SESSION 10

When the Deliverer

Needs Deliverance
Summary and Goal

God sent Samson to rescue the people of Israel from the Philistines, even when they didn’t cry out for
deliverance. God, in His extravagant mercy, chose a deliverer for them. In the life of Samson, we see
God working through a flawed and sinful man for the good of His people and the glory of His name.

Main Passages
Judges 14:1-9
Judges 16:4-5,15-30

Session Outline
1. Samson’s impulses led him to break his vows (Judg. 14:1-9).
2. Samson’s success led him to behave irresponsibly (Judg. 16:4-5,15-20).
3. Samson’s defeat led him to turn back to God (Judg. 16:21-30).

Theological Theme
God works even through the defeats of sinful leaders to bring about His plan.

Christ Connection
Samson’s downfall was the result of his own disobedience, and yet God used his death to begin the
deliverance of His people. Jesus’ death was the result of His perfect obedience and our disobedience.
God used His death to bring deliverance “once for all” for His people.

Missional Application
We are to call people who feel defeated by sin and evil to put away their sins by turning back to God
for deliverance.

Date of My Bible Study: ______________________ 115

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 Session Plan

When the Deliverer

Needs Deliverance
Session 10

Introduction
Pack Item 8: Start by asking group members about the types of people we usually pick
The Judges Map when putting together a team. Contrast these types with the team of unlikely
For this session, highlight: sinners that God uses in the unfolding of His plan (leader p. 118; PSG p. 92).
• Samson’s location
• Timnah
Why do you think the Bible’s storyline consistently
• Gaza
highlights the flaws and failures of its heroes?

What significance does this theme have for us today?

Point 1 Option
Before the group meeting,
Connect the unlikely people of the Bible with ourselves. Show how Israel’s
enlist a volunteer to story and the judges in these stories are but a shadow pointing to the final
research and share a Judge—Jesus Christ (refer again to Pack Item 7: The Judges). Introduce the
summary of the Nazirite
vow and its obligations judge Samson and summarize this session on God’s sending Samson to rescue
(see Num. 6:1-21). the people of Israel from the Philistines (leader pp. 118-119; PSG pp. 92-93).

1. S
 amson’s impulses led him to break his vows
(Judg. 14:1-9).
For Further
Discussion Recount the angel’s telling Samson’s mother that her child should observe the
Nazirite vow from birth (leader p. 119). List the three specific vows. Then
Why is the concept of guilt
a good thing? read Judges 14:1-9. Explain that Samson’s pursuit of the Philistine woman
Why does removing a was wrong not because of racial or ethnic differences but because of the
sense of shame not also difference in their faith. Samson determined to pursue the woman because it
remove the reality of guilt?
was right in his own eyes (leader pp. 119-120; PSG pp. 93-94).

What are some desires that we appeal to in order to justify

our disobedience to God’s commands?

Note that Samson’s encounter with the lion revealed the level of his strength that
came from his obedience to the Nazirite vow. Highlight Samson’s compromise
and how it showed Israel’s heart at the time (leader pp. 120-121; PSG pp. 94-95).

Why is it not right just to “do what comes naturally” in

every situation?

What are some consequences of living this way?

116 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

2. S
 amson’s success led him to behave
irresponsibly (Judg. 16:4-5,15-20). Point 2 Option
Set the context for this passage (leader p. 121), and then read Judges 16:4-5. Ask groups of 3-4 to read
Romans 1:18-32 together. In
Point out that both Samson and Delilah wanted the same thing out of their view of Samson’s irrational
relationship—their own glory (leader pp. 121-122; PSG pp. 95-96). Briefly sin, ask them to identify
places in the passage
review their cat-and-mouse game (leader p. 122). that connect sin with a
person’s mind.
Samson’s sin in this story is irrational. In what ways do our After a few moments,
own sinful choices fail to make sense rationally? reconvene and call for
some responses.
Conclude this option by
Ask a volunteer to read Judges 16:15-20. Explain that Samson’s trust in his reading Romans 12:1-2.
own personal strength became a weakness. Use this to show why we need
to remember that there are no self-reliant Christians (leader pp. 122-123;
PSG pp. 96-97).

What successes in our lives might we put our trust in rather

than in God?

How can we maintain a strong sense of our dependence

on God?

3. Samson’s defeat led him to turn back to God

(Judg. 16:21-30).
Read Judges 16:21-30. Acknowledge the tragic aspects of Samson’s story,
but also affirm the aspects of redemption we can observe in the prayer
he offered at the end of his life—here we find strength in his weakness
(leader pp. 123-124; PSG pp. 97-98).

It took humiliation and weakness to finally get Samson’s

attention. What are some circumstances God can use to
get our attention and draw us back to Him?
Christ Connection: Samson’s
downfall was the result of
Stress that while we might wonder if Samson actually believed in the Lord, his own disobedience, and
he shows up in Hebrews 11, along with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. yet God used his death to
begin the deliverance of
Say that this prideful giant of a man was finally clothed in God’s mercy His people. Jesus’ death
(leader p. 125; PSG p. 99). was the result of His
perfect obedience and our
disobedience. God used His
What hope does it give us to see Samson mentioned as a death to bring deliverance
man of faith in Hebrews 11? “once for all” for His people.
........................................................
Conclusion Missional Application: We
are to call people who
Make it clear why Jesus is greater than Samson—He is the Deliverer who feel defeated by sin and
needs no deliverer. Emphasize how the story of Samson speaks to both evil to put away their sins
by turning back to God
Christians and non-Christians (leader p. 125; PSG p. 99). Apply the truths of for deliverance.
this session with “His Mission, Your Mission” (PSG p. 100).

Session 10 117
 Expanded Session Content

When the Deliverer

Needs Deliverance
Session 10

Introduction
Voices from If you were to put together a team, what kind of people would you
the Church select? Perhaps you would look for the biggest, strongest, fastest people,
“The ultimate deliverer, giving you a physical advantage over your opponents. Maybe you would
Jesus Christ, has no flaws. choose the smartest and quickest thinkers to give you the mental upper
So his rescue of those who
believe in him is complete hand. But when you look through Scripture at the team of people God
and everlasting.” 1 uses in the unfolding of His plan, His team seems a collection of
–Michael Williams unlikely people.
All of the characters in Scripture are sinners in need of a Savior:
Abraham the doubter, Jacob the deceiver, Moses the murderer, David
the adulterer, and Rahab the prostitute. We could go person by person
through the entire Bible and see this pattern throughout redemptive
history. God doesn’t blush at working through imperfect people.

Why do you think the Bible’s storyline consistently

highlights the flaws and failures of its heroes?

What significance does this theme have for us today?

The reality is that we walk in the footsteps of our fathers. Israel’s story
is our story. Like them, we are prone to chase after empty, lifeless things.
God tells us how to find life and freedom, but still we do what is right in
our own eyes (see Judg. 21:25). None of the judges in these stories solved
Israel’s ultimate problem—sinful, wayward hearts. The judges are but a
shadow pointing to the final Judge—Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at one of the last of the judges: Samson. Maybe you’ve heard
Samson portrayed as one part Jack Bauer (killing all the bad guys), one
part James Bond (a woman-chasing thrill-seeker), and one part the Hulk
(you don’t want to see him angry). But if all we see is a womanizing, angry
strong man saving the Israelites, we miss out on the heart of this story. We
can’t let Samson’s charisma divert our focus from what God is doing.

118 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

 Session Summary
In this session, we see how God sent Samson to rescue the people of
Israel from the Philistines, even when they didn’t cry out for deliverance.
God, in His extravagant mercy, chose a deliverer for them. In the life of
Samson, we see God working through a flawed and sinful man for the
good of His people and the glory of His name.

1. Samson’s impulses led him to break his vows

(Judg. 14:1-9). Further
Before Samson’s birth, an angel came to his barren mother and told her Commentary
she would conceive a son. God had chosen her child to be the one who would “Samson’s parents asked
begin delivering His people from the Philistines. The angel also told her that him in vain if there were
no women among his
the child should observe the Nazirite vow from birth (and she should observe relatives whom he could
the Nazirite diet until his birth) because of God’s promise to work through marry. Intermarriage with
the Philistines was a denial
her son. The Nazirite vow typically was a voluntary commitment that the of Samson’s calling as a
people of Israel could enter into in order to pursue God. Nazirite, and his choice of
a bride contrasts strongly
Nazirites dedicated themselves to God by keeping three vows: with the ‘ideal’ wife of
1. Never defiling themselves by touching a dead body. Othniel, the first judge, who
married Caleb’s daughter.
2. Never drinking alcohol or eating fermented foods. Samson said of the woman
3. Never cutting their hair. he ‘saw’ (v. 1), ‘I want her,’
which is literally, ‘she is
Unfortunately, as he grew up, Samson wavered in his commitment to right in my eyes.’ In this he
worship and love the God of his ancestors. Samson was a distracted judge. represented Israel, where
each citizen ‘did whatever
From women, to power, to having a good time, he consistently demonstrated he wanted’ (17:6; 21:25),
a tendency to go astray and reject his special identity. Nevertheless, God literally, ‘what was right
in his eyes.’ Yet the Lord
chose to work through him. In the following passage, we see how he would use even Samson’s
impulsively pursued a Philistine woman as his wife and then how he allowed sinful desires to accomplish
His purposes. The text
his impulses to lead him to break his vow to never touch a dead body. literally says ‘his father and
his mother did not know
that’ she ‘was from the
1
Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the Lord.’ This Philistine woman
daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and would be the means
God would use to stir up
mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get Samson to begin a conflict
her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there with the Philistines, who
were ruling Israel at this
not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our time. Again, the absence of
people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” any mention of Israel crying
out to the Lord is striking.” 2
But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”
–Iain M. Duguid,
4
His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for HCSB Study Bible
he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the
Philistines ruled over Israel.
5
Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and
they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward
him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he
had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.
But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went
down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson’s eyes.

Session 10 119
 After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see
8

99 Essential the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body
Christian Doctrines of the lion, and honey. 9 He scraped it out into his hands and went on,
41. Guilt and Shame eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to
Guilt refers to the objective them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey
status of someone being
found guilty for a wrong
from the carcass of the lion.
committed as well as the
incurring of punishment
that comes with it
A few miles from where Samson lived was the town of Timnah, where
(Matt. 5:21-22; Jas. 2:10). Samson found a Philistine woman whom he wanted to marry. By
Shame is the emotional
pain that comes from
pursuing this woman, Samson abandoned the clear teaching of God
sinful actions. Scripture (Deut. 7:3) and said, “She is right in my eyes.” The problem with this
teaches that human beings
are guilty in an objective
relationship wasn’t because of racial or ethnic differences but because of
sense and also feel the the difference in their faith. Samson was not “missionary dating” and
weight of shame in a
subjective sense.
trying to convert this girl; he just wanted what he wanted.
Isn’t this exactly what sin does to us? Sin appeals to our desires and
then beckons us to pursue the fulfillment of sinful desires rather than
righteousness. The most dangerous lies of our time encourage us to do
Voices from what seems right for us or to follow our heart or to find our own truth.
Church History “It is right in my eyes,” we say.
“[Samson’s] strength But the Bible teaches that what matters isn’t what we think is right but
belonged to the Spirit what God says is right. God’s Word is final, and He determines right from
of the Lord. In Samson
was the vessel, but the wrong. So to “follow your arrow” (as popular culture advises) or to “do what
fullness was in the Spirit. is right for you” (like every humanist philosopher preaches) is not the message
A vessel can be filled
and emptied.” 3 of the Bible. This is merely our culture striving to be god. The mantra is “We
–Caesarius of Arles decide what is right in our own eyes,” and the mantra rings with pure idolatry.
(circa 470-543)
What are some desires that we appeal to in order to justify
our disobedience to God’s commands?

While Samson had the Nazirite vow from birth, the vow had not
made it into his heart. Perhaps as a boy he walked in the faith of his
parents, but by the time he was an adult, his true colors showed. By the
end of Judges 16, we see that Samson has broken the Nazarite vow. Like
Israel, he has chosen to do “what is right in his own eyes.”
Samson’s flirtation with sin is a lesson for us. As Christians, we should
not ask, “How far can we go?” or, “How close can I get to the world
without sinning?” The real question we should ask instead is “How can
we be holy as an expression of love for Jesus?” Samson’s heart was set on
finding the line and jumping over it.
The story of Samson’s encounter with the lion reveals the level of his
strength. He was impulsive and powerful, and the strength that led him
to sin was also the strength that could protect him. Samson tore this
lion apart like a sheet of paper! His incredible strength came from his
obedience to the Nazirite vow. His strength came from God.

120 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

 Once the lion was dead, to keep his vow, Samson should have gone
and washed his hands with a ceremony, but he didn’t. He didn’t tell his Further
parents what happened. Instead, on his way back home, he followed his Commentary
impulses yet again and chose to eat honey out of the lion’s carcass. He “Words are inadequate
then shared it with his mom and dad, even making them unclean with to describe the utter
heartlessness of the
his actions! woman who lulled her
This deliverer, this mighty man of God, is not what we have come to lover to sleep with his
head in her lap, conscious
expect. We have seen judges imperfectly obey God while seeking to be of the fate into which she
faithful, but this man seems not to fear the Lord at all. was delivering him. Was it
nervousness that impelled
Like Samson, compromise creeps into our hearts. The story of Samson is her to call in a barber to
not given to us so that we can feel more or less righteous than he was. Samson’s clip Samson’s seven locks?
The precise meaning of
story is showing what Israel’s heart was at the time. His life was a microcosm ‘she began to afflict him’
of the people walking in rebellion and lusting after things other than God. (19, av, rv) is obscure, since
Delilah herself would hardly
When we read this account, God is speaking to us, warning us as we look at dare attempt any hurt
these compromises, challenging us not to “do what is right in our own eyes.” to Samson until she was
quite sure that his strength
was gone. Perhaps the
Why is it not right just to “do what comes naturally” in verb should have Samson
every situation? as its subject, ‘and he
began to be afflicted.’ The
warning call was given as
What are some consequences of living this way? on earlier occasions and
Samson, awakened from
his slumber, purposed
2. Samson’s success led him to behave to do as before, quite
irresponsibly (Judg. 16:4-5,15-20). unaware of what had taken
place. There is possibly
By the time we get to Judges 16, Samson has shown indifference to his no sadder verse in the
vows, he has rejected the advice of his parents (14:3), slept with a prostitute Old Testament than the
final sentence in verse 20.
(16:1), and continued a downward spiral of impulsiveness. He once tied In Numbers 14:40-45
300 foxes together and lit their tails on fire in order to burn some there is the sad picture
of a nation temporarily
Philistine fields (15:4). He once killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone forsaken by God; here there
of a donkey in one of the greatest battle stories in the entire Bible (15:15). is the tragedy of a man
unconscious of the fact
But he did these things not to honor God but to vindicate himself. that the Lord was no longer
Samson’s successes led him to forget his identity. He trusted in his own with him. In such a situation
shame and defeat are
strength instead of in God who supplied it to him. inevitable (cf. Ex. 33:14,15).” 4
–Arthur Ernest Cundall
4
After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was
Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her,
“Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we
may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will
each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”

Here we find God’s chosen deliverer with yet another woman he

should be nowhere near. Interestingly enough, Samson’s name meant
“sunshine.” As the tension builds between what Samson should do versus
what he was doing, he took up with Delilah, whose name means “night.”
In this pairing of sunshine and night, we see anything but love.

Session 10 121
 Maybe you want to defend poor Samson and blame mean, old Delilah
Voices from for deceiving him, but we see that both these characters wanted the same
the Church thing—their own glory. Delilah wanted power and wealth. The Philistine
“There is in truth no such leaders were powerful and would give her wealth and power if she helped
thing as harmonious co- them. Samson wanted the thrill of the chase and sexual fulfillment.
existence between church
and world, for where there So Delilah and Samson played this cat-and-mouse game. Three times
is no conflict it is because she asked him where his strength came from, and he lied to her, defeating
the world has taken over.” 5
his would-be captors each time.
–Michael Wilcock
First, he told her he would be powerless if she bound him with seven
fresh strings from a bow. Delilah tried this and he broke free. (At this point,
you might expect a “Define the Relationship” talk, including why she just
tried to have Samson killed, but they just kept playing the game.) Delilah
asked again and he said he would be weak like any other man if he were tied
up with new ropes. She tied him up with new ropes and called the Philistines
to attack, but he fended them off. Again, Delilah asked how he could be tied
up, and he said if she weaved the seven braids of his head with a loom, he
would be powerless. So Delilah tried that too, but with no success.

Samson’s sin in this story is irrational. In what ways do our

own sinful choices fail to make sense rationally?

At this point it’s like watching a horror movie where you know if
the girl opens that door, she’s going to be killed. The music is creepy and
getting louder, you’re sweating and biting your nails, you want to say,
“Samson, STOP!” But Samson is about to open that door…

And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your
15

heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have
not told me where your great strength lies.” 16 And when she pressed him
hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to
death. 17 And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never
come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s
womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall
become weak and be like any other man.”
18
When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and
called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told
me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and
brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees.
And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head.
Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said,
“The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he 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.

122 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

 There was weakness in the strength of Samson. In the midst of
his triumphs, Samson forgot that “the victory belongs to the Lord” Voices from
(Prov. 21:31). Samson’s personal strength became the basis of his trust Church History
rather than trusting in the source of that strength. “So a heart that is
It’s the same way with us. We tend to forget the Lord when things are hardened into a lump of
sin is good for nothing,
going well. We become so comfortable that we fail to remember that every but when it is dissolved
good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, coming down from by repentance, it is useful.
A melting heart is fit
the Father of lights (Jas. 1:17). We put our trust in our bank accounts, to pray.” 6
our relational network, or our role in the church. We overestimate our –Thomas Watson
importance and forget that it is God who both lifts us up and humbles us. (1620-1686)
One benefit of church small groups is knowing people and being
known well enough to warn each other when we see these patterns. We
call people who feel defeated by sin to turn to God in repentance. We help
each other wrestle against self-sufficiency. It is in biblical community that
we remember there are no self-reliant Christians.

What successes in our lives might we put our trust in rather

than in God?

How can we maintain a strong sense of our dependence

on God?

3. Samson’s defeat led him to turn back to God

(Judg. 16:21-30).
Samson’s story is a classic tragedy. As his life came to an end, Samson
experienced true faith and repentance. He stopped trusting in his own
strength and put his hope in God.

21
And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him
down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the
mill in the prison. 22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it
had been shaved.
23
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice
to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given
Samson our enemy into our hand.” 24 And when the people saw him,
they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy
into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.”
25
And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that
he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he
entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. 26 And
Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel
the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”

Session 10 123
 27
Now the house was full
Further of men and women. All the
Commentary lords of the Philistines were
“Although Samson’s prayer there, and on the roof there
represents a last-ditch were about 3,000 men and
effort to secure divine aid,
most readers will welcome women, who looked on while
the fact that he is finally Samson entertained.
acknowledging the role of
Yahweh in his life. At last he
28
Then Samson called to
cries for help, responding the Lord and said, “O Lord
to his personal crisis like
Israel as a whole should God, please remember me and
have been reacting to their please strengthen me only this
national emergency. When
all is lost, Samson knows once, O God, that I may be
to whom he must turn. avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the
In addressing Yahweh he
calls for the last laugh; let two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight
the joke be on his hosts against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.
and tormentors. Indeed
by beginning with…‘Lord,’
30
And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed
he recognizes God’s with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the
sovereignty over his own
life…In a concluding note people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more
the narrator acknowledges than those whom he had killed during his life.
the significance of this
act: in his death Samson
killed more Philistines than Here we find strength in Samson’s weakness. It is through man’s
he had slain in his life. In
popular circles at least
brokenness that God puts His glory on display. This is the only time in
this statement is generally Samson’s life we see him praying. He has run after sexual conquests, he
interpreted as a vindication
of Samson. While he may
has walked in violence and vengeance, he has been foolish, he disobeyed
have wasted his life, in his parents, and he has done everything he has known to be wrong.
the end he does indeed
begin to deliver Israel
Now he’s a different man. Samson is at the end of himself. The
from the Philistines. But Philistines captured him, plucked out his eyes, and turned him into a slave
the narrator’s comment
should not be interpreted
that ground grain. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
as a compliment. This is Often in counseling people wrestling with sin, I ask them, “Is this the
a tragic note. This man,
with his unprecedentedly
end of your rope? Are you at the end of yourself and ready to surrender?”
high calling and with his And many times they have looked at me and said, “No.” At that point,
extraordinary divine gifts,
has wasted his life. Indeed,
I plead with them to repent now and make this the end rather than keep
he accomplishes more for sinning and find the end. This was the end of Samson’s rope. He couldn’t
God dead than alive.” 7
run any farther from God. The same way that God handed the Israelites
–Daniel I. Block
over to their enemies for reproof and correction, God handed the judge
of Israel over for the same. And this was the moment Samson found true
strength in his weakness.

It took humiliation and weakness to finally get Samson’s

attention. What are some circumstances God can use to
get our attention and draw us back to Him?

124 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

 At the end of his life, Samson cried out to God for enough strength to
defeat the enemies of God’s people who were present. God reached down into Voices from
the brokenness of the judge who was chosen before his birth, and for the good Church History
of His people, He answered Samson’s prayer. He rescued His people despite “Let us no longer live in this
their total unbelief. Samson’s downfall was the result of his own disobedience, world as we have been;
in fact, let us no longer
and yet God used his death to begin the deliverance of His people. live to ourselves but let
You might wonder if Samson actually believed in the Lord. I think if Christ live in us. When he
has been restored to the
this were the only account of Samson we had in the Bible, we might have honor of the head, the
reason to wonder. But guess who shows up in Hebrews chapter 11? house of the devil will
fall, and all our enemies
Samson (Heb. 11:32). Along with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David is the will die with our sins in
name of Samson, who walked by faith in God. Though it took Samson eternal destruction.” 8
years for God to strip him of his pride, eventually this giant of a man was –Caesarius of Arles
(circa 470-543)
clothed in God’s mercy.

What hope does it give us to see Samson mentioned as a

man of faith in Hebrews 11?

Conclusion
Centuries later, another baby would come after the announcement
of an angel. The angel told a young girl named Mary that she would
carry the Deliverer of God’s people in her womb. She should call the boy
Jesus. This time the deliverer would not need deliverance but would bring
deliverance to the whole world. Jesus’ death was the result of both His
perfect obedience and our disobedience. And God used His death to bring
deliverance “once for all” for His people.
Jesus is greater than Samson. He is the Judge who never breaks His
Word, the Judge who never operates out of impulse or for self-gratification.
He only does the works of the Father, and in His death, many—
including us—become sons and daughters of God.
In the story of Samson, God says to Christians: “I love you. Before
you were born, I chose you. I am your rescue. The gifts I’ve given you
I gave because I’m a good Father. So when you look at your gifts and your
personality and the blessings in your life, let worship run its full course
back to Me.” Let’s not dare trust in ourselves.
To our friends who are not Christians: look at the life of Samson. Look at
how God loved the womanizing, angry killer. Look at His mercy on display.
There is no sin that God cannot forgive. There is no end to His mercy. But
today, choose to believe in God, and trust Jesus to forgive all of your sins.

CHRIST CONNECTION: Samson’s downfall was the result of

his own disobedience, and yet God used his death to begin the
deliverance of His people. Jesus’ death was the result of His
perfect obedience and our disobedience. God used His death to
bring deliverance “once for all” for His people.

Session 10 125
 Additional Resources

When the Deliverer

Needs Deliverance
References Get expert insights on weekly studies through Ministry
1. Michael Williams, How to Read Grid at MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject.
the Bible Through the Jesus Lens
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry
2012), 39.
blog at LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry.
2. Iain M. Duguid, in HCSB Study
Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010),
416, n. 14:3-4.
3. Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 118.2, Study Material
quoted in Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
1–2 Samuel, ed. John R. Franke, -- “Samson—Christ-Centered Preaching”—Article by Ed Stetzer; find a link
vol. IV in Ancient Christian
Commentary on Scripture: Old
to this article at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources
Testament (Downers Grove: IVP,
2005), 146. -- “Sex and Power”—Article by T. M. Moore; find a link to this article at
4. Arthur Ernest Cundall and Leon GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources
Morris, Judges and Ruth, in Tyndale
Old Testament Commentaries
(Downers Grove: IVP, 2008), 171.
-- Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including “Geography and the Story
5. Michael Wilcock, The Message of of Samson,” can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter,
Judges, in The Bible Speaks Today
(Downers Grove: IVP, 1992), 142. at LifeWay.com/BiblicalIllustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project.
6. Thomas Watson, The
Doctrine of Repentance [PDF],
76. Available from the Internet:
www.ntslibrary.com. Sermon Podcast
7. Daniel I. Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6
in The New American Commentary Hayes Wicker: “A Nation of Thorns and Snares”
(Nashville: B&H, 1999), 467, 469.
8. Caesarius of Arles, Sermon
119.3, quoted in Joshua, Judges,
Ruth, 1–2 Samuel, ed. John R.
Find a link to this at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources
Franke, vol. IV in Ancient Christian
Commentary on Scripture: Old
Testament, 167.
9. Rick Yount, “The Goal
of Christian Education:
Tip of the Week
Christlikeness,” in The Teaching
Ministry of the Church, 2nd ed., ed. The Goal of Christlikeness
William R. Yount (Nashville: B&H,
2008), 212.
“The goal of Christian teaching is Christlikeness in our learners. The
teacher helps by provoking clear thinking, passionate valuing, skillful
doing, and humble submission to the Lord day by day. We, of course,
cannot produce Christlikeness in our learners, but we are instruments
in the Master’s hand. We can cooperate with Him in the process. In the
end, when we honor Jesus as Teacher and Lord, when we teach others as
He teaches us, when we love others as He loves us, we will influence them
toward Christlikeness.” 9

126 Leader Guide • Spring 2016

 About the Writers

Unit 1:
Philip Nation (sessions 1-2) is the content development
The Gospel Project®
Adult Leader Guide ESV
director for LifeWay and the teaching pastor for The
Volume 4, Number 3 Spring 2016 Fellowship, a multi-campus church in Nashville, Tennessee.
Eric Geiger His newest book is Habits for Our Holiness: How the Spiritual
Vice President, LifeWay Resources
Disciplines Grow Us Up, Draw Us Together, and Send Us Out.
Ed Stetzer
General Editor
Robert Smith (sessions 3-6) is a professor of Christian
Trevin Wax
Managing Editor preaching and holds the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of
Daniel Davis
Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama.
Content Editor He is the author of Doctrine That Dances. He is married to
Josh Hayes Dr. Wanda Taylor-Smith, and they have four adult children
Content and Production Editor with one in heaven.
Ken Braddy
Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies
Tanya McAvoy (assisted with unit 1 session plans) serves
Michael Kelley
Director, Groups Ministry in the areas of evangelism and education at Neptune Baptist
Church in Neptune Beach, Florida. She earned her MDiv
Send questions/comments to: from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her
Managing Editor,
The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide, husband, Ryan, have three children.
One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102;
or make comments on the Web at
www.lifeway.com. Unit 2:
Printed in the United States of America Afshin Ziafat resides with his wife, Meredith, and two
daughters in Frisco, Texas, where he is the lead pastor of
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the church for over 20 years. A graduate of Southern Seminary,
We believe that the Bible has God for its author;
he serves as the pastor of ministries and worship at Providence
salvation for its end; and truth, without any
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Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are
taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy
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Unit 3:
Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Steven Smith is the vice president for Student Services and
Communications and professor of preaching at Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of Dying to
Preach: Embracing the Cross in the Pulpit and Recapturing the
Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture. He is married to
Ashley, and they have three children.

WRITERS