Love In the Home

Love in the Home Ruth 1:1-5

Ruth 1:1–5 (KJV 1900)

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

Last week we looked at love in the home this week we want to look at a picture of love in the home. Judges 21:25 gives the setting of the day, “In those days...” ever man did that which was right in their own eyes”.

Judges 21:25 KJV 1900

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

These were dark days in Israel’s history. Society had gone mad, people were sin sick, wickedness was the order of the day. In fact, Israel was much like our society today, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

No Absolutes! No Morals! No Right & No Wrong! Selfishness ruled. The period of the Judges was very much like our current conditions.

The book of Ruth tells us about a family of four. Mr. Elimilech & his wife Mrs. Naomi. They had two sons named, Mahlon & Chilion. Because of hard financial times this family decided to move away from home. They left Bethlehem, crossed the Jordan River & went South to Moab. Why? Because there was a famine in Israel. When times are tough, it’s easy to move out of God’s will. A crisis will make you or break you.

Men & women like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, & Moses went thru the fiery trials & came forth as gold. Other men like Lot, Demas and Judas went thru trials & were broken. How do you handle your trials?

Then tragedy struck this family in a foreign land. Father Elimilech died, v. 3. Now we find Naomi as a single parent in a strange land. Here she is w/ 2 boys, no husband, no family support, no income. A widow w/ no money.

Have you ever felt lonely? All alone? We all have at one time or another. Maybe you face loneliness in your family situation or where you work or your circumstances at home. Like Naomi, you have this empty hollow, hurting feeling deep in your soul. You feel trapped and all alone. Maybe nobody knows, maybe nobody cares... God cares, sometimes we forgot that.

Then something good happened, v. 3b-4. Two weddings! For about 10 yrs everything was going great. Then tragedy struck again, v. 5. Now we have 3 penniless widows left to survive by themselves. Grief stricken Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. Her 2 daughter-in-laws decide to go w/ her, but Naomi told them to go back home, v. 8-9. They said they would go w/ her but she said, ‘I have no more sons to be your husbands. Turn away & go home. I’m too old to have more children.”

v. 15 - Naomi encouraged Ruth to join her sister-in-law. Then we have Ruth’s answer. A beautiful picture of love in the home, v. 16-17 This is just the prescription the Great Physician ordered for each of us:

Husbands & wives; parents & children; brothers & sisters; & believers in God’s. Love! How? Love w/ all of your heart. Love! Who? Love God & love others w/ God’ love. Love! When? NOW! If not now, then when?

* Ruth ch. 1 has to be one of the most tragic stories in all of the Bible. Two generations of widows! First of all, Naomi’s husband dies; then Ruth & Orpah’s husbands die. The chapter closes w/ Naomi returning to Bethlehem, her home town, w/ her daughter in law Ruth. The only bright spot of the whole chapter is Ruth’s love.

This week our nation celebrates Valentine’s Day! Everywhere we go we will see hearts & cards & love will be the theme of it all. This morning I want you to see the love of Ruth. Love in the Home. I want all of us to desire to have in our hearts the kind of love that Ruth possessed.

I. Ruth’s love for God

* Naomi said, “Go follow your sister-in-law; Go back to your people; go back to your false gods” v. 15.

* Ruth’s answer, v. 16. “I will follow you & worship your God.” What did Ruth see in Naomi that would give her a love for God?

I think Ruth saw several qualities in Naomi:

* Faith * Faithfulness * Love * Dedication

* Consistency * Care * Compassion

Your life affects others. Good or Bad, for God or Satan, you influence others. One statistician estimated that the average person influences 3,000 people in their lifetime. I believe that an average Christian influences far more people than an average unsaved person.

Is your life a magnet to draw people to Christ? or do you repel them?

Do people know you love God? Does your family know you love God? Does God know you love Him? Do you tell Him?

* Yes, Ruth loved God & so should we! It is the first & great commandment.

II. Ruth Loved her Family. She even loved her Mother-in-law

Every couple of years I read about surveys that ask people questions like: “What do you value most in life?” or “What is the most important thing in life to you?” Topping the list of the rich and famous as well as the poor and infamous is “My Family.” Yet, to many people it may seem like an impossibility. The desire of most people’s hearts is to have a happy family. I have heard men say, “I’d trade my success, my career, my wealth for godly children.”

What are the key ingredients for a happy & holy family? What creates an atmosphere of peace and joy in a home? Without a doubt, the key is LOVE! Love in the home between husbands and wives, parents and children, and extended family members.

Love in the home is expressed in many ways. Research asked questions to discover what makes families strong. Most professional authorities focus their attention on families that are fractured by struggles.

What makes a family strong?

All together, we studied 3,000 families and collected a lot of information. But when we analyzed it all, we found six main qualities in strong families.

Strong Families...:

1. ...are committed to the family, v. 16-17

2. ...have a spiritual commitment, v. 16-17

3. ...have good family communication, v.

4. ...spend time together, v. 7, 10, 18

5. ...express appreciation to each other, v. 8

6. ...and are able to solve problems in a crisis, v. 7-8

These researchers could have saved a great deal of time if they would have just studied the Bible. You, too, can have love in your home, if you will just study, believe and obey God’s Word.

Ruth loved her family. Notice the same 6 qualities in Ruth. Will you find them in yourself & in your family members?

A. Ruth was committed to the family, v. 16-17

She said, “I’ll go... I’ll lodge...I’ll change my citizenship... I’ll worship the True God w/ you... I’ll die where you die.

* Ruth was committed to the family, how about you? Are you committed to your family thru thick & thin?

Do you know it’s possible to determine in this service that you will never use words like divorce, separation and promise to never say phrases like, “I just don’t love you anymore” or “One more time & I’m leaving for good.” Today, our God has the power to give you the grace to renew your wedding vows: For better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness & in health, to have & to hold from this day forward.”

Not only was she committed to the Family, but

B. Ruth had a Spiritual Commitment, v. 16 b

“thy God, shall be my God.”

It is a statistical fact that the families that pray together stay together. I believe there are several reasons for this fact:

1. They pray, God answers. God’s power is released in prayer.

2. The reason they pray together is they have already made a commitment to God. That commitment is evidence by their faithfulness to God’s house.

3. Families that pray together are submitting their selfish will to God’s perfect humble will.

* Ruth had a spiritual commitment.

- Be faithful to God

- Be faithful to church

* Listen, Prayer is simply talking to God. Don’t be embarrassed, don’t be ashamed that you can’t pray the right way.... God is not an English Teacher. He does not grade on eloquence. Some of the most moving & powerful prayers are prayed by saints who w/ broken English who pray from their heart.

Spiritual commitment: you either got it or you don’t.

C. Ruth had Good Family Communication,v .

When you read all 4 chapters of Ruth you find good communication:

1:16 “& Ruth said, ‘Intreat me not to leave thee

2:2 “& Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field

2:19 “& her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day?

3:1 “Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee.

What you have here is quality communication; good communication, caring communication, edifying communication. Oh, that’s what we need in our homes today. Unfortunately, most homes consist of one of three levels of communication:

Level 1 - I’ll call the first level the Lowest form of communication - Many families have resorted to the most basic art forms of conversation. Grunts, sighs, & sarcasm.

* Newspaper in the husband’s face at Dinner time. “How was your day dear?” “Don’t ask!” Didn’t things go well today? Uh - uh! Lots of Traffic? Uh - huh! Stuck in traffic? Uh - huh. Busy day? Uh-uh. Well, your mother called today; do you want to hear what’s going on? Uh-uh. Well, she told me to tell you...

There’s no growth, no edification, no spark, no fellowship. It’s the lowest form of communication. Existence, but that’s all.

Level 2, I’ll call the second level the Loudest form of communication. When the lowest form of communication fails, then it becomes loud.

The day begins this way, “Kids, get up or you’ll be late for school again!” The day ends w/ “Go to bed; Go to bed; Go to bed right now or else” If the day begins w/ yelling & the day ends with yelling, I’ll bet my last dollar that there is quite a bit of yelling in between.

Level 3 I call this level the Loving form of communication

Eph 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.” That’s the negative. Put off corrupt communication - Corrupt communication is not just swearing & cursing, but it also includes yelling & screaming, fussing & fighting, complaining & criticizing, sarcasm & name-calling. Then there is the positive

Ephesians 4:29 KJV 1900

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

“...but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Husbands & wives, parents & children, brothers & sisters need to get this command of God in their hearts & on their lips. My speech, my attitude, my words are to edify. That means build up. I am to be a minster of grace to those who hear me speak. What a responsibility you & I have every time we open our mouths. What a blessing we can be to others if we submit our tongues to Christ.

Thru the preaching & prayers of Spurgeon, Moody, Whitfield lives were changed & nations were molded for Christ.

But also, the tongue of Adolf Hitler, Mao Tse Tung & Stalin incited the murders of millions of people in this century.

The tongue is a powerful weapon. Be sure you use it properly.

D. Spend Time Together, v. 7-8, 10

I like to be with my family, but like you I stay busy. Our children only grow up once. I believe our singles, our young married couples, our empty nesters, & our senior saints have not begun to tap the time that God has given them to serve Christ in a multitude of ways in the local church. Families can serve together & many do. But many more are missing the Blessing of God first in their lives.

Worshipping God & serving God is a family activity. Your drive time to church can be a growing time - as couples, as families. It is what you make it. If you drive by yourself, remember, you’re not alone, it can be a wonderful time of prayer & praise & song as you prepare your heart to come to God’s house. For families your faithfulness teaches your children lessons of a lifetime. Families w/ young children can listen to those character building tapes on the back table. Spend quality time together.

* If you can’t take time for a family vacation, you’re robbing your children. “But pastor, we don’t have the money for vacation.” Here’s how some of you can get the money:

1 - Listen & practice the 4 week financial series, What does God say about your money?

2 - Drop non-essential spending, like cable TV, call-waiting, & stop frequent & excessive video rentals.

3 - Stop buying junk food.

If you did that you’d have enough money to take a 2 week vacation.

* Spend time together, at home.

D. Express appreciation to each other, v. 8b

Someone said, “The greatest need of the human heart is to be appreciated.” Now we know the greatest need is to be saved. But high on the list should be appreciation. Husbands to wives & wives to husbands; Parents to children & children to parents. It ought to be true in God’s house - that we regularly express appreciation to one another. WE live in a dog eat dog world that has a philosophy of “Do unto others, before they do it unto you.”

How we need to express appreciation. Write little notes & gifts... stuff it in his lunch... on the refrigerator... on the mirror. Years ago I remeber opening up the vitamin bottle & finding a $10 bill my mom had stuck in there. “How did you know it was your mom?” Only my mom would do that.

E. Ability to Solve Problems in a Crisis, v. 18-19

Naomi & Ruth looked to God in their crisis, stayed in God’s will & God blessed them, 4:13; Ruth’s great grandson was David. Can your love carry you thru a crisis? God’s love can!

Some closing thoughts:

A. Love will See you through Adversity

* How can love see you thru adversity?

*Love is stronger than adversity or the trials of life,

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned.” Song of Solomon 8:7

Your trials may be deep, they may be long, they seem to be overwhelming, but God’s love continues to hold you up.

B. Love will Bring you Victory

1. God’s love is stronger than sin, Satan, & hell.

Love is one of the Strongest Powers in the Universe

* God’s love is able to save the world, if people will only believe & receive Christ.

* God’s love is not some cloud or foggy concept; it is something we can all see & understand. God’s love gave us Christ to die for our sins, A verse that will never get old or outdated is Jn. 3:16. The greatest love of all is God’s love, agape love, divine love. Loving the unlovely & unloveable

2. Love in the Home - it needs to be just like God’s love. It needs to be real. It must be expressed in concrete tangible ways to be real, to be genuine, to be meaningful.

Concl Love will Make your Home a Little bit like Heaven. Invite Christ into your heart & you can be saved. Yield to His Lordship over your life & you will have a home that is a taste of heaven.