Bold Love

Ruth 3 NIV

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 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. 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.” “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet! “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.” “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. 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. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 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.” So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town. When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

Introduction: Story of putting my arm around Cindy for the first time.

24-Love is the heartbeat of Redemption.

But perhaps not the type of Love we often think of in our culture.

Sunday School message about Ruth - Kind of a Disney Princess version of Ruth. Somehow I remember it being about how Ruth expressed her undying love to Boaz after her love at first sight experience with Boaz, and that moment where Boaz was like, “You Complete me.”

- That is not what this is like at all.

I have heard about sermons using this passage that were about “5 ways to get your man.” or “5 principles to Godly dating.” - Again, Nope. Let me tell you, “Never, use this passage to mentor a someone in their ‘love life.’” As what Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz do might have been culturally appropriate back then, it is not now.

5 Ewws we need to get out of the way.

Boaz was likely a Brother-in-law to Naomi. So for Ruth to Marry Boaz she would be marrying someone as old as her father - Eww.

Threshing floor was the center of town, and generally the only women who went to the threshing floor during the harvest were prostitutes - Naomi and Ruth recognize this danger. - Eww.

Remember Ruth is a Moabite - The reason Moabites are shunned - They got their virgins to seduce the men of Israel and turn them from God, so this is a highly dangerous act Ruth is taking - Ewww.

The story lets us know that Boaz is drunk, and probably everyone on the threshing floor was as the harvest was one big party. - Eww.

Finally, The act of Ruth Uncovering Boaz’s feet and laying beside his feet is highly suggestive - Eww

So, why is this in here? Because it is all about the idea of Redemption, and everything that Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz are doing is for Redeeming Love.

How would you define Redemption?

“In the Bible, there are at least five basic functions of the Kinsmen Redeemer: he purchases property in danger of being lost to a stranger; he redeems relatives who have been reduced to slavery; he avenges relatives’ wrongful deaths; and he is obligated to support a relative’s widow. - In essence the Kinsman/Redeemer restores the created order.” Michael Moore.

Lev. 25:47-55: Leverite Marriage. - first born of the marriage carries on the name of the deceased.

So, the love we see here is not a romantic love, but a redeeming love (although romance may be included eventually).

Naomi’s motivation is to restore Ruth - a husband that will provide, and children as a blessing. It is what Naomi wanted for Ruth from the beginning.

Ruth’s motivations is to restore Naomi - Blessing returns to Naomi through children and by being a part of a family again. She is provided for.

Boaz’s motivation is to obey the law and be an agent of restoration. He will make sure that Naomi and Ruth are restored either by the nearest Kinsmen Redeemer, or by himself.

They all of the same shared motivation - Restoring the name of Naomi and Ruth’s dead husbands and the land they owned. - They all have in view Restoration/Resurrection.

25-While not mimicking their dating approach, we are called to take on their motivation. - Can we be people of redemption?

26 - Love makes Bold Requests.

Super-Hero Love: https://dskidsermons.com/2018/07/24/august-5th-2018-11th-sunday-after-pentecost/

Ruth makes her request Boldly, While Naomi told her to simply do what Boaz tells her, Naomi is bold.

Uncovering feet laying beside Boaz is a symbolic gesture requesting that Boaz would take her under his protection as husband/Kinsmen Redeemer. When Boaz wonders why she is there, she boldly states, “You are the Kinsmen Redeemer” She is boldly not just asking, but telling him his duty.

- Naomi and Ruth know Boaz is honorable, and so Ruth knows his character and feels free to be bold. She knows he will do the right thing. He is not like other men who might take advantage of the situation.

Are we bold in our requests to the Lord, in our Prayers.

George Mueller

Jesus' teaching on prayer - the nagging widow, the neighbor asking for bread, the child asking for bread, and we are called to boldly ask for the Holy Spirit. -

Story of church and family supporting us through Bone Marrow Transplant.

Jesus is our Kinsmen-Redeemer - He wants to restore your relationship with God, he wants to ressurect you. He wants to give you the Holy Spirit, and he wants to give you an eternal inheritance. Will you be bold today and ask the Lord to Redeem you?

27 - God’s Love assures us of Redemption.

Here is how Boaz is a super-hero in this Story.

Naomi and Ruth got it right, they went to the right man. He is honorable, he is Trustworthy, he has done what he can in his power to provide food to Naomi and Ruth.

But towards the end of this Chapter, we have a suspensful moment. We all want to see Ruth and Boaz get together, but he says, Hold on - I am not the first in line to be your kinsmen-redeemer. Boaz the honorable man that he is, will still obey God’s law, God’s way.

You almost have to believe that Naomi knows this, but why didn’t she send Ruth to that guy. You will have to tune in next week perhaps to find out why.

But Boaz becomes for us a pointer to Jesus our Redeemer. Naomi says it, “The man will not rest until the matter is settled.” - Like Boaz, Jesus wants to redeem us. He will go out of his way to redeem us/restore us, even coming as the Son of God to die on the cross for us, and be raised to life so we can as well.

28 - Redeeming Love towards others: If you are a young person. Do not use Ruth for dating advice, but do use their example for being disciples of Christ. Is there someone at school, a friend, who needs to be restored. Can you give them an encouraging word, can you stand up for them, can you do an act of kindness for them?

29 - If you are wondering who Jesus is, I want to invite you to boldly as Jesus to restore your life that you might be a life restorer.

30 - As believers, how can we boldly love God, and Boldly love others?

Conclusion:

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 86, 94, 116-119, 129 Belgic Confession: Articles 1 Canons of Dort: Head V: Articles 9-13