Our God Cares

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Opening Song: Go Telling on the Mountain

Youth at 1pm today

ladies ornament exchange Thursday 6:30pm at the church. Bring a snack/treat to share.

Video of FMI Christmas Offering - Kids collecting change

*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...

Schools

INTRODUCTION:

Review: Our Choices and Ruth’s commitment

WHY?…

TODAY: Our God Cares

Power and resources can be used solely for selfish reasons or in a way that shows commitment.

Opening Scripture:

Ruth 2:20 NLT

20 “May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.”

Three depictions of care in Ruth 2:

1) Ruth cares for Naomi

Ruth who has committed herself to Naomi, Israel, and Yahweh cares for Naomi.

Naomi is still disheartened so Ruth the Moabite ensures they have something to eat.

Ruth 2:2 ESV

2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

2) Boaz cares for Ruth/Naomi

Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband (Ruth 2:1)

Boaz’s field hand identifies Ruth first as a young foreigner and then as the one who came back with Naomi (Ruth 2:6-7, 10)

Boaz cares for Ruth here with provisions and protection

Ruth 2:8–9 ESV

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.”

Ruth 2:15 ESV

15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.

Boaz’s care for Ruth is a picture of the covenantal love of God

Ruth 2:20 ESV

20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”

“kindness” (H2613) is Heb. hesed

“Redeemer” (H1350) is Heb. g’l = avenger; to reclaim as one’s own; repurchaser

3) God’s cares

God’s providence (see Ruth 2:3)

God’s instructions were for the harvesters not to do it too efficiently so that there was some left over for others.

Leviticus 19:9–10 ESV

9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.

God our refuge

Ruth 2:12 ESV

12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

Psalm 91:4 ESV

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Conclusion/Reflection:

The God who CARES is ultimately our Provider, Protector, rePurchaser!

How do you view generosity?

I’m not strictly talking about a tithe (10%) (that pre-dated the law being given to Moses), which is best understood as returning the casserole dish back to God.

God also built into the law (and we see it happening voluntarily in the NT church) caring for the poor (widows and orphans in Deut 24:19-22) and sojourner (i.e. foreigner, see Ge. 15:13)

The start is 10% and is primarily for the care of the church building and staff.

From there we increase! (Member-Benevolence, Local Missions, World-wide Missions, Special Building needs)

Reflections:

Do you trust that God cares for you (as provider, protector, and repurchaser)?

Do you live generously?

COMMUNION:

Receive the full provision of the Lord by faith:

1) Go to God in a proclamation of redemption.

2 )Thank Him for His death upon the Cross.

3) Declare your dependence upon God as you eat of the bread and drink the juice, which is the blood of the New Covenant poured out for you and your family.

The blood of the covenant releases God’s full provisions for whatever you need.

Trust God, through His covenant, to meet your need:

1. The provision for forgiveness of sins.

2. The provision for physical, mental, or spiritual healing.

3. The provision for deliverance from habits that bind or situations that imprison.

4. The provision for freedom from fear or oppression.

Communion SOURCE: Hayford, Jack W., and Paul McGuire. People of the Covenant: God’s New Covenant for Today. Spirit-Filled Life Kingdom Dynamic Study Guide. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.