Sermon Central
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Strike Three, Your Out!
Contributed by William Rushing on Jul 29, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon looks at the Law of the Nazarite found in Numbers 6 and compares them to Samson’s life as a Nazarite. God shows his mercy when we fail.
I. Introduction
a. Intro to book of Numbers.
i. What is a Nazarite
b. Intro to book of Judges
i. Intro to Samson
1. Son of Manoah
2. Wife was childless
3. Gave birth to Samson after a man of God said they would.
4. Would be a Nararite
II. Strike One: Wine (Num. 6:1-4)
a. High priest was not allowed to have wine only while in the tabernacle
i. Reasons not to have wine
1. Drunkenness
2. Vineyards represent stability, staying in one place
3. Different from the people of the land of Cannan
b. Samson goes near Wine (Judges 14:5)
i. Timnah was a copper mine but also know for its vineyard.
ii. The Nazarite was suppose to avoid everything about the grape, from seed to skin.
III. Strike Two: Dead Body (Num. 6:6-8)
a. A Dead body caused a person to be unclean.
i. Bodies had many deceases
b. Samson touches death (Judges 14:8; 14:19)
i. Early in Samson’s life, he touched the body of a lion and then he killed many people.
IV. Strike Three: Razor (Num. 6:5)
a. The hair was the symbol of the Nazarite’s consecration to God
i. The hair for the nazarite was equal to the diadem on the high priest
b. Samson gets his hair cut (Judges 16:17-21)
i. It wasn’t Samson’s hair that gave him his strength it was the consecration that the hair stood for.
ii. He allowed it to be cut off.
c. THREE STRIKES, YOUR OUT
d. Romans 6:23 – Or are you?
V. The Mercy of God (Num. 6:9-12)
a. God provided a way for the Nazarite to redeem his vow even if it was broken
b. Samson was redeemed (Judges 16:22 25-30)
i. God gave the strength to Samson one last time.
VI. Conclusion
a. Many of us have struck out.
b. But Praise God for his mercy
