The Giver and the Gift

If your news Watcher of any sort newsreader. Takes you a long time before you find a good news story. There's an awful lot of bad news that are coming out us all the time from so many different angles whether its role conflict economy. local news all sorts of things you could put the in the category of this is not encouraging and we feel like we need big doses of good news. I was thinking about this this weekend. There's a website or something called Good News. Calm like you get your daily good news of the day that they're actually wasn't someone else got that but it's it's not actually giving good news, but there's something called The Uplift there's another side called the good news Hub. So if you want your daily dose of encouragement inspiration, those are two places you can go good news for us today. Is that Jesus Christ is the source of our good news. That's why we have the word gospel. God is a God who gives good things and good gifts and has a good plan for the world. It's so when we feel like we are living in a dipped in that the vat of bad news. We come to the scriptures we come to worship and we are going to be and we are immersed in the reality of who God is he is the source of goodness. He is a source of good news for us until be assured. If you're feeling that today you will be receiving from his his grace. Is Bible is this the book of good news? And the bad news World in contain? The Old Testament is his book of Ruth this small little for chapter book, which is an amazing story. What a gift it is. It's a good news story. It is a great love story and we're just beginning to see the emergence of that. We're going to see that in chapters 3 and 4 and 4 Ruth. Have you been tracking with us? It's a it's a story which is the against-all-odds come back in from the the bottom of the standings to the the Champions the championship. This is what the story is about. She's a stranger. She's in a foreign place. She is hungry. She was destitute. She's a widow. She's vulnerable and yet she's not living like she's defeated why cuz she has faith. Just faith and she is industrious. When she that in Chapter 2 and we are reminded that she and many ways exemplifies the qualities of a Proverbs 31 Woman. She's just an amazing incredible woman. Chapter 2 is a day in the life of roof. How many people remember a long time ago? I think it was a day in the life of Canada. It took pictures from coast to coast and they did snapshots of people's lives all across the country as a day in the life of roof and what a day it was an amazing day. She was going to have a day and most of us when we start our day. We don't know what the day is going to look like. Sometimes we're fairly predicted but sometimes things happen that completely blow our expectations away. She had a hope and she had some dreams but it was not going to look at at the end of the day anything like she would imagine if she began it. She hadn't lived it herself. She probably wouldn't have believed it. She began the day trusting the God was going to meet her at her point of need. That's a that's a great place to be at the place. We say Lord. We need you today. And she was in search of somebody who is going to be kind to her and demonstrate God's favor to her. So with your Bibles to look at these scriptures Luke chapter 3 chapter 2 verse 2. This was this was her her desire with chapter 2. Just let me go to the field and clean them on the ears of grain after him in whose side. I might find favor that was her hope her for expectation her request at the beginning of the day. A little bit later few hours goes by and Andrews 2:10. She says she's speaking about why she said why have I found favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, since I'm a foreigner the very thing she was setting out and seeking for favor and kindness and someone to be to be good to her. She met since she found and God's favor was over her all over her that day and where she went and her steps in what she found who she met what he said and then what she went home with it was a day that just absolutely exceeded. Her expectations was like you taking your Looney Tooney. I don't know how much they cost. Now, you know you the chocolate bar vending machines used to be a lot cheaper, but now they're two or 250. Do you put your TNT in and you hit F7 you want that Mars Bar? Hit up 7 the little swirly thing goes around and you watch your chocolate bars at falls in the bottom. So she got her chocolate bar, but then everything started to Swirly twirly swirly and all the chocolate bars empty down in the vending machine and she was left out with just one chocolate bar, but she had the jackpot. She had the windfall of everything. She had favored like she couldn't believe it. What was the one thing that was common to all this blessing? It was a person is person whose name was Boaz a worthy man a godly man a man of character of integrity and compassion and loving-kindness and let me just say ladies you had a proverbs 31 not a minute ago men. Let me speak to you that Boaz is a man who is worthy of our emulation and his qualities. And Ruth experienced God's favor in the words and through the actions of this man Boaz. If you flip the page, maybe do you have to put the page in my Bible you do? You have to flip one page forward. And you're going to see that this man and this woman are going to be married. There's going to be a union they're going to be married. And from there we're going to is going to come a son and from that Sun is going to come a Shepherd King whose name is say it with me David. And down the road down the road down the road will come from David. The shepherd King whose name is Jesus Christ the son of God. And where to see that I wanted to take a little step back here where to see that in the New Testament the things that were concealed in the Old Testament come to life. So these Old Testament stories are hidden there slightly cloaked. We understand then we see them but when you read them through a new testament lands and then Look Backwards all of a sudden we go. That's what that was about or some big stuff going on are we look back and we see the big picture in the story of the Bible is about Our Redeemer and God's Plan of Redemption. So we need to pay attention that there is a redeemer in Ruth and there's Redemption being worked out and that points forward to what is going to come and when we look for the New Testament backwards, we say we know who the Redeemer is and we know what God's Plan of Redemption look like as we get the full or picture of this and we understand that we can live in this Within this story and Ruth chapter 2 as a much bigger story. God is always up to more than we can see he's always up to something great. You can hold on to that right now. If you don't understand what God is up to in your life. He's always up to something great. God is dropping clues in the Old Testament what he's what he's up to but wise who was an ancestor both of David and Jesus is I want to hear that. He's a type of Christ. His life is pointing forward to someone who would be who Christ will be accepting a perfect way. Here's what st. Augustine said we think about the Old and New Testament in the stories are revealed Augustine said this the new is in the old concealed the oldest in the new revealed that like a bit of a riddle, but it's not just think about that. I know it's early Sunday morning. The new was in the old concealed if the New Testament is our Jesus is there but he's concealed the old is in the new revealed The Testament speak to one another they unfold they work together. I want to give you a few areas of Correspondence between Boaz and Jesus Boaz with this type of Jesus. So here's a few of them Boaz was it wasn't used as both were from the tribe of Judah both from Bethlehem. both redeemers both living a life of compassion and kindness both seeking most fun providers in both then seeking a bride and we're willing to pay the price for her. I see these correspondences is Boaz life is a type of Jesus. He's blaming her but Jesus because he is perfect and he is sinless as we sing and we're going to sing after the sermon he is the true and Jesus is the true and better bow as he is the Fulfillment of everything that bow as was pointed to and today are sermon is called the giver and the gift. I'm going to look at the second half of chapter two. And in this outline the focus for us today. Is on the word abundance just like that vending machine you looking for one chocolate bar, but you get the whole thing Ruth was looking for a little bit of favor. She got way more than she could bargain for we're going to see abundance overflowing dripping in Chapter 2. Here's the outline this morning three points God's abundant provision God's abundant compassion and God's abundant. Hope as we look at this as you see Bo asked me to see how this abundance has lived out. You're going to see Boaz, but I want us to see beyond bow as I want us to see Jesus. I want to see you in this abundant provision compassion and hope it comes from the hand of Boaz this pointing forward to Jesus was perfect in his provision perfect in his compassion. And who is The Giver the perfect Giver of Hope? So day in the life of Ruth reveals this first God's abundant provision. So, where is it set out in the morning. She went to this field. She just so happen to stumble upon this field belonging to Boaz and she had a good morning was beginning the workers began to notice her. She was joining with some of the other women then Boaz comes in from town mid-morning and he notices her and he says he one of his his workers is so who's that woman is that he's just that roof and she came from Moab with Naomi and so he explains this this woman to who who this woman is to Boaz and now the boss and I was and and and she's got his eye. Boaz approaches her and he says you stay here. This is this is good you stay here. And then he tells her that he's going to take care of her and then he said may you be richly rewarded by the Lord maybe little did he know that he was going to be the greatest answer to her prayers. At least two worthy people are having this very significant first conversation. And then she went back to glean and this has all happened before lunch time. We pick up in verse 14. Look at your Bibles verse 14. This was their first lunch date. The couple's romance was beginning to Bud. Add a meal time boa sit her come here and eat some bread dip your morsel in the wine. So she sat beside the Reapers and he passed her roasted grain, and she ate until she was satisfied and she had some left over. What she had received this special favor and verse 8 Boaz refers to her as my daughter. What a beautiful term of endearment. She was younger than he was he was caring for her. What a beautiful through me call her his daughter and he invited her to share a meal with he and his workers. What are we seeing? This is that the outside or was invited in that someone who isn't worthy of sitting with the boss at his table was treated like a member of the family eating this full lunch at a rich man's table has a special guests as he personally served her since lunchtime. This is only a few hours into the day. The lowest was invited into this place of honor. Commentator Daniel blocks. Does this he says Boaz took an ordinary event, Emil? I need transformed it into a magnanimous occasion for compassion generosity and acceptance. There's powers in there in a meal Boaz Transformers ordinary event into something it was so special showing compassion generosity and acceptance and let me just say the sidebar that there's so much power. We've talked about this church in terms of hospitality opening our homes inviting people into Camille share Mia with us. And this is just showing us what bow I did. This is this is Christlike love she was not important. She was not famous. She was not rich. She was an outcast. She was on the lowest people because she was a foreigner. She was a woman. But he treated with such respect and dignity. We're reminded the christ-like love is how we treat the marginalized and how we treat those who the world considers insignificant tuck that away. This beautiful turn of events of inviting to a table happen again in the Old Testament. Not that long after in fact with the life of David you remember the character called mephibosheth. It's hard to spell a little on hard to say. I'm glad I got it, right. Amber Mississippi Chef he was Saul's grandson. He was Jonathan's father and all of the men in Saul's line were wiped out in battle and he was the only one left David said he said, is there anyone left in the house of Saul that I can show kindness to? Searching and searching is is there anyway I can be compassionate to which was an amazing thing? Because Saul was his archenemy. Jonathan was his beloved friend and the News came to David said there was one of his son still left. His name was mephibosheth. And the scripture tells us that he was crippled in his feet. That's what he calls to him. He says to his his servants bring this young man to my Palace and if you're mephibosheth in you're getting news from the king who was the arch enemy of your grandfather that this could mean the end for you. because typically they would David said in 2nd Samuel chapter 9 verse 7. He says do not fear mephibosheth for I will show you kindness. Okay. I'm I'm making this parallel here. So think Boaz & Ruth as I'm reading this I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan and I will restore to you all the land of saw your father and you shall eat at my table always. Don't be afraid I'm going to show you kindness and restore I'm going to provide for you always. The experience of mephibosheth is very much. Like what David's great-grandmother Ruth experienced that they kind hand of Boaz. In fact that you think about this very likely David's father who was the grandson of roof probably heard this story Ruth telling this exact story of this exact day to her great or to her grandson who probably pass it on to David and maybe this is swirling around in David's mind as he takes the same kindness. It was expressed to Ruth his great-grandmother and expresses it to mephibosheth. And this is not just a really cool little story between Boaz and David in the Old Testament. This is our story that the outcast were invited and we are seated at the table of Christ. We are brought into his family. We are shown Mercy. God said who can I show kindness to any pours out his kindness in his grace and his love Upon Our Lives.

This is what happened at lunchtime first fifteen when she Rose to clean after lunch who has instructed his young men sing let her glean even among the sheaves and do not reproach her and also pull out from some of the bundles for her and leave it for her to clean and do not rebuke her. Well, there's a lot of abundance in the morning. It was kindness. There was a beautiful lunch was a great welcome, but after lunch this abundance continued even greater Boaz ensure that Ruth was going to be provided for generously according to the law. The the cleaners were supposed to go after the Reapers. They were supposed to take all of the good Protestants like when you go and pick strawberries at the end of the season and they're just like one very here and when they are here and you get what you can hopefully can fill a basket. He said none of you said you get to go first. He said you get to go before the workers go. Did you get to pick anything you want? Take as much as you can. And so with that he has a sidebar conversation with his workers. He said just leave her alone and let her pick as much as she wants and actually just so happen to drop some of these already picked she leaves on the ground. So it'll be easy for her. No wonder she was able to fill a big bag full. Boaz gave these special instructions. He said to them Ruth is got my VIP card treat her well. This was his special affection. This is extravagant care. This is an amazing picture. Again. This is not just a cool thing on a day. And I feel this is a picture of the extravagant love and grace of God in Jesus Christ that flows to us. Who is the bread of life? This master humbled himself to show love to this Foreigner but wise was living out. I said Peter talked about this word we've talked about this is his loving-kindness is the Covenant faithfulness of God. He was a living representation of the heart of God to this woman and we need to see in this the way Jesus treats us. looking for 14 This is an amazing correspondence that Boaz who is pointing us to Jesus. Does it in this way for the 14th? Isn't she ate until she was satisfied and she had some leftover. I love looking at these things and go to this point is it's pointing anywhere. And yes, it does. If it does the only miracle in the life of Jesus, it happens in all four gospels. Is this one behind me check about let's read it together when we were in this together. This is so cool together and they ate and were satisfied and they took up the broken pieces left over seven baskets for you think this is just a coincidence that the Old Testament Ruth Boaz Jesus New Testament Big Field. Lots of people compassion that the wording is very similar that these people at the hand of Jesus at the miracle in the provision of Jesus. The eight and they were satisfied 5,000 men plus women plus children figured 10,000 people. Probably Jesus is pretty good with his provision. They took up these broken pieces. It was so much left over and she had some left over. amazing Well the day is done and where did The Leftovers go? She had a second lunch. She goes home today. Oh me. She's expecting to go home with just maybe a little bag so they could eat for the next day or two, but she went home with so much more looking for 17417 sake. She gleaned till evening when she beat out what she's glean and it was about an E-5 Varley. That doesn't mean anything to us. We don't really know what that is, but I'll tell you what it is cuz I looked it up. 22 L of barley. So what's that form of milk is one of those bags, right? So that's five bags five and a half bags of milk. You come home with those big bags of milk on your arm, but it's all full of barley 30 lb of grain. Not just a little bit not just a little bit. Talk to you in a little cloth.

That's enough for them for a couple of weeks. And if you're Ruth you're thinking all of this kindness does it ever end and she probably never realize how her life would be revolutionized in this day. Church, we need to be amazed at what God can do as we trust him for favor. And far more than meeting our physical needs far more than his grain. Jesus does come to me in our deepest need. His life in his death in his resurrection on the cross what he has done for us to give us life to pay the price Paul. The Apostle says this speaking about this abundance. I wanted to hear this from 2nd Corinthians 8 verse 9 says for you know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ think Boaz, perfect. But though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor so that you buy his poverty might become rich. This is a picture of the Gospel this abundant provision is in Jesus for us. Not just that he meets our physical needs but that he met our deepest needs I need for cleansing of sin. I need for to be reconciled to God because of our own sinfulness and he shed blood he paid the full price. And in Jesus, what do we have by being those who have put our trust and faith in Christ? And the Bible says that that according to the unsearchable riches of Christ. He is the wealthiest of all with everything the Bible says that we have his mercy and love the riches of his mercy and love we have the riches of his grace. We have his riches in glory. Those are your riches right now your sack is full of grain because of the uncertainty of riches of Christ that flow into your life his grace his Mercy his goodness and everything that is waiting for us in glory is our inheritance. Amen. We are the undeserving. We were once the enemies of God, but we have been invited into this abundant promise for us.

And we let me just say as a sidebar here having all of this stuff having Jesus we saying earlier prone to wander Lord. I feel it where we Wander from. So here we have all of this goodness everything we have in Christ. All of our needs being met but yet we go. I think I'm going to go somewhere else. I think I'm going to kind of wander away because we get lured by the forbidden fruit. We get lured into things did promise to really meet the need of what we're looking for whether that's success. Or substance addiction or pornography or our Pleasures or distractions? This will really make me happy. This will really make me happy. The devil is always lying to us to lead us away from the field of Jesus Christ of who he is because the abundance is found in him alone.

And perhaps if someone today who's wandered away from Jesus lured Away by the enticements taken away prone to wander. at the hand of the devil believe the lie Let this text today tell you that there is satisfaction nowhere else in this world other than Christ only in his field. And so if you have turned away from Christ turn back to him find his goodness in his provision in his Mercy. So what's our response to God's abundant provision in Christ like Ruth humble gratitude amazement our hearts Awakening to the undeserved favor in Jesus first thing a day in the life of Ruth revealed God's abundant provision as His abundant compassion. really good verses 18 to 20 I don't know if you remember coming home after the first day on your job. maybe it was Long time ago maybe was recently, but the question that is asked of you when you come home by your parents, maybe if you're young or by your spouse's, how did it go? Was it? Like, how was your team? How was the boss they treat you nicely. Will you be there on time all these questions? Everybody wants to know. How was your first day on the job?

Ruth had her first day on the job. So she's dragging this 30 lb bag of grain home from the fields. Probably a long walk. It was definitely a long day that we know. She left early in the morning. She was bleeding until the evening and she had this big bag 30 lb worth I have the feeling that her trip home was quick. Because her thoughts were racing all these incredible things that happen if she was playing these conversations over and over in her mind spinning, over and over just thinking about them. All the happened that she had met Boaz that he was so kind and so gracious to her thinking. What kind of man is this? What kind of love is this trying to process it all Verse 18 begins with the conversation with Naomi about how the day went like parents are like spouses you say how did it go? She had all these questions for her daughter-in-law was your first day on the job looking for a 18 so she took it up in the bag and she went into the city or mother-in-law saw what she'd lean and she also brought it out and gave her food. What was left over after being satisfied that was early lunch and her mother-in-law I said to her. Where did you clean today? Where do you were blessed be the man who took notice of you? Praise God and bless you this man who took notice of you? So here is roof exhausted but excited she's walking in Naomi can't believe what she seen is beaming daughter-in-law with his Great Hall of grain. Naomi's wide-eyed and wondering because of all of this and she knows something happened something amazing happened. She doesn't know what it was. Asking questions where did where did this happen? Because truly were blessed by someone who took showed you favor. And the question, of course if she wants to ask if she sees the what she doesn't know the how yet but she's she's asking the question who whose hands gave me this blessing.

She wants to know who this generous man is who showed favor? Look at verse 19 years has Ruth speaking the man named with whom I work today is right think of every award show you've ever seen and the man's name with who I work today is Uncle Lucas ripped open torn page turns flap is flipped and is beautiful name is spoken. Cuz we want to know who is this person. We like this guy. He's a winner. He's the source of all of her blessings and the name is and she says.

This beautiful name this powerful name. It's beautiful name Boaz. Remember what his name means? strength in him and strength And he is and he will be the strength of Naomi and he will be the strength of roof and in him, they will find new strength and New Hope. Now tell me is really Blown Away. Not only has she seen what happened. But when she hears his name, she knows who he is and who is he? He's their clothes kinsman-redeemer. And she's thinking I might not just be our provider. He might be the guy that's going to rescue the deepest need that we really have because we are without any family to take us forward.

This is the the first time they owe me. Here's the gospel. Isn't this good news of who this man is? And so what does she do she hears this name of this worthy man this man who have integrity and she's pissing all of this together that God might be up to something good. Look at verse 20 We need to pay attention to 2:20 because it is the center of This Book of Ruth. This is the the pivot point. This is the Apex of his book half of it goes before half of it after this is the center versus As a literary technique the author is saying something really important to us here. It is. Naomi said to her daughter and I may be blessed by the Lord whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the Dead. Naomi said to her this man is a close relative of ours one of our redeemers. And this is the turning point for Naomi and this is the first mention of the word Redeemer in the letter. What does Naomi do first of all she's she's praising Boaz Boaz, and he is such a kind man. But behind his actions she realizes there's something else going on. The God is at work through this man is kindness and she Praises God for the first time in this book. And this is a similar phrase Outburst to the display of a phrase that God gets in Genesis chapter 24 verses 26 and 27 and I'll just briefly tell you the backstory the simple Abraham sent his servant to go find a wife ding ding ding find a wife debacle theme. You're all over this one. You could be coffee ology Abraham sent his servant to go find a wife for his son Isaac and when Isaac meets remember what the woman's name was?

Thank you front. Row Rebecca even spelled like you're spelled her name is Rebecca. And when he meets Rebecca, here's what he says and you'll see these verses on the screen. Genesis 24 the man bow his head and worshipped the Lord and said just just got like what Naomi's doing. She's giving praise to God blessed be the Lord the god of my master Abraham who has not forsaken his steadfast love and faithfulness towards me master. This is the snow to pray that God has been so good. My prayers have been answered. I found who I've been looking for. And God has been good. Ruth chapter 218 Naomi and her helper says to her daughter-in-law. May he be blessed by the Lord? Speaking of the Lord. Now whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead another words that God is going to be faithful. He is faithful to our family. God has not forsaken us harkening back to this beautiful praise in Genesis chapter 24 that was free. By the way. That was just a little cool note. This is not the same Naomi that we saw at the end of chapter one. Who was she then? She was bitter. She was blaming God for all of her sorrow. But on that evening her morning was turned to joyful praise. This was a new woman. She went from a pity party to a praise party. How good is that? Her face at the end of chapter one was as good as dead.

That she didn't want to be called them anymore. As you remember. She said just call me Mara. But this Faith was reignited by the display of generosity in her faith was brought back to life because she could see God that she could see his hand and she could see his abundance and she was seeing his compassion. Chapter one is over. It's like the the winter snow is melting and something is beginning. In fact at the end of chapter 122 says they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley Harvest comes back with his bag of grain and this is just the beginning. It's just the beginning of their blessing. It's the beginning of this revival of Naomi's faith, and it's just the beginning as we're going to see there's a whole lot more to come. That's kind of curious is so evident in Naomi can see it and she can smell the green and she can taste it. This is the goodness of God taste and see that the Lord is good one commentator. Does this about this moment for Naomi? He says we are seeing here what we make call Naomi's personal Revival. Her view of the almighty is being restored. Her bitterness is being replaced by thankfulness. God is Not only been kind to Ruth, but God has been wonderfully kind also to Naomi. It is a goddess having a special encounter with her and her faith is being restored and our hearts are coming back to life. And gratitude and phrases welling up and maybe some of you can identify with that. Maybe you feel like you've lived in this season of of difficulty in darkness for so long and your face is faith has been crushed. You're not even sure if it's alive. Go to see the generosity of God in Christ to you. To know that God has not forsaken you he's not left you she's very much with you. And let that revive your soul. May you realize this like she did that evening. Your hardships as were her hardships. He had not forsaken her. And we need to see God for who she is. We just saying a few moments ago the goodness of Jesus satisfied. He's all that I need me that become your reality today. And some of us when we read about this encounter with this this extra lunch in this big bag of grain and got a bunch of goodness in his compassion. We steal or I could use one of those days right now. Lord I could use a really special kind of day I could I could use you to unfold some of this extra lunch kind of full bag of grain kind of days. Let me see a church that God is is good and he's compassion and he knows what we need. And some days we come home with the extra lunch. Sometimes we don't other times are face to keep stressing. But God in his perfect wisdom in his perfect race is kind and he gives us what we need to encourage us and there are times when God streams of blessings flow into our lives and we see Lord. I'm so undeserving. Thank you so much. If you're walking the walk if they continue that and the Lord knows when you need these special touches and I pray that if you need that encouragement that reminder that God is with you and he's not forsaken you that you receive that.

He reminds me today that the truth was used by God to be the messenger of this good news. She she wasn't the sort she would just a conduit and what a blessing this daughter-in-law was to her mother-in-law. She brought all this home and this was his personal Revival and it reminds me that we can be used by God to bless other people. God uses us. He sent us in some small way to show love to give encouragement to say something or do something that's going to be an agent is going to cause God's love and mercy to be seen in someone's life and may even cause and effect in their life a personal spiritual Revival at your hands because you show up I want to remember I want you to remember that we're not the stores. We are just conduits. We are Spirit-filled people who walk with Jesus sent to share out of the abundance that he is and is given to us as we live. God's love and compassion other people. And I think about this and I thought why don't we just make this our prayer machine on the screen? Our prayers are we going to our day Lord here? I am send me into this day.

In alignment with you for assignment. Lord make me a blessing to someone who needs to see your goodness and experience your compassion.

I don't think I don't think Ruth pray that but that's what she was. She was in alignment with God. She was walking his steps for assignment and she was a blessing. Tell me who needed to see God's goodness and experience is compassion. And that's what the Lord wants to do in our lives. He wants to send this out in alignment on a sign meant to be sent that by God that we would be used as conduits that through our lives through our simple ordinary means you are simple who we are that God's compassion would be seen in other people will be blessed. What does it mean for a car we do this in the ordinary things that we do that we share out of our abundance. Well, we can deliver a fresh loaf of bread. We can share some Garden produce. Bracket 8 weeks from now got to go first. We can open up our home inviting someone for a meal. We can give an anonymous gift. We can bless someone with three hours of our time on a Saturday to help them move. Lots of really simple practical ways. It's Ennis to give he's in us to give so that someone will be encouraged and what are we what we do this is what we believe in our church. We called life together. This is doing life together, which recently we we talk to it, which says this we are seeking to fulfill the one another commands of scripture through friendship and discipleship and practical helps and intentional Hospitality. I'm reminding you so sure you know this but this is who we want to be this is it were seeking to be in striving to be in who is committed to be in the lives of each other these people have mercy but we need to take this one step further Beyond a loaf of bread in the anonymous gift in the the helps of these are all amazing things. We want to do more than just share the bread. We want to share the bread of life. Christ was the greatest Treasure of all. And we need to turn out words. We need to turn and take what we have been given and share this abundance of Jesus. Not just what he gives us, but who he is and sharing this good news that he is the one who truly satisfies to our neighbors to strangers and we're going to go downtown and we're going to pray and we're going to seek to share our faith with people who need to know Jesus. People need Jesus and they need to see His abundant compassion. They need to see His abundant Provisions. They need to see that the world doesn't have it in Christ alone is found the source, and we're simply the conduits of that blessing because we know Christ and he's entrusted with us to us this message. So what do we do? What's our response to this abundant compassion like Naomi with joyful praise you bless. The Lord has been so good to us. So this day in the life of Ruth reveals God's compassion and thirdly gives us an abundant. Hope looking for 23 MB said besides he said to me you shall keep close to my young man until they have finished all my Harvest.

This was also good but they needed more than just this bag of grain because that was going to run out. They needed more than just this one day kindness. This wasn't just a one-off. This was a first fruits. What is first fruits means first fruit fruits means as a down payment in the Bible says that the holy spirit for us is first fruits. There's a there's a deposit in our lives guaranteeing that which is to come this bag of grain was this deposit. There was way more to come and a text says that she was to stay and she was invited to stay until the end of the Harvest another couple of months. 421 Ruth said Should say that he said to me you shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my Harvest. She was told to keep coming back to the end of the Harvest. She had this open to order to have all that she could reap probably for the next two months to imagine the stockpile. She did 30 lb in one day conservatively speaking. She might have had another 30 grape harvesting days 900 pounds of grain to build a new house for this for shed. So she had this promise of continual provision in a safe environment free from harassment free from danger under the kind and watchful eye of Boaz that he was going to take care of her through the entire Harvest. She had nothing to worry about we have nothing to worry about we are under the kind watchful providing compassionate. I have our savior. All of these hopes were centered on Boaz who was in her 20s, we heard earlier one of the redeemers. This kinsman-redeemer chapter 3 and chapter 4 going on for this beautifully. But because of what God had written the only had hope for Redemption that this man would be the answer to their prayers for a future he could buy back what was theirs and give them a future in life? As I think about this the sense of hope that we had this abundant hope that we don't have to worry. I think of the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 6. Jesus said therefore do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? The Gentiles seek after all these things in your heavenly father knows that you need them. It's going to be okay. I'm going to take care of you. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Oh, I see. You have nothing to worry about stay till the end of harvest. The Lord says he wants you have nothing to worry about. And we have access to God's abundance through prayer and Hebrews 4:16. We reminded let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive Mercy. And find Grace to help in our time of need, you know, we think about our needs we stood about her needs. We wonder about our needs but the question is do we actually pray about our needs and Jesus said come and ask me for daily bread and Hebrew come to the throne of grace in find what you need. God invites us to finding him our supply. And this is our sure and certain hope this is not in God. I hope so like kind of tenuous. I'm not sure maybe hope so this is yes. I know so because our hope the Abundant hope that we have is we know who God is that he doesn't lie that he doesn't change that. He loves us after we can rest in that camp in that and stake our lives on it. the final thing I want you to see this text is this we're determined to turn nowhere else. Look back in four state your Bibles. Look back to verse 80s something to rufus's I said the roof now listen to my daughter do not go to glean in another field. Or leave this one would be saying to her if you think stay here stay in this field stay in this field. What does the Bible say to us? There's joy here. There's life here. There's promise here. There's provision here only in Jesus Christ is where we find her soul satisfaction and their there's no need to go anywhere else. Disciples of Jesus Lord to whom shall we go letting others? Who else do we listen to where else? Can we go to find life? You said you have the words of eternal life church. There's no need for us to go anywhere else in crisis life. What is are confident? Hope in Christ? What is our response to this hope this abundant? Hope we have confidence drink that we don't have to worry that were kept the peace that we can trust God in our hearts are encouraged. Let me see this in conclusion a day in the life of Ruth reveals. What all of these things but ultimately reveals God's amazing Redeemer Jesus.

Oliver's 2:22 Jesus are amazing Redeemer. The reason for our Hope was our Living Hope because we have a living savior. He is the true and better Boaz. With these words Christ the true and better Boaz are redeeming saving King Heaven's Grace for it upon us. He our refuge life he brings. What are you do? Could I give his all to save us steadfast love shown on the cross? You're great and worthy kinsman-redeemer of the poor in lost so I'll point is Jesus and he is ours and we are his and his abundance. provision His abundant compassion is abundance. Hope is hours. It's a we trust him today. We don't turn back the other fields. We respond with humble gratitude because of his abundant compassion return outwards to share that with other people and we respond and joyful praise and because of this abundant hope we have Victor know where else we stay here. And we live in confidence strength. Let's pray that stand as we pray worship team. Would you come forward?