A sermon based on the life of Samson, looking at his hidden sins.

1. Blinded by Sin
THE DARKNESS

2. Introduction
 Hebrews 4:13 & 1 Corinthians 4:5
 Even when we think no one else is looking,
God still sees all.
 This is a look at a Bible character whose sin
pattern is often ignored and overlooked:
Samson

3. Samson’s Beginning
 Judges 13
 Born to Manoah and his wife who were of the
tribe of Dan
 Samson is to be a Nazirite from birth
 What is a Nazirite?
 From a Heb. Word meaning “to separate”
 Nazirites were ones who separated themselves from
others by consecration to Yahweh (God) with a special
vow.

4. Samson’s Beginning
 The Nazirite Vow (Numbers 6):
1. No wine or strong drink, including vinegar, grape
juice, grapes, and raisins.
2. No cutting of the hair, they had to let it grow
long
3. No touching of the dead
 Samson is to also be a judge over his people
 What is a judge?
 Prominent leaders raised up by the Lord to deliver
Israel.

5. A Man Ensnared by Sin
 Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 1
 Touching a dead body (the lion).
 Sin looks sweet and enticing, esp. when no one
else is around to know what you’re doing.
 It’s also easy to get others involved, under the
guise of good (giving honey to his parents).
 Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 2
 Drinking wine and strong drink (wedding feast).
 Sin usually invites a crowd.

6. A Man Ensnared by Sin
 Breaking the Nazirite Vow: Part 3
 Allowing his hair to be cut
 Gave in to temptation instead of fleeing from it.
 Gave up the only visible sign of his vow with God.
 Showed that his sin/desires/lusts were more
important to him than his relationship with God.
 Other Sins #1: Revenge
 After the riddle was solved, he killed 30 men.
 He burned the Philistine’s crops out of revenge.

7. A Man Ensnared by Sin
 Other Sins #2: Lies
 Lied to his fellow people about the source of his
strength
 Lied to Delilah about the same thing until he could no
longer continue lying.
 Other Sins #3: Lust
 1 Jn. 2:16 – This sums up Samson’s life (cp. Jas. 1:14-15)
 He had a strong desire for women, esp. those he
should not be associated with. He allowed lust of the
eyes/flesh to cloud his judgment and sound wisdom.
 It was his lust for women that ultimately cost him and
showed how far from God he truly was.

8. Samson Redeemed by God
 God removed the very thing that was blinding
Samson to his relationship with God: his
sight.
 This blinded Samson to what caused him to sin:
the lust of the eyes & flesh.
 God blinded Samson to get him to see his need for
God.
 Renewing his relationship with God, while captive,
God allowed Samson one final avenging act to
bring glory to Himself.

9. Application
 Samson’s life was an example of what not to
be. We need to be people who walk in
obedience to the Spirit, instead of the flesh
(Gal. 5).
 Repentance restored his relationship with
God, but it didn’t come until the end. How
will you live your life?