Family Worship December 13, 2009 Bel Aire Baptist Church
Series: God’s Gift Of… [#4]
PAYING THE BILL
Ruth 4:1-12
Introduction:
When I was in college at UNM, my roommate Ron and I decided to take these 2 cheerleaders out on a date. Now the idea of taking college cheerleaders on a date was very appealing because it would show how popular and cool we were; and for 2 college guys working at McDonald’s we needed some help being cool. So we picked our dates up at the Sorority House and took them to their favorite restaurant in which they had requested to go.
Once we arrived at the restaurant it was obvious that they had been there many times before because they knew everyone. So, we were seated and the 2 young ladies ordered appetizers, steaks, and desert. As they were ordering, Ron and I noticed that the menu was pretty pricy so we both ordered salads. After about an hour of watching these thin college cheerleaders “wolf down” all of this food, they dismissed themselves to go to the restroom. After about 25 minutes of waiting Ron and I realized that something was wrong. Our waiter came to the table with our ticket and informed us that our dates had slipped out the back door through the kitchen. Upon looking at our $150 bill, we knew that things were going to get very bad. (Don’t forget that at that time, we were making $3.25 per hour at McDonald’s.)
We asked the waiter to have the Manager come to our table so we could figure out what to do and when he arrived at our table we explained to him that we only had $75 of the $150 that we owed. His reply to us was, “Men that’s a problem because someone has to pay for these meals.” We did make it out of the restaurant that night alive but we had to pay weekly installments of $25 until our bill was paid.
In this series, we have seen that God has given us the gift of “Being There”, “Provision”, and “A Perfect Plan”; but we must understand that someone had to pay the bill for us to have these things.
Ruth 4:1-12
Just as Ruth needed to be redeemed (bought back), so do we.
1. Why do we need to be bought back and from whom are we bought back from? The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory; and the price tag for that sin is eternal death. The owner of those whom have not been redeemed is the devil. Please understand, the price has to be paid. No exceptions!
2. Who can buy us back from the devil? We find in our passage the characteristics that are necessary for one to be a kinsmen redeemer and these are the same necessary characteristics needed in someone in order for us to be redeemed.
The kinsmen redeemer had to be…
> A blood relative. The redeemer couldn’t just be anyone- They had to be family. I want to emphasize the word “blood” because without the blood proof the rest of this process was not possible. God couldn’t just save us by saying, “Ok, I know who you are so you are saved.” He had to make a way to buy His creation back and He did that by sending His Son to this earth to become human. Jesus could have not redeemed us as anything else. He had to take on this flesh. There was no other way. Our songs today spoke of Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. That’s what it took.
The kinsmen redeemer had to be…
> Able to redeem. Being a relative was not enough. The redeemer had to have the ability to pay the price. It wasn’t free. Jesus had to come to this earth in the form of man; but that wasn’t enough. He had to also live a perfect life without sin in order to be able to redeem us.
The kinsmen redeemer had to be…
> Willing to redeem. There was another man that could redeem Ruth but he was not willing. It was not going to fit with his plan. Aren’t you glad that Jesus was willing? He left a perfect Heaven so He could redeem us. He took on this flesh so He could redeem us. He was treated like garbage so He could redeem us.
3. What is the result of our redemption?
> Our past is forgiven because our debt is paid.
> Our present is assured because we are no longer enslaved.
> Our future is insured because we our heirs to the throne.
Conclusion:
Through Jesus Christ our lives can be changed just as Ruth’s was.
Ruth went from…
* Loneliness to love.
* Emptiness to wealth.
* Bondage to freedom.
* Worry to peace.
* Disgrace to glory.
* Fear to assurance.
Jesus is our Redeemer- Do you want to be purchased? Ruth had to want to be redeemed. She went to the person who qualified to be her redeemer, who could pay the price, and who would pay the price. For us, that is Jesus.
