Icebreaker
- What is something you were really into as a kid?
Observation:
- Read Judges 13:24–25. What does this passage tell us about Samson before he ever does anything significant? What had God already done or called him to?
- Read Judges 14:1–3. What do you notice about what Samson wants, what his parents want, and what God wants? Where is the tension?
- Read Judges 14:6, 19 and 15:14–15. What do these passages show us about Samson’s strength? How does he use the strength God has given him?
- Read Judges 15:6–7 and 16:28–30. What seems to motivate Samson throughout these chapters? How would you describe the difference between Samson’s earlier actions and his final prayer?
Application
- Samson was set apart, but he became increasingly comfortable with things God had called him to confront. Where do you see that tension in his story? How does that show up in our lives?
- Which of these three movements do you find most challenging to recognize in yourself: Complacency over conviction, Using your strength for yourself rather than others, Living for your appetite.
- What is one area of life where you are tempted to say, “It’s probably fine,” even though you sense God asking you to make a different choice?
- Samson was a deeply flawed deliverer, yet God still used him to rescue his people. What does Samson’s story teach us about God’s willingness to love and rescue people who are far from perfect?
- In light of this story, how does the gospel of Jesus help form the way you think about yourself and those around you?
