Heroes of the Bible · Lesson 4
Samson
Judges 13–16
Samson was the strongest man who ever lived — able to tear apart a lion with his bare hands, and take down a whole city gate on his shoulders. But this lesson isn't really about strength. It's about where that strength came from, and what happened when Samson started to forget.
Main Focus
Samson could tear apart a lion with his bare hands and knock down city gates on his own. But his strength was never really his own — it came from staying close to God. When Samson drifted from that, chasing what he wanted instead, he lost the very thing that made him strong. True strength doesn't come from muscles or willpower. It comes from staying close to God.
Memory Verse
Big Movement Game
Give each child a few ribbons or streamers, tucked into their waistband or pocket — these represent Samson's strength. Everyone runs around trying to pull ribbons from each other while protecting their own. If you lose all your ribbons, you're 'out of strength' — sit out and do ten star jumps, then you can rejoin with one ribbon back. Play for a set time and see who's got the most strength left standing. Just like Samson, everyone starts strong — but staying strong takes more than just running fast!
Discussion Questions
- Samson was the strongest man who ever lived. Where do you think his strength actually came from?
- What happened when Samson started drifting away from God and stopped taking his relationship with Him seriously?
- Do you think it's possible to look strong on the outside but be weak somewhere else? What might that look like?
- What are some ways we can stay close to God, so we stay strong on the inside, not just the outside?
Object Lesson
You'll need a hairdryer and a ping-pong ball. Turn the hairdryer on and point it straight up, then place the ball in the stream of air — it'll float and bounce there, held up entirely by the moving air, even if you tilt the hairdryer slightly to one side. Explain that the ball represents us: on our own, no matter how hard we try, we can't stay up — we'll always fall back down. The air from the hairdryer represents God's strength. When we try to rely on our own power, we get tired and fall short. But when we let God hold us up, His strength keeps us going, even through the hardest moments.
Craft & Activity
Make your own Samson hairband! Cut out the two large rectangles and staple them together into a circle to form the headband. Then colour in the smaller rectangles from the second and third pages black, cut them out, and staple or glue them onto the headband to create Samson's hair. Wear it as a reminder that Samson's strength was tied to staying devoted to God — and that our own strength comes from staying close to Him too.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for showing us through Samson's story that true strength doesn't come from ourselves — it comes from You. Help us to stay close to You, not just when things are going well, but every day. When we feel weak, remind us that Your strength is always available to us. Help us to be strong, not because of what we can do, but because of who You are. Amen.
Leader Prep & Tips
This lesson deals with some heavier themes than most in this series — Samson's story includes real consequences of drifting from God, so it's worth keeping the tone age-appropriate and focused on the positive takeaway (staying close to God) rather than dwelling on the details of his downfall. Have your ribbons, hairdryer and ping-pong ball, and craft supplies ready ahead of time. If you're using an electrical hairdryer around water or near younger children, keep the usual sensible precautions in mind — a clear space, no trailing cords underfoot. As you close, bring it back to the children directly: strength isn't about being the toughest or fastest, it's about staying close to God every day, in the ordinary moments, not just when things get hard.