Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Sermon Transcript: “Shaven and Shorn, but Not Beyond Hope” by Charles Spurgeon
• Article: “Temptation Is No Simple Enemy” by Marshall Segal
• Sermon: “The Danger of Wasted Advantage” by Matt Rogers

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of The Gospel Project for adults. Welcome to another Leader Training podcast. Today we are in Unit 8, Session 4, God Intervenes for His People, with the core passage of Judges 16:4-5, and 16-30, and with the key concept of God can vindicate His people even through the seeming hopelessness of death.

We have been through a series of judges and deliverers seeing God work through not so perfect people. Last week we saw Gideon’s need to be reassured and from there, the book of the Judges recounts the story of Tola, Jair, and Jephthah through chapters 9-12. And then we come to the story of Samson, another not-so-perfect judge and deliverer, but God used him just the same. I love that the Bible shows God using these imperfect people for His purposes and glory. From the judges to the prophets and kings and disciples, all had their weaknesses and faults and remind us of how sinful we are and how good God is.

Now the story of Samson starts in chapter 13 with an angel of the Lord appearing to his parents and telling them that they would conceive and have a son. And he would be a Nazirite, set apart for service for God. The Gospel Project Commentary on page 111 lists the three parts of a Nazirite vow for Samson: 1) never to cut his hair, 2) never to eat or drink anything that grew on a vine, and 3) never to have contact with a dead body. So Samson was born and grew, and he was strong but impulsive and didn’t always make the right choices, especially in women.

He married a Philistine woman first and she betrayed him by giving away the secret answer to his riddle, so he left her, and she was given to one of the other men. Then he slept with a prostitute. Then we get to the passage for today where he encounters Delilah.

Judges 16:4 says, “He fell in love with a woman named Delilah who lived in the Sorek Valley.” And the Philistines came to her and bribed her with money (a large amount of money—1100 pieces of silver) to find out how to overpower Samson. Now an interesting thing I read while studying is that Samson is always pictured as this Goliath of a man, Hulk-like, but many commentators mention that he probably looked like a regular guy. That’s why the Philistines kept wondering what his secret was to strength. They knew it was by some miraculous or divine intervention of sorts that he could be so strong to slay a lion, kill thousands, break ropes, and carry the gates of Gaza. He probably looked like any ordinary man. But they knew that he was a womanizer and used that to get to his secret. So, with Delilah, she took the bait and nagged Samson so much that he eventually told her his secret.

Delilah was able to sway Samson into telling her where his strength comes from just as the world and those in the world can sway us from God and the truth of His Word. Common ways enemies of God can attempt to sway Christians to sin is by giving a false logic or a seemingly more pleasurable goal. The lure of immediate pleasure or the threat of FOMO-the fear of missing out, might lead us toward sin. The world, and ultimately, Satan is cunning and on the prowl, giving us plenty of opportunities to disobey God. And who we surround us with in intimate company can either lead us toward God or away from Him.

And when Delilah gave away his secret to the Philistines, soothed him to sleep on her lap and shaved off his hair, that led to Samson’s demise. So when he woke up, perhaps thinking his strength was his own all along, he thought he would be able to escape. Because the thing is, he knew he had already done other things that violated his Nazirite vow, namely being in contact with dead bodies from all the people he killed and possibly even drinking wine when he was at the wedding feast near vineyards mentioned in chapter 14, verses 5 and 10. He possibly could have thought, I broke those vows but God still gave me strength, what would be so different in cutting my hair? But Scripture makes it clear what the difference was in verse 20: “the Lord had left him” and he didn’t realize it. When we disobey God, we draw further away from Him. The power that we draw from Him diminishes, especially when we use it for our own gain like Samson did. But God’s power doesn’t diminish as He was still at work and accomplishing His purposes even in Samson’s selfishness, impulsiveness, and disobedience. Should that make us be free to do whatever we want, knowing that God still accomplishes His purposes? Of course not. We don’t know what Samson missed out on if he did live in obedience, probably a richer life, richer relationships, and a richer time with God. But God used it all the same. And He used it as He disciplined Samson.

In the next section of Scripture, we see Samson was seized, his eyes were gouged, was bound, and was forced to grind grain. We don’t know how long it was, but his hair was growing back so it must’ve been a good amount of time. There was a good amount of time for Samson to feel dejected and humiliated. But in verse 22, the mention of his hair growing back, leads the reader to understand that hope was coming.

Then at the final feast, the Philistine leaders gathered together to sacrifice to, to worship, their god, Dagon, a god of fertility, agriculture, and grain. What an opportune time for God to work! They rejoiced and gave credit to their god for handing over Samson not knowing that the one true God allowed that. And they called Samson to them to entertain them, further humiliation. And all the leaders and 3000 men and women were there. And Samson in one last plan of attack, needed the help of a young boy to lead him to the main pillars, again further humiliation. And Samson called out to the Lord in verse 28, “Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more. With one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” Now some commentators think Samson was remorseful and repentant in calling out to God and others think he was still self-focused looking for revenge for his eyes, being self-centered still and not thinking about the Israelites as a whole. Honestly, there is room for interpretation, but I would say, maybe both? He, like Barak and Gideon, was still mentioned in Hebrews 11 in the Hall of Faith and yet he seemed to be the most disobedient of them all. But it did take courage and faith to call out to God in these final moments, even if everything else was for selfish means. But what it really points to, though, is the main focus, God himself, and His power and faithfulness to His people. He did what He promised in appointing Samson to deliver Israel from the Philistines. God was faithful to that promise, and He is faithful to His people. And He uses individuals for His purposes, through victories and failures, through strengths and weaknesses. He brings good out of it all for His purposes.

In looking at Samson as one of the judges and deliverers of God’s people, we are reminded of the sin cycle the Israelites were in, and that included their leaders. In our minds we are thinking, when will this cycle ever end? And that points us to Jesus, a comparison and a contrast to Samson. Both had angels announce their birth; both were humiliated at the end of their lives; both died for God’s purposes and to deliver His people. But Samson lived a life of selfishness and sinfulness, whereas Jesus lived blamelessly. Samson, died, one and done. Jesus, the Son of God, died and rose again to accomplish what no other deliverer could do. He delivered us from sin and death as our substitute because of His love for us. God can vindicate His people even through the seeming hopelessness of death. He can use anything for His glory.

On to the Group Experience, write on the board, the statement on p. 114 of the Leader Guide and have a time of sharing how, “Even though blank, even though this happened, God still, blank,  was at work in some way.” Transition into the Context with the idea that, “Even though Samson ignored God, God still proved He was with him.” Bring out again (or pass out new copies) of Pack Item 8: The Judges of Israel to remind your group of the last two deliverers we’ve studied, pointing to Barak’s hesitancy and Gideon’s fear.  Point out how Samson did even worse in disregarding his vow and desiring Philistine women. Bring out Pack Item 9: The Judges Map to point to Samson near the bottom and surrounding Philistine cities to the left of his name. Recap the group’s study this last week, asking for highlights or questions.

Onto the Group Activity on page 115 of the Leader Guide and page 92 of the Personal Study Guide. First read or have someone read Judges 16:4-15. If time is limited, reading just verses 4 and 5 is sufficient. Remind the group of how Samson lived his life, unfaithful to his Nazirite vow, and how it would catch up to him. But even despite it, God was working in his midst. Then read Judges 16:16-30, and work together to fill out the chart, column by column. What went wrong for Samson? He fell in love with the wrong woman; he gave away his secret foolishly; his hair was cut and his strength went away; and God left him; He was seized, eyes gouged out, bound, and forced into slave labor. How was God victorious? God used Samson to destroy the Dagon temple and the Philistines who were in the temple, amounting to over 3000, delivering the Israelites from their Philistine enemies. What went wrong for the Philistines? They thought they were victorious and that their god, Dagon, helped them with their victory. They believed in a false god that could not deliver them. God was victorious in destroying them and their false worship and their false god. Now give your group time to reflect on their own life, a past event where something went seemingly wrong. Have them write it down, then write how God was victorious in it.

On to the Debrief question: How does the gospel of Jesus compare to this pattern of victory despite defeat? Though we are sinners, Christ died for us. Though He died and was humiliated, He rose again and was victorious over sin and death. How have you experienced God’s victory through faith in the gospel?  Give a time of quiet prayer as your group reflects on that second question and lead them in a time of thankfulness to to God for how He works in all things.

Use the Summarize paragraph to end and ask just the Heart question in the Head, Heart, Hands section if you have limited time. What hardships are you currently facing that God may want to use in refining your character? Let your group reflect quietly on that question offering a time of sharing if anyone would like to.

In the Next Steps, the second bullet point might be one action point to highlight. Like Samson, we too are called to be set apart from the things of this world. Take time this week to consider and confess your own personal compromise and lack of holiness. Ask God to steer you back to holy living.

Mention or read Psalm 39 as a psalm to pray through, specifically verses 7-13 as your group reflects on Samson’s life. The psalm speaks of holding on to our hope in Him, even through His discipline.Hey, thanks again for joining me on another Leader Training podcast. Reach out with your comments and questions at [email protected] and hope you have a great group time!