Theme: Immerse
We have been challenged through Scripture over the last few months to immerse ourselves into the spiritual realm. We have been encouraged to immerse ourselves in a new way of living for ourselves and for our families. We have been challenged to look at things differently through the eyes of the spirit.
Series 3: Is called “Press In”
Philippians 3:13-14:
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Thesis: We need to learn from the OT heroes of the faith. We need to learn what to do and what not to do. W e need to learn to press in or push through like Tri-athletes do through their grueling race. To press in for the Christian means we strive to grow spiritually and to be in tune with God and His agenda for our life. It means we don’t quit or give up but press for a spiritual breakthrough! It means we never–never–never give up!
Press in like RUTH
Theme: Ruth is a story that starts out as a tragedy but then evolves into a romantic drama of the life of a Godly non-Jewish woman who trusted in Jehovah-Jirah and was rewarded for her faithfulness.
Key Verses: Ruth 1:15-18
15“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
Key Word in the book: Redeem
Defined: re•deem --- from Webster’s Dictionary
: to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable
: to exchange (something, such as a coupon or lottery ticket) for money, an award, etc.
: to buy back (something, such as a stock or bond)
Key Phrase: Kinsman – Redeemer
Kinsman defined - a male relative
Redeemer defined - a person who brings goodness, honor, etc., to something again : a person who redeems something
Ruth Outline:
1. The crisis of famine, death, grief, poverty and depression (Ruth 1:1-2:3).
2. The response of the Kinsman Redeemer to persistence, hard work and faith.
3. The deliverance and and the blessing of living happily ever after.
Historical Background:
This book is taken from the time of the Book of Judges. The nation Israel is in anarchy, chaos and apostasy.The romantic story centers in upon a woman named Ruth. Ruth was not Jewish but a Moabite who had married a Jew. Her ancestors were from Lot's line. The Moabites were birthed by Lot having an incestuous union with his eldest daughter. (Gen. 19:30-38) The son born out of this sin was "Moab". Moabites were into the cultic worship of local deities and Baal worship. Ruth opens up with tragedy but ends in victory.
Vernon shares his thoughts on Ruth.
We see a woman who responds to tragedy with a clear statement on her purpose in life and her faith. (Ruth 1: 16, 17).
Quote: “There are two great days in a person’s life -- the day we are born and the day we discover why.” SOURCE: William Barclay
Illustration: A PLAN FOR EVERYONE
In the opening pages of his autobiography, An American Life, Ronald Reagan writes, I was raised to believe that God had a plan for everyone and that seemingly random twists of fate are all a part of His plan.
My mother - a small woman with auburn hair and a sense of optimism that ran as deep as the cosmos - told me that everything in life happened for a purpose. She said all things were part of God’s plan, even the most disheartening setbacks, and in the end, everything worked out for the best. If something went wrong, she said, you didn’t let it get you down: You stepped away from it, stepped over it, and moved on. Later on, she added, something good will happen and you’ll find yourself thinking - "If I hadn’t had that problem back then, then this better thing that did happen would’nt have happened to me."
After I lost the job at Montgomery Ward, I left home again in search of work. Although I didn’t know it then, I was beginning a journey that would take me a long way from Dixon and fulfill all my dreams and then some.
My mother, as usual, was right.
SOURCE: An American Life by Ronald Reagan
The best-selling book among all Christian books right now is The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Warren begins his book with these words…
“It’s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.”
We each have a divine purpose and calling and that truth is reflected in this story shared by Rick.
ILLUSTRATION: “SAVE ONE MORE FOR JESUS”
Rick Warren shares in his book “The Purpose Driven Life” about his dad who was a pastor for over fifty years serving mostly small rural churches. His dad was not simply a preacher but was a man with a mission. He loved taking teams of volunteers overseas to build church buildings for small congregations. In his lifetime he built over 150 churches around the world. In 1999 his dad died of Cancer. In the final week of his life the disease kept him awake in a semi-conscious state nearly twenty-four hours a day. As he dreamed, he’d talk out loud about what he was dreaming. Sitting by his bedside, Rick Warren shares that he learned a lot about his dad just listening to his dreams. He relived one building project after another. One night near the end while Rick and his wife and niece were by his side, his dad suddenly became very active and tried to get out of the bed. Of course he was too weak and Rick’s wife insisted he lay back down. But he persisted in trying to get out of the bed so Rick’s wife asked, “Jimmy what are you trying to do?” He replied “Got to save one more for Jesus”, Got to save one more for Jesus, Got to save one more for Jesus. He repeated that phrase over and over again. During the next hour he said that phrase over a hundred times. Got to save one more for Jesus. As Rick sat beside his dad’s bed tears roll down his cheeks, he bowed his head and thanked God for His dad’s faith. At that moment his dad reached out and placed his frail hand on his head and said, as if commissioning him. “Save one more for Jesus.” Save one more for Jesus.”
Do you know your purpose – do you know why you are here? Ruth figured it out through trials, the hardship of life,and tragedy but she stayed faithful and God redeemed her in the end.
T.S. - Let's look into this book filled with tragedy, redemption and a romantic drama of a woman named Ruth!
I. THE CRISIS OF FAMINE, DEATH, GRIEF, POVERTY AND DEPRESSION (Ruth 1:1-2:3)
A. The famine spoke of in this story was caused by sin and apostasy.
1. This famine was caused by Israel's Apostasy which directly disobeyed God's Commandments. (Deut. 30: 15-20)
a. Famine is almost always a result of man's apostasy and sin. A lot of the famine in Africa is caused by civil wars and greed.
2. The nation of Israel decided to choose to worship other gods rather than serving the true God.
B. The impact of the death of Naomi's loved ones in a foreign country are painted for us through her grief, pain and even anger.
1. The father-in-law of Ruth, Naomi's husband dies and so do her two sons. She is a foreign country and has lost everything.
2. Her grief is overwhelming and Naomi hits bottom.
a. She responds out of her grief with hopelessness to
God. Her response to God is one filled with pain and agony.
1. Remember she grew up knowing about Jehovah but felt hopeless at this point in her life.
b. Grief can be very debilitating. Years ago I wrote a sermon called “Good Grief” which outlined how to help someone through the grieving process – you can find it on sermoncentral.com.
1. In this world we hear far too often the stories of loss, crisis and trauma. It makes the headline news every night. I was in the gym the other day doing my physical therapy on my knee and the news was on and it was one awe full story after another. My Physical Therapist turned to me and said, “The news is so depressing anymore, and I just don’t like listening to it anymore!” I agreed with her observation about life today. The news is filled with many grievous and depressing stories. The news likes to spread the “Ugly side of life” because “Bad news” sells. I hear on a weekly basis about daily losses in people’s lives from not just the news but from newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, and word of mouth. It is everywhere and it communicates to us that everyone will have to face some type of crisis and or loss in their lives. It could be a divorce, a spouse who is unfaithful, a crime, an accident, a death, a health issue, a family crisis, a financial crisis, an addiction, a job loss and the list could go on. We all will face crisis and our friends and families will also. Dr. Wright states it this way, “There is no limit to the number of losses and crises that occur in life-some of them are inexplicable traumas that affect an entire family” (15).
2. My question is this “Will you the church, the body of Christ, the hands of Jesus be prepared to help others through the process of grief?” My goal is to teach each person here and those listening today how you can help someone through a crisis, a loss, or a trauma in life. My goal is to help you to become a person who is used by the Lord to help another person through the process of grief and loss like Ruth did.
3. The fact is everyone of us will experience grief and loss in this life. This process of recovery will also be used by God – all the hurt, all the pain, all the crying, all the grief for good. I believe God will teach us through it all to turn around to help others.
4. We must come to understand that Grief is God’s design for helping a person to recover from loss. It is a therapeutic response and it is “Good Grief” it is not evil or bad.
5. Quote: Author Edgar Jackson poignantly describes grief: Grief is a young widow trying to raise her three children, alone. Grief is the man so filled with shocked uncertainty and confusion that he strikes out at the nearest person. Grief is a mother walking daily to a nearby cemetery to stand quietly and alone a few minutes before going about the tasks of the day. She knows that part of her is in the cemetery, just as part of her is in her daily work. Grief is the silent, knife-like terror and sadness that comes a hundred times a day, when you start to speak to someone who is no longer there. Grief is the emptiness that comes when you eat alone after eating with another for many years.
Grief is teaching yourself to go to bed without saying good night to the one who had died. Grief is the helpless wishing that things were different when you know they are not and never will be again. Grief is a whole cluster of adjustments, apprehensions, and uncertainties that strike life in its forward progress and make it difficult to redirect the energies of life. Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 171. Contributed to Sermon Central by: James Dunn
3. The following information is from Dr. H. Norman Wright’s book Crisis and Trauma Counseling Chapter 1 pages 17-27.
i. Jesus understood that techniques in the counseling of others was based and rooted in the premise that he had relationships with the people he ministered too.
• This was his foundation for ministry – He created relationships with people on a personal basis. We also must seek to develop relationships with others if we ever tend to help them through the grieving process of a crisis or trauma.
• The key is does the person you are trying to help and support know that you genuinely care for them.
• Ruth going through her own grief kept letting Naomi know that she loved her.
• Do you show and have you shown people love, empathy, caring, concern, acceptance, and understanding?
a. I have had some people come to me and say “I tried to help these people but they rejected my help!”
b. I have discovered that this is usually because there was no previous relationship with that person.
c. God has created each us to be involved in others lives. This means the more relationships I develop today the more able I am to help someone in the future.
d. God wants his church to relate to one another – are you willing to do this? Or will you continue to live in your little space and bubble and neglect the work of relationships?
ii. Jesus revealed that his approach to helping and giving counsel was always a process.
• It was not just a one time fix and off he went but he spent time with people and helped them through the grieving process.
• Ruth did the same with Naomi.
• Jesus reveals to us that the Wonderful Counselor work’s with people in an in depth way through life’s crisis and traumas.
• It takes time to help someone through grief. Are you willing to do this?
iii. Jesus was a compassionate counselor because he genuinely cared for the people who were hurting in need and he wanted to fix it for them.
• In a sense he felt their pain, their hurt and their grief.
a. Jesus has empathy for others and we need to also.
b. Ruth had empathy and compassion for Naomi.
• Mark 8:2: 2“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.
• Mark 6:34: 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
iv. Jesus accepted people right where they were at.
• John 4:1-26 – The woman at well is a great example because he could have condemned her but he did not instead he reached out to her right at her point of need.
• John 8:1-11 – We see him do the same with the woman caught in adultery.
• Luke 19:1-10 – We see him accept a dishonest tax collector named Zacchaeus.
• We see Ruth accepting Naomi as she is in her grief. Ruth did not try to force Naomi into instant recovery from grief.
v. Jesus gave people worth and value.
• I still remember when God opened my eyes to this truth. He actually sent me to a Mall by the church were I was pastor and told me to look at the 100’s of people as they walked by- I did - He then etched into my heart and my head, “Everyone of these people matter to me!”
• Jesus was criticized by the religious leaders because he attributed value and worth to every individual he met.
• Ruth through her staement and actions gave Naomi worth and value. Even when she felt she did not deserve it.
vi. Jesus met people’s needs
• John 3:1-21 - Even a religious leader named Nicodemus in the middle of the night.
a. Jesus helped the religious, the rich, the poor, the outsider and the insider.
• Ruth went out and worked in the fields to meet their need for food.
vii. Jesus used the right words
• Mark 3:5 - 5He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
• He knew what to say, when to say it and how to say it.
• Ruth from what I can see in our story did the same with Naomi.
viii. Jesus emphasized right behavior so that the process would bring recovery.
• John 8:10-12 - 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” 12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• Luke 6:47, 48 - 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
• Ruth emphasized and modeled right behavior in her grief to Naomi. It paid of in the end.
ix. Jesus encouraged people to accept responsibility for their healing.
• John 5:6 “Do you want to get well? “ Jesus’ question to the man at the pool of Bethesda.
• Mark 10:51 “What do you want me to do or you?” Jesus asked the Blind man.
a. The point here is people must understand that they have to make a choice to either remain the same or to be willing to change and grow through the experiences of life both good and bad.
b. Wright states, “A goal of crisis counseling, as you will see, is to help the person in need accept and take responsibility” (21).
c. I see Ruth helping Naomi through this journey of grief And helps to pull Naomi into taking responsibility again.
x. Jesus encouraged people and gave them hope.
• Matt. 11:28-30 - 28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
• Ruth gave Naomi hope! Are you giving others hope and encouragement?
xi. Jesus emphasized peace of mind and let them know where to find it.
• John 14:27 - 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
• When we seek the counsel of the Lord and tap him as our resource then we will encounter peace.
• Ruth reminded Naomi were their peace comes from God.
xii. Jesus helped to reshape, or restructure people’s thinking
• Luke 5:22-25; 12:22-27 – Jesus helped people reshape their focus from the unimportant to the important things in life.
• Matthew 6:19-21- Jesus reminded and taught us and others that earthly treasurers would not bring about a joy filled life only when we focus on Heavenly treasures would this occur.
• Naomi saw this and decided to head home were God was blessing the nation of Israel.
xiii. Jesus was a teacher throughout the process
• Luke 14:1-6 and Luke 6:39-42 all reveal the importance of teaching others through difficult life situations.
• A large part of counseling through grief is being able to use some of those teachable moments with the one in need.
a. Jesus taught with direct statements and with questions and he knew how to teach.
• Ruth did this with Naomi and Naomi did this with Ruth.
xiv. Jesus spoke with authority
• Matthew 7:28, 29 – Jesus spoke with the authority of God’s Word and he has not bashful about it.
a. 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
• Jesus knew were His authority came from and we need to know as well.
• Our two ladies knew this truth too.
xv. Jesus confronted and corrected situations
• Matthew 8:26 - 26He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
• Matthew 18:15 -17 -15“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
• John 8:3-9 - 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
• There are times when you may have to confront the individual you are working with about their problem or their behavior toward the problem.
a. This so that the healing can progress.
• This point is not addressed in the book directly .
4. The power of prayer in the midst of grief:
a. A LITTLE GIRL’S PRAYER: One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died, leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator) and no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways."All right," I said, "Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can; sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm."The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It’ll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby’ll be dead, so please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she’ll know You really love her?"
As often with children’s prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits, aren’t there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home; anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses’ training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys; eyes sparkled as I pulled them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas --- that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the ..... could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out --- yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle! I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she’ll know that Jesus really loves her?" That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God’s prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child --- five months before --- in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year old to bring it "that afternoon." ~By Helen Roseveare~
Helen Roseveare is a medical missionary and author from England who served for years in the former Belgian.
T.S. Ruth's character and her response to adversity, grief, loss, stress, is noticed by another.
II. THE RESPONSE OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER TO Ruth’s PERSISTENCE, HARD WORK, AND FAITH (Ruth 2:1-3:18)
A. Boaz, the redeemer of Ruth
1. Kinsman - Redeemer
a. Background - This Hebrew term for kinsman is used to imply certain obligations
arising out of the relationship, and has for its primary meaning, "coming to the help
or rescue of one".
b. Redeemer - It was the duty of a kinsman to redeem the paternal estate which his
nearest relative might have sold through poverty. (Ruth 4:4)
1.) He also was obligated as go-between, in case a person wished to make restitution to a relative.
2.) To buy his relative out of slavery.
3.) In Ruth, the kinsman redeemer had the right to redeem the land, which perhaps involved the marrying of the widow of the deceased owner, according to usage.
B. Boaz was a man of love, persistence, hard work and faith.
1. He was loyal to God in the midst of difficulties.
2. He was a man who made application of his relation to God in his relation to his fellow brothers and sisters.
3. He had a compassionate heart of love to God and Ruth.
T.S. – The truth is you never know who is watching you in your life, but it shows in the case of Ruth that many admired the way she served Naomi, trusted in God and worked hard to help out another person in need.
III. THE DELIVERANCE AND THE BLESSING (Ruth 4:1-22)
A. Ruth – Goes from rags to riches because of her faith and willingness to stay by her mother-in-laws side.
a. The response of Ruth to grief and loss follows the healthy pattern of dealing with grief and loss: Good grief has a purpose!
b. One preacher stated, “People sometimes feel guilty about going through grief. Why, because they think they should be able to handle things as if life was business as usual. But they struggle with their emotions and the emotions win out at times. We wonder if we’re normal, or if we’re losing our minds. We need to know that grief is normal! In fact, it’s essential!”
B. The purpose of grief is to help us go beyond one’s initial reactions to a crisis or loss.
a. Grief actually helps the individual to work toward adapting to the loss and or crisis. The way out of grief is to journey through it.
i. It means we must face it and go through it so as to receive relief from it.
ii. Denial makes grief worse and it hinders the healing process.
iii. People need to be encouraged to walk through the journey of grief and to get to the other side.
iv. This journey is very hard and very difficult but if you proceed through it you will move on with life.
C. Another purpose of grief is to show us that we need to learn to rely on God.
a. The truth is God is always with us as Christians and He stays with us even through the journey of grief.
b. He stayed with Naomi and Ruth through the whole process.
c. God is just a prayer away and in times of grief we need to call out to him for help and support
i. Hebrews 4:16: 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
ii. Luke 7:16, 17: 16They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
D. Another purpose of grief is to reveal to us that we do need each other in life especially in the grief filled times.
a. Romans 12: 15: 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
b. Ruth trusted God and stayed paired up with Naomi – they really needed each other – Ruth had the strength and youth to get food for them and Naomi had the wisdom insight Ruth needed to land Boaz.
c. Ruth trusted God and Naomi
i. Remember she grew up not knowing God.
ii. Some people do not realize what they have in God. Even though her stress level was severe, she had faith in Jehovah -Jireh.
iii. Her example in responding to her mother-in-law's depression is remarkable. (Chapter 1)
iv. Her response to their poverty situation. (Ruth 2: 1-7)
1. She was willing to do the hard work.
2. Her persistence paid off in the end.
3. Her humility shined like a beacon of light and others saw it.
4. Her servant's attitude for her mother-in-law caught people’s attention.
5. Her faith caused a book to be written about her and placed in the Bible! She becomes a hero of faith!
E. Where is God when it hurts? He is closer than you think!
a. God is always closer than we think and we need to learn see Him daily.
i. John Ortberg stated, “The central promise in the Bible is not ‘I will forgive you.’ The most frequent promise is ‘I will be with you.’” (God Is Closer Than You Think, page 15).
ii. The promise was made to Adam and Eve, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Samuel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos, Mary, Paul, Peter, John and a host of others from the beginning of time until the climax of his return the promise goes on – verbalized by God to the one’s He loves over and over again.
iii. Even Jesus name was Immanuel – “God with Us!” Reiterates this promise from the Father.
iv. So where is God? He is right here with us! Even at this very moment God’s presence is in this church service. He is here with us – at times he may be quiet but He is still there! The truth is God is with us every day and every night and most of the time we ignore Him and never speak to Him nor acknowledge Him. But He is still there.
1. It becomes important to understand that we need to start recognizing that Jesus is with us and incorporate Him into our everyday lives. Why? Because when tragedy strikes you see Him quicker and recognize His presence faster.
b. Sometimes pain is the element that turns us towards His face. The truth is many of us have a tendency to forget to face God each day when things are going good. We seem to forget about him in the busy ordinary day of life. Yet God is still there whether you acknowledge Him or not.
i. 2 Cor. 7:8-11: 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
1. Paul noted that the suffering of preaching the truth and his correction of the Corinthian church did cause a good thing to happen. It turned them back to God and it lead to repentance.
2. The focus here is on a person’s response to sorrow and suffering not who is to blame? We all need to learn from Ruth’s example!
F. She was blessed with being a Great, Great Grandma to King David and placed in the position of honor as being part of the family lineage of Jesus!
CONCLUSION:
Ruth's trusting in God got her:
A. The reputation of a woman of noble character.
B. A story of a girl going from rags to riches.
C. A wonderful Godly husband who was very loving.
D. A part in the birth of King David and in the genealogy of Jesus.
E. A life that ends with "Happily Ever After".
