1. Tim Hawkins Delilah Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ2KYbRVie8

3. “Samson’s life is seen as one of great but wasted opportunity…The story of Samson is the tale of what might have been. No potential savior- figure offered more promise, yet delivered less.” -F.F. Bruce

5. Samson’s Potential (Background) The Lowest Point in the Decline of Judges – “Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge…But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods…They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.” (Judges 2:18-19) – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

7. Samson’s Potential (Theophany) “The Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold…you shall bear a son…and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:3-5) – “A Man of God” (v 6) – “Accepts an Offering to the Lord” (v 16) – Calls His Name “Wonderful” (v 18) – Samson’s Parents Declare They Have “Seen God” (v 22)

8. Samson’s Potential (Type of Christ) Greek: tupos (c.f. Romans 5:14) Miraculous Birth (Judges 13:3) A Priest of God (13:5) Born to Deliver God’s People (13:5) The “final” Judge in Judges Kills a Lion (14:6) Spoke in Riddles/Parables (14:12) Tore Down the “Gates of Death” (15:2-3) In Death Destroys God’s Enemies (16:30)

9. Samson’s Potential…His Feats Samson’s Strong Start The Killing of the Lion (14:5-9) Killing 30 Philistines (14:19) Burning the Philistine Fields (15:4-6) Killing Philistines After They Killed His Wife (15:7-8) Killing 1000 Philistines with a Donkey Jawbone (15:14-17) Samson’s Tragic Decline Tearing Down the Gaza Gate (16:3) Escape from Bowstrings (16:9) Escape from New Ropes (16:12) Escape from the Loom (16:14) Killing 3000 Philistines by His Death (16:28-30)

10. Samson’s Potential…Wasted “With such credentials he might have delivered Israel, a claim never made for him… Israel must be turned away from the individualism so exemplified by Samson, who even more than those he judged, ‘did what was right in his own eyes’.” -F.F. Bruce

11. Samson’s Potential…Wasted Self-Centered in His Relationships with Women – Wants a Philistine wife because “she is right in my eyes” (14:3) – Sleeps with a prostitute (16:1) – Allows sex with Delilah to blind him to her manipulative ways (16:4-20)

12. Samson’s Potential…Wasted Self-Centered in His Following of God – Eats from dead lion (14:8-9) – Has (& partakes of) a feast (lit. “drinking party) at marriage (14:10) – Has hair cut (16:19) – All these violate his Nazirite vow

13. Climax of Samson’s Wasted Potential Samson awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. (Judges 16:20) Eyes gouged out (v 21) Bound with bronze shackles (v 21) Ground the prison mill (v 21) Brought before a pagan god (v 23-25)

14. Climax of Samson’s Wasted Potential Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. (Judges 16:28; 30)

16. Realizing Your Potential in Christ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Colossians 2:6) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with its practices and have put on the new man, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:5-10)

17. Realizing Your Potential in Christ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Colossians 2:6) Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love…and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)

18. Realizing Your Potential in Christ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Colossians 2:6) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16-17)

19. Jesus Christ – The Ultimate Samson But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:26-28)