Lessons from the Book of Ruth- Part 4

Welcome/ Prayer/ Theme Intro

Good Morning Church- How is everyone doing this morning? It has been a really full week for Jess and I. We have driven around 1200 miles in 4 days! Yet, It has been incredibly restful time together!

Prayer-

Scripture Reading

Theme: God’s Redeeming Work!

I want to focus on the theme of How God is redeeming through the culmination of this story. My hope is that we will see how God works

to redeem his people even through broken systems,

God can use one person, one family, and one group to redeem all of Creation!

God can use small things to have eternal impact.

This last section of Ruth has touched me and I hope it will touch, challenge and transform you through the Work of the Spirit!

Transition: If you havent already please turn to Ruth Chapter 4 and follow along as we unpack God’s work in the closing chapter of this powerful story.

Walking through the Text: Ruth Part 4

God Redeeming Ruth through the Marriage of Boaz (1-13) (Slide0

Boaz’s Conversation with the Kinsman Redeemer at the Gate

You might be wondering why this conversation happens at the gate there are two things going on here.

The town gate was the legal center of town. All legal actions happened at the gater.

Virtually every man had to go through the Gate to go out into the field.

Then Boaz calls the ten elders of the city. This is more like a court scene than any thing else.

There’s some complications with the text. it says Naomi is selling the land, but we can gather from the earlier parts of the text that her late husband Elimelch sold the land.

Scholars say the more likely senario is that the nearest Kinsman has the obligation to buy back the land, which explains why the unamed redeemer rejects the offer.

The redeemer would have to buy land from someone who isnt offically selling it.

Boaz also mentions that in redeeming the land he also must marry Ruth.

The interesting part here is that the redeemer did not have to marry ruth according to Deut 25:5-10. It was voluntary. This another act of hesed on Boaz’s part.

The nearest redeemer doesnt want to shoulder the responsibility to care for these vulnerable women.

He only talks about the land and inheritance.

On the surface we learn to be like boaz not like the unamed man when it comes to caring for people amen?

They seal the deal with transfer of the sandal from one man to another. I think its funny that that day, not only did this one man lose land, the chance to marry Ruth, but also his sandal!

The elders of the town then give Boaz a three fold blessing and verse 13 tells us that they Get married.

Transition: But I have to be honest, entire scene is about the lives of two women, not just some field and real estate. I dont know about you, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that Ruth is bought like a piece of property. Yet, this reminds us that God works even through things like this. Which brings us to the first lesson from Ruth 4.

Lesson from the Book of Ruth: God works through seemingly Broken systems.

Practical Application: Modern Methods of Outreach

The guys on the streets in SC

the one preaching to nobody

The other who didnt want to engage with relationship

Uncomfortable with the approach and focus. I think this way of preaching: Introduces people to the concept of eternal life with Jesus, but not current life with Jesus.

Presents faith as a decision rather than a way of life and yet, the Dream center is doing more than the men in SC,

The Dream Center is moving toward a better way.

We are praying for people and being a a presence in the community.

God is working through the outreach , conversation and prayer!

people are becoming part of the Kingdom through the work at the Dream Center.

Here is my plug to steve at the dream center.

Transition: Lets go back to the story and see how God contiues to brign His Redemption.

God Redeeming Naomi through new life and a new Family (14-17)

It is through the marraige of Boaz and Ruth that all of the issues in the Story thus far come to resolution:

The Loss of Family - making them the most vulnerable memebers of the community lacking not only food, but shelter and security.

Despite the broken system of the marriage: The women of the Story have a voice.

The boy becomes a reason to Praise Yahweh.

He will renew her and sustain her.

Then they make the most counter - cultural statment of the whole story

a daughter in law who loves her is better than 7 sons.

Notice how the concerns of the women are highlighted here:

Judges and Ruth (Epilogue (4:13–17))

not because God has not left the line of Elimelech without a descendant but because he has not left Naomi without a redeemer to care for her in her need. And the female chorus sees the meaning of this child not in his identity as the heir of Elimelech and all his property but in his role as the restorer of Naomi to life who will support her in her old age

The boy is named Obed after not only what He will do for her, but What God has done for Naomi.

Transiton: Its crazy how God brings about Redemption through these seemingly small works in the span of history. This brings us to the next lesson we learn from Ruth.

Lesson from the Book of Ruth: God is working in small ways to do Big things

Think about how small a thing it is in the span of history for Boaz to Notice Ruth. Think about how small and insignificant that is.

Yet, look at how God used that small thing.

Think about how insignificant it was for 12 men to follow a Rabbi in the first Century

God used those 12 men and the women that were with them to start a new moment, a new people, a new ethnically diverse Kingdom.

Think about the Parable of the Mustard Seed: how little seeds explode into these massive invasive bushes.

The seed is tiny, but the bushes spread so quickly that you could not grow them in your personal garden, because they would overtake the whole garden, they had to be planted in an open field.

Transition: I cant help but think about what God is doing in our little church and How God is planting little seeds in our church family right now that He will turn into big Kingdom things!

Practical Application: New People and New Growth

New People:

Harry and Kathy Line

The Leids Family

People are visiting because of Relationships in the Community

New Growth:

Josh and Issac in Baptism Class!

The Leadership Team: We are not just going through the motions but sharing together, reading together and working together.

Even when I was the first one packed up this past week the conversatnion kept going!

God is working through small things for the Good of His Kingdom in the Diller Family!

Transition: Lets look at the final section of Ruth chapter 4.

God Working through one family to Redeem All of Creation! (18-21)

The writer shows how through God’s redemption of Naomi and Ruth ushers in Israel’s Redemption through King David.

Here we see some playing with numbers.

There are ten names mentioned in the line of david that contrast the ten fruitless years in moab.

We also see how this story goes from small picture to big picture.

Judges and Ruth Coda (4:18–22)

In other words, the ḥesed shown by Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz has repercussions, not just for themselves in their lifetime, but for the nation of Israel for many generations to come. The long-term impacts of their personal piety has ramifications far beyond their lifetimes. This is because in the sovereignty and providence of God there are implications for a person’s covenantal fidelity often extended for many generations to come

The Geneolgy goes beyond just King David, but all the way to King Jesus- the King of the Universe, who brought redemption to humanity.

What does it mean to be redeemed or saved? What is the Good News about Jesus?

Rich Vilodas -The good news, simply stated, is the recognition that Jesus is Lord over all things and invites us to a life free from the shackles of bondage. This Jesus also calls us to join him (in the power of his Spirit) in being a liberating presence to the world around us.

Lesson from the Book of Ruth: What God is doing Now has Eternal Impact

God isnt just working to Redeem humanity but redemption Extends to all of Creation Look at Romans 8:18-25 (Slide)

Practical Application:

We have a part to play now in Future Redemption.

If someone said to you, You can have a part in a widow finding her future husband, you may not be that excited right? but, if someone told you, could help the Messiah to come and save the world, you would want to jump right on that!

Thats what this story teaches us that its the small things that God uses to do amazing, Eternal, Kingdom things.

We want to see God start a revival in Newville, what if its throught the work of little seeds

Asking someone at saylors to come to church one sunday: thats how revival starts.

what if it looks like showing up one week at faith and fun days and connecting with one kid or a parent or a grandparent. Just having one simple conversation.: Thats how revival starts.

Connection: We need to think of the Kingdom like the EDA thinks of Newville.

not looking at economic development but Kingdom development.

Imagining a world where everyone knows Jesus and then taking little steps to get there.

Challenge: View every day this week as an opportunity to change the world!

Imagine how we would live with such purpose and power if we lived as every opportunity to show love and every interaction was a small seed to bring revivial?

That is How we build the Kingdom Church!

It doesnt matter how big We are but how our Big God does big things with our small acts of love!

Id like to Invite Jess up to Lead us in the Sending Song: God who’s grace. Because it is only through God’s grace we can do these things!

Benediction: Hear this prayer of Blessing inspired by the book of Ruth

May you be like your godly forebears. May you be part of something bigger than your life. May you be like Ruth, the courageous one, who loves abundantly and clings to God. May you be like Boaz, a person of integrity, obeying God’s law even in the secret places. May you be like Naomi, loved despite your failings and hurts; overwhelmed by God’s unexpected blessing.

May you know God the provider, who feeds his people. May you know Jesus, who loved you and redeemed you and took you to be his wife, even when you were a poor foreigner, helpless and dependent. May you know the whisper of the Spirit as He directs your life in ways that you are barely aware of. May you know God the trinity, who reverses all our expectations, who raises up the poor and vulnerable, whose ways are not our ways, and who gives us grace upon grace.

May the fingerprints of God be all over your life, may his authorship be evident in your story. Amen and amen. Go in Peace! Church.