Character & Commitment: An Example of Discipleship

Introduction:

The Old Testament is filled with impressive examples of people who were blazingly and fiercely committed to the Lord—men and women.

Some of these people were those that were barely recognized among the people of Israel. It’s hard to imagine why someone would even bother writing down their stories.

However, some were obvious and could not help to be noticed by many people.

So was the character of Ruth -

She demonstrated a unique excellence of character and commitment that was refreshing during the time she lived.

Commitment, character, and excellence - ;

Ruth’s Story

During the period of the judges ruling the Israelites, they had an up and down again relationship with the Lord and their Canaanite neighbors.

Israel would be obedient to God, then they would become faithless.

A man named Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, took their two sons Mahlon and Chilion—of the tribe of Ephraim of Bethelehem in Judah—into the land of Moab during the years of a terrible famine.

They left the promised land: yes, there was famine.

But they left the promised land: the fact that there was a famine is indicative of Israel’s unfaithfulness!

This was to be the land of milk and honey.

Elimelech died. Naomi was widowed to raise two sons.

After they are raised, they marry Moabite women—Orpah and Ruth.

Then the sons die. Three women—three widows.

Naomi determines to go back to the land of Israel in Bethlehem. Orpah remains in Moab. Ruth, however, will not remain. She determines to follow Naomi wherever she may go.

It was barley season when they return and Naomi’s husband had a kinsmen whose name was Boaz. Boaz was a man of wealth and esteem. He had fields being harvested and Ruth went out into the fields to glean the wheat grain that might fall to the ground.

Boaz took note of Ruth’s work ethic and excellent character and was willing to redeem her in marriage.

Another family member was closer in relation to Ruth than Boaz was, but he deferred to Boaz to marry Ruth.

Israelite law would require next closest kin to take their deceased kinsmen’s wife as their own (those of child bearing years).

These laws were intended to perpetuate the line of Israel and to also continue the seed of Abraham and the eventual Messiah figure who would come.

Good thing that Boaz married Ruth since Ruth was part of the lineage of David and the lineage of Jesus -

Resolve To Be Unchanged

Ruth is resolved and firm in her decision; there is no doubt nor sense that she will be changed.

In spite of Naomi’s insistence to return home to the land of Moab, Ruth persists and is “hard-headed - , , ,

She is single-minded; she will follow Naomi and make herself part of Naomi’s people. While Ruth is a gentile, she displays more resolve than people in the land of Israel - cf.

Israel had desired to return to Egypt because of their lack of faith.

When faced with resistance and challenge, that is the true test of commitment.

Lifting weights provides resistance that will make your muscles stronger over time.

Ruth’s loyalty shows such a strong commitment that she will be unwilling to hear anyone else on the matter -

“Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you...” and “where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge.”

Ruth does not want her mother-in-law to continue telling her to return home.

She was saying “this is my decision; it’s firm and final.”

Ruth demonstrated the same kind of intensity in her decision later, when she said she would do whatever Naomi would tell her -

Ruth 1:16a NASB95

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

Thinking of your commitment to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, are you like Ruth? Have you made a firm decision to follow Christ?

Ruth is committed to two ideas in v. 16a: she is resolved and unchanged in her decision; and her decision is submit to Naomi’s path. She will not depart from Naomi’s leadership.

Lyrics to I Am Resolved: “I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the worlds delights....I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free, Jesus, greatest highest, I will come to thee”

We make a commitment to following Jesus the Savior and King. We will listen to no other! We make the same commitment: resolve in a firm decision to follow Christ to not be changed AND to follow His direction and leadership.

Yet, Jesus warns about disciples who turn away from Him - ;

Yet, Jesus warns about disciples who turn away from Him - ;

Luke 9:62 NASB95

But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Mark 4:18–19 NASB95

“And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Luke 9:62 NASB95

But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

When we might abandon Jesus, it is because we have loved the world, not Jesus - ;

John 3:19–21 NASB95

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

The Bible speaks of those who are Christians as those who are firmly rooted and planted; or steadfast, immovable; these are the character traits of loyal disciples - ;

Leadership and direction - “where you go, I will go…you lodge, I will lodge...”

Colossians 2:6–7 NASB95

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB95

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

There is danger that we may forsake the Lord for “this present world” -

Or will we be like Ruth, who is fiercely loyal and will be committed and resolved to not depart “to the right hand or to the left?”

Who do we love: God or self? Where will our loyalties lie?

Let’s be resolved to be like Ruth—committed to follow the Lord and His leadership, not turning away from Him.

Identity and People

Identity and people - “Your people shall be my people…your God, my God...”

Not only was Ruth demonstrating her loyalty to Naomi, Ruth was willing to “lose her identity” and have it “swallowed up” with Naomi’s heritage -

“Your people shall be my people” - Naomi was going back to Bethlehem to the tribe of Judah; Ruth was pledging herself to be part of Israel (even when she was a Moabite woman)

Death to end our commitment - “where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried…if anything but death parts you and me”

Ruth was willing to leave behind her family, her heritage, and her friends to become a stranger in a foreign land.

“Your God, my God” - going to the land of Israel, Ruth shows that she is willing to give up her idolatry from the land of Moab, east of the Jordan, to make Yahweh her God.

Following God provides believers with a sense of community and family.

That community and family may not be our earthly families -

Ruth left her home to take up residency with strangers.

The church is pictured as:

A household/family -

Citizens of a nation - ;

Heaven is pictured as a city - ;

Christ’s church is meant to place us in community with one another.

We should know one another by name - (might be verse 14 in some translations)

We should have people into our homes to share meals together -

We should be willing to help one another -

We should work together in spreading the gospel -

We should worship together - ; ; ;

One of the most basic ways we join in community with each other is through regular worship together

“Let us” — community, togetherness, commune in worship -

“Let us” — community, togetherness, commune in worship -

Becoming a disciple and a follower of Jesus means that we are placed among the “people of God”—the people of Jesus become my people; they become your people.

Our identity as children of God becomes wrapped up with God and His people -

“…to their number” or “to the church” (KJV, NKJV)

Loyalty To Death

Ruth’s words are deeper than words; she takes an oath before God -

Ruth 1:17 NASB95

“Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.”

She readily accepts any curse that the Lord might bring upon her if she does not keep this covenant agreement with Naomi.

Ruth is pledging a lifelong commitment to the Naomi and ultimately to God -

“Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried”

“…if anything but death parts you and me”

We can see obvious applications to these words, can’t we?

Marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman -

But also our commitment to Christ is a loyalty that is supposed to last our entire lifetime.

While we live, we serve Christ; always with the end in view -

We endure tribulations while waiting the crown of life -

Be faithful until death -

The apostle Paul demonstrated the sort of lifelong commitment that Christ wants of those He enlists in His service -

Will you be faithful to the Lord—until death?

Jesus wants us to know that serving Him is a lifelong commitment; that means we need to count the cost and be sure we know what is required of us to finish until death -

Conclusion:

Ruth is an example of great character. Her oath of allegiance and devotion to Naomi and to God are words that each and every Christian should be willing to say.

Will you resolve to follow the Lord today? Will you remain firm in your decision to no longer look for the pleasures of this world?

Resolve today to make the people of God your people, your family, and your nation. Join them in community and worship with them, get to know them, and love them as your brother and sister in Christ.

Making that firm decision to serve God, realize that that decision is not just a momentary decision—it was a lifelong commitment you make to God. It is the best decision/commitment you can ever make.

Resolve to obey the Lord today!

Death to end our commitment - “where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried…if anything but death parts you and me”