Jump Start # 1988

Hebrews 11:32 “And what shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets”

I heard a great sermon last evening from my preacher about Samson. We like the story of Samson for Bible classes and VBS, however, as adults, his story is troubling to many of us. Prostitutes. He and Delilah weren’t married. Samson and Philistine women, the enemy—not just to Israel, but to Samson’s heart. He dies a hero, but his story is troubling. And, what makes it even more puzzling to us is our verse today. There he is displayed in God’s trophy case of heroes of faith. And, right next to Samson’s name is Jephthah, and he is known for that foolish vow concerning his daughter that has troubled Bible students for years. Did he truly sacrifice his daughter?

Why is Samson and Jephthah listed here? Had we written Hebrews 11, we would have left them out. We may have included Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. Or, how about Uriah, the noble Hittite? But, not Samson. His story is so marred with trouble and problems, that it seems he only does one noble and right thing and that wasn’t until the very end of his life. Why is Samson spending so much time with the enemy of God’s people? He’s not spying. He’s not on an official mission. He seems to have a weakness for Philistine women. And, why is he listed among the likes of Noah, Abraham and Moses?

The news is filled with famous men who now are tarnished because of their abuse of women. For all the good that these men may have accomplished in their careers, they will be forever remembered by being fired for these secrets in their past. They are tarnished. They are ruined in their careers. Yet, Samson, immoral as he was, is listed as an example. He is a hero of faith. He is numbered among those who gained approval by God. He’ll be in Heaven.

There are some lessons here.

First, God forgives and we remember. We can say that we forgive, but we remember. Roger Maris was the first to hit more homeruns in a season than the legendary Babe Ruth. It took decades for Ruth’s record to be broken. The season included more games when Maris played. For that reason, there was an asterisk by his name. He hit more home runs, however, his season included more games than Ruth’s. This is what we do with forgiven sins. We tend to put an asterisk by a person’s name. King David, don’t forget Bathsheba. Noah, don’t forget he got drunk. Abraham, he lied. Peter, he denied. We do that even with people today. There is that guy at church, don’t forget, he confessed a few years ago about cheating on his wife. Years later, that asterisk that we keep by his name will keep him off any list of being considered an elder or a deacon. Samson was included in Hebrews 11. God forgives and we remember.

Second, none of the people in Hebrews 11 were perfect. If they were, Jesus would not have come. They all sinned. Their sin didn’t keep them from walking by faith and doing heroic deeds for God. We want our heroes to be perfect. If we want to hold them up to be role models, we expect perfection. We go over a person’s life with intensity, judging and analyzing every decision and every act before we will clear them to be a spiritual giant and hero. This process eventually eliminates everyone, including ourselves. It leads to discouragement because we feel that no one can do what is right. And, yet, here is God, holding up Samson, to the Hebrew Christians as a means to keep going in difficult times. Maybe it’s time we stopped looking for perfection in one another and started to do our best to be role models and examples for others.

Third, by faith, is why Samson is included in Hebrews 11. His life ends with a plea and prayer to God. He, as a judge, wants to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines. He did his part. The Philistine thorn in Israel’s side is centuries long. King Saul dies in battle with the Philistines. It wasn’t until the time of David, that the Philistines were finally subdued. By faith. We are to walk by faith. We are to practice righteousness. Not only did nearly every name in Hebrews 11 stumble on their walk with God, they also all suffered. Most of the suffering came about by making choices that put them with God. They stood with God and they suffered. The Hebrews 11 story is the story of the Hebrew Christians. It is also our story as well. We walk by faith. We suffer for making the right choices. The world doesn’t like us. The world doesn’t like our right choices. Like the names in Hebrews 11, we stumble. We make mistakes. We sin. God’s love, forgiveness and grace is what saves us. We become examples to others. Some lift us much higher than we feel is right. They see the good in us. We see everything. Abraham had to make a choice. Noah had to make choices. Joshua had to make choices. Samson had to make choices. You and I have to make choices. By faith, becomes the basis of which choice we will choose. By faith—not by happiness. Not by which is easiest, fastest or most convenient. By faith—by God.

Finally, Samson is in Hebrews 11 because God put him there. His name doesn’t appear there as a result of some heavenly vote. There was no contest, competition or questionable way he got included. He belongs there because God says so. And the same will be for you and I. We will be in God’s book of life and in Heaven some day because God says so. Others may question that. We may have reservations ourselves, God knows. Which leads us to this amazing conclusion.

There may be folks in Heaven, such as Samson, that I will be surprised to see there. In my mind, I may think they don’t belong in Heaven. I may be shocked who is in Heaven. Likewise, there may be some who I thing ought to be in Heaven and they are not. Only God knows the whole story. Only God truly understands choices by faith. There may be some who are shocked that you and I are in Heaven some day. Thankfully, man doesn’t determine that. Which means, I may judge a person to be wrong when God doesn’t. I may think a guy has missed it completely, like Samson, and yet, there he is, listed in God’s book for all eternity. Amazing! All of which should tell us that we must allow God to be God and we must walk away from His throne and put down the judging radar that we tend to point to people that we disagree with.

Samson will be in Heaven. That’s hard for some to understand. It may be even harder to grasp that you and I will be in Heaven.

God’s infinite grace and love and mercy makes all the difference when one is walking by faith. Had Hebrews 11 contained only spotless and perfect people, there wouldn’t be much hope nor encouragement for you and I. But there is Abraham. There’s David. There’s Noah. And, yes, there’s Samson. We know what they did wrong and we certainly know what they did that was right. By faith, they lived and died. My hope is not in being perfect, because that will never happen. My hope is in living and dying by faith.

I’m now glad that God included Samson in His trophy case of heroes. It helps. It gives hope. It gives courage. It reminds us that I can please God.

God is so good! He is so good to me!

Roger

Jump Start # 794

Hebrews 11:32 “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David ad Samuel and the prophets”

I sat in a class about Samson. My good friend, Josh did a great job of explaining the beginning of Samson’s life. Samson is a complex person and hard to figure out. He loved riddles and he loved Philistine women. His mistakes seem huge, such as keeping company with harlots. Yet, we find him listed in Hebrews 11, God’s chapter of heroes, as one who gained approval. The listing of Samson’s name in Hebrews 11 teaches us some valuable lessons.

First, most of us would not have included Samson in that list. We tend to remember the mistakes people make. But once we open that door, who would we include? Abraham lied and laughed at God. Noah got drunk. David committed adultery. Rahab wasn’t even from Israel and she is forever known, not as Rahab, but as Rahab the HARLOT. Jephthah made a rash vow that led to the sacrifice of his daughter. Everyone in Hebrews 11 had a past. They all had sins.

Second, we have a hard time not demanding perfection in others. Samson’s name in Hebrews 11 concerns us because he doesn’t seem to be a great example. In others, we have little tolerance for mistakes. We are quick to fire the preacher who made a mistake. We are ready to toss the elder who fumbled the ball. God doesn’t do that. God looks upon the heart, offers grace and forgiveness. These heroes lived by faith. They used faith in unbelievable circumstances, Samson included. Their approval does not come from being perfect, but being people of faith. Sometimes we can be hard on others because of their mistakes. It is easier to stand with the prodigal’s older brother, angry, refusing to go in to the house and participate than it is to be the forgiving father who rushes out to the prodigal to forgive and accept. Finger pointing at the mistakes of others is easy. Some even remember how many times a young person has messed up and tried to make things right. The media loves to show the failures of the famous. We get caught up in that and have a difficult time with those things. A Samson in our churches today would create more fear than rejoicing with many of us.

Third, it’s hard to see ourselves in the same category as others who make mistakes and sins. We tend to soften our failures while demanding the best out of others. If we spent as much time looking at ourselves as we do others, we would be better off. This has to do with judging. The headlights of the car coming at you always seem more glaring than your own. It’s easy to run through the names of Hebrews 11 and do a quick check list of all their failures. But do I do the same for myself? Do I cut myself more slack than I do the heroes of Hebrews 11?

Fourth, if we were making a list of Hebrews 11, we’d probably come up with different names.  There are some names that surprise us, such as Rahab and Samson. There are some names missing that also may surprise us. The first man, Adam, not there. The first high priest, Aaron, not there. The first king of Israel, Saul, not there. The first temple builder, Solomon, not there.  It’s not a fair conclusion to make that only the names found in Hebrews 11 represent the those from the Old Testament who will be in Heaven. This is not a complete list. These names are given as examples of those who endured tremendous suffering and overcame by their faith in God. These names are given as a lesson for the Christians who were suffering.

All of this reminds us that God’s list is often not my list. God is merciful, fair and just. I tend to favor my favorites. God knows the heart. I tend to be impressed by the outside impressions. God knows. I guess. Is it fair then to think that Heaven may be the same? There may be some that I think or even want to be in Heaven that may not be there. And there may be some that I think, no way, and they are there. If I can’t get the list in Hebrews 11 right, how can I get the roll in Heaven right. Maybe I ought to just leave that to God and not concern myself about who is and who is not going to be in Heaven. Maybe I ought to just spend my time working on myself and teaching God’s word to all. God will take care of Heaven. There is no one more fair and just than God. We do know that God wants us to follow His will. I need to do that. Just because I love mamma or a famous singer or the president doesn’t mean they will be in Heaven. God determines that. I need to make sure I’m walking by faith.

The Hebrews 11 examples were people, like you and I, who made choices every day, and their choices included God. They chose to live by faith. They chose to go God’s way in their world when most didn’t. They chose to believe. They chose to do what is right. They made mistakes, just as we do. They didn’t quit.

Samson’s life ends with him praying to God to use him one more time in the way God chose him—as a judge and deliverer for Israel. Blind, bald and bound, Samson did not give up on God, and neither should we. Our sins can cripple us to the point that we no longer believe that God wants us, loves us or will forgive us. Maybe that’s one reason why a Samson is in Hebrews 11. Many of us stumble along this journey with God. Some are walking so smoothly and so much in step with God that the rest of us think we might as well quit and go home. We stumble. We fail. We fall hard. We mirror Samson. Yet there remains hope. God hasn’t given up. The Samsons also gain approval through their faith in God. This is good news for us!

We need to be reminded of these truths. We love lists. The greatest movies, the best restaurants, the hottest stocks, the number one team in the standings…we love lists. Sometimes our lists might include who we think ought to be in Heaven. Be careful. You might be surprised. Above all, don’t think that you’ll be there just because you are a hotshot. It’s by faith that you will be there. It’s the only hope we have.

Roger