Our Choices
Notes
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Christmas trees and nativity after church
*CHURCH UPDATES: Digital and paper connect Card
DECLARATION:
Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
SVCC is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, and we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit.
Prayer for...
INTRODUCTION:
Review:
WHY?…
TODAY: God allows us to make OUR own CHOICES
next in series: Our God Cares and Our God Redeems
Opening Scripture:
1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.
14 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.
Overview/Context of Ruth 1:
MOAB - It would be humiliating and dangerous to move there, but Elimelech probably felt like it was the only way to feed his family due to the famine in BETHLEHEM (Ruth 1:1-2).
After her husband and sons die leaving her no grandchildren, Naomi the matriarch has lost hope and thus is often seen as the female Job. Naomi says that “the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” (Ruth 1:4-5, 11-13)
Naomi and Ruth are mourning but handle it differently.
Naomi talks quite a bit about God in expressing her wishes for her daughters-in-law and her understanding of what has happened to her, but she does not talk to God about it. (Ruth 1:13, 20-21)
Ruth who is not Jewish declares the God of Naomi shall be her God (Ruth 1:16).
Four Choices of Ruth 1:
1. The choice to leave
1. The choice to leave
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
They make the choice to go from Bethlehem, which is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, to another country.
Was the choice to leave a result of Israel’s sin or was leaving a demonstration of their lack of faith in God...
13 “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. 15 And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.
Ruth occurs during the time period of the Judges which suggests that it was in fact Israel disobeying God that caused the famine…this doesn’t make their choice to leave necessarily wrong or right…what we do know is the blessing of the choice to leave Moab and return to Bethlehem!
2. The choice to separate
2. The choice to separate
Not only did they leave the promised land but they had their sons marry women who did not serve Yahweh (cf. Ruth 1:15).
The two young widows have the choice to return to their families:
12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,
We do not know if Orpah made the wrong choice but what we do know is the blessing of Ruth’s choice to separate to the God of Israel!
3. The choice to be bitter
3. The choice to be bitter
bitterness is defined as angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment.
13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”
Naomi appears bitter over her loss and advance age, “blaming“ God who was often seen as behind such calamity…thus his hand being against her.
Another familiar time that God stretched out his hand to act:
The Jordan river that was crossed in Naomi’s initial trip to Moab would be crossed on the return to Bethlehem.
The Jordan according to Joshua 3 was where God did a miracle in bringing Israel to the promised land, this miracle was also known as God stretching out his hand.
16 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.
Although Naomi felt hopeless and appears bitter Ruth demonstrates a different attitude…we don’t know from the story that Naomi is wrong but we do know the blessing of Ruth’s choice and Naomi’s choice to return!
4. The Choice to be committed
4. The Choice to be committed
17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
Ruth demonstrates great commitment to Naomi.
Again, we know the blessing of Ruth’s choices!
Conclusion/Reflection:
There are choices that we may wrestle with but the best choice is to always Go after God and His ways.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Sometimes the choice we have before us is not good or bad, thus, in those instances we have to TRUST that God by His providence is working out all things for the good of those who love Him.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
REFLECT:
What choice do you need to consider that is between going after God and His ways or not?
What choice do you need to make that you need to trust that God is working for your good?