The Perfect Redeemer

Christmas Eve Offering - IMB - People in SE Asia need to know the Gospel.

Ruth 4:9–12 ESV

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

Ended 3 on a cliffhanger, would Ruth actually be Redeemed so she may find the rest Naomi is wanting for her?

Ruth 3:18 ESV

18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Boaz goes to the gate.

Ruth 4:1–2 ESV

1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned 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.

Mr. so and so - a man without a name.

Elders of the town - time to do business.

Ruth 4:3–4 ESV

3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

Mr. so and so is in - I’ll redeem it, make some money off it, then in the year of jubilee, it’ll go back to the family.

Judges and Ruth—God in Chaos The DNA of Redemption

This is how it worked:

• When an Israelite family became very poor and had to sell their land to survive, the nearest male relative (the kinsman-redeemer) had the responsibility of rescuing them from poverty by buying their land back and restoring it to the family. This was called redemption of property (Leviticus 25:23–34).

• If they’d become so poor that they’d had to sell themselves into slavery, a rich relative had to rescue them by buying their freedom. This, too, was redemption (Leviticus 25:47–55).

• Finally, if a man died leaving his widow without children (the situation Ruth and Naomi have found themselves in), their nearest male relative had to step in and marry his widow and enable her to have children, so they could inherit their father’s property and keep it in the family—a third kind of redemption.

Redemption was always part of God’s plan for his people. So the covenantal faithfulness of God was shown throughout generations despite any circumstances that come their way.

But redemption always costs something. Mr. so and so thought the cost would be minimal and ultimately beneficial so he said, he would do it but then Boaz drops the bomb on what the cost will actually be,

Ruth 4:5–6 ESV

5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

The cost is too high, it’ll effect me long term, I cannot do it.

So Boaz redeems it all by removing his sandal in the sight of the town elders and the members of the town.

Then the town blesses Boaz and prays that God will make Ruth like the original mothers of the covenant people and specifically the line of Judah.

Ruth is now recognized as the covenant people of God, she has come under the shadow of God’s wings, she will have rest.

1. Redemption is always needed for the helpless.

Ruth and Naomi were helpless just like you and I, both were in need of redemption.

Millions of golfers know the name of Harvey Penick. His first book, Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, became a surprising best-seller, selling more than 1 million copies in 1992, quickly earning the title of the best-selling sports book of all time. But by the time Penick even showed his notes – the genesis for his book – to a local writer, he was nearly 90 years old. Penick wanted to know if the book was worth publishing. The writer read it, and told him he liked the book. In fact, by the next evening, the same man left word with Penick’s wife that Simon & Schuster had agreed to an advance of $90,000.

When the writer saw Penick later, the old man seemed troubled. Finally, Penick came clean. With all his medical bills, he said, there was no way he could advance Simon & Schuster that much money. It took a while, but finally the writer convinced Penick that the publisher would pay him the $90,000 . . . not the other way around!

2. Redemption is always an act of grace.

Boaz was under no pressure to redeem. He could have said no like mr. so and so, but he didn’t.

Jesus was under no obligation to redeem sinner, He chose to.

“Grace is God loving, God stooping, God coming to the rescue, God giving himself generously in and through Jesus Christ.” - John Stott

3. Redemption always costs the redeemer.

Boaz paid the price.

GOSPEL

4. Redemption always secures a future.

The towns people