Our Blessed Redeemer (Part 1) Series

OUR BLESSED REDEEMER - Part I

Ruth 3:11-18

A story is told of a certain man who was near a slave market and noticed the anguish on the face of a young slave girl. She was terrified at the thought of being purchased by a cruel slave master and this man knew that he must do something to help her. This gentleman: approached the slave trader, paid the price for the young slave girl, placed the bill of sale into her hands, and told her that she was now free.

The slave girl was amazed by this act of kindness. She ran after her redeemer crying "he has redeemed me... he has redeemed me!!!" After this, she fell at his feet and said "Please sir, let me remain with you and be your servant"! This young girl who had just been set free, had an intense desire to serve the one who delivered her from the bondage she had experienced throughout her entire life.

What a great picture of the redemption that Jesus has provided for us! Redemption is defined as - the process of buying back someone from bondage by the payment of a price; it is to set free by paying a ransom. Jesus paid a great price to free us from the bondage of sin

Romans 3:24 says (we are) "justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Because of what Jesus has done for us we should have a desire to follow Him, abide with Him and serve Him all the days of our lives. One of the greatest examples of redemption in the Bible, is the story of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth was a young widow from Moab who had traveled with her mother-in-law Naomi to Bethlehem. Other than Naomi, Ruth was all alone in this world. She was poor, she had no one to care for her, no one to provide for her and no one to protect her. But all of that was about to change. She encountered a man who would soon change her life in many ways.

Ruth did not know it but Boaz was a "near kinsman'. He was a relative of her late husband who was qualified to be her redeemer. There are several truths that we can glean from this passage concerning our relationship with our own Redeemer. I would like to walk through these verses today and preach on the subject of "Our Blessed Redeemer".

I am thankful that I can say that Jesus Christ is my blessed Redeemer. I hope you can say that as well.

In recent days Ruth had been gleaning barley in the field of Boaz. As soon as Boaz saw Ruth he was smitten with her. He took a personal interest in her life. He instructed his harvesters to leave behind an abundant portion of barley for Ruth to gather and take home to sustain herself and Naomi. When Naomi saw this bountiful harvest she said “Where did you gather all this grain today?”

Ruth informed Naomi that she had been gleaning in Boaz's field. Naomi then revealed that Boaz was a close relative of theirs and he was a family redeemer. At this point, Naomi takes on the role of matchmaker; she begins to prepare Ruth for her next encounter with her redeemer. Ruth follows Naomi's advice and in verses 6-11 she begins to draw closer to the man who would redeem her.

We who are saved were once slaves in bondage to sin, but Jesus came and paid the price to redeem us and set us free. Because of this we have a personal relationship with our Redeemer. It should be our desire to grow closer and closer to Him every day of our lives.

- There are certain truths found in this passage that show us how to do just that. Verses 1-3 show us that:

I. WE SHOULD ASSESS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REDEEMER

v1 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? 2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? 2 Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

Ruth had a connection with Boaz that she did not know about. She has just learned that he was qualified to be her "kinsman redeemer". The role of kinsman-redeemer is described in Leviticus 25. When and Israelite man died and did not have a male heir, his brother was commanded to take his widow as his own wife. Furthermore, he was to redeem the land and provide a son to carry on the deceased father's name.

- There were certain requirements concerning the "kinsman redeemer":

1. A redeemer had to be a near relative. - Boaz fulfilled this requirement. (Ruth 2:1;20)