Unlocking Your Life’s Destiny Series
Seven Sermons from the Book of Ruth
(Inspired from Perry Stone’s Book, Lay It On Me)
June 29, 2014 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A This summer there have been some huge movies that have made some major bank; Captain America, (Scripturally inaccurate) Noah, Godzilla, Guardians of The Galaxy, The Expendables III, The Fault of Our Stars, etc.
1 If the story of Ruth was adapted for the silver screen it would contain all the parts necessary for a blockbuster.
a Sudden trouble, tragedy, death, rags-to-riches.
b But what makes Ruth different is not fiction & endured for thousands of years as one of the greatest stories in Scripture.
2 The story in the pages of Ruth gives us hope that no matter what we face in life (famine, death, or want) God has a grand finale/tremendous third act planned for your life.
a Ruth’s story reminds us that God is sovereign/in control, even in death.
b Even when things are as bad as you could possibly imagine, God is planning long term blessing for you.
aa Hebrews 10:9 (NASB) 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
bb One of the tremendous truths we’ll learn in this series is that God never allows you to lose anything unless He plans to return something better than what you had.
cc Another truth, your reaction to trouble will determine your outcome.
B The spiritual truths and Kingdom keys found in the story of Ruth have carried me, my ministry through low times and into new levels of ministry.
1 The story in Ruth begins with famine & death: A father (Elimelech moves his wife, Naomi, & his two sons out of Judea to Moab because of a famine.)
a While in Moab the two sons marry two local girls (sisters named Orpah & Ruth), before the ink dries on the marriage covenant the brothers and the father die. (Leaving three widows)
aa Clouds of famine, loss, want, separation consumed the three widows that were left to carry on in Moab.
bb Tragedy tends to have one of two affects on people: draws them closer to God or further from Him.
b When Naomi left Judea because of a famine, little did she know that 10 years later she would return home broken, depressed, a bitter.
aa Guess who she blamed? (Ruth 1.20)
Ruth 1:20 (NASB) 20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
bb Her tragedy had caused her to lose her vision, her purpose, and her concept of God.
cc Naomi would grow resentful, Ruth would enter the family that would produce the royal lineage of Israel.
2 Famine tests our faith/resolve & too often we blame God for every tragedy/loss/heartache/headache/tear that comes our way.
a Ruth’s story teaches us that . . .
aa Life can change in a heartbeat,
bb victories of today can turn into the sorrows of tomorrow.
b But if we open our hearts to the story of Ruth, we can understand how God plans His long-term purpose in the midst of trouble and how we may better deal with these unexpected turns in life.
3 My prayer is that you hear each of these sermons in this series (seven in all).
a Sermon title review put here (Put sermon titles & dates on overhead screen)
b Today, we’ll begin with a message entitled, “This Wasn’t Suppose to Happen”
c Pray
I Famine Happens in the Weirdest Places
A Bethlehem, where Naomi & Elimelech were from, was known as the “city of bread.” How can a place known for its large fields, barley fields, grains were used to make the bread on the Table of Shewbread in the Temple.
1 How can the “House of Bread” not have bread? Like IHOP being out of pancakes.
a Famines are caused by droughts, which are caused by a lack of rain.
b Spiritual famines are caused by a lack of spiritual rain.
aa When the Holy Spirit is not being poured out in churches, a spiritual famine occurs.
bb I would suggest that there is a famine in the world today–not of brad, but of the Word.
2 When a famine occurs, people will do some pretty strange things.
a Mother’s ate their own children.
2 Kings 6:28-29 (NASB) 28 And the king said to her, "What is the matter with you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. ' 29 "So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son."
aa People where selling dove’s dung/donkey brains in order to survive.
2 Kings 6:25 (NASB) 25 There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.
bb Elimelech took his family & crossed the Jordan River into the land of the Moabites (Descendants of an incestuous relationship between Lot & one of his daughters: Under a curse per Deut. 23.2-4.)
Deuteronomy 23:2-4 (NASB) 2 "No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the LORD. 3 "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD, 4 because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
b Elimelech was hungry and that hunger caused him to look for bread in unusual places. (Moab was regression, not progression).
B In a church that is experiencing famine (become dry/stagnant) the people will begin to turn on one another (gossip, backstabbing becomes normal)
Galatians 5:15 (NASB) 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
1 When believers devour one another with cutting words, the entire body is Christ is affected.
a When people use harsh words to cut & destroy people, the result can often bring about physical sickness.
b Paul wrote to the Corinthian church that was full of strife, clicks, divisions.
1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (NASB) 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
2 The church should welcome the rain of the Holy Spirit to keep us thriving, growing, satisfied.
a Without fresh rain, we get dry . . . famine sets in . . . trouble is soon to follow.
b We must be especially careful what goes in our mouths/and what comes out of our mouths as believers.
II Unexpected tragedy
A While in Moab, Naomi lost Elimelech, Ruth/Orpah lost Mahlon & Chilion. (We don’t know what happened).
1 We do know there were no government programs to help these ladies get through this tough time. (They lost more than their companions, they lost their financial security.)
a Naomi’s future was in jeopardy.
aa Usually, if the father died, the family property/land would passed down to their oldest son . . . in Naomi’s case, her sons had died.
bb Her inheritance in Bethlehem was in danger of being claimed by other family members.
cc Unless something drastic happened, she would lose everything . . . if she stayed in Moab should would have to relinquish all rights to her late husband’s land.
b To have a shot of getting her property back, she would have to return to Bethlehem.
aa Even then she couldn’t retain the property for herself.
bb One of her husband’s kinsmen would have to step up and redeem it for her.
2 Naomi was practically destitute and in a dilemma.
a If she stayed in Moab she would for sure lose her husband’s property.
aa Constantly reminded of the three funerals she attended.
bb Went to Bethlehem, she was going into a situation that she had know idea what the outcome would be.
b She was in a non-enviable situation, in a cursed land, and bitter in Moab.
B When Naomi decided to return to her home, her one daughter-in-law (Orpah) decided to stay in Moab.
1 Orpah decision was to continue in her past.
a She could sit on the mountainside, peer across the Jordan into the hills of Bethlehem, but she would never cross over.
aa She settled for humdrum existence of memories of death.
bb Feelings of separation as her mother-in-law and sister-in-law left for Bethlehem . . . she would never see them again.
b Moab is a place of bad experience/memories . . . always living in the past.
aa When Lot left Sodom with his two daughters, as far as they knew they were the only ones left on earth.
bb The daughters of Lot decided to get their father drunk, have sexual relations with him . . . to ensure that mankind would continue on.
cc Two sons were born, Ben Ami (Father of the Ammorites) & Moab. (As Lot watched Moab grow up, he was constantly tormented by his past/living reminder of that terrible night in the cave, when in a drunken stupor, he did something very stupid.)
2 In Moab, people are reminded of the “one-night-stands” that birthed the unexpected. (Bad things happen in Moab.)
a Three men died there, three funerals were held there.
aa It’s a place of sorrow and the longer you stay there you’re reminded of past failures/hurts.
bb The affair you had, of the time you backslid, thoughts of tragedy and “what-if” haunt you.
cc Moab represents events in your life you’d just as soon forget ever happened.
C In Mark 5, there is an account of a man who was possessed with 2,000 evil spirits living in a graveyard.
Mark 5:3 (NASB) 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;
1 A graveyard is place of death, weeping, sorrow, loss.
a A graveyard has no future . . . it’s simply a memorial to a life that use to be.
b When entering a cemetery, people who are still living spend most of their time weeping there.
2 The devil drove that poor soul of Gadara into a graveyard.
a Mark 5.5 tells us that day & night the man in tombs cried in torment, there were no chains strong enough to hold him.
Mark 5:5 (NASB) 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.
aa He could “break chains” but he couldn’t get out of the cemetery.
bb Maybe today you can “break chains”, you have your physical strength, but the Enemy has paralyzed your spirit.
b The enemy want you to stay in a tomb in Moab, remind you of your failures, “what if’s”,
aa As long as you dwell in the tombs of yesterday you will not move toward a resurrection of hope in your tomorrow.
bb Everything around you is dead! (Your marriage, your job, your family has no joy . . . you are stuck in Moab, living among the tombs. . . and it where bad things happen to good people.)
c To come into your blessing, you must make a break from Moab.
aa Like the possessed man in Gadara, you must have an encounter with Jesus & come out of the tombs!
bb You must forget the failures, mistakes, fouls (those things are behind you) and reach forward to those things which are ahead.
Philippians 3:13 (NASB) 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
3 It isn’t easy! (The Jordan River separates Moab & Bethlehem)
a It will take faith, courage to cross over into a new land/ministry/level.
b Friends will tell you to stay where you are; but there comes a time when you must realize God has something better for you in Bethlehem.
III Broken people can give you incomplete advice.
A When Naomi finally decided to return to Bethlehem, it wasn’t with joy; but rather with devastation. (Bitter, broken, full of hate)
1 Her bitterness is seen in her interaction with those who loved her.
a When she decided to go back to Bethlehem, the text reveals to us that both Ruth & Orpah were going to go with her.
aa Ruth 1:7;10 (NASB) 7 So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.10 And they said to her, "No, but we will surely return with you to your people."
bb In Ruth 1.8-13, three times Naomi discouraged her daughter-in-laws from going with her.
Ruth 1:8-13 (NASB) 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 "May the LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, "No, but we will surely return with you to your people." 11 But Naomi said, "Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 "Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me."
cc She told them to stay in Moab, get new husbands. Why did she give such discouraging advice? BECAUSE NAOMI WASN’T IN ANY CONDITION TO BE GIVING ADVICE EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY.
b Ruth 1:13; 20 (NASB) 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me."20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
aa Naomi was bitter at God (loss of her husband, kids, future).
bb “Mara” is from the word Hebrew marah. It should sound familiar because it’s the spot Moses & the Hebrews came to after leaving Egypt that had water, but the water was bitter.
cc When Moses threw the wood into the bitter water of Marah, then the bitterness was made sweet. The Cross of Christ can still make bitter waters sweet!
2 A hurting person has an extremely difficult time giving encouragement.
a Bitter people make other people bitter, angry people make other people angrier, hurting people have difficulty in healing hurting people.
b How much prayer do you think Naomi put in her next move? Ruth & Orpah? Leaving Bethlehem/Moab/back to Bethlehem?
aa My guess she just responded to what she heard without coming to God in prayer.
bb She didn’t reach out to God, she just responded to circumstances.
c Two lessons:
aa First, never assume that the obvious thing is the right thing. (We must always seek to know what God’s Will is any situation.)
bb Second, never take advice from a bitter person.
(They could give you wrong counsel, their faith is blurred/faith is weak.)
B Ruth & Orpah, two ladies with two very different responses.
1 Orpah, took Naomi’s advice & stayed in Moab.
a “If I stay here, I will find the right husband. God can bless me as well in Moab as He can in Bethlehem.” SELFISH
b Ruth thought of someone other than herself, opportunity to minister to Naomi.
aa When you get a word from God, it is very often not about what God is going to do for you, but rather what God is going to do for others through you.
bb Ruth would not let Naomi walk alone.
2 When the unexpected happens, bad things happen to good people . . .
a Don’t always blame God.
b Be careful of who you get advice from, give advice too.
c To find your blessing you must leave Moab (place of broken dreams, loss, desperation, depression).
Conclusion:
A Why do bad things happen to good people? (The rain falls on the just and the unjust) It’s a part of the mystery of God’s sovereignty.
1 The thing I know is I can’t control the weather, I can take an umbrella, dress accordingly . . . be prepared for what comes my way.
a How will you fair the next time a pop-up storms comes your way?
aa Be careful about blaming God, who you get advice from, make sure your not staying in Moab when God wants you to cross the Jordan River to enter Bethlehem.
bb It isn’t easy . . . in fact, it’s tough.
b You’ll get nowhere in Moab. (Place of brokeness, bitterness, barrenness)
2 IL.
B Pray
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
