Samson: A Fallen Hero & the Need for a King (Judges 13-16)

Our goal is to follow the true Hero of the story.

The Epic Story of God continues as a leader-less nation spirals downward. We enter the time of the Judges, deliverers chosen to rescue Israel at her rock bottom, once the people cry out to God for help.

We welcome guest preacher Ben Thompson as he teaches about “A Fallen Hero and the Needed King” on the troubles of Israel as captured in the life Samson (Judges 13-16).

The book of Judges presents a picture of God’s faithfulness to His Promises (aka the Mosaic Covenant). Israel continually falls away from the Lord who in return brings judgment. In Samson, we see the cycle continue, as God once again raises a fallen hero to deliver His people from oppression.

In a book that shows God’s steadfast faithfulness to His covenants, it is noteworthy that the final statement of the book “there was no king in Israel” is a statement about an unfulfilled aspect of God’s covenant. Where is this king, and why is he so important? (Hebrews 11:32-12:2 shows us that the fulfillment of the story is found in Christ.)

EPIC Samson

Message title: Samson: A Fallen Hero & the Need for a King
Week 10 of EPIC series (following the Hero of God’s Story)
Scripture: Judges 13-16
Preacher: Ben Thompson
Date: 3/16/14

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Scripture reading: Judges 13:1-25

13 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, but he said to me,‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child’s manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”

15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.” 16 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) 17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord,“What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of the Lord said to him,“Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” 19 So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

21 The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of theLord. 22 And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” 23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lordhad meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” 24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson.And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 21:25:

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Hebrews 11:32-12:2:

11:32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.


Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

Join the RENEW family in taking responsibility for our spiritual development in 2014, cultivating intimacy with God, and intentionally reading the Bible all year long.

Moses: Once Forgotten, Now Free (Exodus)

The Epic Story of God continues with the greatest miracle in the history of God’s people. Suffering as slaves, forsaken, Israel lived under the oppression of Egypt. It seemed like all of God’s promises were forgotten. When would freedom come?

The story of Moses reminds us of God’s power, protection and provision. An unlikely hero who spoke with God and for Him. Even still Moses — once forgotten, now free — plays a minor part in God’s Story, where Jesus is the Hero.

EPIC Moses Exodus

Message title: Moses: Once Forgotten, Now Free
Week 7 of EPIC series (following the Hero of God’s Story)
Scripture: Hebrews 11:22-29Exodus 2:11-4:17; 13:17-15:21
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 2/23/14

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Scriptures: 

Hebrews 11:22-29

22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

Exodus 2:11-4:17

Exodus 13:17-15:21


Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

Join the RENEW family in taking responsibility for our spiritual development in 2014, cultivating intimacy with God, and intentionally reading the Bible all year long.