Today, we see the birth of Sampson. The angel who comes to his family tells them that Sampson is to be a nazirite.  He is to be set apart, no unclean food, no wine, no haircuts. He is to be different from all his neighbors. To be holy is to be set apart. As Christians, especially those of us from the Wesleyan family, holiness is our purpose. But we are to always remember that holiness is not so much focused on actions, but it is focused on love; loving God and Neighbor. What has often been called perfect love. That love of God, shed abroad in our heart, driving us from sin and pushing us to God. 

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Good morning! It’s good to be with you today as we continue our journey through the book of Judges.

Today, we’re in Judges 13, exploring the story of Samson’s birth. Since this chapter is a bit long, I won’t read the entire thing. Instead, I’ll highlight the key moments that unpack how Samson came into being and what his life would mean for Israel.

Let’s begin with some selected verses from Judges 13:

“The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren, having borne no children.

The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, ‘Although you are barren, having borne no children, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now be careful not to drink wine or strong drink or eat anything unclean, for you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from birth. It is he who shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.’”

Later in the chapter, Manoah’s wife tells her husband what the angel said, and the angel appears again to confirm the promise. Then we read in verse 19:

“Manoah took the kid with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to him who works wonders. When the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground… and Manoah said, ‘We shall surely die, for we have seen God!’ But his wife replied, ‘If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering or shown us all these things.’”

Samson the Nazirite

One of the central themes here is that Samson is set apart as a Nazirite, which is not to be confused with “Nazarene” (as in someone from Nazareth). The term Nazirite means consecrated or dedicated to the Lord. It’s about being holy—set apart for God’s purposes.

Nazirite vows typically included abstaining from wine or strong drink, avoiding anything unclean, and not cutting one’s hair. So Samson, from before birth, is meant to be visibly and spiritually different.

Some of you may be familiar with the Church of the Nazarene, a denomination whose name comes from this very idea of consecration and holiness. Like Methodists, Nazarenes emphasize sanctification—growing in grace and being set apart for God.

What Is Holiness?

Holiness is one of those words we hear often but may struggle to define. At its core, holiness means being different, distinct, and set apart—but not for its own sake. It’s about being set apart for God. It involves both outward living and inward transformation.

• Outward holiness includes how we speak, act, and carry ourselves. As Christians, there are things we don’t do—not out of legalism, but because we’re called to live differently.
• Inward holiness is even more important. It’s about love—loving God and loving neighbor with the whole of who we are.

In fact, John Wesley said that holiness is ultimately about perfect love. That’s the goal: loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Holiness isn’t about strict moralism; it’s about having our hearts so full of God’s love that sin no longer has a foothold.

The Tension: Holiness & Sin

Here’s the tension: we are called to holiness, but we are also sinners. So what do we do with that?

We must pursue holiness without falling into legalism. If we’re not careful, we can become so focused on what we do or don’t do that we forget why we do it. If holiness becomes about comparing ourselves to others or puffing ourselves up, we’ve missed the point entirely.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that we can do all sorts of good things—give to the poor, even sacrifice our lives—but if we don’t have love, it’s worthless. Holiness without love is just noise.

So let’s pursue holiness, but let it always be grounded in love—love for God and love for people.

Just Wait…

Keep in mind, Samson is supposed to be holy. He’s supposed to be set apart.

Now, tomorrow we’re going to meet Samson in chapter 14, and let’s just say… he’s not exactly what you’d expect from someone with a Nazirite vow. So stay tuned. Things are about to get… interesting.

In the meantime, remember this:

• God still calls us to be holy.
• Holiness is about love, not legalism.
• Holiness starts with the heart—Christ in us, working through us.

Thanks for being with us today. Tomorrow, we’ll jump into Judges 14 and the wild story of Samson’s early years. See you in the morning!