Uncertain Faithfulness

Faithful Loyalty in Uncertain Times

Bible Passage: Ruth 1:6–18

Summary: In this passage, Ruth demonstrates remarkable loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi, choosing to stay with her despite the challenges ahead. Her commitment reflects deep love and devotion, even in the face of uncertainty.

Application: This sermon can encourage Christians to embody loyalty and faithfulness in their relationships, highlighting the importance of supporting one another through life's difficulties. It can inspire individuals to stand by family, friends, and those in need, especially during challenging times.

Teaching: The sermon can teach that true loyalty goes beyond convenience and is rooted in love and commitment, urging believers to choose relationships that glorify God, even when circumstances are tough.

How this passage could point to Christ: Ruth’s loyalty foreshadows Christ’s unwavering commitment to His people. Just as Ruth clung to Naomi, Christ clings to us in our brokenness, offering redemption and unconditional love, inviting us to be part of His family.

Big Idea: In a world filled with uncertainty, God calls us to demonstrate unwavering loyalty and love, just as Ruth did, reflecting His character through our relationships.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider using the Logos library to explore historical context around Moab and Israel during Ruth's time. Examine the cultural significance of familial loyalty in ancient Israel and how Ruth’s decision contrasts with the norm. Look up commentaries discussing theological implications of loyalty and devotion in the narrative.

1. Return to God's Providence

As we read this upcoming passage, we are going to see what it looks like to return home from a trying time, resolve in relationships, and have faithfulness in uncertain times. Let’s dig into Ruth1:6-18

Ruth 1:6–18 CSB

She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly. They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.” Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.” But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.

Ruth 1:6–10 CSB

She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly. They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.”

Last week, we looked at the trying time Naomi was going through and and how she was seeking the Lord’s provisions despite what was going on, despite losing her sons and husband and living in a foreign land. Now that we are here, let’s think about something. Let’s think about this time when you were searching for something and it was very difficult. Maybe it will even cause you to leave your comfort zone.

For me, a time when I had to get out of my comfort zone was when I first shared my sin struggle with someone. I’ve mentioned how I was addicted to pornography and was exposed to it at an extremely young age. I had to go up to my youth pastor and I said it shaking. Why was it so hard for me? Because living in sin is like living in shame, and I had to leave that shame and that sin that I was so comfortable living in and no one knowing about it.

Naomi could have stayed in comfort in Moab where there was no famine and she had her two daughters-in-law to take care of her as she was an aged widow. However, she decided she was not going to stay in the comfort of Moab, rather she was going to seek the Lord’s provisions. This leads me to point 1 which is

Point 1: The Lord calls us to leave our Moab

If we want to seek the Lord, we are going to have to leave our Moab, that comfort zone. For me, my Moab was sin, then my Moab became staying silent about my faith. What is your Moab and what are you going to do to leave your Moab? I know it may feel easier to just stay in your Moab, because it is easier. However, the Lord does not call us to a life of comfort, rather as Christians we are called to a life of suffering. And we are going to see in the next couple of verses just how leaving our Moab can deepen our relationships not just with the Lord, but with each other as well.

2. Resolve in Relationship Choices

Ruth 1:11–14 CSB

But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.” Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So far, we have focused primarily on Naomi since last week, but tight here is where the story shifts and we focus on Ruth. Now, Orpah is a commonly forgotten character in the Bible. This is because she decided to leave Naomi. How many of us have ever had an Orpah in our life? When I say that, I mean how many of us have had someone walk out of our lives and this is someone you really care about? Y’all know this, I grew up without a dad. He walked out.

Orpah Left, and sometimes people leave. Maybe it was because of your faith or because you and your friend had a falling out. This can be a very hard thing to go through. Now, how many of us at some point have been Orpah to someone else? Things were difficult and you just walked out on someone. You see, I have been on both ends. I have had countless people walk out on me, and I have sadly walked out on people, and thankfully the Lord changed my heart.

Notice at the very end, it says “but Ruth clung to her.” Ruth was not scared. She decided that she was going to stay by Naomi and be with her. She was going to cling to her. It is so easy in our lives to be like Orpah and walk out on people who are difficult to love, and maybe even walk out on God when the going gets tough. However, Ruth demonstrates a faithfulness similar to Christ. Are we going to still cling to the people who make it difficult to love or are we going to be like Orpah and just walk out. This leads me to point 2 which is

point 2: In our relationships with others and with God, it is essential we display the character of Ruth

Let us be like Ruth and cling to the Lord and cling to the ones around us, even if it is difficult.

3. Ruth's Relentless Resolve

Ruth 1:15–18 CSB

Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.” But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.

This leads me to point 3 which is

point 3: Uncertain faithfulness gives us a certain hope

Christ, just like Ruth, does not leave His people. Christ died for all of us while we were sinners. He knew some would reject Him. He knew we would all rebel against Him, but He still died for us. He still loves us. He still chooses us.

We can be like Ruth, like Christ, and choose others even if they do not think they deserve to be chosen. Naomi did not want Ruth to come with her because it was so different than what Moab was. But Ruth did not care about uncertainty of the situation, she was certain of one thing, that her loyalty to Naomi was unwavering.

This leads me into my Big Picture which is

Big Picture: Even in uncertain times, let our relationship with Christ be so unwavering that it reflects in our relationships.

You may be feeling like you can’t get out of your Moab that we talked about earlier. You feel stuck. You may feel like these times of uncertainty are never ending. But in these times of uncertainty, turn to Jesus, the One who gives us a certain hope. Let Him give us a certain Redemption.

Let us pray