Side Effects
The sermon “Side Effects,” based on Judges chapter 13, delves into the spiritual tension between divine prophecy (the prescription) and the inevitable challenges (the side effects) that accompany a calling. It uses the birth and life of Samson to explore the paradox of human strength, the necessity of vulnerability, and the ultimate search for a true resting place found only in God.
The Divine Prescription: Prophecy and Promise
The message begins by establishing the context from Judges 13: The Israelites faced 40 years of oppression under the Philistines, illustrating that even trouble has a predetermined end. God initiates a shift by sending an angel (identified as a theophany, or manifestation of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament) to Manoah’s infertile wife.
The angel delivered a prescription (prophecy): she would conceive and bear a son, Samson, who would begin to deliver Israel. This son was destined to be a Nazerite from birth, requiring specific rules (no wine or razor to touch his head). This situation—God overruling barrenness to bring forth the chosen deliverer—is a repeated motif in the Bible (like Abraham and Sarah, or Hannah) and signifies the presence of God when unfruitful areas suddenly become productive.
The Power of the Praying Woman
The narrative highlights the significance of the woman’s solitary encounter with the angel, noting that God often speaks to women when they are willing to be alone, uninfluenced by external voices. The messenger spoke to her alone, similar to the announcement made to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The sermon emphasizes that a praying woman is a treasure whose perspective deserves consideration, as she can produce things and open doors that could not be achieved otherwise.
The Reality of Side Effects
The core concept of the sermon contrasts the initial promise (the prescription) with the resulting difficulties (the side effects). Just as modern medicine must list potential side effects, often worse than the original ailment, the spiritual prescription of a divine calling does not come with a detailed map of the trouble ahead. God did not tell Abraham the precise agonizing details of offering Isaac, nor did He tell Samson’s parents about the lifelong trouble and constant testing their savior son would face.
The Side Effects of Being Strong
Samson is often portrayed as an outwardly muscular superhero, which the sermon argues diminishes the power of the text. If his strength were obvious, Delilah would not have had to ask the secret of his power. True strength is often internal and not outwardly visible.
However, being a strong person carries intense side effects:
- Taken for Granted: Strong people are expected to handle everything.
- Increased Weight: They carry their own problems, their family’s problems, and the problems of others.
- Isolation: They are often uncomforted and rarely asked how they feel.
- Endurance of Pain: They frequently endure pain, exhaustion, and isolation internally, often making “hell look easy” externally.
The individual who is strong is chosen for adversity and equipped by God for the difficulty of their specific circumstance, having been ordained for their fight before birth. They may walk through hell and not be burned, or stand in the fiery furnace without being singed, because God built them for it.
Strength in Silence and Internal Resolve
The strength of the chosen individual is not always manifested through outward displays or verbal retaliation. Silence is often wrongly perceived as weakness, but it requires great strength to hold one’s peace and not speak one’s mind. The scripture confirms that “in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength”. A truly confident person knows their identity and worth regardless of external titles, seating arrangements, or the commendations of men.
The Paradox: Attracted to the Enemy
Samson’s life reveals a profound dilemma: he was prescribed to destroy the Philistines, yet he was attracted to them (seen first in the woman of Timna). This conflict arises when God calls an individual to kill what they are naturally drawn to, resulting in mixed feelings and internal strife.
The strong man, like Samson, is a complicated figure, existing in a paradoxical reality: strong in public (throwing gates, defeating armies) but weak in private (drawn to Philistine women). The strong individual is neither as mighty as they pretend nor as weak as they fear; they are struggling to live in both states simultaneously.
Most strength is often expended trying to prove consistent strength, creating a camouflage of strength that hides frailty. People are drawn to strength, but few are willing to deal with the person’s weaknesses or struggles.