1

God with Samson

2

[Judges15:15-16]

“Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.
Then Samson said, "With a donkey's jawbone I have made donkeys of them.
With a donkey's jawbone I have killed a thousand men."”

3

The people of Israel, who were supposed to serve only God, did something bad again before God. Israel who did not serve God could not receive God's protection.
They were ruled by the Philistines for 40 years and lived in pain.

4

God had compassion on Israel and decided to send someone to save them. A child was born in the land of Zorah to the family of Manoah and his wife who served God well.
This is the child God sent to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
The parents named the child Samson.

5

Before Samson was born, an angel of God appeared to his mother. God promised that he would allow a person to live in that family as a Nazarite.
A Nazarite is a person who is specially set apart and dedicated to God. It means that he is a man who should live only for God.

6

The angel also told her about an important secret that Samson had to keep. The secret is, “Do not cut his hair.” If Samson keeps this promise, God will always be with him. Samson's parents raised him without cutting his hair once after he was born.

7

When Samson grew up, he wanted to marry a Philistine woman in a place called Timnah.
His parents told him to marry an Israeli woman, but Samson was stubborn. Reluctantly,
Samson and his parents went down to Timna to meet the woman.

8

Samson was passing through a vineyard in Timnah when suddenly a lion roared and approached him. At that time, God gave Samson great strength. Samson grabbed the lion's mouth with his bare hands and ripped it to death. Because God was with Samson, even the lion could not help him.

9

A few days later Samson married a Philistine woman in Timnah. Samson waged a riddle bet on 30 coats and underwear with the people who were there. None of them could solve Samson's problem. So they threatened Samson's wife and threatened him to find out the answer.

10

Samson's wife found the answer from Samson and told them. Samson lost the riddle bet because of the cowardice of the Philistines. In anger, Samson went to a city called Ashkelon, killed 30 Philistines there, brought their clothes, and kept the promise he had made to them. Samson got very angry and went back to his house.

11

Samson, who went to pick up his wife a few days later, was even more angry. Because his wife's parents had sent her to be someone else's wife. Samson made it clear to his father-in-law who betrayed him. “From now on, even if I harm the Philistines, there is nothing wrong with me.”

12

Samson caught three hundred foxes and tied their tails to each other. One wooden stick was hung between the tied tails. Then he set the stick on fire and released the fox.
The foxes, with their tails on fire, ran from place to place, burning down the bunch of grain the Philistines had cut and all the grain that had not yet been cut.

13

Samson attacked the Philistines who were tormenting the Israelites and killed many people. Using the pretext of what Samson had done, the Philistines led an army and came to capture Samson. In order not to harm Israel, Samson told them to hand him over to the Philistines.

14

When the Philistines saw Samson tied with two new ropes, they shouted and rejoiced. At that time, God gave Samson great strength. Samson gave him strength, and the new rope that had bound him fell off like a burnt thread.

15

Samson picked up the jawbone of a recently-dead donkey. And they attacked the Philistines. The Philistines could not overcome Samson, who received the great power of God. Thousands of Philistines were killed by Samson.
The Philistine army could not defeat God who was with Samson.

16

It was not because they were strong that the Philistines were able to rule Israel for 40 years. Because God was not with them because of Israel's sin, the Philistines were able to rule them. Even the Philistine army, which seemed strong with good weapons, could not withstand the jawbone of a donkey that God was with Samson.

17

The greatest blessing we have received after believing in Jesus and being saved is the fact that God is always with us. Just as even the Philistine army could not defeat Samson who was with God, so can we. As long as we keep away from sin and live according to God's Word, God will never forsake us. No matter how great difficulties we face, He helps us to overcome them.
The strongest people in this world are those who have become children of God through faith in Jesus.
Believe that God is always with us who are children of God, and I hope that you will become people of faith who overcome with a strong heart no matter what you do.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)