SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?
Ruth 1:6-18
Each day we are faced with a myriad of choices. Each of those choices bring unavoidable consequences. Adrian Rogers often used the phrase "it is decision that determines destiny". Simply stated, the path that you choose will determine where you end up. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 7:13. There He said "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Each person here will make a choice today. Some may choose to turn to the Lord, some may choose to return to the Lord, some may choose to draw closer to the Lord, and unfortunately some may choose to reject the Lord. Either way, the choice you make will determine the consequences you will face.
Before this service is over God may draw you to Him. For the believer, the Holy Spirit may convict you of your current situation and He may draw you to return to Him. For the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit may invite you to turn to receive salvation and to be born again. You may find yourself asking the question "should I stay or should I go?" That is a question that two of the three main characters in our selected text had to ask themselves.
The first 5 verses of Ruth chapter 1 introduce us to a man named Elimelech, his wife Naomi and his sons Mahlon & Chilion. Due to a famine in the land they left Bethlehem-Judah for the pagan land of Moab. After arriving there Elimelech died, Mahlon & Chilion marred pagan women from Moab and in time, Elimilech's sons died and Naomi was left with her daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth.
These three widows were alone and suffering in Moab. Ruth and Orpah were natives of Moab, but Naomi was a native of Judah. Naomi knew the Lord and had no business living in a pagan land. In Psalms 108:9 God described Moab as His "washpot". The idea here is that Moab was like a pot that was used to wash feet in. God saw Moab as a filthy place!
As we arrive in verse 6, Naomi has made the decision to leave Moab and to return to her homeland. v6a Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab. for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
For 10 long years Naomi had been in Moab enduring the hardships and the consequences of her husband's choice to leave Judah. I would imagine that there were many days when Naomi wished that she had never left their homeland. With her husband and sons dead, there was nothing left for her in Moab, so Naomi began the journey home.
She approached Ruth and Orpah and informed them of her decision. v8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
At this point Naomi's daughter's in Law had a decision to make. They could remain in Moab or they could go to Bethlehem-Judah with their mother in law. They had to choose whether to remain in a land of sin, or to begin a journey that would lead to God's blessings.
You be faced with that very same choice before we leave this place. You can stay where you are and deal with the consequences of being away from God or you can turn to Him and experience the great blessings that are available to those who walk close beside Him.
I would like to walk through this portion of scripture and preach a message entitled "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"
Verse 9 tells us that when Naomi informed Orpah and Ruth that she was leaving they both "lifted up their voice and wept". This was a tough decision and in the beginning both of them proclaimed that they would follow their mother in law. v10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. Naomi told these ladies that there was no reason for them to go with her. She said "return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? Of course not"
- When Naomi said this, Orpah and Ruth began to asked themselves the question "should I stay or should I go"? Let's take a moment and consider the first question:
I. SHOULD I STAY? v14-15
It seems that Orpah loved her mother in law, but the choice to stay in her native land of Moab came very easy to her. Though she was sad and weeping, Orpah "kissed Naomi goodbye".
v14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods...
What would cause Orpah to stay in a horrible place like Moab and forfeit the blessing of God in Judah? I think several things contributed to her decision to remain. These same things may be what keeps you away from the Lord as well.
- Let's take a moment and see what may cause you to remain in the wrong place. Consider that:
A. FAMILY MAY KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD
Orpah made the choice to return to "her people". Sometimes one's devotion to their family hinders them from turning to the Lord. I have seen it many times in this very church. Someone will begin to attend church and start to learn about the Lord. The Holy Sprit will begin to convict then of their sins and convince them that they need a Savior. Their knowledge will begin to increase and they become more interested in the things of God. Then the Devil will use their family to distract them from what God is doing in their life. Instead of coming to church they go somewhere with their spouse, parents, children or siblings.
Family is great... in fact the family was designed by God but if you allow him to, the Enemy will use your family to keep you away from the Lord.
- Orpah's decision to stay also shows us that:
B. FAMILIARITY MAY KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD
Orpah remained in Moab where things were familiar to her. This was her homeland, this is where she was born and raised, this is where her family and friends were and this is where she met and married her husband. Orpah decided to stay in her comfort zone. This is another issue that keeps some people from turning to the Lord. They like being in their "comfort zone". They are focused on there here and now and they give no thought to eternity. They refuse to surrender to Jesus and they remain in a place that is familiar to them, And staying where they are will keep them away from the Lord!
- Intertwined with this fact is the truth that:
C. FEAR MAY KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD
Fearing the unknown may have contributed to Orpah's decision to stay in Moab. Many people refuse to turn to the Lord because of fear. They fear the unknown, some are afraid of what they will have to "give up" in order to become a Christian. Some may be afraid of losing certain friends. Some are afraid of no longer being able to "have a good time". Some are afraid that they can't live the Christian life (and I will say that if you try it on your own you certainly cannot) It is true that being a Christian is a completely different life, but it is certainly worth it! But Satan will use the fear of the unknown to convince you to stay where you are instead of turning to the Lord!
- Family Familiarity and Fear may keep you away from the Lord, and though it sounds strange it is also true that:
D. FAITH MAY KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD
Orpah's faith hindered her from turning to the one true God! Naomi told Ruth that her "sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods..." After all that she had seen and heard of the God of Israel, she consciously chose to return unto her pagan gods. Many people are going to allow religion to send them to Hell. Paul told us that in the last days men would have "a form of godliness" but they would "deny the power thereof".
There are many people who may have "turned over a new leaf" so to speak, they may have been baptized, they may have joined a church, they may have cleaned up their life from what it once was, but they do not truly know Jesus. If your faith is in your good works, or in some church, or certain religious rituals, or a certain denomination your misguided "faith" may keep you away from the Lord. And if you die apart from Christ, ...if you have never been washed in His precious blood, you will spend an eternity in Hell!
There are severe consequences for those who choose to stay where they are rather than turning to the Lord. Orpah asked herself the question "should I stay or should I go?" and she chose to stay in that wicked pagan land. After this choice we never hear of her again. Naomi's other daughter in law, Ruth must have asked herself the same question, "should I stay or should I go?"
- Let's look at her choice and consider the second question:
II. SHOULD I GO?
Just as quick as Orpah decided to stay, Ruth decided to go. She made the conscious decision to go with her mother in law to Bethlehem. Notice:
A. THE NECESSARY DECISION FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GO v14 ...Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
No one made Ruth stay with Naomi, this was her choice. It was her desire to remain with her mother in law. Those who choose to turn to God must do so willingly. No one can force you to choose Jesus, No one can choose Jesus for you, If you are to be born again it will be because you choose to surrender to Him!
- Those who ask the question "should I stay or should I go?" and choose to go, will begin to walk in a different direction. Notice:
B. THE NEW DIRECTION FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GO
v16b (Ruth said to Naomi) for whither thou goest, I will go;
Naomi encouraged Ruth to remain in Moab, but Ruth said "this is my decision to make and I have decided to follow you." Those who choose to turn to Jesus must be willing to go wherever He leads. A true Christian is one who follows Jesus each and every day of his life. And I can assure you, when you begin to follow Jesus, He will lead you in a new direction!
- There is a Necessary Decision, there is a New Direction and Ruth's choice also shows us:
C. THE NECESSARY DEVOTION OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GO
v16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Naomi has nothing to offer Ruth, but Ruth desired to follow Naomi. She proclaimed that she would follow her unto death. - v17 “Where you die, I will die”
Ruth was saying "Naomi. I am going with you all the way. If things get bad in Bethlehem, I’m not going to turn around and go back to Moab. This is a lifetime commitment, where you die, I will die, where you’re buried, I will be buried. I am going with you all the way!"
This is the kind of commitment that we must have when we decide to go with Jesus. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Jesus also stated that "anyone who is not willing to follow Him cannot be His disciple".
We must be devoted to our master. We must be willing to follow Him each and every step of the way. Like Ruth, we must have the kind of devotion that says "Lord, I will follow you unto death!" And through Jesus we can have the assurance that we will remain with Him even after death.
- This leads us to the last truth I would like to consider about those who "choose to go". Consider:
D. THE NEW DESTINATION FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GO
v18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. 19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them,
Ruth was going with Naomi to a new land. They would soon set out on a journey that would lead them to Bethlehem. Naomi's homeland would be Ruth's homeland, her house would be her house, her people would be her people, her God would be her God! Because of Ruth's new direction and the resulting destination she would no longer live with heathens in a pagan land. She was delivered from that land of death, debauchery, and defilement. She was going to Bethlehem where "the Lord had visited His people and gave them bread". (v6)
If you continue to read this book you will see that some amazing things took place after Ruth decided to go with Naomi to Bethlehem. But she first had to make the decision to go rather than to stay where she was. Things could have been much different for Orpah, but she chose to stay. Family, familiarity, fear and misguided faith caused her to stay in that wicked, cursed land of Moab. Ruth's decision brought about an entirely new life for her, in fact it resulted in a new eternal destiny.
These three widows represent a majority of the people here today. Some may be like Naomi, you belong to the Lord but you have been away from Him for far too ling. Let me encourage you to repent of your sin and choose to return to Him today. Sadly, some may be like Orpah, you may look into the things of the Lord and decide not to follow Him. You may choose your life and your sin over the will of God. I want to encourage you to make the choice that Ruth made. Decide to follow the Lord, begin to walk with Him and resolve to remain with him until he takes you home. As I said in the beginning, we all have choices to make, and each of those choices bring unavoidable consequences.
And you must answer the question "Should I Stay, Or Should I Go?"
