MAINTAINING UNITY AND ONENESS WHEN DIVISION IS EASY

IN ORDER TO STAY UNIFIED AND TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THIS YEAR - IN THIS YEAR OF CRAZY CHANGE WE HAVE TO HAVE SEVERAL COMMITMENTS:

I. WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT STAYING COMMITTED TO OUR COMMITMENT (MISSION/PURPOSE)

THE STORY OF RUTH AND NAOMI

When Orpah’s and Ruth’s husband’s died Naomi told them to go and live their lives. But they said to Naomi:

Ruth 1:10 ESV

And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

Ruth 1:14 ESV

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:15 ESV

And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

Ruth 1:16 ESV

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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.

THE POINT: When you marry someone you marry into a family (literally you marry the family) and in better cases this involves a commitment to your spouses family.

Ruth, even when she could have left, stayed because she was committed to the family she had married into.

1. It was a difficult time in her life

2. She had lost her husband

3. Life was not the same and would never, truly, be the same

4. BUT SHE STAYED

She was committed to Naomi AND her vision

Ruth 1:16 ESV

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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.

PRINCIPLES FOR US AND OUR CONTEXT:

1. Like Ruth when we made a commitment to RCA we committed to the entire family

2. Like Ruth when we made a commitment to RCA we committed ourselves to the vision of leaders