Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

SAMSON

1. The story of Samson is a story of contrasts:
   1. He was the strongest man on earth
   2. Yet in a number of ways he was a great weakling
2. But, God had a special purpose in mind when he had left a record in the Bible about Samson:
   1. His birth and early training were directed by the Lord
   2. He had, without question, God-fearing parents, who sought to direct his life for his God-chosen and directed mission

1. He was one of the most renowned judges in Israel:
   1. His birth and his training was directed by the angel of the Lord - Judges 13:1-25
   2. His early training was the work of his God-fearing parents
2. Samson was a man of contrasts:
   1. His birth and early training was, as we have already indicated, unique in that it was Heaven directed
   2. He was supernaturally endowed with unparalleled physical strength - Judges 13:24; 16:30
   3. He is found among the illustrious in Faith's Hall of Fame - Heb. 11:32
   4. As long as Samson remained a Nazarite he was unconquerable. He only of all the judges, of whom we have any history, did everything single handed; he never employed an army in battle. What he did, he did alone.
3. The complex story of Samson is noted by this great contrast:
   1. Self-confidence, self-ignorance, and self-weakness - compare Judges 16:20 with verse 21
   2. Self-bondage and self-drudgery and self-humiliation - Judges 16:25-27
   3. He was separated as a Nazarite - Judges 13:5; yet tampered with evil association - Judges 14:1-3
   4. He was occasionally Spirit possessed - Judges 13:25; 15:14; yet he yielded to carnal appetites - Judges 16:1-4
   5. He appeared childish in some of his plans - Judges 15:4; yet was courageous in battle - Judges 15:1-4
   6. He was mighty in physical strength - Judges 16:3, 9, 13, 14; yet pitifully weak in resisting temptation - Judges 16:15-17
   7. He had a noble beginning but a sad ending - Judges 16:30

1. All blessings, temporal and spiritual are at all times conditional:
   1. Said Jesus, "Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me." - John 15:1-11
   2. This eternal truth was fully demonstrated in the life of Samson; so long as he abode in the Heaven directed sphere, he was strong and victorious; but when he left the restrictions God had given him, he fell and his life ended in tragedy
   3. His life is written for our admonition - Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:9-11
2. Satan knows our every weakness and he will attempt to use that weakness to destroy us:
   1. He knew David's weakness, and see what he did to David - 2 Sam. 11:12
   2. He knew the weakness of Judas, and he used it to destroy him - Matt. 27:1-5
   3. What we must do, by the grace of God, avoid the pitfalls of sin; had Samson listened to the counsel of his parents, he would never have traveled the road to destruction
   4. Personally, I believe that Samson will be in God's kingdom, if that was not so, why immortalize his name in the Hall of Faith
   5. But, that does not change his tampering with evil that brought a bitter end to his life
   6. Here we see anew, that not the beginning but the conclusion of our lives, will bring the crown of life - Matt. 24:12-13