Transcription
[music] Heat. Hey, Heat. Hey, hey, hey.
>> [music] [music]
>> Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Well, good morning church. Come on, stand with us. We're so glad you're all here this morning. Your word says in your presence there is fullness of joy at your right hand pleasures forever. Comes from the book of Psalms.
[music] So with that in our hearts, let's pour out our praise to the Lord Almighty. Come on everybody. Let's do this together.
[music] This is the day you [singing] made. So I'll rejoice and be glad. Rejoice and be glad [music and singing] in it. This [music and singing] is where I believe [music] that. And you are [chant and singing] more than enough. You're more than enough [music] for me.
>> He's faithful.
>> You are [singing] faithful to your promise. You are strong when I am weak. When I'm standing in your [music and singing] presence, I have everything I need.
>> [music]
>> The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. [singing] The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is [singing] my strength.
[music] Oh my [singing] soul, bless his name.
[music] All that is within me [singing] say the [music] joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is [singing] my strength.
>> [music]
>> Jesus, come on. Jesus, come on. [singing and music] He's worthy. You are worthy of all. You're worthy of all my [music and singing] praise. You are faithful [singing] to your promise. You are [music] strong when I am weak. When I'm standing [singing] in your presence, I have [music] everything I [singing] need. The joy of [music] the Lord. The joy of the Lord [singing] is my strength. The joy [music] of the Lord. The joy of the Lord [singing] is my strength. Oh my [music and singing] soul. Bless his name. All that is within me say [singing] the joy of the Lord. The joy [music] of the Lord is my strength.
[music] So let it rise up [music] like a river. Let it [singing] rise up like a river.
>> [singing and music]
>> Overflowing. Holy Spirit, let it [music and singing] pour out with no limit [music] overflowing. [singing] Holy Spirit, [music] [singing] let it rise up [music] like a river [singing] overflowing. [music] Holy [singing] Spirit, let it pour out with [music and singing] all the glory. [singing and music] Holy Spirit, [music] holy father. Can we sing together?
[music] The joy of the Lord. The joy of [singing] the Lord is my strength. The joy of [music and singing] the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. My soul. Oh my [music] soul. Bless his [singing] name. All that is within me. Say, oh my soul, bless his [music and singing] name. All that is within me. Say, [music] oh my soul, bless his name. All that [music and singing] is within me, say. The joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord [singing] is my strength.
>> [music]
>> The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is [music and singing] my strength.
>> Amen. Give the Lord praise this morning. Amen. Amen. Great singing church, you can be seated. Uh and as you're seated this morning, we are so excited to have baptism. So, can you direct your attention to the baptistry this morning?
>> Good morning, Wallace. Isn't it a great day to be in the house of the Lord? Isn't it a great day to have a celebration of a new life coming into the kingdom? This is Lydia Haney. Lydia is my granddaughter. She's the oldest of my grandchildren. And we've been praying for this day for a long time. So, we're excited in our family. Lydia was my one. You remember we prayed for our ones? Lydia was my one. Lydia shared with me that recently at a school retreat, there was a time of invitation and she heard the Lord call to her and say, "Follow me." And so that's what she's here to share with you today is that she's decided to become a follower of Christ. So Lydia, I have a question for you. In the words of that famous theologian Tyler Baker, have you decided to repent of your sins and [music] to submit to the lordship of Christ?
>> Yes.
>> So based on your public profession of faith in the command in the scriptures, I baptize you, my sister in Christ, in the name of the father who has known you before time began. In the name of the Son who thought about you [music] when he was dying on the cross for your sins. And in the name of the Holy Spirit who will empower you to live for him each day. Buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life. [applause]
>> [applause]
>> There may be some here today who have decided to follow Christ, but you haven't yet been obedient in believers baptism. So look, here's water. What keeps you from being baptized?
>> [music] [applause]
>> Good morning, Wallace.
>> I think there's like five people awake and they're all sitting right here. So, I'm going to try that again. Good morning, Wallace.
>> Excellent. It is so great to see you here today. We just want you to know that however you got here, wherever you're from, whatever made you choose to come worship with us today, we are happy that you decided to be here with us. So, welcome. We're happy to have you here. And if this is your first time here, we would like to get to know you a little bit better. Uh you can actually take out your phone and text the word welcome to 8652343241. [music] You'll give us a little information and we can get to know you and that's how we can start the process of getting you involved here at church. Now, right now, our ushers are going to come forward and we are going to begin a time of giving. When you give here at Wallace, we take that money and we send it out to places. We send missions. We send people to the far reaches of the world so that others [music] can know the gospel and that they can be saved. You'll get to see a really cool video about one of our teams doing that here in just a [music] second. So, pray with me. God, thank you so much. Thank you that we get to be here in your house today. God, thank you that we get to see new life through baptism. God, thank you that you are willing to save people. God, thank you that we get to give to your mission and be a part of it. God, we just [music] ask that you impress on our hearts how much you love each and every person in this room. God, thank you for who you are and what you've done. Amen.
[music] Thank you for being a church that allows us to go all around the world to send people out to tell others about the good news of Jesus. This team was able to go to Red Hill and partner with those that are on the field preparing their hearts to tell others to share the gospel, the [music] good news with others. we were able to spend time with those missionaries with their kids [music] and to pour into them while they were being poured into uh for the mission field. Thank you for allowing us to do this. And if you would be interested in going on this type of trip, let us know.
Heat. Heat. Amen. The Bible says God has [music] highly exalted him that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Please stand with us.
Were [singing and music] creation suddenly articulate with [singing] a thousand tongues to lift one [music] cry. Then [singing] from north to south and east to west we hear [singing] Christ be magnified.
[music] >> Were the [singing] whole earth echoing [music] his imminence.
>> His name [singing] would burst from sea and sky. From rivers [singing] to [music] the mountain tops we [singing] rise be magnified.
[music] Sing [music] it all [singing] Christ be magnified. Just let [music and singing] his praise arise. Christ be magnified in [singing] me. See all Christ be [music] magnified from the altar of my life. [singing] Christ be magnified [music] in me. When [singing] every [music] creature finds its inmost [singing] and every [music] human heart is [singing] made right then in one [music and singing] of praise we'll [music and singing] see Christ be magnified. Oh Christ [music] be magnified [singing] in us. See all [music] Christ be magnified. Just let [music] his praise rise. Christ be magnified [music and singing] in me. See all Christ [music] be [singing] magnified from the altar of my life. Christ be [music and singing] magnified in me.
[music] [singing] Be magnified. And I [singing and music] won't bow to idols. I'll stand strong and worship you. And if it puts me in the fire, I'll rejoice [music] cuz you're there, too. [singing] I won't be formed by feelings. I hold fast to what [singing and music] is true. And if the cross brings transformation, you can hang [music] there with you. Cuz death [singing] is just the doorway into resurrection [music] life. And I join you in your sufferings. [music] And I'll join you [singing] when you rise. And will you return glory with all the [music and singing] angels and the saints? My heart will still be singing. My soul will be [music] the same. [singing] Christ be [music] magnified. Just let his [singing] praise rise. Christ magnify [music] the [music] altar [singing] of my life. Christ be magnified [singing] in me. [music] Christ be magnified. Just let his arise. [music] Christ be [singing] magnified in me. [music] Oh, [singing] Christ be magnified from the [music] altar of my life. [singing] Christ be magnified in [singing] Jesus. Pray with me, [music] church. Lord, we come to you this morning already thankful for all that you've done in this service. Lord, we thank you for renewed life. Lord, we thank you that we can come and we can worship you. Lord, we pray that you would be magnified in our worship, magnified in our lives. Lord, be with us as we continue to worship. Be with the word it is preached. All these things [music] we pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Jesus is in [singing] this [music] room here. I here I [singing] making this place I stand holy [singing and music] ground. Holy ground. [music] Your spirit moves [music] and breathes all [singing] around. All around all good [music] and perfect things flowing [singing] down, flowing [music] down. All of the heavens sing along [music and singing] with the saints and the elders sing glorious song and the praises they sing. Never seem to [music] get all [singing] forever singing. Holy, holy, [singing] holy [music] Lord God [music] Almighty [singing] over all. [music] [singing] You are you are [music] you'll be forever the king in throne [singing] in glorious splendor. Holy, [music] holy Lord. [singing] [music] [music] [music]
>> [music]
>> Gentle of calling [singing] me closer [music] still closer still. Jesus, you're guiding [music and singing] me to your will to your [singing and music] will. All of the heavens are singing along [music and singing] with the saints and the elders in glorious song and the praises they sing and sing together [music and singing] and I'll stay here forever sing [music and singing] [music] God [singing] Almighty.
>> [music] [singing]
>> You are [music] you are joy forever the king in glorious splendor. [music] Holy, [singing] holy, holy. [music] [singing] The veil is [music] torn. The doors sling wide. I see glory [singing] as I run inside the throne [music] room. Before you I bow. The veil is torn. The doors [music and singing] seem wide. I see glorious. I run inside the wrong [singing and music] room. Before you I [singing and music] b the veil is torn, the doors [music and singing] wide. I see glorious. I run inside [music] before [singing] you. I sw the door [music] Yeah. Heat. [music] [singing] [music] Oh, [music] [singing] [music] heat, heat. [singing] [music]
>> [music]
>> Holy, [singing] holy Lord, [music] holy, [singing] holy Lord, [singing] God Almighty, [music] all [singing] you are. Heat. Heat. [music] [music and singing] You forever the king [music and singing] is you are you are forever [music] the Hey, [singing] [music] [singing] [music] [music] [singing and music] [music] Heat. [singing] [applause] [music] Heat. Heat. Heat.
>> [music] [music]
>> During the summer of 1998, two baseball players embarked on a journey that would later be referred to as the longgone summer, [snorts] created by an ESPN 30 for30 documentary. If you remember this season, you will remember that Mark Maguire and Sammy Sosa were in a race to hit more than 61 home runs to break Roger Miris's record that had been standing for 37 years. Now, as a lifelong Cubs fan, there we go. We got two of us in the house today. And I know what you're thinking, Jared Vanderbilt and the Cubs. Yeah, it's making a lot of sense right now. But as a lifelong Cubs fan, this was an exciting experience, something to be a part of, something to look forward to. It's actually been labeled the summer that saved baseball because after the 1994 strike, there was a decline in attendance and viewership. Baseball was needing something to get people excited about the game again. And this home run race is what did it. The year before, sorry, I'm getting choked up thinking about it. The year before in 1997, Mark Maguire had hit 58 home runs, coming close to breaking the record. So it the the stage was set for him to come back in 1998 and and do what needed to be done. What wasn't on the horizon was this guy named Sammy Sosa. His story was a little bit different. He had only hit uh he had the highest he had ever gone is 40 home runs in a season. So no one was looking at Sammy Sosa to be a part of this story. But in June of 1998, he hit 20 home runs in that month. And everyone took notice. Mark Magguire took notice. Major League Baseball took notice. And the race was on. In September of 1998, Mark Maguire won the race by hitting his 62nd home run. Sammy Sosa broke decorum because they were playing the Chicago Cubs in this game. Sammy Sosa runs out from um right field and he comes to the home. He comes home plate and he hugs Mark Maguire. It was an unbelievable experience. Mark Magguire finished with 70 home runs. Sammy Sosa finished with 66 home runs. [snorts] Unfortunately, the home run race will forever be marred with controversy because we now know that this whole thing happened in what is known as the steroid era of baseball. And in 2010, Mark Maguire admitted to taking steroids. In 2024, Sammy Sosa admitted to making a mistake. And for many fans of baseball, especially the purists, these two men will never really be seen in a completely positive light. Their legacy will forever be covered in questions and controversy. And proof of this is that Sammy and Mark have never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Two men with all the gifts in the world. Two men with of great strength. Two men with the world at their fingertips. Two men with fame and fortune. But ultimately, two men who will always be seen as having fallen short. This is the story of Samson. Someone who had the world ahead world ahead of him. From his birth, life was set up for him to succeed. But he simply fell short of his potential, leaving a legacy covered in controversy. So open up if you will with me to the book of Judges chapter 16 and stand with me if you are able as we read. We will be starting in verses starting verse 25 and we'll just read a few verses after that. Judges chapter 16 starting in verse 25. When they were in good spirits being the Philistines, they said, "Bring Samson here to entertain us." So they brought Samson from prison and he entertained them and they said they had him stand between the pillars. Samson said to the young man who was leading him by the hand, "Lead me where I can fill the pillars supporting the temple so I can lean against them." The temple was full of men and women. All the leaders of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertain them. He called out to the Lord,"Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more with one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes." You can be seated. God, in this place, I pray that our eyes are opened to the legacy that we leave and the legacy that we live. May your word come alive to us today. May we read it understanding that we are to hear from you. So God, we say speak and may our hearts listen in Jesus' name. Amen. This morning we're closing our look at Samson. We spent the last this is the third week looking at the judge Samson as we go through our series in the book of Judges. And my hope this morning is that when we walk away we walk away with this understanding. Samson was a colossal failure. Which leads us to what our hope what I I hope our action step will encourage us to do. Don't waste your legacy. Samson wasted it all. Don't waste your legacy. The first thing that we see that we're going to look at this morning is that Samson had a led a squandered life. So, as we come to the end of the story of Sam Samson, something kind of jumps out at me. Um, I think that we put Samson on a pedestal that he was ne that he had never deserved and that he was never intended to be put upon. And growing up, I think it's safe to say I grew up in church. All the Bible stories about Samson were really, really cool. Uh, I was always excited to learn about him. They had really cool cool posters with s dude with long hair on it. I'm like, man, this is this guy is the man, right? He was also a judge of God. So when I when I understood or when I when I was reading the story, it was it was thought that this is someone that we need to respect and look up to. But may he may have been someone that God used, but I don't think that he is someone that we are to learn our life lessons from. Samson was someone who had all the potential in the world. But potential is what could be or what could have been. And in Samson's life, he just fell short. Judges 13 reminds us, if you remember the story in Judges 13, it gives us a glimpse of how Samson was going to be raised, that he was going to be set up to to to have a good life. Because when the angel of the Lord came to his mother, she he the angel said that she was going to have a son and that her son was going to in fact be a important person and he was going to be a Nazarite. He was going to be separate or separate separated consecrated for something bigger, something better. He was going to be he was going to be raised in such a way that he would be able to be an example in this life. The problem is as much as they probably wanted to and as much as they encouraged him, his parents could not live his life for him. And parents in this in this room understand that struggle. It's not that we want to live the lives for our children, but we want to help them as much as we can so they don't make mistakes, so that they don't mess up, so they can live their very best life. But instead of Samson committing to this life that his parents were raising him in, he squandered it away. And his life was filled with anger. His life was filled with vengeance. His life was filled with sex and murder, disorderly conduct, property damage. I mean, I'm not really sure how you're supposed to cate character cate. Y'all know what I'm saying. I'm not sure where you're supposed to put the fact that he, you know, he tied torches to fox's tails and set them off in a field. I mean, that's a cool prank story, but it's not really great for for the legacy of somebody, right? He was he was a destructive person. He was involved in property damage. He was involved in disorderly conduct. Sex drove him. Vengeance drove him. And he lived this life as if God had called that he lived this life that God had called him to like he was untouchable. It was more like he was appointed rather than called. And when he felt when he felt point like he was appointed then he clearly believed that he was above the law. Really in chapter 16 it's more of the same. He feels like he's indestructible. He lives this life with this ego that's difficult to explain. He felt like he was bigger than the situation, that he was bigger than his sin, that he was blind to his sin. And he plays with fire over and over again. And ultimately, as one does when they play with fire, he got burned. But what led him to this point? In chapter 14:1, it says that he saw a young Philistine woman. In chapter in Judges 16:1, he says he saw a prostitute. Judges 16:4, he fell in love with someone that he saw, a woman named Delilah. So through his eyes, he was seeing all these things and everything, right? His lust, his vengeance, everything. His eyes were driving him. Then you follow the story with Delilah and it seems like my man had a onetrack mind and and they they were in this ongoing relationship and she was in an ongoing relationship with the people who were actively wanting to kill him. You can see how he was blind to it and he was entangled in his sin and he was committed to his sin. I [snorts] I don't think that Samson was just some stupid guy. I think that he was someone who got comfortable with sin and comfortable with the benefits of his gifting but never felt like he needed to be accountable to them. And then we get to chapter 16 21 and lo and behold, what's the first thing that goes? The thing that got him probably into the most trouble. Verse 21 says, "The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him in bronze shackles and he was forced to grind grain in the prison. Samson is this transition point for the people of God. Prior to this, it is said that they are doing what is evil in the eyes of the Lord. Samson was a transition to they were doing whatever was right in their own eyes. And here's the thing. When we normalize sin, we remove God from the equation. Samson had normalized the sin in his life and in doing so there was really no need for God in his life. Samson lived his life doing whatever he saw was right and the first punishment he receives is the removal of his sight. Don't don't miss the point there. His desires, his pride, his ego, his sin, these things that were blinding him spiritually and now he was blind physically. And in this room, there may be someone struggling with some of these same things today. and you feel pretty good about it right now because you're getting away with it or you haven't been caught yet. And I would encourage you to repent and turn to the Savior before his patience runs out. In Samson's life, it got to the point like we just read that he was shackled and he was grinding grain, which is ironic, right? He he's grinding the the grain that he thought he had destroyed all of it later on. This is later on, right? They're still going to produce grain. He He just made a dent. He didn't stop at all. And then in verse 25, we're shown that Samson becomes the entertainment for the gathering. This is a picture of a man who was set up for success from the beginning. He had everything in front of him and he squandered it all away. All the potential in the world and instead of seeking the desires of the Lord, he sought his own. And life decision after life decision, it led him to this point. I think we can all feel that how our decisions can move us away from the Lord many times instead of to him. So what can we learn? How do we respond? We live in the United States of America in 2025. We have a lot of opportunities. We have the world at our fingertips. We have every opportunity to live this life to the fullest. So, how do we avoid the pitfalls that Samson fell into? I think it's about perspective. Psalm 39:es 4-5. I think this helps a little. Lord, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will not so that I will know how short-lived I am. In fact, you have made my days just inches long and my lifespan is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. If we realized truly realized that our life is an absolute blessing from the Lord, maybe we would be less willing to squander it. Maybe we'd be more willing to follow through in this life. Maybe we'd be more willing to live it to the full if we understood wholeheartedly that when I wake up and I breathe air into my lungs, it is an absolute gift from God. May I live this day for him. When I look at my children and I see the smiles on their face, may I understand that they are an absolute gift from God. Their lives are an absolute gift from God. May I live this life for him. When I look at my wife and I see her love and I see her love for me and my love for her, may I see that as an absolute gift for from God and may I live this life for him. If I understood that every step that I take today is because God gave it, maybe I would be more willing to live it for him. It's all about perspective. When my eyes aren't focused on me, it's easier to live this life today. Isaiah 43:7 says that everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory, I have formed them. Indeed, I have made them. Here, listen, church. You were not created for sin's gratification. You were created for God's glory. If I understood that in my life, it would be easier to not squander this life away. Everything that we do should point to the glory of God. When we think back on Samson's name, right, his Samson, his name meant sunchild. He was supposed to be the light in the darkness. He was supposed to resonate life in this life and it didn't work out. And now Jesus says in John 8:12, I am the light of the world. And then he says in Matthew 5:14 that you are the light of the world. This light that Samson was supposed to shine is the light that we are now supposed to shine today. Jesus said that I am the light of the world and as long as I am in it and now we are the light of the world because we are his representatives. And I'm just saying don't hide it under a bushel. Don't let Satan blow it out by golly. Live it out. Live for his glory. Don't squander your life. And then it's it makes it a lot easier to read. John 10:31 where Paul says, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." When we live this life for our glory, we are wasting it. But I don't think that Samson was just wasting his life. I think that he was wasting his faith. that he was squandering his faith because remember when Samson was born, the Israelites had been doing what was evil in the eyes of God. They had been in they had been uh ruled over by the Philistines for 40 years. In the middle of all of this, an Israelite named Monoah and his wife, the Lord chose them to bring about the beginning of the deliverance of his people. Verse 13 or chapter 13:5 says that he was to begin their deliverance. I find it interesting that Samson wasn't going to be the ultimate deliverer. He was going to begin the deliverance from the beginning of his life. Like I said earlier, he was consecrated as a Nazerite. He was set apart to live in a relationship with the Lord. Samson clearly knew this, right? Samson was ra it's not like he didn't know that he was a Nazerite. He knew that why he was a Nazarite. He knew that he was set apart for a specific reason. But he had g there's been no indication that early on he had broken any of his vows. It was just in this part of his life that we see he no longer even cared about these vows. Dr. Green mentioned uh last week his interaction with the carcass of a lion. Can't do that as a Nazerite. And we all know the story of Samson and Delilah and the ultimate cutting of his hair. Can't do that as a Nazerite. Samson wasn't a man living out his faith. He was a man living for his own interests. And again, in his faith, Samson was set up for the win. He had every opportunity to grow in his relationship with God. But just like in his life, he fell short. The only redeeming quality that we see in at the end of his life is where he prayed out to God to give him strength once more. But even in his prayer, I think we see a couple of things that could be a little alarming for us. And it also kind of shows us that he still doesn't get it. In verse 28, he called out to the Lord, "Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God. Just once more with one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes." Why did he want his strength back? Vengeance. He didn't want his strength back for anything honorable. Give me my strength back so that I can pay these suckers back for taking my eyes. The thing that continually got him in trouble, that's what he wanted. That's what he wanted retribution for. I read this prayer, I hear this prayer, I don't see someone that's like, "My bad, God. Forgive me. I was wrong." I see someone who was still living in his ignorance and living in this life that he was squandering away. And in this prayer we see that he uses the personal intimate name of God, right? He says, 'Lord God. This is a name that was that was limited to the people of God as an intimate name between them and the father. But he doesn't continue that name. He transitions to the generic name Elohim. This is the same name that the Philistines were using just a little while earlier as they praise and worshiped their god Deeon. He couldn't even keep his prayer personal. This prayer really has nothing to do with God and everything to do with himself. Read through it again. Is there any part of Samson's life where he is operating out of the interest of God? At no time do we see him walking in faith or praising God. I think the life of Samson is also a reminder to all of us that you you can't live on the faith of your parents. He had good parents. [snorts] He probably heard the shama all the time in the morning and at night. There was a reason that the Lord chose Monoah and his wife. He was raised to know him. But their faith would never be enough to save him. Just like your faith and your parents will never be enough to save you. And parents, your faith cannot save your children. But please, oh please, parents live in such a way that your children cannot deny it. Samson wasted his life. He wasted his gifts that God had given him. He wasted his faith. He never used his gifts to develop his faith or his relationship or dependence on the Lord. So what do we do with our gifting? What do we do with the gifts that God has given to us? Romans 12 3-8. And this is where we'll close. For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead think sensibly as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body and all the parts do not have the same function. In the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another according to the grace given to us. We have different gifts. If prophecy use it according to the proportion of one's faith. If service use it in service. If teaching and teaching, if exhortation and exhortation, giving with generosity, leading with diligence, showing mercy with cheerfulness. I'm one who believes that this list is not a comprehensive list of gifts. I do believe that we have these gifts accord uh that God has given us gifts to build each other up. I believe that God has given us gifts to build the church up. I believe that God has given given us gifts in order to glorify him. So again, I don't think this is a comprehensive list. So let's contextualize it a little bit for us today. If accounting, may they account in such a way that brings glory of glory to God. If marketing, may they create and dream in such a way that brings glory to God. If facilities, may they work in such a way that brings glory to God. If piloting, may they discern and use their gift in a way, please, to bring glory to God. If banking, if graphic designing, if mowing, fill in the blank. Your gifts should highlight your faith and your walk with Jesus in such a way that it can only bring glory to God. Are you seeing a theme? Samson's life was not about God's glory. Your life should be about God's glory. When we look at Samson and we really look at him, not the VBS version overview or the Sunday school flannel board presentation, you will see someone who fell short, who squandered his life, who squandered his faith, who squandered his legacy. It's not a colorful story about a strong man. It's a cautionary tale about a weak man. But it is a story that points to true redemption. Because one day there will be a judge that finishes what was started here. And you can know this redemption. You can know Jesus, the one who finished it. And if that's a decision that you want to make today, I want to encourage you. Come to know Jesus. I'm not inviting you to know Samson. I'm inviting you to know the true deliverer of the world. Come to know Jesus. Later on in our service, we'll have we'll have leaders up here who are willing to answer whatever question that you may have and help you start this journey. What Samson did imperfectly points to a savior who did it perfectly. And when we read the story of Samson, we see God who uses imperfect people to accomplish his will. But I'm grateful that he uses broken, anxious, strong, and imperfect people. But I'm also grateful that he redeems them. Sadly, Samson accomplished more for God dead than he did alive. And when I'm gone, do I want my death to speak volumes of the gospel? Sure I do. But do I want my life to say more? Absolutely. May your life and your faith display the glory of God. Do not waste your legacy. Let's pray together. God, I love you and I'm sorry that I don't tell you that enough, but I love you and I want to thank you for loving me because I know how unlovable I really am. But in your goodness, you looked at me and you called me to be your child. And there may be some in this room right now that have been ignoring the call, but God, I [music] pray today that they would answer it. May we look at the life and [music] the faith of Samson and may we learn. May we not be satisfied [music] with a life that does not bring glory to you and a faith that [music] does not bring glory to you. May our gifts that you've given to us bring glory and honor to you. Help us, God. Help us to not waste our legacy. Help us God to lean on you and to love you in Jesus name. Amen. Come on stand with us. Oh my words. [music] [singing] I got nothing new. How could I [singing] express [music] all I had to do? [singing] I could sing [music] these songs as [singing] I often do. Every [music] song must stay and [singing] you never do. So I go [music and singing] up my hands and praise you again and again. is all [music and singing] that I am is a hallelujah [singing and music] and nothing [music and singing] else before king except for [music] our singing [singing] hallelujah. [singing and music]
>> [singing] [music]
>> I've got one response. [singing] [music] I got just one move with my arms [music and singing] wide. I will worship you. [music] So I [singing] throw up my hands and praise you again and again cuz all that [music and singing] I have is a hallelujah [music] [singing] and [singing] I know he's nothing [music] else for him except for [music] a heart singing [singing] Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. [singing] [music] You're worthy, [music] Jes. Oh, come on my [music and singing] soul. Oh, don't you get shy on the end of your soul. Cuz you've [music and singing] got a lion inside of those arms. Get up and [music and singing] praise the Lord. Oh, come my soul. Oh, don't [music and singing] you get shy. Up your soul. Cuz you got a [singing] lion inside [music] of those arms. Get up and praise the Lord. [music] Oh my soul. Oh, don't you [music] shift up your soul. You got to [singing] get up and [music] praise the Lord. [music] So I [singing] praise you again. Yeah. is [music] [singing] [music and singing] I know nothing [singing] else [music] I singlelujah. [music] [singing] So I go up my [music] hands and praise you again [singing] and again. All that I have is a [music] hallelujah. [singing] [music] [singing] I know it's not much. I'm nothing [music] else fit for a king [singing] except for a heart singing hallelujah. [singing and music] [music] Give the Lord praise. [applause] Amen. Amen. Amen. You can be seated. And as you're seated, I'm going to ask the singles ministry if they would make their way forward. Uh they had a huge hand in organizing all these shoe boxes that you saw. And so, Brother Kent is going to come and pray over those shoe boxes this morning. Good morning. We just want to take a time of uh dedicating [music] uh uh a mission endeavor. And with the teaming up of the singles ministry [music] and the grandparenting ministry, you have before you 21 at least 216 [music] operational Christmas child's shoe boxes. And so, so this is what you need to consider. There's 216 boxes here. So that's 216 children, [music] at least 216 households, at least one parent, so that's 400. Maybe a sibling, that's 600. and more than likely more siblings. So, we're talking at least over a thousand people that can be touched with the gospel of Jesus [music] Christ. That's the whole point of these boxes. These boxes are fun boxes. They've been packed with incredible items [music] from all of you and from this team. And so, this is going to be a wow moment for those children, but [music] to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ will be the life-changing point for them. So, we're going to pray over these boxes and we're going to pray over the team that is going to follow up and go to Charlotte, North Carolina in about 3 weeks [music] and work in the warehouse that processes these boxes to get them in the shipping crates to get them where they need to go. These boxes will go where we will never be able to go. And so, we're going to [music] dedicate them and their path and the child that is going to receive them and the people that we get [music] to uh touch these boxes along the way. Let's pray. Father God, Lord, we are so very honored to be able to be just this little part of of of sending these [music] boxes out, Lord. And I pray, Lord, for every child. I pray, Lord, for every household that this that these [music] boxes represent and every sibling and every village and every person, Lord, [music] as they give these gifts, as they share your gospel, and Lord, let let that be the most incredible gift that they get is the the presence of you [music] in their life. And so Lord, I we we dedicate these boxes. We dedicate these workers to [music] serve you, handling these boxes and helping these boxes get where they need to go. Lord, to you be the glory here this morning. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
>> Amen. [music]
>> Well, again, thank you for hanging out with us this morning. It has been a good day uh together. [music] It's been a good day worshiping and and opening up the word together. Just a few reminders before uh you go. First, I want to say thank you. [music] Thank you for allowing me to be up here today to uh just to spend time with you and to to do this. I appreciate John for allowing that to happen. But also [music] um one weekend is next weekend. If you are a parent and you want to get rid of your kids for a weekend, I see some like get them out of here. Um no, I'm just kidding. But if if you are a parent and you have middle schoolers or high schoolers, it's not too late to sign up. You can go to wallshock.com/events. uh and sign up or you can go to wallstudents.com or you can catch Tyler and say, "Hey, I want to sign my kids up to come to one weekend." That is next weekend. [music] It's not too late. Just want to encourage you to to come and be a part of an awesome awesome weekend. Thanksgiving service is next Tuesday night. We'd love for you to come be a part of that. Uh and would just thank the Lord [music] together for a great 2025 and and looking forward to what God's going to do in the future. Also, Moon Run. If you'd like to be a part of the Moon Run for missions, uh this is December the 7th. Uh we'd love for you to be a part of that. You can register for that at wallnox.com/events. [music] And lastly, but certainly not least, next Sunday night is our is our uh our business meeting to vote on the budget for 2026. The ministry plan 2026 ministry plan is out at the information desk. If [music] you want some information about what our budget's going to look like uh for for next year, uh just so you can be informed, there's this but this booklet and there's some also paper that for you to pick up if you want that uh as well. One per family. All right, please. Um but again, it is good to be together. It's good to worship. It's good to open up the word together. [music] And I'm so thankful that you're here. But you have heard your mission. You have now been sent to Knoxville and the nations.