WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.060 Good morning. 00:00:03.879 --> 00:00:07.919 My name's Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:10.919 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.780 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us. 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:19.679 We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats, 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:23.800 but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:24.300 --> 00:00:28.240 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good. 00:00:28.240 --> 00:00:29.420 They don't need God's grace. 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.039 And no one so bad that they can't have it, 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.980 which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:42.039 Now, this week we're continuing our series in the book of Judges, 00:00:42.120 --> 00:00:45.299 and you'll remember that the book of Judges is about a number of things. 00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:50.219 It's about the need for constant renewal and revival among God's people. 00:00:51.060 --> 00:00:53.960 It's about the need for a faithful and true king, 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:58.560 a king who can do what no human can do, which is to change the hearts of men. 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:02.600 It's about the power of spirit-filled leadership, 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:08.980 and it's about God's mercy to hard-hearted people, people like you and me. 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:13.700 Over the last several weeks, we've been in the story of Samson. 00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:16.900 We're actually going to finish Samson's story this morning. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.680 And last week, we saw that Samson's actions finally caught up with him. 00:01:22.460 --> 00:01:26.640 Samson thought that he could have blessing without holiness, 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.640 and he could for a time. 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:30.379 He could not forever. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:36.300 But remember, we also saw the very end last week, God's great grace. 00:01:36.299 --> 00:01:40.420 The very last verse of our section was verse 22, which reminded us, 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:45.700 but the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. 00:01:46.539 --> 00:01:48.759 So Samson has been taken by the Philistines. 00:01:49.219 --> 00:01:55.599 His eyes have been gouged out, and God has not abandoned him. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:58.799 And so this week, we get to dig into that even more, 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:00.039 and our question is simply this. 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:04.260 What does God do with the mistakes of his children? 00:02:05.540 --> 00:02:07.680 What does God do with our mistakes? 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:10.980 How does he redeem them? 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:13.740 So with that question that we turn now to God's Word, 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:18.580 I invite you to turn with me to Judges 16, starting at verse 23. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:21.240 You can turn in your worship guide. 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:23.060 You can turn on your phone. 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:24.640 You can turn in your Bible. 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.140 No matter where you turn, remember that God tells us, 00:02:28.139 --> 00:02:32.119 Proverbs chapter 30, every word of God proves true. 00:02:32.819 --> 00:02:36.859 He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:41.679 And so that's why we read now Judges chapter 16, starting at verse 23. 00:02:43.679 --> 00:02:47.799 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice 00:02:47.799 --> 00:02:50.060 to Dagon their God and to rejoice. 00:02:50.959 --> 00:02:55.659 And they said, Our God has given Samson, our enemy, into our hand. 00:02:55.659 --> 00:02:59.379 And when the people saw him, they praised their God. 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:03.699 For they said, Our God has given our enemy into our hand, 00:03:03.859 --> 00:03:08.000 the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us. 00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:10.960 And when their hearts were merry, they said, 00:03:11.079 --> 00:03:13.439 Call Samson that he may entertain us. 00:03:14.579 --> 00:03:18.139 So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:21.060 They made him stand between the pillars. 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:25.620 And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:28.800 Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:30.879 that I may lean against them. 00:03:32.219 --> 00:03:35.099 Now the house was full of men and women. 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:38.199 All the lords of the Philistines were there, 00:03:38.340 --> 00:03:41.640 and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women 00:03:41.640 --> 00:03:44.520 who looked on while Samson entertained. 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:46.199 Verse 28. 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:49.419 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:51.899 O Lord God, please remember me, 00:03:52.019 --> 00:03:55.119 and please strengthen me only this once, O God, 00:03:55.739 --> 00:03:59.560 that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes. 00:04:00.799 --> 00:04:04.199 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:05.859 and he leaned his weight against them, 00:04:06.239 --> 00:04:09.259 his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 00:04:10.339 --> 00:04:13.039 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:15.879 Then he bowed with all his strength, 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:18.139 and the house fell upon the lords 00:04:18.139 --> 00:04:20.300 and upon all the people who were in it. 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:23.420 So the dead whom he killed at his death 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:26.719 were more than those whom he had killed during his life. 00:04:27.860 --> 00:04:30.259 Then his brothers and all his family came down 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:31.839 and took him and brought him up 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:34.019 and buried him between Zorah and Eshtel 00:04:34.019 --> 00:04:36.659 in the tomb of Manoah his father. 00:04:37.459 --> 00:04:40.920 He had judged Israel 20 years. 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:43.640 I invite you to pray with me 00:04:43.640 --> 00:04:46.120 as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:48.280 Our Father in heaven, 00:04:48.400 --> 00:04:50.900 we do praise you and thank you again. 00:04:51.220 --> 00:04:52.660 We thank you for your word 00:04:52.660 --> 00:04:55.580 that you've given to instruct us and to guide us. 00:04:56.300 --> 00:04:59.540 And we also thank you for your great mercy and grace, 00:05:00.200 --> 00:05:03.100 the mercy that you showed to Samson 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:05.400 in the midst of his sin and his failure, 00:05:05.960 --> 00:05:08.680 and the mercy that you showed to us in the midst of ours. 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:12.720 And we ask that you would remind us again this morning 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:15.019 of the precious truths of your gospel. 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:18.079 You'd remind us and show us places 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.060 where we desperately need your grace. 00:05:20.660 --> 00:05:22.600 And even more, you'd encourage us 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:25.160 that you meet us with your mercy 00:05:25.160 --> 00:05:26.680 in those very same places. 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:30.240 Most of all, we ask that you would help us to see Jesus, 00:05:30.620 --> 00:05:33.759 that we would see how good and beautiful 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.519 and loving and holy and majestic he is. 00:05:38.139 --> 00:05:40.219 And we ask all of these things in his name. 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:41.099 Amen. 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.259 Hopefully, you noticed as we started this story, 00:05:48.539 --> 00:05:50.800 the very end of Samson's life, 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:53.519 that we have a problem straight up front. 00:05:54.099 --> 00:05:56.279 Verses 23 and 24, 00:05:57.039 --> 00:05:59.379 Dagon is gloating over Yahweh. 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:01.519 And of course, we should know, 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.920 if you're familiar with the Old Testament, 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:06.680 that God is zealous for his honor and his name. 00:06:07.259 --> 00:06:11.779 Far from it that foreign gods and foreign nations 00:06:11.779 --> 00:06:13.459 should gloat over Israel 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:16.439 and even more, claim that they have defeated 00:06:16.439 --> 00:06:17.740 the one true God. 00:06:18.139 --> 00:06:21.019 And so we know right at the start of this story, 00:06:21.100 --> 00:06:22.980 right up front, that is not going to fly. 00:06:23.779 --> 00:06:27.719 Of course, God is going to vindicate his name. 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:29.960 There's a sort of foreshadowing here 00:06:29.960 --> 00:06:32.600 as we see them praising their false God. 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:35.800 It is not simply, though, that they are just gloating. 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:39.360 There is also a big Philistine party. 00:06:40.100 --> 00:06:42.160 So verse 23, you may have noticed, 00:06:42.520 --> 00:06:44.360 they came there to rejoice. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.580 Verse 24, they praised their God. 00:06:48.180 --> 00:06:51.440 Verse 25, their hearts are merry. 00:06:52.420 --> 00:06:53.360 Their hearts are merry, 00:06:53.740 --> 00:06:55.700 presumably not just with the victory 00:06:55.699 --> 00:06:57.740 that they've had over Samson 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:00.219 and their hope that they are going to be free 00:07:00.219 --> 00:07:01.019 from him forever. 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:03.560 But when the Bible talks about people's hearts being merry, 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:06.740 it often means that there's alcohol involved. 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:11.120 The Philistines are having a huge party. 00:07:12.099 --> 00:07:14.500 And we can understand exactly why it is 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:16.180 that they decide it's time to celebrate. 00:07:16.379 --> 00:07:17.099 What do they say? 00:07:17.539 --> 00:07:19.480 In verse 24, they say, 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:21.460 look, we took out Samson. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:24.540 He's the one who has been ravaging our country, 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.580 who has killed so many of us. 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:31.060 We have had this man bothering us. 00:07:32.080 --> 00:07:33.980 He's been slaughtering us. 00:07:34.520 --> 00:07:37.460 Finally, we are free from him. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:40.900 And who, best of all, to feature at this party 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:43.660 as the main entertainment, the main show. 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:45.720 You'll remember from last week 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:47.640 that Samson now has a disability. 00:07:47.860 --> 00:07:49.680 His eyes were gouged out. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:51.280 And so because of that disability, 00:07:51.400 --> 00:07:53.600 he's had to have a career transition. 00:07:54.580 --> 00:07:56.000 Samson was a warrior. 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:59.640 Now he has to moonlight as an entertainer. 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:01.820 So they bring him out 00:08:01.820 --> 00:08:03.600 so they can laugh and watch 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.240 this man who is now a shell of his former self. 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:13.660 What better time for the true God 00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:14.920 to show his glory 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:18.319 than during the worship of the false God? 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:21.460 What better time for Yahweh 00:08:21.460 --> 00:08:25.019 to remind the nations who is in control 00:08:25.019 --> 00:08:27.540 than when the nations are gloating 00:08:27.540 --> 00:08:30.019 about their power and their victory? 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:33.740 And so this story, the end of Samson, 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:35.639 is actually just very simple, 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:37.039 very straightforward. 00:08:37.560 --> 00:08:39.940 Last week, we saw the gig was up, right? 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.620 Samson's consequences had caught up with him. 00:08:42.680 --> 00:08:43.399 He was captured. 00:08:43.539 --> 00:08:44.399 He was blinded. 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:45.620 He broke the rules. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:47.000 He lost his strength. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.360 He forfeited the blessing. 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:55.000 Last week should have been the end of the story, 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:58.019 the end of the road for Samson. 00:09:00.440 --> 00:09:02.600 We'd almost expect, hey, that's the way it ends, 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:03.680 and then maybe we can jump 00:09:03.680 --> 00:09:05.960 to the very end of this passage. 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:08.759 Verse 31, his brothers and his family came and took him down. 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:14.259 Except for one thing. 00:09:15.660 --> 00:09:19.720 Verse 28, Samson prays to God, and what does he say? 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:25.759 Strengthen me one more time. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:32.080 Remember me one more time. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:34.840 God hears his prayer. 00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:36.620 He honors it. 00:09:37.299 --> 00:09:38.080 What happens? 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:43.539 Verse 29, everything comes crashing down. 00:09:43.539 --> 00:09:46.120 Why? 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:46.179 Why? 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:53.099 It didn't come down crashing because God needed Samson. 00:09:53.819 --> 00:09:54.939 He didn't. 00:09:56.939 --> 00:10:02.319 It didn't come down crashing because Samson performed some sort of penance. 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:07.240 It doesn't come crashing down because Samson performed some great deed 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:10.799 to prove to God that this time he's really serious. 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:13.159 No, Samson doesn't do any of those things. 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:18.919 As we've seen in the book of Judges and in the story of Samson especially, 00:10:19.539 --> 00:10:26.000 it comes crashing down because of God's great mercy. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:34.779 God's mercy to hard-hearted people, people like you and me. 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:39.720 It doesn't simply come down because of his mercy, though. 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:48.580 It's also not the end of the Samson story because God is a God who honors his promises. 00:10:48.580 --> 00:10:54.440 God is a God who does exactly what he said he would do. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:59.000 Now, this was a minor detail all the way back in Judges chapter 13, 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.840 but when Samson's mother, Manoah's wife, gave birth to Samson, 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:08.000 you may remember that God made a statement, a promise about him. 00:11:08.139 --> 00:11:08.820 And he said this. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:10.820 This is Judges chapter 13, verse 7. 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:18.540 The child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:26.379 Samson destroys the Philistines because God is a God of great mercy. 00:11:27.460 --> 00:11:33.500 Samson destroys the Philistines because God always honors his word. 00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:37.540 God is a God who keeps his promises. 00:11:39.160 --> 00:11:43.440 The point, brothers and sisters, is simply this. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:50.180 Wherever you are and whatever you have done, 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:58.040 if you are still alive, your story is not over. 00:12:02.380 --> 00:12:05.500 Wherever you are, whatever you've done, 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:11.120 if you are still alive, all is not lost. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:16.539 God's grace is really still at work. 00:12:18.179 --> 00:12:22.200 Now, I'm going to tell you some of the very same things I told you last time, 00:12:22.419 --> 00:12:24.080 the beginning of Judges chapter 16. 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:27.779 I am not saying that sin does not have consequences. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:33.700 Samson really does get to taste the bitter fruit of his actions. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:38.039 Samson's story really could have ended in a different and better way. 00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:41.759 What I am saying is this, is that Psalm 27 is true. 00:12:42.699 --> 00:12:48.459 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:55.120 I'm not saying that we should be complacent about sin or excuse it or minimize it. 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.500 What I am saying is this, is that Psalm 23 is true. 00:12:58.500 --> 00:13:04.779 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:14.820 I'm not saying that we won't or already do carry grief over the choices that we've made. 00:13:14.820 --> 00:13:20.500 What I am saying is that Psalm 23 is also true when it says, 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:24.780 I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:13:26.040 --> 00:13:30.560 I am saying that God's promise in Psalm 125 is true for us. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:36.360 Those who are like Mount Zion, those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.040 which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:47.699 No matter where you are, no matter what you've done, 00:13:48.299 --> 00:13:53.480 if you are still alive, God is still at work. 00:13:54.899 --> 00:13:58.000 Your story is not over. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:05.159 Christian, no matter what mistakes you have made, 00:14:05.959 --> 00:14:08.539 you still have a future. 00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:12.919 No matter what mistakes you have made, 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.179 no matter how you've failed, 00:14:15.699 --> 00:14:16.959 no matter where you've sinned, 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.339 it is not the end. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.219 It's not the end for Samson. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.299 It's not the end for you. 00:14:28.860 --> 00:14:31.120 Now, much of what I just said is, in many ways, 00:14:31.199 --> 00:14:34.959 review of things we've talked about in Judges over and over again, right? 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:38.160 God's mercy to his people time after time. 00:14:38.420 --> 00:14:40.759 God's mercy to Samson time after time. 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:44.920 This passage, this end story pushes us a step further. 00:14:45.040 --> 00:14:47.720 It doesn't just show us that God is merciful. 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:49.980 We've seen that in Judges before. 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:56.100 The new twist in this one is it actually shows us how God is merciful. 00:14:56.100 --> 00:15:03.420 How is it that God takes our mistakes and our failures and turns them for good? 00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:10.000 Remember, we talked in Judges chapter 14 that there's this broader pattern of the way that God works in the world. 00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:14.779 We saw it at the very end of the book of Genesis when Joseph confronts his brothers and he says, 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:18.480 look, what you meant for evil, God meant for good. 00:15:18.939 --> 00:15:23.659 That God takes the things that are broken and twisted and sinful and messed up, 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:30.539 and he uses them to actually, those very same things, bring his purposes to bear in the world. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:38.100 God's mercy means that he takes our sin, he finds a way to use it for good. 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:47.080 God takes Samson's stupidity, he takes Samson's pride, he takes Samson's lust, 00:15:47.560 --> 00:15:53.600 and he uses it to accomplish Samson's greatest triumph. 00:15:54.920 --> 00:15:57.259 Verse 30 tells us this. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:02.060 It says, look, Samson killed more in his death than in his life. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:07.519 This was actually Samson's greatest accomplishment. 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:13.879 Now, it's not just that he killed the greatest number of people, although that is significant, 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:17.980 but there's something different about this event that we haven't seen before. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:23.440 Before, Samson has just been going around killing random Philistines. 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:29.080 Here, however, he has a strategic target that he's never been able to focus on before. 00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:34.160 Samson is able to eliminate some high-value targets. 00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:36.840 Look with me, verse 27. 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:42.060 All the lords of the Philistines were there. 00:16:43.660 --> 00:16:45.220 And who gets taken out? 00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:46.759 Verse 30. 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:51.180 The house fell upon the lords. 00:16:53.060 --> 00:16:57.340 In other words, Samson, despite himself, 00:16:57.899 --> 00:17:04.319 has been able somehow to infiltrate the Philistines' top command and control group. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:10.720 Samson, in this, whether he meant to or not, takes out the Philistines' sea too. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.059 He takes out their joint chiefs of staff. 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:18.379 This is the sort of thing that brings a people to its knees. 00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:19.359 Right? 00:17:19.419 --> 00:17:24.559 There's a reason that they say, strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:35.500 Yes, this is a fun story about Samson getting his revenge and being strong enough to push over the pillars so that the temple comes crashing down. 00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:40.960 And let's not miss the strategic importance of what happens. 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:45.779 Samson wipes out all the Philistine leadership. 00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:54.839 The promise from Judges chapter 13 was that he was going to begin to free his people from the Philistines. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:59.500 What a fantastic way to do that. 00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:07.079 How did Samson penetrate this inner group? 00:18:07.940 --> 00:18:18.099 How was Samson able to circumvent all the measures that would have been put in place to protect the highest level of leadership of Israel's enemies? 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:22.059 It was not because of Samson's cunning. 00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:34.159 It was not because Samson had superior intelligence that he was able to put together and he used the smarts that he had gathered throughout his entire life to make it into this inner circle. 00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:39.299 No, Samson accomplishes this through his stupidity. 00:18:41.700 --> 00:18:47.599 Samson infiltrates command and control because he is blind and he has lost his strength. 00:18:48.659 --> 00:18:50.059 It is not a bug. 00:18:50.059 --> 00:18:51.700 It is a feature. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:19:00.960 God uses Samson's sin for his greatest feat. 00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:09.460 How does God redeem the mistakes of his children? 00:19:10.879 --> 00:19:12.859 What does God do with our mistakes? 00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:16.940 What does God do with my mistakes and with yours? 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:25.140 God in his power and for his glory turns them to good. 00:19:28.140 --> 00:19:33.420 That, brothers and sisters, is how redemption works. 00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:44.960 The point here is not just that Samson's story is not over. 00:19:46.100 --> 00:19:49.140 And the point is not simply that your story isn't over. 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:58.600 The point is that the story isn't over because God takes our failure and he turns it to success. 00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:04.700 God redeems our mistakes and he uses them for good. 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:13.720 Many of you know that I grew up in a Presbyterian church, a Presbyterian church in the same denomination as this Presbyterian church. 00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:17.580 And I grew up right outside Washington, D.C. in southern Maryland. 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:24.720 And when I went to this church growing up that was in northern Virginia, right outside the city, there was a man of that church. 00:20:25.100 --> 00:20:26.640 And his name was John Alba. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:30.980 And I taught John Alba's kids in children's church at one point. 00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:34.620 John was the chief of staff for a U.S. congressman. 00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:39.720 So John was a very powerful person who had a lot of access to influence and resources. 00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:43.280 And in the early 2000s, he ran into some trouble. 00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:45.520 He got caught taking bribes. 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:52.060 So John was peddling influence on Capitol Hill in exchange for certain types of gifts. 00:20:52.360 --> 00:20:54.640 This ended up making national news. 00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:57.020 He was caught up in a bigger scandal. 00:20:57.160 --> 00:20:59.280 Some of you may remember the name Jack Abramoff. 00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:01.320 This is sort of related to all of that. 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:04.460 This was around maybe 2003 to 2006. 00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:09.040 And so this man, John, who went to my church, was accepting gifts that he should not have accepted. 00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:13.780 And then he was in exchange for that offering influence and access to people. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:23.140 And so you can imagine the shame of having your name end up in the New York Times of all places for your activities on Capitol Hill. 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:27.020 John ended up losing his marriage. 00:21:27.820 --> 00:21:29.880 And he also lost his career. 00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:33.180 He had to go through a long court sentencing. 00:21:33.520 --> 00:21:41.600 Long story short, he ended up in all places you can imagine in a halfway house in a city called Colorado Springs. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:48.959 One might say at that point that the hair of his head began to grow back. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.579 This is a low point of John's life. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:53.199 Again, I said he lost his marriage. 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:54.139 He lost his career. 00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:57.279 He pretty much lost everything that was in his life. 00:21:57.619 --> 00:21:59.139 He got out of this halfway house. 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:00.619 Eventually, it was part of his sentencing. 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:04.000 I think he had a plea deal that ended up putting him there. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:10.180 And after he got out, he had this new understanding of what it meant to live life as a criminal, 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:15.019 to be coming out of prison trying to figure out how to turn things right side up. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.880 Having all these skills that he developed on Capitol Hill and through his life, 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.980 he ended up starting a window cleaning business. 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:25.380 And what this window cleaning business did was it was hire people coming out of prison 00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:29.119 who had access, difficult time getting jobs. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:33.400 And so this was a place for them to onboard, to be able to make money, to be able to have work. 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:36.500 John then wrote a book on the value of work, 00:22:36.560 --> 00:22:40.120 and he would run seminars for convicts coming out of prison 00:22:40.120 --> 00:22:45.100 on the importance of being involved in business and earning a living for themselves. 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:47.880 He did that for a number of years, 00:22:48.060 --> 00:22:52.160 helping people like himself recover from crimes in their life. 00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:57.060 Very recently, when the war started in Ukraine, John ended up pivoting. 00:22:57.060 --> 00:23:01.820 He became a missionary building houses for folks who have lost them in that country 00:23:01.820 --> 00:23:02.880 and distributing food. 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:07.220 And now I get emails, and I think Scott Sage gets emails from John Alba saying, 00:23:07.560 --> 00:23:09.259 here's what's happening in the country of Ukraine. 00:23:10.120 --> 00:23:12.080 I tell you that story to say this. 00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:17.280 God used John's greatest failure, 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:29.819 God used John's experience being sentenced as a criminal and ending up in a halfway house, 00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:31.940 having lost his family and his career, 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:36.240 and he turned it, and he used it for good, 00:23:36.440 --> 00:23:39.700 that he could minister to others in the same situation. 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:47.920 John has more impact today than he ever had as the chief of staff for a U.S. congressman. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:53.759 John has more joy than he ever had working on Capitol Hill. 00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:56.840 And if you were to talk to John, he would tell you, 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:00.580 he cares for power and money no more. 00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:11.319 John has more impact now than he ever had. 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:17.819 How does God redeem his children's failures? 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:31.279 Brothers and sisters, the same is true of us. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:39.019 God takes a woman who wrestles with sexual addiction, 00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:43.599 and he uses her experience to help lead other women to sobriety. 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:48.879 God takes a man who finally faces his anger, 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:52.579 and he leads him to new places of humility and service. 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:58.299 God took the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Paul's legalism and obsession with the law, 00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.220 and he does what? 00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:04.940 He uses that so that Paul can become the greatest apostle and explainer of God's grace. 00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:12.480 God is the master of taking what is meant for evil and using it for good. 00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:16.619 If you've been with us for a while, 00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:19.539 you remember that for about two years we were in the Gospel of Mark, 00:25:19.659 --> 00:25:22.700 and as we were coming near to the end of the Gospel of Mark, 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:25.480 I had this conversation with one of my friends from seminary, 00:25:26.099 --> 00:25:27.960 and he asked me this really piercing question. 00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:28.519 He said, 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:31.759 Has preaching Mark changed you? 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:35.180 I thought, wow, that's a really good question. 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.140 I'm going to have to think about that. 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.180 I thought of a number of things. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.759 I thought, man, I've really changed in this way, 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.920 and the way I think is different. 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:43.160 But I think about that even now, 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.559 and I would tell you that the story of Samson 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:50.480 has changed me more than any other story in Judges. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:58.279 The story of Samson has caused me to reconsider how it is that God works in the world 00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:00.200 and who it is he chooses to use. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.860 That there are people we look at and we think, 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:08.720 man, that person's life seems off the rails in so many different ways, 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:11.299 and yet I don't really know what God is doing there. 00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:14.900 I don't know how God might be using that person for his glory. 00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:18.720 I don't know where that person may be with the Lord 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:21.019 and what purposes God is working out. 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:25.639 God often surprises us with the people he chooses to use. 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:29.599 And when we hear that a lot, people often say that, 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:32.200 oh, God chooses the youngest instead of the oldest. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:34.940 He chooses the weak instead of the strong, and that's true. 00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:38.259 What we see in Samson is a little bit of a different angle on that. 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:41.599 God uses an absolute knucklehead. 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:48.139 God uses someone who gets almost everything wrong, 00:26:48.980 --> 00:26:50.839 and yet this is the leader of his people. 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:55.779 This is the one he chooses to take out the Philistines. 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:04.000 God really does use and choose people like Samson. 00:27:04.539 --> 00:27:08.000 God really does use and choose people who are rough around the edges. 00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:13.099 God really does use people like you and me. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:16.700 I'm not saying sin doesn't matter. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:20.259 I'm not saying we don't hold people accountable 00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:22.400 for their actions and their words. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.079 What I am saying is this, wow. 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:31.119 God uses flawed, selfish, unlikely people. 00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:35.319 He uses people who aren't finished. 00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:40.459 You notice at the very end of his life, Samson is still selfish. 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:43.799 What does he say in verse 28? 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:45.200 I want to crush the Philistines. 00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:49.799 He doesn't say, I want to crush the Philistines because of God's honor and his glory, right? 00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:55.839 He's not come to this perfected state where he finally understands everything he cared about before doesn't matter. 00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:58.079 No, Samson says, hey, God, would you help me? 00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:59.279 Because I really want revenge. 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.220 I want to get these Philistines. 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:04.680 And I want revenge not for what they've done to your people. 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:06.119 I just want revenge for my eyes. 00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:08.180 Just really mad about that. 00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:15.559 Like Samson makes it to the end of his life and there's still so much work to be done. 00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:18.200 Samson comes to the end. 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:20.339 He still needs to grow in so many ways. 00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:22.619 Samson gets to the end. 00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:25.119 He is still selfish and self-centered. 00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:29.779 And God uses him. 00:28:31.699 --> 00:28:35.739 Samson's failure doesn't have the last word. 00:28:38.899 --> 00:28:41.159 Why is God's grace that big? 00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:47.659 How is God able to take our failure and turn it to success? 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:52.579 It is because, and it is only because of Jesus. 00:28:52.619 --> 00:29:00.739 Samson does not receive what he deserved because Jesus received what he didn't deserve. 00:29:01.899 --> 00:29:11.439 God shows great grace to broken and selfish and imperfect people because Jesus paid the price. 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:22.500 God uses people who are deeply flawed, who even at the end of their lives are still selfish and self-centered. 00:29:22.619 --> 00:29:28.379 God's grace really is that big. 00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:35.039 Remember, the book of Judges is about many things. 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:43.319 One of the things it's about is God's mercy to hard-hearted people, people like you and me. 00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:48.139 It is true that his mercy really is more. 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:51.379 And so that's why we're going to sing, praise the Lord, his mercy is more. 00:29:52.139 --> 00:29:54.960 Stronger than darkness, new every morn. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:57.339 Our sins, they are many. 00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:59.740 His mercy is more. 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:02.200 True for Samson. 00:30:02.879 --> 00:30:04.480 True for us. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.259 Let's pray. 00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:05.279 Let's pray. 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:14.620 Our Father in heaven, we do thank you that your mercy is more than we can understand or fathom or imagine. 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:24.899 We thank you for your promise in 1 Corinthians 2 that what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him. 00:30:25.639 --> 00:30:30.500 We thank you that you're faithful to us even when we lose the plot. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:38.000 We ask that you would remind us of your mercy and your love and it would grow our obedience and trust and praise to you. 00:30:38.059 --> 00:30:39.899 And we ask these things in Jesus' name. 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:40.539 Amen. 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:40.719 Amen. 00:30:40.719 --> 00:30:40.739 Amen. 00:30:40.739 --> 00:30:40.799 Amen.