When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the LORD blessed him as he grew up. (Judges 13:24)

Sermon Title: Built to Build

“In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6, 21:25)

1. He Prayed for Guidance
“Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, saying, “Lord, please let the man of God come back to us again and give us more instructions about this son who is to be born.” 9 God answered Manoah’s prayer, and the angel of God appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But her husband, Manoah, was not with her.” (Judges 13: 8-9)

Manoah ran back with his wife and asked, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife the other day?” “Yes,” he replied, “I am.” 12 So Manoah asked him, “When your words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work?” (Judges 13:11-12)

2. He Pursued God
“Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “Please stay here until we can prepare a young goat for you to eat.” 16 “I will stay,” the angel of the LORD replied, “but I will not eat anything. However, you may prepare a burnt offering as a sacrifice to the LORD.” (Judges 13:15-16)

Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife watched, the LORD did an amazing thing. (Judges 13:19)

Z-Tweet: Fathers must be thermostats, not thermometers—setting the spiritual temperature, not just measuring it.

3. He’s Present and Godly
“When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the LORD blessed him as he grew up. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he lived in Mahaneh-dan, which is located between the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol.”