Bible Text: Judges 16 and Isaiah 25 | Preacher: Pastor Steve
Isaiah 25:1-5 Lord you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, or perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things planned long ago. It made the city a heap of rubble-fortified town of ruin, the foreigner’s stronghold the city no more; it will never be rebuilt.  Therefore strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere you. You have been a refuge for the poor a refuge for the needy in their distress a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat for the breath of the rest ruthless is like a storm dividing against a wall and like the heat of the desert you silence the uproar of foreigners as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
Being part of a community means that we learn to look for SHADE from others rather than face life alone walking in the heat of the desert!
Our mission is to become SHADE to others; just enough to help them to take one more step in their journey through the desert heat; and we go into our community and offer them SHADE in the desert times.
Samson and Delilah in the Sorek Valley
Judges 16
 God called HIS chosen people to be faithful to HIM and so HE put them into a broken needy world to be a living example of what life with God could be like!
A Nazirite Vow
The essential POINT of the Nazirite Vow was a commitment to NOT cut hair, touch a dead body or touch, eat or drink grapes SO THAT the person would be seen as totally different and unique, set apart by God!
Judges 16:6-9 So Delilah said to Samson, Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued. Samson answer here, If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man. Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh thongs that had not been dried, and she tied him with them.  With men hidden the room, she called to him, Samson, the Philistines are upon you!  But he snapped the thongs as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame.  So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
Judges 16:15-20 Then she said to him, How can you say, I love you, when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength. With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. So he told her everything. No razor has ever been used on my head, he said, because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.
When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, Come back once more; he has told me everything. So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.
And his strength left him. Then she called, Samson, the Philistines are upon you! He awoke from his sleep and thought, I’ll go out as before and shake myself free. But he did not know that the Lord had left him.
Healthy Relationships Are A Critical Part Of Human Health
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Isolation And Independence Is An Enemy To Relationships
Galatians 6:1-3 Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody.
Philippians 1:27-30 …you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News. Don’t be intimidated by your enemies…
For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this fight together.
We Are Citizens Of Heaven
All believers in Jesus will be in heaven.  Our appeal for justice is to Heaven’s government or Jesus. Our  citizenship in heaven!
We Are A Colony Of Heaven
A Taste of Heaven
Wherever we go and wherever we live we do so in such a way that others will receive a taste of what heaven is like!
Will they be drawn to and want to have heaven because of our actions, behaviors, attitudes, etc?