SUNDAY, MAY 18 | Samson and the Philistines 

BIBLE PASSAGE: Judges 13-16

MEMORY VERSE: If my people pray and turn from their evil ways, then I will forgive their sin. 2 Chronicles 7:14

BIG PICTURE QUESTION: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

CHRIST CONNECTION: Samson’s great strength came from God alone. He had no power to defeat the Philistines on his own. We cannot please God on our own. Through faith in Jesus, people are saved from sin and receive the Holy Spirit, who helps them live to please God.

The life of Samson showcases the downfall of a mighty hero whose story draws some similarities to Jesus. Samson’s shortcomings, however, reveal the need for a greater deliverer. Only by faith in the Son of God can we please our Father in heaven and get a proper view of where true strength comes from.

Samson’s strength came from the Spirit of God and Samson’s adherence to the angel’s command that he not cut his hair. As a Nazirite, Samson was called to be set apart in holy service to God, though he disobeyed God’s call to abstain from the unclean and idolatrous ways of the world. The downfall of Samson revealed the need for a greater hero who could fulfill God’s commands and deliver His people once and for all.

Though Samson was an esteemed warrior, his strength was not his own; it came from God who called him to walk in holiness. Like Samson, we cannot please God on our own. We need the power of His Spirit to help us walk in His ways (Galatians 5:16). Jesus is the better Samson—our perfect sacrifice who suffered in our place to create lasting transformation amid our helpless and hopeless state. Lead your children to see that when we place our trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, allowing us to walk victoriously in faith.