The Tool of Tragedy
Notes
Transcript
Read Ruth 1
Tragedy: a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event.
Dr. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physical, Safety, Love, Self-Esteem, Self-Actualization
Naomi Experienced Tragedy.
Naomi Experienced Tragedy.
She lost her home, her food, and her family.
She lost her home, her food, and her family.
Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there.
She lost her husband and her sons.
She lost her husband and her sons.
Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.
She lost her self-esteem and her trust in God’s grace.
She lost her self-esteem and her trust in God’s grace.
But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? “Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.”
She lost her sense of purpose and value.
She lost her sense of purpose and value.
So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
God turns tragedy into a tool.
God turns tragedy into a tool.
He did it in Naomi’s life.
He did it in Naomi’s life.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
He did it in Paul’s life.
He did it in Paul’s life.
Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
He did it in Jesus’ life.
He did it in Jesus’ life.
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.”
He will do it for you.
He will do it for you.
For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
CONCLUSION
1. Tragedy eliminates regret by getting our priorities straight.
1. Tragedy eliminates regret by getting our priorities straight.
When tragedy strikes, you sober up and realize what is most important in life. You start thinking and making decisions differently. As a result, you will be able to look back without regret, knowing that you spent your time and energy wisely on the things that mattered most.
2. Tragedy reminds us where our value comes from.
2. Tragedy reminds us where our value comes from.
In a world where a person’s identity, label, and value is a carrot on a stick, tragedy strips away people’s opinions, including our own, and leaves us with the truth. Tragedy declutters our view of ourselves and shows us that all we have in the end is God and His opinion.
3. Tragedy creates an opportunity for God to show Himself by removing us from the equation.
3. Tragedy creates an opportunity for God to show Himself by removing us from the equation.
God is not in competition with anyone, including us. When we find ourselves empty and powerless in a tragic situation, we are in the perfect position to see God’s power at work. We don’t really know Him if we expect Him to abandon us when life gets hard. We should expect Him to show up and show out.
Whether you are a friend of God or an enemy of God this morning, we will all experience tragedy in this life, and becoming a Christian won’t protect you from that. We all need a Savior… A Deliverer… A Redeemer…
Perhaps you are sitting here this morning broken-hearted over a situation in your life. There is only one who can turn tragedy into a tool for your good, and that’s God. Call out to Him this morning with this in mind:
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Pray