitment and devotion that the Nazarenes did. Because of what Christ has done for us...we SHOULD be totally devoted to Him. But the reality is, we're more like Samson than we want to admit. We can't keep the simple New Year's Resolutions we made (let alone the ones we make in church on Sunday mornings). What we need is someone who will perfectly fulfill the role of the Nazarene, and help us do the same.
Someone who gave up the joy and control that was rightfully his, and kept Himself separate for God's use. That person wasn't Samson for sure! Our "perfect Nazarite" is Jesus Christ! He was separated to God's service at birth...He gave up the joys and comforts of this life that were legitimately his...leaving the glory of heaven...so He could be with us instead. He gave up complete control of his life into the hands of God. He separated himself from sin and death, living a life of perfection. He had no sin, (deliberate or involuntary) that needed paid for. In fact He WAS the offering whose death makes it possible for you and me to draw near to God. Surely, if He did ALL of that...so that we could be free from sin and death...we can do that same for Him. The great thing is that if we'll make the decision to do that, He'll be there to help us follow through. Will you take the N.T. Naz. vow this morning?
How many will...vow to:
1. Give up control and let Him take control of your life?
2. Give up your addiction to self & decide to live for Him only.
3. Live a life of separation from worldly ways and appetites.
PRAY
