1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,000 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist sermon archives. 2 00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:09,100 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty, Baptist 3 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:13,100 Church in Eastern Massachusetts. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:17,500 or contact us at my Liberty, Baptist dot org or just look us 5 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:19,800 up on Facebook. And now, we hope that this 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,200 message from God's word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,500 I hope you're in Judges chapter number 13, this evening. 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,200 And the title of the message is this and unsung hero. 9 00:00:31,500 --> 00:00:35,000 You know, if we look at Judges chapter, 13 and Beyond when we 10 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,500 think of heroism, we may likely think of Samson and there's a 11 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:42,300 reason why the exploits of Sampson are something of Legend. 12 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:45,500 Of course we say that knowing that Samson's exploits were 13 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:48,700 true, they weren't a falsehood, they weren't a fable, but I'm 14 00:00:48,700 --> 00:00:51,200 saying that of all of the exploits in the word of God, 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,700 perhaps, Sampson's are some of the most legendary Some of the 16 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:57,300 most talked about in all the Bible because of the manner of 17 00:00:57,308 --> 00:01:00,000 which he did them because of the supernatural strength that he 18 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,600 had, these are things that are often discussed. 19 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,400 However, an unsung hero in our text here tonight is actually 20 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,000 not Sampson at all. It's someone that has not spoken 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,300 of very much in the Bible. It's someone who is outside of 22 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:17,900 really this chapter. The next not really spoken of at 23 00:01:17,900 --> 00:01:21,900 all in the Bible, but someone who I believe speaks volumes 24 00:01:22,100 --> 00:01:27,200 because of their faith in God. You know, I've been doing this 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,300 pastoring thing for a little bit now would be almost 10 years as 26 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:32,300 the pastor here at Liberty, Baptist Church in seven years 27 00:01:32,300 --> 00:01:34,300 before that is a youth director in Florida. 28 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:37,800 And so I'm not an expert by any measure, but I have done this a 29 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,700 little bit of time. And I found this to be true. 30 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,300 Those who are the loudest about their faith in the sense of not 31 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:47,600 that they are bold in sharing their faith. 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,900 I mean, we're talking about getting forward in Soul, winning 33 00:01:49,900 --> 00:01:51,000 next month. So that's not what I'm talking 34 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,900 about, but those who are quite bold In telling how great their 35 00:01:55,900 --> 00:01:59,000 faith is to other. People are some of the people 36 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,800 who worried me the most. Let me explain what. 37 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,100 I mean by that. The Bible says in Proverbs 38 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:06,900 chapter 27, let another man, praise thee and not thine own 39 00:02:06,900 --> 00:02:10,300 mouth, a stranger and not thine own lips. 40 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Meaning this it would be better for someone else to see your 41 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,100 great faith and make a compliment on it, then for you 42 00:02:18,100 --> 00:02:22,700 to tell other people How Great and Mighty your faith is. 43 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:25,600 And over the years, I have met people Have told me of the great 44 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,500 exploits that they have done for the Lord and how great their 45 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:31,800 faith is and how strong it is. And I'm not saying they be there 46 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,300 is an element of Truth to that but those are the ones that 47 00:02:34,300 --> 00:02:38,300 sometimes concerned me because I found this to be true about 48 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:43,700 heroism in general Heroes. Don't need to tell other people 49 00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:47,800 they're Heroes. Usually, you can tell a hero by 50 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,800 the heroic acts. They do if you have to advertise 51 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,200 the fact that you're a hero, you're probably not much of a 52 00:02:53,208 --> 00:02:55,300 hero we've Fallen, where I'm going with this tonight. 53 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,000 And when it comes to Faith, I think sometimes it's easy for us 54 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,100 to celebrate certain people of the Bible who have great faith. 55 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:07,100 And I'm not going to downplay Samson here tonight because 56 00:03:07,100 --> 00:03:10,600 Samson is actually found in Hebrews chapter 11, as a man of 57 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:11,900 great. Faith is a, but he did some 58 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:14,800 incredibly awful things and he did some things that just don't 59 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:15,400 make sense. Sense. 60 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,500 And I agree with that, but we also know this that Samson was a 61 00:03:18,508 --> 00:03:23,300 judge for 20 years. 20 years is seven thousand and three hundred 62 00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:26,400 days. Could you imagine if four seven 63 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,700 hundred and seven thousand three hundred days? 64 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:31,900 Your worst decisions were printed in a book? 65 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,700 I will tell you those worst decisions of mine would be a lot 66 00:03:35,700 --> 00:03:38,500 longer probably than Samson's here, that we find in the word 67 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:40,600 of God. People are oftentimes a down on 68 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,200 Peter and understandably. So in fact, Petrova talked about 69 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,500 this just a few weeks ago, but can you imagine We found all of 70 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:50,100 the worst things of Peters life written in the gospels and if 71 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:53,200 someone took a three-year stretch of my life and wrote it 72 00:03:53,208 --> 00:03:56,000 down in a book, I think Peters, life would come out a lot better 73 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,600 than mine. All things considered. 74 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,800 And so Samson was a man who did wonderful things and Samson was 75 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,400 a man of great faith. And even though it's sometimes 76 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,900 hard to reconcile, but we see in Hebrews chapter 11, that's the 77 00:04:06,900 --> 00:04:08,700 case. But who I want to talk about 78 00:04:08,700 --> 00:04:10,600 tonight, at what I want to encourage you with tonight is 79 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,700 this is that there is one who is an unsung hero in Judges chapter 80 00:04:14,700 --> 00:04:17,100 number 3, Teen one. Whose faith in. 81 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:20,899 God was a quiet Faith, but was a strong faith. 82 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:25,300 So quiet, was it? That God does not even deem it 83 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:30,300 necessary to give us her name. I wish I could present you of 84 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:33,100 the name of this woman with great faith tonight, but I 85 00:04:33,108 --> 00:04:36,400 cannot because God in his infinite, wisdom has not given 86 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,800 us This Woman's name this evening, but I think her faith 87 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:44,200 deserves our discussion this evening, and preaching, and I 88 00:04:44,207 --> 00:04:47,100 believe there's a lesson. Ross to be learned about our own 89 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:49,800 faith here from Judges chapter number 13. 90 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,800 So if you would, please, would you stand, please for the 91 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,500 reading of the Book of Judges chapter number 13, will be part 92 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:57,100 of the text. And we will preach through the 93 00:04:57,100 --> 00:04:59,900 chapter this evening, read part of it and will preach through 94 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:02,800 this evening. It says, and the children of 95 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,800 Israel did Evil again in the sight of the Lord and the Lord 96 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,600 delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 97 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:11,400 And there was a certain man of zorah of the family of the 98 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,000 danites whose name was manoah and his wife was barren. 99 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,800 And bear. Not now this is the woman of we 100 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,400 we discussed and we will not find her name here in Judges 13 101 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,300 or anywhere else in the Bible. Just think about that her name 102 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:27,700 will not be found here or anywhere else in the Bible and 103 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:30,900 the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman and said unto her 104 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,400 behold. Now Thou Art Barren and bearest. 105 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,200 Not but Thou shalt conceive and bear a son. 106 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:39,500 Now therefore beware I pray thee and drink, not wine, nor strong 107 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:43,400 drink and eat, not any unclean thing for Lo Thou shalt conceive 108 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,200 and bear a son and no Sure. She'll come on his head. 109 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,900 In the child shall be at Nazarite unto God from the womb 110 00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:52,200 and he shall begin to deliver Israel. 111 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,500 Out of the hand of the Philistines, then the woman came 112 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:58,300 and told her husband saying, I'm a man of God came unto me and 113 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:01,000 his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God. 114 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,200 Very terrible. But I asked him not whence. 115 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,900 He was neither told me his name, but he said unto me, behold, 116 00:06:07,900 --> 00:06:11,000 Thou shalt conceive, and bear a son and now drink no wine or 117 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:12,700 strong. Drink either eat any unclean 118 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:15,000 thing for the child shall be a Nazarite to God. 119 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,800 From the womb to the day of his death and will continue on in 120 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,700 the chapter through preaching but you can remain or you can be 121 00:06:22,700 --> 00:06:24,200 seated now, don't remain standing. 122 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,600 That would be very uncomfortable for the rest of the message. 123 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:30,000 You may be seated and we'll get into the preaching of the word 124 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:35,200 of God this evening. An unsung hero to me, one of the 125 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,500 most compelling parts of Hebrews chapter 11. 126 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:40,200 And I just mentioned a few moments ago and we've made 127 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,900 reference of it many times here through preaching that Great 128 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,800 Hall of Fame of faith. In fact, we talked about it at 129 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,600 the end of the message at Sunday morning last week. 130 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,500 But one of the most compelling parts of that text is the final 131 00:06:51,500 --> 00:06:55,500 verses near the end of that chapter verses 33 through 36. 132 00:06:55,700 --> 00:06:59,100 Listen to this. And what more shall I say for 133 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:01,700 the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of bear. 134 00:07:01,900 --> 00:07:06,300 I kind of say Epsom and of jeptha of David also and Samuel 135 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:10,600 and of the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms wrought 136 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,800 righteousness, has obtained promises stopped the mouths of 137 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,400 lions. Quenched, the violence of fire 138 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,100 escaped, the edge of the sword out of weakness were made. 139 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:22,800 Strong waxed Valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of 140 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,600 the aliens. Women received their dead raised 141 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,700 to life again and others were tortured. 142 00:07:27,700 --> 00:07:31,200 Not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better 143 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,800 Resurrection. Correction and as I read these 144 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,100 exploits, as I read these great acts of faith here in Hebrews 11 145 00:07:38,100 --> 00:07:41,100 33 36. While some of these people are 146 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:44,300 named about 20, some our names throughout Hebrews chapter 11. 147 00:07:44,700 --> 00:07:47,400 There's a lot of things that are mentioned there at the end of 148 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,600 the chapter and we have to ask ourselves who are these people, 149 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,800 who are these people, the ones who subdued kingdoms and wrought 150 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:00,700 righteousness and take promises some, we can get some idea. 151 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:02,100 Stopped the mouths of lions. Lions. 152 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:04,600 We would assume that that would be Daniel, but others out of 153 00:08:04,608 --> 00:08:07,600 weakness were made, strong waxed Valiant in fight and on and on 154 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,800 and on it just makes me wonder who are these unnamed Heroes? 155 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,200 These people who God, chose not to give us their names, but 156 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,000 instead told us of these great things that they did not through 157 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,300 themselves, but that we're all done through faith because faith 158 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:25,900 is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things Not 159 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:29,900 Seen, who were these people? Well, we can surmise some of 160 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:31,300 these people. Like, I just mentioned, like, 161 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:35,600 Dan Niall and Isaiah, I believe is another many were unnamed 162 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,200 Heroes of their faith of the faith, their life and faith were 163 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,200 approved by God. But for reasons, only known to 164 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,800 him, their names are not recorded in the word of God. 165 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,300 You might even ask tonight. Well, why is it Samson's 166 00:08:48,300 --> 00:08:51,800 mother's name in the Bible? Why isn't some of those people 167 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,400 you just read in Hebrews chapter 11, in the Bible. 168 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,100 And the answer is this. I don't know there are times of 169 00:08:58,108 --> 00:08:59,700 the pastor. I'd like to tell you, I know the 170 00:08:59,700 --> 00:09:01,700 answer but there are times I just had to be honest. 171 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,300 Say this, I don't know in any Pastor who tells you they know 172 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,600 is sound you a bill of goods that they don't know either? 173 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,200 Because the fact of the matter is we don't know the mind of God 174 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,200 and why he does certain things and says certain things and has 175 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,500 recorded some things for us in the Bible and others. 176 00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:19,400 He is not I for one would love to know what Jesus is life was 177 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:23,200 as a child and all the way up till his 30th birthday. 178 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,000 When he started his public Ministry but God In His 179 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,600 Infinite, Wisdom is only let us know of his birth and early life 180 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,100 and when he was 12 years old when he went to the Temple and 181 00:09:32,100 --> 00:09:36,200 confounded, the Pharisees, I want to know more, but I know 182 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,900 this that God in his knowledge has given us what we need to 183 00:09:39,900 --> 00:09:41,800 know. We have to rest upon that. 184 00:09:41,900 --> 00:09:45,200 And so there's a part of me that would love to know who is this 185 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,400 woman, who is Samson's mother, who we just start to have 186 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,700 introduced to us in Judges chapter 13 and quickly passes 187 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:54,200 off the scene and Judges chapter 14. 188 00:09:54,300 --> 00:09:59,400 But here is a woman of exemplary Faith, who far outpaced her 189 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,400 Future Fame. She has almost no, Notoriety. 190 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:03,900 There's almost no preaching on her. 191 00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:05,400 There's almost no teaching on her. 192 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,800 And, but yet, here's a woman that I look at throughout this 193 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,600 chapter has Rock Solid Faith. So what do we do with it? 194 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,400 Well, I would submit to you tonight. 195 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,900 We look at her character tonight. 196 00:10:17,100 --> 00:10:20,200 Draw some conclusions about her character as best we can, and 197 00:10:20,208 --> 00:10:22,800 we'll be looking at Samson for several weeks after this, so we 198 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,400 can take some time to do that here. 199 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,000 But at the same time realize that there's some lessons from 200 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,000 her life that can also be helpful to us in our stand. 201 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,300 So we see at the beginning of the chapter, that the 202 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:38,000 Philistines have taken over the land of Israel as they 203 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,900 oppressed. The Israelites, as this cycle of 204 00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:43,500 Disobedience continues. Remember we've looked at this 205 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:46,400 over and over, or now that the Israelites will disobey God will 206 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,900 bring in oppressors. They'll cry out to God for 207 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:51,600 deliverance and forgiveness and then God delivers them. 208 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,000 And then after a while they forget what they've done before 209 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,200 New Generation comes and the cycle begins all over again. 210 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,400 Well, it's now been 40 years at the Philistines have oppressed 211 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,100 the people of Israel and God Does something very incredible 212 00:11:03,100 --> 00:11:05,700 here in Judges chapter 13. Something that we don't see with 213 00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:11,600 any of the other judges is that he literally has Samson created 214 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:15,600 prepared as a judge of Israel from birth. 215 00:11:15,900 --> 00:11:20,200 Because his mother has an understanding that her son has a 216 00:11:20,208 --> 00:11:23,900 special job prepared for him. While she surely, does not know, 217 00:11:23,900 --> 00:11:27,500 all of the details of Samson's life, she has been told by the 218 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:29,100 angel of God will mention. What? 219 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:32,800 And who that is in just a minute that he has a A special task 220 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,800 that is ahead for him. So as we look at this woman, 221 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,600 there's a few things I want to point out to you, just very 222 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,100 quickly about her, which gives us some more understanding about 223 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:42,800 her faith. First of all, we see in verse 224 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,200 number two, she was Barren, she was Barren. 225 00:11:46,500 --> 00:11:49,800 Look again in verse number 2 and there was a certain man of zorah 226 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,900 and the family of the danites whose name was manoah and his 227 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:56,100 wife was Barren and bare not. Well, that's kind of cut and dry 228 00:11:56,100 --> 00:11:58,600 right there. Simple for us to understand, but 229 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,500 we also know, from reading the word of God, that when a woman 230 00:12:01,500 --> 00:12:04,600 was, Aaron when a family was not able to have a child, that was a 231 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,100 cause for great difficulty that, that was a cause for great 232 00:12:07,100 --> 00:12:09,100 sadness. We also know that there were 233 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:11,500 some within their communities. That might even think that 234 00:12:11,500 --> 00:12:14,700 family was cursed that God would not see fit to give them a 235 00:12:14,708 --> 00:12:16,600 child. And so because of that, there 236 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,600 must be something spiritually wrong with them. 237 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,100 So, they carried the burden of not only having no child, but 238 00:12:22,100 --> 00:12:24,800 they also further carried. The burden of the fact that 239 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,700 socially they might be pariahs, that there will be many, who 240 00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:31,100 would not even consider them to be Godly people, because God had 241 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:34,200 not shown And upon them to give them a child. 242 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,500 But what we see about this woman, that is so special. 243 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:41,100 Compared to many others, is that despite the fact that she had no 244 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:46,100 child, we see that, she still had a trust and a faith in God 245 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,100 one commentator. Put it this way here. 246 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:49,900 No. Background is offered whether 247 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:52,500 like Sarah the woman was old or like, Rachel. 248 00:12:52,500 --> 00:12:55,900 She complained to her husband about childness childlessness, 249 00:12:56,100 --> 00:12:58,800 or like Sarah and Rachel. She tried other means of 250 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,800 obtaining a child, she does not pray for a As does Hannah nor 251 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,100 does her husband pray for her as Isaac. 252 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:08,400 Praise for Rebecca even her name is not reported though. 253 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,000 Her role in the story is as important as that of her husband 254 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,500 Manoa. What we do see is this here's a 255 00:13:14,508 --> 00:13:16,900 woman who has not complained about her lot in life. 256 00:13:16,900 --> 00:13:18,500 Here is a woman that does not seem. 257 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:21,600 I don't want to say he's not bothered but has come to some 258 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,600 level of terms with the life that she has in front of her. 259 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,800 And so just that fact, alone compared to many others in the 260 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:31,500 word of God women and their husbands as well that this was a 261 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,200 Cause here is a woman who has, I believe some level of faith in 262 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,900 God and understanding that God has a plan. 263 00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:41,200 So we see not only that she was Barren. 264 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,700 But consider this the angel of the Lord comes and speaks to 265 00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:46,300 her. And says, even though you're 266 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:50,400 Barren, you're going to have a child but that child is going to 267 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:55,200 have to keep the Nazarite vow. Now I'm not going to, I Really 268 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,800 wrestle with how much to get into the Nazarite vow this 269 00:13:57,800 --> 00:13:58,900 evening. I'd encourage you. 270 00:13:58,908 --> 00:14:02,500 If you want to read more about the Nazarite vow and what it is, 271 00:14:02,508 --> 00:14:05,100 you can go to Numbers Chapter 6 and see Samson. 272 00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:11,100 Obviously is the most notable example of someone who took the 273 00:14:11,100 --> 00:14:14,900 Nazarite vow, it required things as we see in our text of, not 274 00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:18,900 partaking in great products of not having your hair cut of not 275 00:14:18,900 --> 00:14:23,300 touching a person or an animal that was dead, which would You 276 00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:26,800 ceremonially unclean the idea of the Nazarite vow, very simply 277 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:31,400 was, this is that you were to be separated by God for specific 278 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,500 purpose for God. The Nazarite was to be separated 279 00:14:34,500 --> 00:14:37,600 by God for a specific purpose for God. 280 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,300 That was the job. That was the task of the 281 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:42,700 Nazarite. And so, what's interesting about 282 00:14:42,700 --> 00:14:45,900 this is that the angel of the Lord, again, I'll explain what 283 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:48,700 that is in just a second or who that is in just a second. 284 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:53,000 The angel of the Lord says, not only is Samson going to partay 285 00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:58,000 Take of this Nazarite vow but she will have to take part of 286 00:14:58,008 --> 00:15:02,000 the Nazarite vow as well while she carries her child did you 287 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,800 notice that look again in verse number 4 now. 288 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,300 Therefore beware, I pray thee and drink. 289 00:15:08,300 --> 00:15:12,700 Not wine, nor strong drink and eat, not any unclean thing for 290 00:15:12,700 --> 00:15:15,900 Thou shalt conceive and bear a son and no razor shall. 291 00:15:15,900 --> 00:15:18,500 Come on his head for the child, shall be a Nazarite unto God 292 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,300 from the womb and he shall begin to deliver Israel. 293 00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:22,900 Out of the hand of the Philistines now. 294 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,100 At this for just a second one. I want to take a little bit of 295 00:15:25,108 --> 00:15:27,100 an aside and then we'll talk about her faith in just a 296 00:15:27,108 --> 00:15:29,600 second. It's amazing to me. 297 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,400 How many times people talk about how backwards the Bible is in 298 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,500 the face of modern society today. 299 00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:40,500 How irrelevant the Bible is in the face of modern society? 300 00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:44,300 Today, I see a Biblical principle being given to us 301 00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:46,600 here. That is as relevant and as fresh 302 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,300 and as real as it ever has, been up until just a few years ago, 303 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,700 it was common for women. Women, who are carrying a child 304 00:15:54,800 --> 00:16:01,800 to smoke to drink to think that there will be no consequences in 305 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:05,000 utero for a child. But do you know what? 306 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,500 I see God saying here. What you do mom is going to 307 00:16:09,500 --> 00:16:13,500 affect your child and I want to make sure the angel of the Lord 308 00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:17,000 says, I want to make sure that you keep that vow because I want 309 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:21,000 that child separated even before his birth. 310 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:23,200 So it seems like that's a very Why? 311 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:28,600 Why is thing compared to what quote unquote modern science up 312 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,800 to a few years ago was just talking about. 313 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,000 But here's another thing. It seems to me to be one of the 314 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,000 greatest verses to prove the sanctity of life. 315 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,700 Even in the womb, how important life is to God in the womb. 316 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:48,500 The fact that this child is not just a fetus or a clump of cells 317 00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:53,200 who then becomes alive, once the baby is born and that's even 318 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,200 questionable to Today, with some of the laws and ideas that are 319 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:00,100 out there today even after the first few hours after birth. 320 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:04,700 But yet know this child is not just a child when the child is 321 00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:08,200 born. But from conception, you are to 322 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:12,599 treat this child as having life because this child is alive. 323 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:15,200 I think this is one of the greatest proof text that you can 324 00:17:15,300 --> 00:17:19,099 actually give to someone to help them to understand why abortion 325 00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:20,200 is so wrong. Why? 326 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:23,200 Abortion is literally snuffing out a human life. 327 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,200 I was just reading a few two weeks ago in the New York Times 328 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,599 because I'm a glutton for punishment. 329 00:17:26,700 --> 00:17:31,100 I was reading in the times about how there's this conversation 330 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:34,100 about when does Life Begin? Of course, we understand that 331 00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:37,000 New York Times would be a very left-leaning publication. 332 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,500 I think that's a very modest and Mild way of putting it but I was 333 00:17:40,500 --> 00:17:43,200 reading in this and scientists all had to agree. 334 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,000 The ones I was reading all had to agree. 335 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:51,700 Well life begins at conception. but I read several of the 336 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:54,200 scientist who said, well, the real question is not when the 337 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:59,900 baby has life, but when the baby is alive, You say, what are they 338 00:17:59,900 --> 00:18:02,600 trying to say? Well, because they understand 339 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:06,200 scientifically. The baby is alive at conception. 340 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:08,800 They have to turn into a philosophical question. 341 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:13,100 When is the baby alive? When did the baby have value? 342 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,000 And they feel like that's the only way, with the changing 343 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,200 morals of society that you can make that type of case. 344 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,300 And here's what happens. When we take God out of society, 345 00:18:22,300 --> 00:18:24,900 you might be able to twist that to the point where people say, 346 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:27,700 oh, you know, maybe it's not a big deal but even science says 347 00:18:27,700 --> 00:18:29,200 the baby is alive. Live. 348 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,000 When the spark of life is given, I believe, this is a wonderful 349 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,500 example for us, here of that very same thing. 350 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:39,500 But getting back to the mother of Samson, the wife of manoah, 351 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,000 we see that she had to have some level of Faith because she is 352 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,100 willing to keep the Nazarite vow herself. 353 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,500 She accepts that not only is there something that's going to 354 00:18:49,500 --> 00:18:51,800 affect her, but there's something that's going to affect 355 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,900 her future child as well. And so, because of that, she is 356 00:18:54,900 --> 00:18:57,900 willing to keep this value. This constricting, vow this 357 00:18:57,900 --> 00:19:01,300 vowel, that would not An easy necessarily for one to keep, but 358 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:03,800 she realized that this is something that she will have to 359 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:09,200 do as well on behalf of her son and in essence showing that life 360 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,600 in the womb matters to God. I think that's an amazing thing. 361 00:19:12,900 --> 00:19:14,900 So, she was Barren. But yet, I believe she had faith 362 00:19:14,900 --> 00:19:16,900 in God. She kept the Nazarite vow 363 00:19:16,900 --> 00:19:20,400 herself. She listened to this Angelic 364 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,200 messenger. You want a proof of her faith. 365 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,100 She listened. There were those who argued with 366 00:19:27,100 --> 00:19:30,100 Angelic Messengers. Could we talk about Gideon? 367 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:32,800 There were those who argued with the Lord. 368 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,000 Could we talk about Moses and the burning bush. 369 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,000 But here is a woman who the angel of the Lord came to. 370 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,000 By the way, the angel of the Lord, I believe is a Old 371 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,200 Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. 372 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,800 And the reason why is will see little bit later in the chapter. 373 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:52,300 If we read the verses that this Angel of the Lord was recognized 374 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:55,200 by them as being God himself was worship. 375 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,600 Only God can be worshipped and so when you often see that term, 376 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,800 the angel of the Lord, for instance, with Abraham or with 377 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:06,200 Joshua before Jericho and you see that worship is offered or 378 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,600 even with Abraham and Melchizedek tithes being given. 379 00:20:09,700 --> 00:20:12,300 These are things that can only be done to God which tells us 380 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:16,000 this is a appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. 381 00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:18,500 But here is the Angel of the Lord here is Jesus Christ who 382 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:21,000 comes and says, you're going to have a son. 383 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:27,200 This is what you need to do and she listened You say well I mean 384 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,600 what big deal was that well she didn't doubt like Abraham doubt 385 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,500 it. When he was told that he would 386 00:20:32,500 --> 00:20:34,800 have a son. She didn't laugh like Sarah 387 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,300 laughed when she was told that she would have a son. 388 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,400 She didn't question like Zacharias at the beginning of 389 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,800 the New Testament, remember when he was told that he and his 390 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,100 wife, Elizabeth, we're going to have John the Baptist and email, 391 00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:49,000 the angel came and said, your prayers have been answered. 392 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,000 You've been praying for this. You're going to have a son 393 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:54,200 immediately, he doubted. And so many times in this very 394 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,100 same situation when someone was Bare. 395 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,000 Aaron a woman was Barren and without child and the Angelic 396 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,300 messenger or God himself comes and gives us great news that a 397 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:05,700 child will come. There were many who doubted that 398 00:21:05,700 --> 00:21:08,600 news, here's a woman who doesn't doubt she goes and tells her 399 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:12,300 husband, this is what's going to happen, and the husband kind of 400 00:21:12,308 --> 00:21:15,400 questions it a little bit. In fact, if you look in verse 401 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,700 number 8, it says then Manoa entreated the Lord and said O My 402 00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:23,200 Lord, let the man of God, which thou didst send come again unto 403 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,400 us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that she I'll be 404 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,300 born in my response to, that would be well Manoa. 405 00:21:29,300 --> 00:21:31,100 She just told you what you're supposed to do. 406 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:33,600 You're supposed to have the child. 407 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:36,200 He supposed to grow up as a nazirite, this is what's 408 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,700 supposed to be done, but he's seeking a confirmation and I 409 00:21:39,708 --> 00:21:41,900 don't know that that's necessarily wrong thing, but for 410 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:45,300 her, she heard it, she believed it, and it was. 411 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:48,500 So, that's an amazing thing. And I would say this, she even 412 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:50,600 had a teachable spirit. What her husband said. 413 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:52,800 Let's hear from the Lord and teach us. 414 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,000 O Lord, he was saying Lord, she wants to be taught. 415 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,200 I want to be taught. I think that's a marvelous 416 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,700 thing. She was willing to listen to the 417 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:03,900 messenger, you know what, she was, Also spiritually mature, it 418 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:06,700 ended up, being that they prayed. 419 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,000 They asked the Lord to reveal certain things to them again. 420 00:22:11,500 --> 00:22:15,200 Well, the angel of the Lord reappears and reappears to the 421 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,400 woman. So, the woman says, wait right 422 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,500 here, and she goes and gets her husband. 423 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:22,800 But Noah, I'm Noah comes back and look at what it says in 424 00:22:22,808 --> 00:22:25,800 verse number, 15 manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I 425 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,100 pray thee. Let us detain me until we have 426 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:30,900 made ready a kid for the by the way, just make sure on the same 427 00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:32,900 page, that's a goat. All right, so, that's not like a 428 00:22:33,100 --> 00:22:38,000 kid kid, all right, so but a kid goat and 16 and Angel of the 429 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,700 Lord said in a Manoa though, they detain me, I will not eat 430 00:22:40,700 --> 00:22:42,400 of thy bread. If thou will offer a burnt 431 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,800 offering now, must offer it unto the Lord, for Manoa, knew not 432 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,200 that. He was an angel of the Lord and 433 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,400 manoah said unto the angel of the Lord. 434 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:54,200 What is thy name that when I say things come to pass we may do 435 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,700 the honor and the angel of the Lord said unto him. 436 00:22:56,700 --> 00:23:00,100 Why ask us thou? Thus after my name seeing it is 437 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:02,500 secret. So Manoa took a kid with a meat 438 00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:04,900 offering and offered it upon a rock under the Lord. 439 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:07,400 And the angel did wondrously and manoah and his wife. 440 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:09,100 Wife looked on. Well, what did he do? 441 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:12,100 It says this and it came to pass when the flame went up toward 442 00:23:12,100 --> 00:23:14,800 Heaven, from off the altar at the ends of the Lord descended 443 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,600 in the flame on the Altar and manoah and his wife looked on it 444 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,500 and fell on their faces, to the ground. 445 00:23:19,900 --> 00:23:23,200 But Angel of the Lord didn't know more appear to manoah and 446 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,700 his wife at Manoa, knew that he was the angel of the Lord and 447 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,500 Manoa again, if you're not sure who this Angel of the Lord is 448 00:23:30,700 --> 00:23:33,500 manoah said unto his wife. We shall surely die because we 449 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:36,400 have seen God. So here's what happens. 450 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,900 They detained. This angel will you please stay 451 00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:40,900 with us for a meal. He's I will not stay for a meal 452 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:43,100 but if you want to make a sacrifice you go ahead and do 453 00:23:43,100 --> 00:23:45,200 so. Again sacrificed it really could 454 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,300 only be offered to God and so they yet a kid they get this 455 00:23:48,300 --> 00:23:51,700 goat and prepare it and offer it and as they lay this before him, 456 00:23:51,900 --> 00:23:54,900 the offering is consumed in a flame a flame reaches up to 457 00:23:54,900 --> 00:23:58,200 heaven and the angel of the Lord ascends into the flame into 458 00:23:58,200 --> 00:23:59,600 heaven, right? Before him. 459 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:02,700 Now, we just read this like a couple of verses like it's no 460 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:04,800 big deal. This is a big deal. 461 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,800 I mean, we just read it and go on to the next chapter. 462 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,300 Like we're just, you know, reading the Bible like this is 463 00:24:10,300 --> 00:24:12,200 just things that happen every day. 464 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,800 But these are people who have seen something and they haven't 465 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:19,600 read Judges chapter 13 yet. They don't know what's going on 466 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,800 and they haven't seen all this. They're experiencing this. 467 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,900 These are real people with real feelings and real thoughts. 468 00:24:25,100 --> 00:24:28,100 And this happens and Manoa goes though. 469 00:24:29,300 --> 00:24:34,100 We're gonna die. Now, there's some level of 470 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:36,700 understanding to that. I mean, we can maybe understand 471 00:24:36,700 --> 00:24:40,500 why he would feel that way. I mean, if you saw sacrifice 472 00:24:40,500 --> 00:24:44,300 consumed, a flame that reached up to heaven and the angel of 473 00:24:44,300 --> 00:24:46,900 the Lord, just Ascend into heaven in the flame, you might 474 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:51,800 have some thoughts yourself but we're Manoa had confusion. 475 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,900 His wife had Faith, she had spiritual maturity, because look 476 00:24:57,900 --> 00:25:01,500 at her answer. This is just such a wonderful 477 00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:04,000 spiritually, grounded, answer that she gives. 478 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,500 We shall surely die verse 22 because we have seen God. 479 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:10,200 But his wife said unto him, if the Lord were pleased to kill 480 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,900 us, he would not have received a burnt offering in the meat 481 00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:15,600 offering at our hands either. What he showed us all these 482 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,400 things Norwood. At this time, have told us such 483 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,300 things as these Do what she says. 484 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,100 We're not gonna die. If he wanted to kill us, he 485 00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:30,400 could have already killed us. And if he wanted to kill us, 486 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,200 then why would he tell us of these future events that we're 487 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,300 going to be a part of? No, we don't need to be afraid 488 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,100 whether we're going to die. We can be thankful for what God 489 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:42,000 has done. But Manoa, let's just take this 490 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,900 for what it is and let's understand that God has a 491 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:47,400 purpose for us. God is going to use us. 492 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,500 So let's trust and have faith in what God is going to do. 493 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:53,000 And let's have faith in the plan. 494 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:58,600 That he has just given us that stays that's marvelous and I 495 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,900 love being able to read this. And here's this woman that has 496 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,800 had a husband that I'm not down on Manoa. 497 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,200 I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with him and I 498 00:26:08,208 --> 00:26:11,100 don't think that he was spiritually dull but at the same 499 00:26:11,100 --> 00:26:14,600 time in that moment of panic and that moment of fear his wife say 500 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,400 the said this let's just think about this for a second and 501 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,100 let's just consider what God has revealed to us. 502 00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:23,100 That is what we would call spiritual. 503 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,800 Maturity and that is what she had. 504 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:28,800 She was a spiritually mature woman, you know, the final time 505 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:33,200 we see manoah's wife Sampson's mother is in chapter 14. 506 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:38,200 Because in chapter 14, he wants a wife and guess where he wants 507 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:42,200 his wife from Samson. From the same people that are 508 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,100 repressing, their people, the Philistines. 509 00:26:45,700 --> 00:26:48,700 And it's interesting that at the beginning of the text, that 510 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:54,200 Samson's mother and father, both say, please Sam Listen, do not 511 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,400 do this. This is not a wise thing. 512 00:26:56,500 --> 00:27:00,300 You should not take a wife of the Philistines but I also see 513 00:27:00,300 --> 00:27:03,300 this that in verse number 10 of chapter 14, it says this. 514 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,200 So his father went down unto the woman and Samson made their 515 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,200 feast for so used the young men for. 516 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,400 So use them young men to do, it may very well be, and I think 517 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:17,200 it's supported by this text that when Samson got married to this 518 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:21,200 woman, that his mother said this, I won't attend. 519 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,900 I won't be a part. I won't be a witness to 520 00:27:24,900 --> 00:27:28,400 something that I know is wrong in your life and which God has 521 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,800 commanded, not to be done. And so, we see that the father 522 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,600 for whatever reason, went down to the wedding. 523 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,700 But she did not. What do I see from her? 524 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:40,100 In, every time she has mentioned, I see spiritual 525 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,700 maturity so you say, well, Pastor. 526 00:27:42,700 --> 00:27:44,500 Okay, that's great. You've talked about this for a 527 00:27:44,500 --> 00:27:45,800 few minutes. Sure. 528 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,200 We don't know the woman's name, she had great faith. 529 00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:51,000 What does this have to do with us tonight? 530 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:53,900 And that's a Question. But all this bodes, this 531 00:27:53,900 --> 00:27:57,800 question for us, tonight does a person have to be a priest, a 532 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,600 prophet or a preacher to be meaningful in. 533 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:06,900 God's eyes, can a nobody be a somebody in God's economy. 534 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:13,800 Can a nobody be a somebody in God's economy, in many ways in 535 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,700 this world today, you've got to be a somebody to get things 536 00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:19,000 done. If you want to walk down to City 537 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,900 Hall and you want to get something done, most likely, you 538 00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:25,100 can't even get an appointment. But if you're a somebody, you 539 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:28,500 can get in the right office at the right time and get the 540 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:33,100 appointed outcome, if you want to be able to get a loan at a 541 00:28:33,108 --> 00:28:36,400 bank, it used to be. So now I don't know exactly how 542 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,300 it works because of computers and different things they do. 543 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:40,600 Do now. But it could be that if you knew 544 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,700 the right person at the bank and you could go into the office, 545 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,900 you could shake their hand and because you were somebody, you 546 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,800 get a loan. But sometimes I'm afraid that we 547 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:57,100 in God's economy, not in the world's economy, not in the 548 00:28:57,100 --> 00:28:58,700 world of Finance or any of these places. 549 00:28:58,700 --> 00:29:02,000 But in God's economy, I think that, we believe that there are 550 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,600 only a certain type of people who are really valuable and are 551 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,300 really useful in God's service. And the answer is this it can't 552 00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:14,100 nobody be a somebody in God's economy and the answer is yes, 553 00:29:14,100 --> 00:29:20,100 because in our eyes and nobody is different than God's eyes. 554 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:27,100 And in God's eyes, I somebody is different than a man's eyes. 555 00:29:28,700 --> 00:29:30,700 Let me ask you question this way. 556 00:29:32,100 --> 00:29:33,600 Because God doesn't reckon faithfulness. 557 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,900 The way that we do who is what was the title, the message and 558 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:40,100 unsung hero? So who's a more of a hero? 559 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,400 A preacher. Or stay-at-home mom. 560 00:29:45,900 --> 00:29:49,000 Who's more of a hero? Let me ask you this question. 561 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:53,900 Who's more the hero a teenager? Or an elder in the church. 562 00:29:55,500 --> 00:29:59,400 Who is more of the hero and well-known person at the church 563 00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:03,600 or a person who often Blends into the background. 564 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:09,600 Who's more the hero, the preacher that no one knows or 565 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:16,400 the preacher that has television spots and books and websites? 566 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,900 Who's more the hero? And here's the answer. 567 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:26,500 We don't know. We don't know. because that's 568 00:30:26,500 --> 00:30:32,400 not the way that we Rank and rate faithfulness, we don't know 569 00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:37,600 the problem is this, we think we know, The problem is oftentimes, 570 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,200 we think we know who are the ones who are with great faith. 571 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:45,000 We think the ones who are the most well-known, or we think the 572 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,300 ones who get the most attention, or we think the ones with the 573 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:50,500 biggest personalities are the ones, who are the ones who God 574 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:53,300 is smiling upon the most. And the fact of the matter is, 575 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,500 that's not necessarily the case. I'm not saying that there's any 576 00:30:56,500 --> 00:30:59,900 value more in a pastor's Faith or an estate homes, mom, faith, 577 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:04,500 I'm saying this, we don't know who it is and here's what we do. 578 00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:09,100 We cannot put Value on someone's being or in their faith. 579 00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:12,200 In fact, we must get to the place where we recognize quiet 580 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,800 faith. That there are many who have a 581 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,200 quiet faith. And I'm not talking about being 582 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:18,800 quiet and not sharing their faith. 583 00:31:19,100 --> 00:31:20,300 I meant that, the game, the message. 584 00:31:20,300 --> 00:31:22,800 The Bible says, in Romans 1:16, for I am not ashamed of the 585 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,700 gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to 586 00:31:25,700 --> 00:31:27,700 everyone who believes to the Jew first and also, the Greek, 587 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:28,900 that's not what I'm talking about. 588 00:31:29,300 --> 00:31:34,700 I'm talking about those who have a quiet, strong firm, faith. 589 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,400 The believe God and his promises, they're willing to do 590 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,900 what he says. They're not loud about it. 591 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,800 They're not out there necessarily holding up the flag 592 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:47,200 and waving it about how great their faith is, but they're just 593 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:51,200 willing to listen to God. Those people in God's. 594 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:57,200 Economy are far more valuable than we give credit for Let me 595 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:03,600 ask you this. When the Widow through her might 596 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,800 into the treasury. Was there anything? 597 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:10,500 Noticeable about her? No That we don't know her name, 598 00:32:11,500 --> 00:32:13,500 the woman at the well in John chapter 4. 599 00:32:14,500 --> 00:32:16,800 Who came to Believe In Christ and brought a whole city. 600 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,100 The city of sychar to come here. Jesus Christ. 601 00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:23,600 Do we know her name? We don't what? 602 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,700 About the thief? Who was crucified on one hand of 603 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:29,800 Jesus, who Jesus said, today, Thou shalt be with me in 604 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:31,400 Paradise. Do we know his name? 605 00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:34,400 We don't, we heard just this morning. 606 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:36,900 What about the Widow of Zarephath for Elijah or the 607 00:32:36,900 --> 00:32:40,400 Widow and debt for Elijah? Both widows who had great 608 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:44,800 difficulties in their lives, but we see we don't know their 609 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,600 names. But they had great faith, whose 610 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,400 Pharaoh's daughter, the one who pulled Moses out of the water 611 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:56,600 and was willing to have a Hebrew boy grow up in her home. 612 00:32:57,300 --> 00:33:01,900 A woman of faith of some nature. Who was the boy with the Five 613 00:33:01,900 --> 00:33:03,000 Loaves? And the two fishes? 614 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,300 What was his name? We all know. 615 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,400 But I would say this, if God would allow and get to heaven, 616 00:33:10,900 --> 00:33:13,700 they're the kind of people I want to talk to the kind of 617 00:33:13,700 --> 00:33:15,200 people. I want to know their stories. 618 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,300 Oh sure. It's easy to talk of Samson and 619 00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:21,200 Gideon and Bay rack, and those kinds of names. 620 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:22,800 And listen, there's nothing wrong with them. 621 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:26,100 They are in the faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews chapter 11, but 622 00:33:26,100 --> 00:33:29,000 yet, at the same time, we need to remind ourselves that God 623 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:33,500 uses many who are unknown and unnamed to do his work. 624 00:33:33,500 --> 00:33:38,100 And to do his will, God, uses the unknown and the unnamed most 625 00:33:38,100 --> 00:33:41,600 often to do his work and to do, his will, our name doesn't have 626 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,800 to be in a marquis. Our name doesn't have to be well 627 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,300 known the things we do. Even in our own church doesn't 628 00:33:46,300 --> 00:33:49,200 necessarily have to be known by everybody that we don't always 629 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,400 have to get patted on the back for what we do or what we give 630 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,500 or what we teach, or any of those things. 631 00:33:54,500 --> 00:34:01,200 But the fact of the matter is God knows, God, sees God cares 632 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:04,100 and if no one ever thanked me for my service to God and no one 633 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:06,700 ever shook my hand and Wow, thank you for all that. 634 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:08,699 You've done for the Lord. Jesus Christ. 635 00:34:08,699 --> 00:34:10,900 And by the way, I'm not looking for that, but if no one ever 636 00:34:10,900 --> 00:34:13,000 did, it would be fine. You know why? 637 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:14,900 Because there's one in heaven, who knows? 638 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:16,600 And there's one in heaven Who records it? 639 00:34:16,699 --> 00:34:19,800 And there's one in heaven who gives the Crown's after we pass 640 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:23,199 that finish line and he knows, he sees, he cares. 641 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:26,500 He reckons, meaning he accounts for what we do. 642 00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:29,600 And so we may not be the ones out there saying everybody. 643 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:33,100 Hey, look at me, follow me, and maybe that's okay. 644 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:38,100 And maybe that's okay. But here's the question tonight. 645 00:34:40,900 --> 00:34:43,400 Or here's the thought. Tonight is that in the end? 646 00:34:44,100 --> 00:34:47,199 My faith isn't about what you or I say about it. 647 00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:49,500 It's about what God says about it. 648 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:54,400 Well, that Pastor has great faith. 649 00:34:54,699 --> 00:34:57,900 Well, maybe that's true. Oh, that woman. 650 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:00,900 You know, nobody really even knows her name. 651 00:35:00,900 --> 00:35:03,500 She just comes to church. And oh, she's friendly enough, 652 00:35:03,500 --> 00:35:05,300 but you know, don't really know a whole lot about her. 653 00:35:05,300 --> 00:35:09,100 She doesn't really open up. It could be that woman who that 654 00:35:09,100 --> 00:35:11,700 you put off to. The side is praying hours. 655 00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:13,700 A day for missionaries all across the world. 656 00:35:14,900 --> 00:35:18,400 Is praying for her town. Praying for family members to 657 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,800 come to Christ. Well, that Pastor could be doing 658 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:27,800 things for pride and arrogance. And the Bible says that if that 659 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,900 is the case, you have your reward Who is more honored? 660 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:37,800 Let's be careful about assessing other people's Faith apart from 661 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,400 And particular our own apart from the word of God because 662 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,400 really comes down to this, my faith. 663 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:48,700 Do I observe the word of God? Am I in it? 664 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,900 Am I reading it? Am I studying it? 665 00:35:51,300 --> 00:35:53,200 I'm allowing the word of God to read me. 666 00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:55,500 I'm not just reading it, but I'm allowing it to read me. 667 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:59,600 And do I obey the word of God? Because that's really The 668 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,500 Tell-Tale sign of thing. Do I observe the word and do I 669 00:36:03,500 --> 00:36:07,800 obey the one? Thank you for listening to this 670 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,400 sermon from the pulpit of Liberty, Baptist Church. 671 00:36:10,700 --> 00:36:14,000 If this message was a blessing to you, or if there's any way we 672 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:17,800 can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at info, 673 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,000 at my Liberty Baptist dot org, or you can visit us this Sunday 674 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,900 at eight hundred Washington Street in Eastern. 675 00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:28,600 Massachusetts, may the Lord bless you as you grow in his 676 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:29,000 word.