Kinsman Redeemer

Because we have been Redeemed by Christ We can be Confident in the Future

Confidence in Boaz’s Word

Confidence in the Bethlehem Elders

Confidence in the Blood of Christ

SI: WE ended last week in suspension, Naomi told Ruth “Wait” be patient. It shows a confidence has been growing again in Naomi. We also come back to t City Gate.

Last time we were here 1:19-22 she was Hopeless, Abandoned, seeing God as oppressor / not a Savior. But Naomi was not alone, / neither are wewhen we endure hardship. God has given us one another, t Church / more importantly He never leaves His Own!

FCF: When we fail to recognize our need, we miss the offer of relief.

CORE:

INTRO: What is at risk in t Book of Ruth? At risk is t ending of t Elimelech family name. T final heir Mahlon had died, t land could still be controlled by Elimelech’s widow Naomi, but there was no descendant to inherit it. As we’ve seen t Law of God had provided a means to propagate that family / extend its lineage. We can understand this on some level; we want to be remembered.

34 Pastors listed on plaque in Narthex, today few recall more than 4, Ted Drumm remembers VanCleef (11) but he was here since t late ‘40s. Boaz, Ruth / Naomi would not have realized t impact on t Promised Messiah coming through their line, they would have wanted the family to continue, t heritage to be maintained. Little did they know how they were being called to be faithful to t commands of God / impact t coming Messiah.

PROP:         Because We Have Been Redeemed by Christ, 

                   We Have Confidence in the Future.

I. Confidence in Boaz’s Word vv. 1-5

a. Scene now shifts, women not present,

i. Women’sconcerns Domestics, Security / Family Wholeness

ii. Male’sconcerns Inheritance, Continuing Name [Land-Heir]

1. Yet these two divergent concerns converge.

iii. Ruth had pursued short term sustenance in Field

iv. Naomi / Ruth seek long term sustenance on Threshing Floor

1. Now Boaz becomes their Legal Advocate

b. Boaz goes from threshing floor to city gate v. 1

i. It is there he will see t closer redeemer, most likely on his way to fields

1. Name of this redeemer is not used, literally Hebrew : “so & so”

2. Either author doesn’t know him or

3. Because he doesn’t do what t Law requires (shame) goes unnamed

ii. Boaz does see him v. 1 calls him to sit down (friendly demand) he does

1. Then Boaz assembles Elders to proceed v. 2

2. Why 10 men? This was basic number required to form community

a. Governing Bodyof Community /Synagogue,

b. It also became basic requirement of transactions

c. If a child was rebellious, father would bring case to elders

d. But this isn’t a Judicial case per se, it is Transactional

c. à Nowhere in Ruth do Boaz / Naomi actually meet, let alone talk

i. But Boaz lays out case for Naomi’s intentions v. 3

ii. Naomi is transferring (selling) Present Tense

1. Naomi is acting as Solomon later writes:

2. “10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 14 She is like t ships of t merchant; she brings her food from afar. 16 She considers a field and buys it; w/ t fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.”  v. Prov. 31:10, 14, 16

d. Kathy read passage related to his inheritance Leviticus 25:23-28

i. But t issue at hand is that there is NO Heir available for Elimelech.

ii. Kinsman Redeemer is only option

iii. Boaz lays out t proposal v. 4 “I thought I would tell you of it.” He begins

e. It is at this point that t Redeemer considers…

i. Pro: Expectation of Law(to fail = shameful), since no Heir exists, could enlarge own property, invest in future of His family

ii. But Ruth changes EVERTHING v. 5

iii. Con: Ruth able to produce Heir who would inherit land / Restore Elimelech line. Financial Expenditure, w/ limited benefit for his family.

1. Money used to buy land reduces his resoui8rces / may endanger his continued care for Naomi / Ruth in their old age.

2. Possible claims from further children of Ruth upon his estate

3. First Son born becomes heir

4. Resources would weigh upon Redeemer’s decision.

() In one of his dialogues, t Greek philosopher Plato described t predicament of a doctor who is prosecuted by a cook before a jury of children. T unfortunate doctor is accused of harming the children w/ bitter medicine / even surgery. T cook, on t other hand, has been indulging t children w/ a variety / abundance of sweets. Can you see t doctor’s predicament? T children prefer t cook since their allegiance is to a diet of sweets rather than what is good for them. There is no doubt that t children will condemn t doctor, even though he is seeking to help them w/ his bitter medicine.

^ It may seem as if t Laws of God seem out of date, even harsh. So, t argument is often made that they are out of date for our time, so we can ignore them. But if we consider t goal they teach, not to mention t cultural / societal setting in which they were given, we need to recognize that these were t best way to protect, not only t widow, but also t family.

II. Confidence in the Bethlehem Elders vv. 6-12

a. Refusal to Redeem may be reason he is not named by author.

i. This Redeemer choses not to Redeem Elimelech’s line v. 6

ii. As we have noted before, Ruth does not contain judgments on choices

iii. He relinquishes his option / instructs Boaz to continue

b. There is a legal transaction displayed in this ritual vv. 7-8

i. Because a survey of t land one would claim would have been done

ii. One would walk t property, in sandals

iii. T sandal became t movable title to land

c. Removing his sandal represented giving up his claim to land v. 8

i. Handing it to Boaz displays his transfer of ownership.

d. By purchasing all Naomi’s property / goods v. 9

i. Boas takes full responsibility for N/R

ii. He is obligated to support her in life / provide for her in death.

e. Boaz then declares that Ruth will be his wife v. 10

i. T Elders of t city agree to Witness these terms / to authorize this act

ii. Blessing declare – Rachael / Leah, Tamar have interesting twist vv. 11-12

1. We will look into that more next week as we examine t line of Xp.

f. But t Elders agree that Boaz can assume t Rite / Responsibility of K Redeemer

() One day God was looking down at earth / saw all of t rascally behavior that was going on. So, He called St. Michael / sent him to earth for a time. When Michael returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on earth; 95% are misbehaving / only 5% are not. God thought for a moment / said, 'Maybe I had better send a second Archangel down to get another opinion.' So God sent St. Gabriel to earth for a time. When Gabriel returned he went to God / said, 'Yes, it’s true. T earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good.' God was not pleased. So, He decided to Text t 5% who were good, because he wanted to encourage them, / give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what the e-mail said? Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

^ We have seen that Boaz was a man of Integrity. He cared for / protected Naomi, / Ruth.

III. Confidence in the Blood of Christ vv. x

a. Boaz was a Kinsman Redeemer, because he was a near relative

b. Our need before God is more than lineage, it is a debt

i. T difference in Price b/w Boaz / Xp is closer to t animals that provide bacon / eggs for breakfast,

ii. But Xp willingly accepted cost / .

c. Which is what t Battle for t Gospel has become w/in Church

i. T Progressive Church has long denied t Fall Gen 3

ii. It denies t Divinity of Jesus (just a good moral teacher) Col 1:19

1. “For in him all t fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

iii. It denies t Virgin Birth Luke 1:27

iv. It denies Substitutionary Atonement (Xp sacrifice sins) Col 1:20

1. / through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by t blood of his cross.”  v. Col. 1:20

v. It teaches we are all good inside

1. If only that goodness can be harnessed Rom 3:10

vi. But all t Progressive Church Denies… Is True

1. Which is why we need a Kinsman Redeemer….

d. A Debt that ONLY a Sinless Human could pay

i. Which is what No one in Human History can claim.

e. Xp is a True Kinsman Redeemer, because Xp is God who became flesh

i. In order to be able to pay t debt that only a Human could pay

ii. Which is why Xpianity is founded on a True Event in History

“11 For t grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, / to live self-controlled, upright, / godly lives in t present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, t appearing of t glory of our great God / Savior Jesus Xp,14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness / to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” v. Titus 2:11-14

() Whatever God's Kingdom will day become, it starts out as t smallest of things. T great advances of t race have often started w/out any trumpets sounding or anybody being aware that anything exceptional was taking place. On t 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, John McCutcheon drew a famous cartoon. He showed two Kentucky backwoodsmen standing at t edge of a wood in t winter. One asks t other, "Anything new?" T other man replies, "Nothing much. Oh, there's a new baby over at Tom Lincoln's. But you know, nothing significant ever happens around here."

Centuries before that someone might have asked in Bethlehem, "Anything new?" / t answer might have been, "No, nothing new. Oh, they say a woman named Mary had a baby in a stable last night. But nothing significant ever happens around here." / when that child grew up He went t a Cross to heal t brokenness of His Elect, He called us to Unity w/ Him, to live as sons / daughters of God, all in God's good time, t seed becomes a plant / puts forth its branches for t benefit of all who by Faith trust in Him.

^ God’s Word is True in all that it Proclaims! Both in what it offers/ in what it Requires. Our Salvation does not depend upon how well we Follow, it depends upon What has already been done in History for us, but in Faith (Trust) we are then set upon a path to live as followers of our Kinsman Redeemer.  

Will you be Vulnerable to serve the Kingdom of God?