Restoration & Elevation 11/10/2019

Recap: We are finishing the sermon series from the book of Ruth. Adversity and Redemption. The first sermon I preached about repentance. Naomi’s repentance of the decision to leave Bethlehem during famine brought her back into God’s people, where God was blessing, and into a season of harvest.

The second sermon I preached about God seeing us. While Ruth was struggling to make it the kinsman redeemer took notice of her in the field, even hearing about what she had done for her mother in law. While you are busy and think no one sees, God sees.

Last week I preached “Finding the rest that you need”. Naomi ask Ruth “how can I help you find rest?”. She needed rest from the struggle of life. The kinsman redeemer is the answer. Jesus said “Come to me all who are weary...”. The rest He offers is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 28:11-12 says For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.

If you need rest and refreshing it is found in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. An experience that God promises to all believers.

Today I am preaching “Restoration & Elevation”. The kinsman redeemer has the power to redeem what has been lost. But only if there is a relationship.

Restoration & Elevation

The interest of the Redeemer

Naomi and Ruth upon returning to Bethlehem as widows have no rights to retaining the inheritance. Without a husband whose name the property can be held in they had to sell. The law allowed for the land to be redeemed only if a kinsman would buy the land, marry the widow, and produce an heir in the name of the deceased husband.

Ruth 4:1–4 NKJV

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

Naomi came back and had to sell the land. You are the nearest of kin, redeem the land.

In the mind of the other relative he would be marrying Naomi and receiving the land. I will redeem it. Sounds like a good deal.

Ruth 4:5–6 NKJV

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

When the relative learns that Ruth is a Moabite he becomes less interested in being the redeemer. He was interested in the property but not the person.

Maybe he saw too much baggage. Maybe it was that she was a gentile from Moab. He was interested when it was about what could benefit him. But if it meant marrying Ruth and perpetuating the name of the dead husband. Well that’s too much.

Some people are interested in you as long as there is a benefit for them.

Don’t want your baggage. Not interested in your continued problems. Not willing to do it if it is about your future. What’s in it for me?

Boaz’ interest is in Ruth. Not the land. It is about her and not about the property.

Are you thankful that the Lord is not asking “what do they have that I want?”. He’s not looking at us saying, what is in it for me?

The redeemer is interested in you. He loves you!

The results of a relationship

There are results that only come from having a relationship with the kinsman redeemer.

Ruth 4:11 NKJV

11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

Ruth receives immediate elevation in her status from being the Moabitess woman to being compared to Rachel and Leah. Prominent women in the history of Israel.

The book of Ruth opens with loss. They are forced to sell the land inherited in Bethlehem.

But the book closes with redemption of the land. A restoration of status among the people of Bethlehem.

Ruth 4:13 NKJV

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

A son represented security for the future. Even though Boaz was the father, legally the child was the son of Mahlon and grandson to Elimelech. But it only happens if there is a relationship with the redeemer.

Relationship produces:

a restoration of what was lost.

a secured future.

The book of Ruth opens with a list of men who died. Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion.

It ends with a list of men who were born. The last mentioned being the great King David.

Altar

The Lord is not interested in what you can do for Him. He is interested in you. Give Him the opportunity and He will restore what was lost, elevate your life and secure a future.

Boaz is an Old Testament type of Jesus Christ. But instead of purchasing our inheritance with money. Jesus Christ purchased what was lost with His blood.

Hebrews 9:11–15 NKJV

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Once with His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption. He is the Mediator for the redemption and those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Ephesians 1:7 NKJV

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 1:11–14 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Have you received your guarantee of our inheritance? The baptism of the Holy Spirit.