## The Cost of Choices

## Judges 16:15-22

Last week we had Simon Jacob staying for a few days in our missions apartment. He asked about a place where he could get a haircut. I directed him down to Highland Village and Pete's Barber Shop. He was amazed at what it cost him. Tonight I want us to consider a man also received an expensive haircut. His name was Samson.

Samson was a mighty man. He was probably the strongest man who ever lived. He had great strength because the Lord had shown His blessings upon Samson. When we are blessed of God, He expects us to use that blessing for Him, and not for self gratification.

Samson, on one occasion took the doors of the gate to Gaza, and the two posts, and carried it to the top of a hill before Hebron. From Gaza to Hebron is about 40 miles. On another occasion he took the jawbone of an ass and slew a thousand Philistines. He also caught 3000 foxes, tied their tails together, set them on fire, and burned the Philistines fields down.

(JUDG 16:21) "BUT THE PHILISTINES TOOK HIM, AND PUT OUT HIS EYES, AND BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO GAZA, AND BOUND HIM WITH FETTERS OF BRASS; AND HE DID GRIND IN THE PRISON HOUSE."

However later on in chapter 16 we see Samson in a totally different state of life. He is no longer that dominating strong man.

Read: Judges 16:15-21

Note v20, "And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him." Samson didn't intend to lose his power with God. He didn't intend to be conquered by the Philistines. He didn't intend to end up in the prison house grinding on the mills of the enemy, but he did. Samson permitted his hair to be cut and his life was never the same after that.

What does this mean to you and me tonight? I want us to see that the decisions we make will affect us for the remaining days of our lives. Notice how this decision affected Samson:

I. It Cost Him His Name

A. What do we think of when you hear the name Samson? Honor, or shame?

1. Unfortunately we think of a man who died in shame.

2. At one time he was respected.

a. His name means "Sunlight".

b. Think of the beauty of such a name.

c. Sunlight brings happiness.

d. Sunlight brings a new day following the darkness of the night.

e. Sunlight brings life. Without the sunlight there would be no vegetation or growth.

B. Samson had the credentials to do something great for His God, but instead he caused his name to be shamed.

1. We carry the name of Christ.

2. Do we bring Him honor or shame?

(PROV 22:1) "A GOOD NAME IS RATHER TO BE CHOSEN THAN GREAT RICHES, AND LOVING FAVOUR RATHER THAN SILVER AND GOLD."

3. Note the poem:

"YOUR NAME"

II. It Cost Him His Freedom

A. He Became a Slave. "...he did grind in the prison house."

1. Before he was a slave to the Philistines, he was a slave to sin.

2. His sin had caught up with him.

3. Sin is a hard taskmaster.

a. It will take you farther than you meant to go.

b. It will keep you longer than you meant to stay.

c. It will always cost you more than you want to pay

B. The choices Samson made cost him his freedom.

1. He is no longer a free man.

2. The mighty man who roamed the hills and mountains of Judea is now a prisoner to sin.

3. Grinding at the wheel like an ox.

C. Notice That This Didn't Happen To Him All At Once.

1. He couldn't handle temptation.

(1 TIM 6:11) "BUT THOU, O MAN OF GOD, FLEE THESE THINGS; AND FOLLOW AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE, PATIENCE, MEEKNESS."

2. We need to avoid placing ourselves into a compromising position.

(2 TIM 2:22) "FLEE ALSO YOUTHFUL LUSTS: BUT FOLLOW RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITH, CHARITY, PEACE, WITH THEM THAT CALL ON THE LORD OUT OF A PURE HEART."

3. We Will Lose Our Freedom If We Play With Sin.

(JAMES 1:14-15) "BUT EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED, WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN LUST, AND ENTICED. {15} THEN WHEN LUST HATH CONCEIVED, IT BRINGETH FORTH SIN: AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FINISHED, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH."

III. It Cost Him His Eyes. "But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes..."

A. Before He was physically blinded, he had been blinded by sin.

1. Samson could no longer see the things of God.

2. He could not discern the will of God. "And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him."

3. He who was once the strong man of Israel is now being led about in blindness.

B. Satan is a master of deceit.

1. He tempted Adam and Eve by sight.

2. Jesus warned is concerning what we allow to enter into our lives through our eyes.

(MAT 6:22-23) "THE LIGHT OF THE BODY IS THE EYE: IF THEREFORE THINE EYE BE SINGLE, THY WHOLE BODY SHALL BE FULL OF LIGHT. {23} BUT IF THINE EYE BE EVIL, THY WHOLE BODY SHALL BE FULL OF DARKNESS. IF THEREFORE THE LIGHT THAT IS IN THEE BE DARKNESS, HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS!"

IV. It Cost Him His Family

A. Sin Will Drive A Wedge Between Us And Our Family.

1. Notice that at this point we don't read of his mother and father.

2. His sin had separated him away from those he loved the most.

3. The mother who once cared for him is no longer there to comfort him.

4. His father who had taught him the things of a man cannot help him now.

5. Note: Judges 14:1-4

B. Sin will not only destroy us, but our family also.

1. One of the most foolish statements ever uttered, "I'm not hurting anyone else."

2. That is not only foolish, it is extremely selfish.

3. Ask Achan if his sin had an impact on his family? cf Joshua 7:24

4. His family suffered death because of his own sin.

I. It cost him his name. II. It cost him his freedom. III. It Cost Him His Eyes. IV. It Cost Him His Family

Ultimately, it cost him his life. God did not plan for Samson's life to end in the temple of the Philistine's god. He did not glory in the death that Samson suffered. Samson's death was the result of the seed he had sown. The choices he made paid a dividend of death.

What about our choices tonight? Do we think that it couldn't happen to us? Samson was a mighty man of God. He did things that perhaps no other human could ever do. But he still fell victim to wrong choices.