Ordinary Miracles

how being faithful to God puts you in the right place at the right time.

I - What is the Point of this! looking for a miracle

I grew up in going to a church plant.

To bad it wasn't a miracle.

To bad God diddn’t heal them

That person who sees God at work in every moment,

Y - How Does God work in ordinary life?

How is God working in my life?

G -

The Story:

Ruth Goes out to glean

gleaning is ,

Why does ruth do this?

Ruth is out there working hard

just happens to be in Boaz’ field a relative of Cousin of Elimilechs (UNLIKELY)

Boaz Just Happens to arrive when she is there

Boaz notices Ruth

Boaz offers her MORE than what is expect, Abudantly generous with her

why? b/c he knows her story, “10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Boaz blesses more and more, feeding her, protecting her, giving her WAY more than gleaning rights

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Ruth works hard gathers TONS of Barley and threshes it and carries it home.

Naomi is like HOLY CRAP how did you get so much BARLEY! Who helped you!

Oh its this dude named BOaz

Naomi’s like BOAZ no way! I know boaz he is my cousin! “The LORD bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” (2:20)

Guardian Redeemer?

Time goes by until the Harvest is Finished

Now its Naomi’s turn to use her head Matchmaker mil style - cleverly Sends Ruth to hit boaz at the best time to convince him to do his duty as Guardian Redeemer

Ruth Goes and basically Proposes to Boaz The LORD bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.” 3:10-13

boaz says ok but let me check - he goes through the process, doesn't take short cuts

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Intro Set up Refresher: Last Time on Ruth

A story about God at work in the lives of Ordinairy People, set during a time of Ordinairy chaos, faithlessness, and trouble in God’s land.

Its a story about real life and real tragedy and the Hesed of a real God that is active in “significant and insignificant stories.”

3 Characters in this Part.

Naomi an Israelite widow who has returned to her home having lost everything. A husband, 2 sons, and her place in the world.

Ruth a Moabite and a widow. Who for some crazy reason pledged her life to Naomi, her people, and her God YHWH.

Boaz a faithful Israelite farmer.

Naomi’s House - Ruth Goes

The New International Version Chapter 2

2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

God in just happens to have a law designed for people in this exact situation.

The New International Version Chapter 19

9 “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.

Ruth Just happens

So Ruth goes to do that. But its risky, bc remember this is a time where “everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes.”

Boaz’ Farm - Boaz Blesses

Boaz Just happens to be a faithful Israelite that follows the law in a lawless time.

Boaz just happens to be visiting during the Harvest

The New International Version Chapter 2

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Boaz just happens to be abundantly generous to Ruth.

Boaz just happens to give Ruth special privileges and abundant generosity.

Naomi’s House - Naomi Plans

When ruth gets home Naomi just happens to ask where she got all this grain!

The New International Version Chapter 2

19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”

Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

20 “The LORD bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers. m”

It just happened that Boaz is their Guardian redeemer, a role designated to make it possible for close family members to step in in situations just like this.

Ruth works the rest of the harvest and at the end.

It just so happens that Naomi hatches a plan to make sure Ruth is taken care of.

It just happened that God

The New International Version Chapter 3

2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

Naomi tells Ruth to take off her mourning clothes, wash up, and dress like a woman available for marriage. She wants Ruth to make it as clear as possible to BOAZ, w/o saying anything what he should do as their redeemer.

Boaz’ Farm - Ruth Proposes

When Boaz wakes up he seems to miss the message.

But it just so happens that RUTH is an incredibly bold woman she says.

The New International Version Chapter 3

2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

אָנֹכִי

The New International Version Chapter 3

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer d of our family.”

She basically proposes to him. We are suppose to laugh. and be a little surprised by her audacity. Again like her confession of faith last week.

Just as Ruth asked YHWH to be her God and cover her, she asks Boaz to cover her.

And even more amazing even though this was highly usual.

It just so happened that Boaz said YES.

Sum it up

So Namoi and Ruth went in 2 chapters from nothing no future to everything.

The story only gets better. Next week we talk about what Comes of all of this not just for them but for the world. How these ordinary moments and people serve as not-so-ordinary purpose of Redemption and rescue for not just them, but the whole world.

Where is God in the book of Ruth? Who saved the day? Who is the Hero?

Who saved the day? Who is the Hero?

As you get to this point in the story and to the end of ruth you are ment to ask this Question. Who saved the day?

Is it boaz?

Yes if he haddn’t...

ruth?

Yes

naomi?

naomi?

Yes

is it God?

Is it all three?

not alone

is it God?

Yes

Ruth makes an incredible argument in these chapters about what the work of YHWH looks like in Ordinary Life.

In the book of Ruth God takes the ORDINARY faithfulness, boldness, and cleverness of ORDINARY people and weaves them together to make something more than the sum of their parts.

Ruth makes an incredible argument in these chapters about what the work of YHWH looks like in Ordinairy Life.

“Ordinary miracles happen when God weaves together ordinary acts of love to extraordinary ends.”

Y

Ruth ties into this theme that runs all the way through the bible.

If anyone

That God prefers to work in and through the faithful actions of human beings, even though we so often let him down.

And it reminds us that this partnership is not just for the Pastors, the Priests, the Moseses, the Billy Grahams, the Pauls, and the Abrahams of the world.

But that its for the Ruths and Naomis, the regular insignificant seeming people of the world.

This partnership is for us. By the death and Ressurection of Jesus, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our life’s purpose is to participate in this.

To work out God’s love in the places he has placed us. By listing to the voice of the Holy Spirit but even by simply being FAITHFUL, LOYAL, BOLD, and CLEVER in the places God has us

“Ordinary miracles happen when God weaves together ordinary acts of love to extraordinary ends.”

so.

1.Pray, “God lead me today.”

2.Be faithful even when you don’t feel like it.

Act Faithfully and allow God to transform you. Not just your “significant” actions, but the small habits of love or not-love you engage in every day.

3.Remember, God is at work.

Remember God is at work.

bc

“Ordinary miracles happen when God weaves together ordinary acts of love to extraordinary ends.”

W

So often I forget this lesson that I was thinking of a way to remember what the story of Ruth tells us. So I thought we would all do a craft. Something that we can remember this lesson by.

Something that will remind us that GOD is at work in our lives, and in our actions, weaving them together with the lives and actions of others bringing about a bigger redemption than we can possibly imagine.

Braid explain

as you briad

I am going to tell you a story you have probably heard, its a little cheesey but I think there is a lot of truth in it.

Car, boat, helicopter.

Usually when hear that story I am the man on the house. Waiting for rescue. The moral is accept help in the forms it comes.

The bible and the story of ruth tell us that this really is how it works to follow God.

You are someone’s helicopter.

I encourage you to keep this with you. And when you see it, or when someone asks you about it.

Explain that it is meant to remind you that God is at work in the world, through the actions of people.

And though we don’t always get it right. God weaves together our actions of love to bring about more than the sum of those parts.

You are someone’s helicopter.

You are someone’s boat.

You are someone’s car.

God invites us to live our lives that way and when we do we will find ourselves involved in more ordinairy miracles than we ever dreamed possible.

lets pray,

This is where you are going to need the thing we gave you as you came in....

What if Ruth didn’t...

Go to glean

Ask permission

What if Boaz didn’t....

Allow gleaning

Ask about Ruth

Visit his fields

Know his workers

Provide for Ruth’s protection

Offer way more than was neccesairy

What if Naomi didn’t...

ask about the farmer

allow Ruth to go

send Ruth to Boaz field after the harvest

Story of Ruth

tells us that God is at work in ordinairy life. Ordinairy acts of HESED. That Ordinairy miracles “just so happen” all the time when God’s people are faithful, when we participate in that LG LO cycle.

Following God in real life is about being faithful in the moment and TRUSTING that God is at work weaving our faithfulness and even our failures into a beautiful redemption

When you follow God faithfully God Just happens to work in ways you would never expect and sometimes hardly notice.

When you follow God, ordinairy miracles just happen.

Extra

Pieces of the puzzle that are key to resolution Had Ruth not Had Naomi not Had Boaz not...

How does God work in the lives of ordinary people?

Though the HESED of ordinary people.

Who do the right thing in the small and the big. In the easy and the hard.

She was what he needed He was what she needed They were who Naomi needed They were who the world needed

Y - How do we live like this is true?

The story of a Car a boat and a helicopter.

Y - How do we live like this is true?

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

The story of a Car a boat and a helicopter.

We tend to attribute mysterious events to God and explainable things to their explanations. If something has a "reasonable explanation" God can't be involved. We attribute the acts of nature to God and the acts of humans to humans. But the Bible argues for quite the opposite.

W - What would it look like

How would you live your life differntly if you thought your small acts of faithfulness, kindness, generosicty, and love towards others could be used by God to bring real rescue and redemption in not just your life but in the lives of others?

How would you live differently if you realized that GOd is weaving you, your choices, and your actions into to a story that changes the lives of other people

HOw will we live when we realize that what we do matter.

That God just so happens to be at work in big and small ways and that if we look hard enough and listen to the voice of the spirit enough we might just see lives transformed by God’s HESED played out in partnership with ours.

lets pray together.