The High Cost of Low Living

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 13:24Judges 13-16 tells the story of Samson, a Nazarite who was set aside by God for a purpose; He had been anointed with tremendous supernatural strength through the Holy Spirit. However, Samson was a bundle of contradictions. His story is not ultimately about his physical, mental, and spiritual strength; rather, it is about the high cost of low living.Samson’s sin meant he dishonored his parents.Samson’s parents were godly people; Samson fell into the wrong company and decided to marry a pagan girl despite his parents’ disapproval. Marrying someone who is not of the same faith almost always leads to disagreement, division, and confused children. Samson’s parents wanted more for him, but he settled for less.Samson also deserted his promise. (See Judges 14:5.)As he hung around the wrong crowd, he was hardened more and more by sin, forgetting his vow as a Nazarite.He also distorted his purpose.Samson’s strength was given to him to one day deliver Israel from the Philistines. Instead, he picked shallow fights with them, teasing his enemies and provoking them to anger.Samson defiled his purity.He wasted time with harlots without any conviction. (See Judges 14:16.)He also diluted his power.After breaking every other Nazarite vow up until this point, his uncut hair was the last vow. One prostitute, Deliliah, persistently begged to know the secret of his strength. When he told her, she relayed his secret to his enemies.Samson disgraced his profession.They cut his hair while he slept and his power was gone when he woke. The Spirit was gone from him; they blinded him and bound him. His series of small sins led to this tragic consequence.Finally, he diminished his potential.Now a spectacle in a Philistine temple, Samson repents of his sins and prays for strength one last time. God grants him enough of it to push the pillars over to kill the Philistines present, but Samson died with them.By God’s sovereignty, Samson’s purpose was fulfilled, yet he could have been used for so much more. God’s mercy is new every day.Adrian Rogers says, “While a child of God may not lose his salvation, he has so much to lose if he sins.”Apply it to your lifeDon’t play lightly with sin. Adrian Rogers says, “Treat sin like sin would treat you. Sin will have no mercy on you; don't have mercy on your sin.”