God's Got You Covered

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: MAN WHO SLID OVER THE SLIDE OF A CLIFF AND AT THE LAST MOMENT GRABBED A BRANCH THAT HE CLUNG TO FOR DEAR LIFE. YELLS SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! HEARS A VOICE FROM THE HEAVENS SAYING, DO YOU BELIEVE I CAN HELP YOU? YES…DO YOU BELIEVE I HAVE THE POWER TO HANDLE YOUR SITUATION? YES I BELIEVE. DO YOU BELIEVE I LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO HELP YOU? YES! NOW PLEASE HELP ME, I BELIEVE YOU! VOICE CAME BACK AND SAID, NOW LET GO. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF SILENCE HE SAYS, IS ANYBODY ELSE UP THERE.

POINT/APPLICATION: WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE. WE HAVE ALL BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE GOD HAS CALLED US TO TAKE A RISK AND TRUST HIM COMPLETELY BY FAITH AND LET GO. CHANGE MAJORS, CAREER PATHS, MAKE A MOVE, GET OUT OF THAT UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP...

OUR PROBLEM IS WE PLAY IT SAFE. COMFORT IS THE AMERICAN GOD. WE WANT IT SAFE AND EASY, AND WE DON’T WANT TO TAKE RISKS. WE WANT COMFORT AND GREATNESS AT THE SAME TIME. THERE’S NO SUCH THING. GREATNESS IN THIS LIFE COMES THROUGH RISK.

CONNECT TO RUTH THREE: OUR STORY IS ALL ABOUT RISK…SUMMARIZE RUTH’S RISK. ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION. VULNERABLE. APPROACHES AT NIGHT, AND DOES A CULTURAL NO-NO AND PROPOSES MARRIAGE. ANCIENT READERS WOULD BE AGHAST, THIS IS CRAZY. AND YET THE REASON WHY HER LIFE IS SO RELEVANT TODAY IS BECAUSE SHE TOOK A RISK, TRUSTED GOD AND ALONG THE WAY CAUGHT GREATNESS.

FAITH DEFINED: BUT EXACTLY WHAT IS FAITH? FAITH IS THE JOURNEY BETWEEN OUR NEED AND OUR ABILITY. GOD WILL OFTEN CALL US TO DO THINGS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO. LIKE THE MAN IN THE STORY, HE WILL CALL US TO LET GO, TO SET OUT, TO GO FOR IT. THIS IS WHERE TRUE GREATNESS LIES.

APPLICATION: I BELIEVE GOD’S BIRTHED SOME DREAMS IN YOU. HE WANTS ALL OF US TO PRESS IN TO DEEPER DIMENSIONS OF OUR WALK WITH HIM. OTHERS HE WANTS YOU TO START THAT BUSINESS…SOMEONE HE’S CALLING YOU TO GO INTO VOCATIONAL MINISTRY, RIGHT IN THIS ROOM, RIGHT NOW...GO BACK TO SCHOOL, ETC. DON’T SETTLE FOR GOOD, GET AFTER GREAT. THERE IS NO GREATNESS WITHOUT FAITH!

PRAY

HISTORICAL CONTEXT/HUMANITY OF OUR HEROES:

SEXUALLY CHARGED PASSAGE. AT NIGHT. UNCOVERS HIS FEET, HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE. HE’S AT BEST TIPSY, IF NOT DRUNK.

BUT HE WAS CALLED A WORTHY MAN IN . SHE’S CALLED A WORTHY WOMAN IN (FROM , EXCELLENT).

THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE, NOT THE CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION: THIS BLESSES ME. ALL OF US ARE A MIXTURE OF GREAT DAYS AND BAD DAYS; GOOD MOMENTS AND BAD MOMENTS. DON’T IDOLIZE ME…NEXT PERSON UP. COME HERE TO SEE JESUS. DON’T COME HERE TO SEE ME.

THE OBJECT OF FAITH- 3:1-5

EXPLANATION: THE PATHWAY TO GREATNESS COMES THROUGH THE PORTAL OF FAITH. FAITH OCCUPIES THE GAP BETWEEN YOUR NEED AND YOUR ABILITY. IN ORDER FOR FAITH TO WORK, THERE MUST ALWAYS BE THE OBJECT OF FAITH. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND FOOLISHNESS IS THE OBJECT OF FAITH. HERE IT’S NAOMI. NAOMI GIVES RUTH SOME DARING INSTRUCTIONS, AND RUTH SAYS IN VERSE 5 SHE WILL DO IT. WHY? BECAUSE RUTH IS TRUSTING THE OBJECT OF HER FAITH, WHICH IS IN HER DEAR FRIEND, AND MOTHER FIGURE, NAOMI.

JADEN JUMPING INTO THE PULL ILLUSTRATION. I KNEW YOU’D GET ME DAD. I HAD BUILT UP A TRACK RECORD OF FAITHFULNESS WITH JADEN, SO THAT HE COULD TRUST ME WITHOUT FLINCHING.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND FOOLISHNESS IS THE OBJECT OF THE FAITH.

APPLICATION: GOD IS CALLING YOU TO TAKE A LEAP, TO JUMP, AND YOU CAN DO SO BECAUSE GOD HAS ESTABLISHED AN IMPECCABLE RESUME OF FAITHFULNESS IN THE SCRIPTURES AND IN YOUR LIFE. RED SEA. MANNA FROM HEAVEN EVERY DAY FOR 40 YEARS. SHUT THE MOUTHS OF LIONS IN . FOUGHT YOUR BATTLES. RAISED A DEAD JESUS. ALL OF THIS SAYS YOU CAN TRUST HIM.

APPLICATION 2: BUT NOT ONLY THAT I BET YOU IF YOU THINK HARD ENOUGH YOU CAN SEE THE TRACK RECORD OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IN YOUR OWN LIFE. PLANTING FM, NO MONEY, AND 25K SHOWS UP. WE MAKE PAYROLE. COMING HERE HADN’T BEEN IN THE BLACK IN ALMOST 10 YEARS. LAST YEAR WE FINISHED IN THE BLACK BECAUSE OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. KORIE AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN. ALL OF THESE WINS ARE GOD SAYING TRUST ME. I’M AT THE OTHER END OF THE LINE.

RISK- 3:3, 6-9

EXPLANATION: THEIR SITUATION IS DESPERATE. IF THEY HAVE ANY HOPE THEY NEED A KINSMAN REDEEMER TO REDEEMER. NAOMI’S INSTRUCTIONS TO WASH, ANOINT AND PUT ON YOUR CLOAK…YOU KNOW WHAT SHE’S SAYING? PUT ON YOUR WEDDING DRESS. THIS IS WEDDING LANGUAGE. ANCIENT READER WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THIS IN HORROR. THIS WAS CULTURALLY UNACCEPTABLE. THINK ABOUT IT- PUT ON A WEDDING DRESS, GO UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT, GET IN THE BED WITH HIM BY LAYING AT HIS FEET, WAKE HIM UP AND SHE SAYS SPREAD YOUR WINGS OVER ME- THIS IS WEDDING LANGUAGE. . RISK.

: HALL OF FAITH CHAPTER. FILLED WITH GREAT WOMEN AND MEN OF FAITH, AND ALL TOOK RISKS. NOAH BUILD AN ARK. HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT IS, OR HOW TO DO IT, BUT YOU GOT IT. MOSES, CONFRONT PHARAOH. MAY LOSE MY LIFE AND I’M NOT ARTICULATE, BUT YOU GOT IT. THREE HEBREW BOYS, STAND UP TO NEB. OKAY, WILL PROBABLY GET US KILLED BUT I’M IN. MARY, GET PREGNANT OUT OF WEDLOCK WITH JESUS, IN A CULTURE WHERE YOU COULD GET STONED FOR THAT. OKAY, I’M IN. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS FAITH WITHOUT RISK.

MARTIN LUTHER ACHIEVED GREATNESS BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN OF FAITH WHO TOOK GREAT RISKS. HE STOOD UP TO ROME AND CONDEMNED THE POPE AND THEIR PRACTICES, A SURE QUICK WAY TO THE GRAVE, AS MOST THOUGHT. NOT KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, ML SAID THIS: “I daily expect the condemnation from the city of Rome; therefore I am setting things in order and arranging everything so that if it comes I am prepared and girded to go, as Abraham, not knowing where, yet most sure of my way, because God is everywhere. But I will of course leave a farewell letter; see to it that you have the courage to read the letter of a man who is condemned and excommunicated. Farewell for now and pray for me” Martin Luther.

AMUSEMENT PARKS ILLUSTRATION: YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY I’M NOT A BIG FAN OF ROLLERCOASTERS. KORIE LOVES THEM. WHICH MEANS I’M THE GUY HOLDING HER PURSE WHILE SHE AND MY OLDEST TAKE OFF. NOW AT THE END OF AN ALL DAY ADVENTURE AT THE AMUSEMENT PARK IF YOU WERE TO ASK KORIE AND I HOW WAS IT, YOU WOULD GET TWO DIFFERENT RESPONSES. MY WIFE WOULD SAY IT’S THE BEST THING EVER. ALL EXCITED AND ENERGIZED. ME, I’M LIKE DEBBIE DOWNER. WASTED THE LORD’S MONEY HERE. ALL I DID WAS SIT AND EAT. I HATED IT. WHY DID MY WIFE GET SO MUCH JOY, AND WHY WAS MY EXPERIENCE AT BEST MEDIOCRE? SIMPLE- ONE TOOK RISKS, AND THE OTHER DID NOT. AND THE ONE WHO TOOK THE RISK MAXIMIZED HER MOMENTS IN THE PARK AND LEFT MOST SATISFIED. THERE’S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN YOUR LEVEL OF SATISFACTION AND YOUR SACRIFICE IN THE AMUSEMENT PARK OF THIS WORLD…WHEN YOU’RE CHECKING OUT I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU WON’T SAY I SHOULD’VE PLAYED IT SAFE AND EASY. GET AFTER IT!

OBEDIENCE- 3:5

EXPLANATION: IT’S ONE THING TO HAVE AN OBJECT OF FAITH- GOD. IT’S ANOTHER THING FOR THERE TO BE RISK. BUT THAT’S NOT ENOUGH FOR THERE TO BE FAITH. THE ENGINE OF FAITH IS OBEDIENCE. RUTH GETS THESE CRAZY INSTRUCTIONS TO PUT ON THE WEDDING OUTFIT, AND SHE DOES IT! SHE NOT ONLY SAYS SHE’LL DO IT, BUT SHE DOES IT. SHE GOES OUT AND DOES IT! OBEDIENCE. THERE COMES A POINT WHERE YOU’VE PRAYED ENOUGH, ANALYZED IT ENOUGH, TALKED ABOUT IT ENOUGH. YOU HAVE TO DO IT. OBEDIENCE.

WHEEL BARREL ILLUSTRATION: WHO’S GETTING IN?

APPLICATION: WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TRUST GOD AND GET IN? YES DO YOUR HOMEWORK. YES PRAY ABOUT IT? YES SEEK WISE COUNSEL. BUT AFTER ALL OF THAT WHEN ARE YOU GETTING IN?

GOSPEL CONCLUSION:

ONE MORE THING, OUR STORY ENDS WITH BOAZ GIVING HER MORE FOOD. SIX MEASURES. HAVE YOU NOTICE RUTH ALWAYS COMES TO BOAZ EMPTY AND DESPERATE, BUT ALWAYS LEAVES FULL. THIS IS WHAT GOD DOES FOR US. THIS LIFE DOESN’T SATISFY, IN FACT, IN A CRAZY WAY IT LEAVES US EMPTY. GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SATISFY!