"He Knew Not That Jehovah Was Departed" (Base: Luther Blackmon) Judges 16:20. I. Introduction. A. Recount the incident. 1. Nazarite vow: unshaven locks. 2. Scheming heathen wife provoked. B. Sad: did not know he had lost his strength. C. Even his ignorance did not stop the consequences. D. Man first forsakes God: then God departs. E. Departure is because of conduct of humans. II. Body. A. Samson was not the last to lose contact with God while asleep. 1. Most congregations have some of this nature. a. Spiritually asleep: I Corinthians 11:30. b. Hard or impossible to wake up: Ephesians 5:14. c. Sad part: they don't know it! d. Such folks: (1 Do not read the Bible or (2 Pay no attention to what they read (3 Or they don't believe it. (4 For: I John 5:3. 2. The person lightly esteeming life of Christian. a. Worse than an infidel. (1 Winds up with him. (2 Tormenting conscience. (3 Infidel doesn't have to make excuses. b. II Peter 2:20-21. B. Our Bodies are to be: Romans 12:1-2. 1. Not presenting body when won't lift finger to help in the work of the Lord. 2. If practically no service will save: such passages are worthless. 3. Hebrews 12:12-13. C. Consider the lukewarm. 1. The Laodiceans: Revelation 3:15-16. 2. Doubt one would confess to being such. a. Lined up a batch of excuses(good for him--not for others.) b. Doesn't require of the lukewarm what he requires of others? c. Thinks Lord will make his a special case. (1. If everybody had my troubles.... (2. Most of us do not know what troubles are! 4. Titus 2:14. D. To keep the Lord from departing: 1. Set my mind on things above: Colossians 3:2. a. Read the funny papers--but not the Bible? b. Go to worship one hour--not care if doors open the other times? c. Gospel meeting: attend--invite others? d. If all were as some: (1 None would be saved. (2 Entire plan of God for the church defeated. e. God only departs if we forsake: James 4:8. E. How dark is the life of one who has lost God's approval. 1. May be unaware of it! 2. May not know until faced with death or we face God. 3. Samson lost his sight for his mistake. 4. We lose the light: Ephesians 5:8. 5. Galatians 4:9. III. Conclusion. A. Some day: 1. All our puny excuses and anemic alibis will be laid bare. 2. Will know warnings, exhortations and commands of New Testament are for today as well as the past. B. Do I know where I stand with the Lord and His word?