God Has Not Forgotten About You

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT INDIAN CULTURE ARE SARI’S (SAREE’S). THEY CAN BE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND BREATHTAKING. ON A TRIP TO INDIA I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING ONE MADE. WHAT GRABBED MY ATTENTION WAS SEEING A YOUNG MAN SEATED IN THE LOTUS POSITION WITH A SHUTTLE IN HAND. AT FIRST IT MAY APPEAR THAT HE IS THE ONLY ONE WORKING, BUT LOOK CLOSER AND YOU’LL SEE HIS FATHER, SEATED ON A PLATFORM, GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS SON WHO MOVES THE SHUTTLE AT THE FATHER’S DIRECTION. THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME GOAL- TO CONSTRUCT A BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE OF A SARI…BUT IT IS THE FATHER’S WISDOM WORKING THROUGH THE SON THAT PULLS THEM OFF.

POINT- GOD IS WORKING A MASTERPIECE IN YOUR LIFE. …HE IS ACTIVELY AT WORK…WE CALL THIS GOD’S PROVIDENCE.

PROVIDENCE DEFINED:

“God’s providence has to do with His ongoing relationship to his creation”- Wayne Grudem.

Writing in the 1600s, the Puritan John Flavel says this of the providence of God, “Not only great and more important, but the most minute and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by it. It touches all things that touch us, whether more nearly or remotely,” John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence.

Tony Evans says that the providence of God has to do with the hand of God in the glove of time.

GOD’S PROVIDENCE MEANS THAT HE IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN EACH OF OUR LIVES WEAVING US INTO MASTERPIECES FOR HIS GLORY. STUNNING IMPLICATIONS. GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH YOU…YOU’RE HERE TODAY BY HIS PROVIDENCE.

CONNECTING TO THE TEXT:

OUR STORY IS ALL ABOUT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. RUTH AND NAOMI ARE IN THEIR SEASON OF PAIN. VULNERABLE. ABOUT TO STARVE. THEY HAVE NOTHING. SHE GOES TO WORK. VERSE 3…IT HAPPENED. JUST SO HAPPENED TO GET TO BOAZ’ FIELD. WHERE HE JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE GENEROUS TO HER. AND IN THIS “CHANCE” MEETING HER LIFE WOULD FOREVER BE CHANGED. ALL BECAUSE OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. ENDS WITH HER BEING GREAT GRANDMOTHER OF DAVID. WE SEE GOD WORKING IN PAIN (1), BUT HERE WE SEE THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD AT WORK IN THE MUNDANE. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD!

I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU’VE DONE, GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH YOU. GOD IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE!

(WE SEE GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN THREE WAYS)

…THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE- 2:1

EXPLANATION: RUTH HAS NOTHING. A LOWLY MOABITE ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION. HOW WILL GOD WORK IN HER LIFE? VERSE 1 TELLS US. THROUGH A WORTHY MAN…CAPACITY AND CHARACTER. HE WILL END UP SHOWING HER INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY SAVING HER LIFE FROM DEATH. PROTECTS IN VERSE 9; PROVIDES IN VERSE 14; EPHAH IN VERSE 17 WHICH IS LIKE 29 POUNDS. LATER HE WILL REDEEM HER. HOW DOES GOD WORK IN RUTH’S LIFE? SIMPLE- THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE.

POINT: ONE OF GOD’S INSTRUMENTS OF WORKING HIS PROVIDENCE IN OUR LIVES IS THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE (SEE YOURSELF AS BOTH RUTH AND BOAZ BY THE WAY).

JD VANCE AND SOCIAL CAPITAL. HE NEEDED A TRIBE OF BOAZ’....

ILLUSTRATION: ME AND UNCLE BUTCH IN BUICK. MOM I WAS DRIVING TODAY!

“For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”- , Berean Bible.

Personal Application: I’m not the best preacher in the world, but for those of you who receive from my ministry here’s how that happened: When I was 17/20, other preachers sending for me…I got opportunities I did not deserve from people just wanting to thank my father. Scholarship.

Look closely at the rearview mirror of your life. I guarantee you, in your story were some Boaz’- generous people who gave you an opportunity when they didn’t have to. The fact that you’re here when your mother could have aborted you. That elementary teacher who encouraged you. The mentor who inspired you...

REFRAIN: GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU, HE’S WORKING IN YOUR LIFE THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE!

DECISIONS- 2:7

EXPLANATION: AT FIRST SHE ASKS TO GLEAN. THE SCRAPS. LIKE COLLECTING ALUMINUM CANS. FOR POOR PEOPLE…SUBSISTENCE. VERSE 7. A MORE BOLD REQUEST. GATHER AMONG THE SHEAVES. SHE WANTS THE MAIN THING. NAS TRANSLATION. SHE’S STANDING THERE. WHY? THE FOREMAN DOESN’T HAVE THE AUTHORITY, SO HIS BOSS BOAZ HAS TO SPEAK INTO THIS. MEANWHILE RUTH IS SAYING SHE AIN’T GOING NOWHERE. SPICY! ASSERTIVE! THIS IS HER PERSONALITY. CHAPTER 1. CHAPTER 3. DECISION IS LIFE CHANGING BECAUSE IT GETS HER IN BOAZ’ FACE. CHANGES HER LIFE. HER DECISION IS FUELED BY HER PERSONALITY, THE WAY GOD MADE HER.

POINT: THIS IS A BOLD DECISION THAT GOD ULTIMATELY HONORS IN A LIFE CHANGING WAY. SHE GOES FOR BROKE. NOW HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT RUTH- SHE LOVES GOD AND IS A FOLLOWER OF GOD (1). SHE’S DOING WHAT GOD WANTS HER TO DO, WORKING. SHE’S PROBABLY BEEN AT SYNAGOGUE AND TEMPLE WORSHIPPING GOD. AND NOW SHE MAKES A QUICK DECISION THAT GOD ULTIMATELY BLESSES. WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE TO HONOR GOD AND WE HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, HE HONORS AND WORKS THROUGH OUR DECISIONS.

MYLES/JADEN/SCHOOL ANALOGY. MYLES IS A PROCESSOR SO I DROPPED IT ON HIM MONTHS IN ADVANCE, TOOK HIM ON A TOUR AND LET HIM PRAY AND PROCESS AND HE CAME TO THE DECISION TO GO THERE. ALSO IN HOW WE DISCIPLINE…WORK IN TANDEM WITH THEIR WIRINGS, THIS IS WHAT A GOOD FATHER DOES.

. OUR PROBLEM IS WE GET PARALYZED BY THE DOT. IS GOD IN OUR LIFE? DO WE LOVE HIM? HE’S GIVEN US THE SCRIPTURES, AND A SECTION OF THEM CALLED WISDOM WHICH MEANS MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, AND THE HS WHO SPEAKS TO US AT TIMES, BUT SOME TIMES NOT. SO MAKE A GOOD DECISION, AND YOU CAN’T REALLY MESS UP.

JAZZ ILLUSTRATION: ORGANIZED CHAOS/STRUCTURED SPONTANEITY. YOU CANNOT MESS UP IN JAZZ. SO IT IS WITH THE WILL OF GOD. GOD’S PROVIDENCE SAYS HE IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND YOU WILL GET THERE.

JAZZ ILLUSTRATION?

REFRAIN: GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU, HE’S WORKING IN YOUR LIFE THROUGH YOUR DECISIONS.

DAVID, GOLIATH AND SAUL’S ARMOR…IT’S JUST NOT WHO I AM.

GOD’S FAVOR- 2:10

EXPLANATION: OVER AND OVER REFERRED TO AS A MOABITE. MO- WHO; AB- FATHER. WHO IS MY FATHER. MOAB WAS THE SON OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOT AND HIS DAUGHTER. SEEN AS HILLBILLY COUSINS OF ISRAEL. A REMINDER OF HER LOW, IMMIGRANT, OUTSIDER STATUS. SHE GETS FAVOR IN VERSE 10…TO TURN THE FACE TOWARDS. . GETTING WHAT YOU DON’T DESERVE. ALL THAT COMES FROM BOAZ IS FAVOR. DOUBLES DOWN ON THIS IDEA IN VERSE 20…KINDNESS IS HESED. ONE WAY LOVE WITH NO EXITS. PROVIDENCE WORKS THROUGH FAVOR. HOW BOAZ DEALS WITH RUTH IS HOW GOD DEALS WITH US.

…MARY LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT, NOTHING YOU DID. IT’S GOD’S FAVOR

CONCOURSE E ILLUSTRATION: IT’S NOT THE SUIT, BUT THE MAN WHO WORE THE SUIT. IT’S NOT YOU, BUT GODS FAVOR ON YOU.

APPLICATION: SHOULD WORK WITHIN US A DEEP HUMILITY.

GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU. HE IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE THROUGH HIS FAVOR!

GOSPEL CONCLUSION:

GOD’S PROVIDENCE AT WORK IN KORIE IN BRINGING HER FROM ABC IN NYC TO LA AND GETTING SAVED, THROUGH A PERSON AT A PARTY THEN TO CHURCH, AND US MEETING.

POSITIVE APPEAL: TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR LIFE…DON’T YOU SEE GOD AT WORK…COME TO HIM.