to be released he wondered if his family would reject him because of the scandal he¡¯d caused and the shame brought on the family. He wrote his parents saying that he would be coming back by bus but didn¡¯t want to embarrass them with his presence if they didn¡¯t want him back. He asked them to tie a yellow ribbon on the old oak tree at the beginning of their street if it was all right for him to return home. If there was no ribbon on the tree when the bus passed he wouldn¡¯t get off the bus.
He was in quite a state on the bus journey and as it got nearer his street he couldn¡¯t bear to look at the tree. He was so emotional that he asked the driver to look at for him. He needn¡¯t have worried. The tree was covered with yellow ribbons! The whole community joined his parents in welcoming him back.
There¡¯s a famous American song written about this story: ¡¯Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree¡¯.
a. We do many things to find acceptance among people ¨C we may buckle to peer pressure
b. We may seek official stamps of approval ¨C Education ¨C degrees; military rank; certain professions;
c. Yet, God continually shows acceptance of us as we are; and gives his stamp of approval based on our faithfulness to him
2. Ruth is a surprising story of acceptance and approval by God
a. From an antagonistic nation ¨C Moab; incestuous relations of Lot and daughter; opposed Israel in their journey to Canaan (Balaam); cursed by God;
3 ¡°No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none belonging to them shall enter the assembly of the LORD for ever; 4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Be¡äor from Pethor of Mesopota¡ämia, to curse you. Deuteronomy 23.3
b. A proselyte to Judaism
c. Ancestor to David and Yeshua (Jesus) ¨C one of three women named
d. One of only two women with a Bible book named for them
3. Story of Ruth ¨C married into a Hebrew family who had come to Moab because of the famine; death of father-in-law and the two sons; goes back to Israel with mother-in-law, Naomi ¨C becomes part of the Hebrew people and a great example of faithfulness
I. Trying Times
A. Trials are Common to People
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10.12-13
1. Even Yeshua (Jesus) 15 For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4.15
2. A Purpose ¨C James 1.2-3 (perseverance/faithfulness)
B. Trials are Central to the Story
1. Famine led the Hebrew family to Moab
2. Others who emigrated due to famine ¨C Abraham; Jacob
3. Fatalities lead back to Bethlehem
a. No men for protection, provision, or status
b. On their own
4. Temptation to blame God -- She said to them, ¡°Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Ruth 1.20
JW McGarvey was a leader in the American Restoration Movement. He had an encounter with a woman whose son was killed in an accident. When he arrived at her house, she was understandably upset. She said to McGarvey, ¡°Where was God when my son was killed?¡± He replied, ¡°The same place he was when HIS Son died.¡±
II. Changing Times
The men of Charlie Company had been in the field for two weeks when the Sarge announced, "I’ve got good news and bad news. First the good news, Today we’re going to change our underwear." The troops started cheering at the news. "Now the bad news, Smith, you change with Jones. Andrews, you change with Murphy..."
Change is frightening to some. We get comfortable doing things a certain way and don’t like to do them differently. And some changes (as the story above illustrates) are completely undesirable. But some change is necessary if we are to grow.
Favor of God enters the scene
A. People God Favored
1. Mary ¨C Luke 1.30
2. Daniel ¨C prestigious position ¨C Daniel 2.48
3. Joseph in Slavery/Prison/Pharaoh¡¯s Court ¨C Genesis 39.3-4
4. Noah ¨C Genesis 6.8
5. God¡¯s people today ¨C Titus 2.11
11 For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, 12 training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, 13 awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior[a] Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
B. God Favored Naomi and Ruth
1. Naomi was not alone ¨C accompanied by Ruth ¨C Note: Ruth 1.15-17
15 And she said, ¡°See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.¡± 16 But Ruth said, ¡°Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; 17 where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you.¡±
2. Ruth
a. Was able to get food by labor and grace ¨C Leviticus 19.9-10
9 ¡°When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.
1) Key to Shavuot ¨C harvest feast (as well as anniversary of Torah)
2) Acts 2 ¨C care for one another was a carry-over
b. In Boaz¡¯ field
1) Kinsman Redeemer ¨C a Type of Messiah
2) No Coincidence ¨C Ruth 2.11-13
Boaz¡¯ response to Ruth¡¯s question of why he favored her:
11 But Bo¡äaz answered her, ¡°All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The LORD recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!¡± 13 Then she said, ¡°You are most gracious to me, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not one of your maidservants.¡±
Neil Johnson was a man who lived in the 1880¡¯s in Newark Ohio, he had a wife and a little child . He was a good man who had a bad temper. One day he and a neighbor got into a hot and heavy argument over a property line dispute. Things got real bad and Neil eventually killed his neighbor. Neil Johnson went to trial was found guilty and was given a life sentence. Now a life sentence back then meant just that, he was in for life and he would never get out and see his family again, he would never be a free man.
Every month his wife and child would make the long trip just to visit him. Neil was doing well in prison and had won the respect of the guards and the inmates. The governor at that time had a practice that every Christmas he would walk through the jail and he would pardon one man, a man who was recommended by the warden. Someone who was in for life was rarely considered as a candidate.
It had been 12 years since Neil had entered those dark prison walls and it was Christmas day. All the prisoners were assembled and the governor walked through. And stopped in front of them and made his announcement, "this year the pardon goes to Neil Johnson" and there was dead silence, no one stepped up to claim the pardon, so the governor said it again, and again dead silence. Then he walked through the ranks and in the back row with his head down and crying was Neil Johnson, and he was saying over and over again to himself there must be some mistake...there must be some mistake. And the governor put his hand on his shoulder and said, "No son it¡¯s no mistake the pardon is real."
I want us to look back at the cross and see Jesus hanging there, wrists nailed feet nailed. There were drops of blood rolling his wrists down his fingers and dripping on to the dry Palestinian sand. With every drop of blood Jesus was redeeming you and me.
When Boaz redeemed Ruth it cost him money. When Jesus redeemed us it cost him his life. And when we looked at the cross and when we look at Jesus we shake our heads and say there must be some mistake, there must be some mistake.... And Jesus our redeemer places his nailed scared hand on our shoulder and says, no my child it¡¯s no mistake the pardon is real i died for you." you are free to go!!!!!
c. Ruth and Boaz ¨C David¡¯s and Yeshua¡¯s (Jesus¡¯) ancestors
d. A lesson learned ¨C Romans 8.28
C. God¡¯s Favor is Reflected by Our Attitudes ¨C But he gives more grace; therefore it says, ¡°God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.¡± James 4.6
1. Humility of Ruth (God-Centered) ¨C 2.7, 10
She said, ¡®Pray, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.¡¯ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, without resting even for a moment.¡±
10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, ¡°Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?¡±
a. Request
b. Not entitlement ¨C No ¡°It¡¯s the Law, you owe me¡±
c. Not ¡°Naomi¡¯s fault I am poor¡±
d. Key attribute ¨C 1 Peter 5.6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.
1) Pride is not so much boasting as being self-absorbed
2) Humility is being God-absorbed
2. Compassion of Ruth (Other-Centered) 2.11
11 But Boaz answered her, ¡°All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.
a. Ruth was not obligated to Naomi
b. Acted out of love
c. Naomi must have taught her about God and his Torah
[Survey of people who left church ¨C asked one key question: ¡°What would it take for you to go back to church?¡±
*60% -- The invitation of a friend
*Caring enough to ask
1. Destiny
During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself." He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.
After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny." "Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.
2. The story of Ruth (and her descendants) is not mere chance ¨C the hand of God is clearly seen during this period of Judges when people were doing what was right in their own eyes
3. It is not chance that you are here today to hear the message of God at work in the lives of people
