Ruth-Living with integrity

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Example of conversion (most common interpretation)

1st point

Moabite people were outside of the family of Israel’s faith

Ruth willingly chose to stay with Naomi instead of her own people and faith

Whatever Ruth saw in Naomi’s life and character made her choose the God of Naomi over her own Moabite people and their God’s

Would we have the same effect on people who know us?

What areas of our Character need to change to be a better example of Christ

All of us have a daily choice about what God we are going to follow

God of myself

Do what I like doing only

Do not do things that I don’t like doing

God of Pleasure

Do only what makes me feel good, important, strong

Do what will give me money so I can have a “good life” (toys and prestige)

God of what society says

Do what allows you to fit in and be accepted by everyone

Ruth chose what would have been seen as a foolish unwise not well thought out decision

So why would she do this......?

2nd point

Ruth may have seen something in the monotheistic faith of Israel

And therefore wanted to be with that system of belief. (conversion)

But Ruth seemed to be wanting to stay with Naomi-

whatever the changes required

Naomi’s life was going to be very tough as a widow in Israel

God had set a system in place to help them under the law

Deuteronomy 14:28–29 NLT

“At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.

From what the poor had to do, it does not look like this was adhered to well

Deuteronomy 24:19–21 NLT

“When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows.

This was in full swing in Ruth’s time…and Ruth would take advantage of this

But it was dangerous for women- being sexually molested

BOAZ actually warns his men NOT to touch Ruth

Ruth knew this was Naomi’s fate being without a husband or sons

Ruth did what was right

Ruth was going to help an elderly woman who was going to be on her own

Ruth gave up a husband and her family to take care of Naomi

Ruth was a person of integrity

Does the right thing no matter the cost

Will allow loss to herself to help someone else

3rd point

This walk of integrity was going to cost Ruth something

Left her home

Left her culture

Left her friends

And was expecting to live a difficult life alone with Naomi

This is what Integrity is

She did what was right-hard and honorable

We as Christians are called to be people of integrity

We live in very self-centered times

2 Timothy 3:1–5 NLT

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

When are the “last days”

Acts 2:17 NLT

‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

Speaking about Christ, Peter said

1 Peter 1:20 NLT

God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

The last days in these versus refer to the days in which they were living

The last days started with the resurrection of Christ

If you are reading a book and have finished the first half

What is left....the last half

Time is divided between before Christ and after Christ

We are living in the last half of time…or last days

These people are in the church…Paul said to Timouthy..

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly

Having Integrity as a Christian involves more than

Attending church

Discussing the gospel

Giving financially

Helping feed the poor

Christian Integrity has this core characteristic

It does not “reject the power that could make them Godly”

The word power here is Dynamis

It is the power that God gives us to become like him

Acts 1:8 NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This power is what changed Peter from

being a lieing scared man

To a powerful witness of Christ

People who reject this power are

People who refuse to be changed by God

Refuse to surrender their fears, angers, prejudice, pleasures, addictions, desires

And refuse to receive the POWER/DYNAMIS that can change them.

The people talked about here are outside and inside the church

Ruth is an example of someone who surrendered her whole life to serve the God of Israel and care for an elderly woman who needed help.

Ruth-Living with integrity

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