Sermon Notes 6.11.23
June 11, 2023
“Amazing Grace for Failures and a Future”
Amazing Grace Series Lesson 8
Sermon Notes
June 11, 2023
I. Seeing Grace In The Life of Samson…
A. Samson’s
before his birth was an expression of God’s grace. (Judges 13:5)
1. Samson was called to be a
when no one else was calling for one. God’s call on Samson wasn’t just grace on Samson, it was grace for the whole nation of
!
2. God doesn’t wait to send a Savior until you know you need one!
3. Samson’s call was received through something called the Nazarite vow, which had three requirements: a) Stay away from anything dead; b) Live a non-alcoholic life; and c) Never cut your
or shave your head.
B. Samson’s
was an expression of God’s grace.
1. Samson’s strength had nothing to do with his size and muscles, but everything to do with God’s
! (Judges 14:6; 14:19-20; 15:14-15)
2. Samson’s great feats of strength were not because of his muscles; they were because of God’s
in his life!
C. Reflection/Discussion Question: Are there any goals, purposes, or life mission that you believe God has called you to or prepared you for? What do they involve? Do you have any traits, skills, or abilities that you believe are a direct expression of God’s grace in your life? What do they involve and what has led you to see them as expressions of God’s grace?
II. Understanding The Failures in Samson’s Life…
A. Many of Samson’s great moments of physical strength were triggered by displays of
character.
1. While Samson had been chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines, he chose for himself a wife who was a
. While God was at work in his choice of a wife, it nevertheless, exposed some of Samson’s weaknesses. (Judges 14:1-5)
2. “Everyone did what was evil and every man did what was right in his own eyes” is a phrase that is used throughout the book of Judges. Referencing his choice for a wife, Samson essentially uses the same phrase when he said, “Get her for me. She is right for my eyes.” (Judges 14:3)
3. Later, when Samson goes to Gaza, he
a prostitute and sleeps with her. (Judges 16:1)
4. The success God granted Samson was not because of his character, it was in spite of his
.
B. Samson’s ultimate mistake was that he concluded that God’s patience with his sin meant that God was
of his sin. (Judges 16:4-17)
1. God loves to show mercy, but God does not like to be
!
2. Somewhere along the way, Samson decided that God’s grace was an
that he could use any way he wanted.
3. Consequently, when Delilah has someone shave off Samson’s hair, both his strength and
left him. (Judges 16:19-20)
C. Reflection/Discussion Question: God used the “failure” of his relationship with Delilah and having his head shaven to discipline Samson. Has God ever used a “failure” or a “defeat” to discipline you? What lessons did you learn from that experience?
III. Two Truths About Grace
A. Grace knows that there is
in my future, but God’s grace is bigger than my “fails!”
B. There is a
after your failure. Samson’s greatest victory was after his biggest fail. And like Jesus, Samson’s greatest victory was when he
. (Judges 16:26-30)
C. Reflection/Discussion Question: Which of these two “truths” do you have a more difficult time believing and why? In what ways have you experienced one or both of these “truths? What do we need to do as a church to embrace and live out both of these two “truths?” How might this help us reach people in our community and make disciples__?