It’s Harvest Time
Text: Ruth 1:19-22
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, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Subject: It’s Harvest Time
There are many people with many reasons and circumstances, that caused them to leave that place, that city, or that community that they’ve grown accustomed to calling home. Some leave home upon graduation from high school. And then they are off to college away from home; and in many instances, they never return back to the place that they will always consider home. Can I get a witness?
Some have ventured off because of their profession, their job and have committed themselves to their job and only drop by on special occasions to see what’s going on in this place called home.
Others have left home because of marriage. They found the right man or the right woman and they left all that they used to know as home to go out and establish a home of their own with their new spouse. They’ve left to build their family and create that special place that even their kids will one day call home.
There are still others who have left home because it was just time for them to go. They had been living in mama and daddy’s house all of their lives, and it took them getting into their 30’s and 40’s for them to realize that they needed to move on and start a home of their own. And as funny as that sounds, right here in Opelika, there are a whole lot of grown folk who have never left the nest. They will tell you in a minute that they don’t want a man. Or they don’t want a woman. They don’t want a family or a home, except the one that’s provided by their mama and their daddy. Am I right about it?
Finally, there are those who are just like the prodigal’s son. They left home in search of a good time, but when their good time ran out, they found their way back home; back to mama and daddy’s house. Back to where their high school sweet heart still lives. Back to where everybody still looks at them as a success, despite all of the failures they had to face while away from home.
Yes, my brothers and sisters, there are a lot of reasons that people have left home; and a lot of reasons that people have returned to their home. But in our text today we find the story of a woman named Naomi.
Naomi had a special reason for leaving home. The Bible tells us in the very first verse of the book of Ruth that in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. It was because of this famine that had spread even to Bethlehem, which means “House of Bread,” that Naomi left home. The Bible tells us that Naomi left with her husband Elimelech, and their 2 sons, Mahlon and Chilion and they settled in the country of Moab. Most of us Bible readers remember Moab and the Moabites as being descendants of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his older daughter. Do I have any Bible readers in here this evening?
So everything at this juncture in Naomi’s life must have looked good to here. She had a wonderful husband who was willing to do anything, including leaving home, in order to ensure that his family’s needs were met. And my brothers and sisters, there are a whole lot of men who could learn a thing or two from Naomi’s husband. Because the Bible does not tell us that he deserted his family because times got a little hard. It doe’s not tell us that he left his family alone to fend for themselves because he was afraid to find a way for them to eat. It does not tell us that he picked up and moved, leaving his family behind, and the broken promise that he would come back for them.
But what MY bible says is that this man named Elimelech took his wife and his children with him to a place where they could avoid the famine that was spreading through Israel. Men, sometimes you’re just going to have to do what it takes to provide for your family. You’re going to have to make some sacrifices sometimes to ensure that your house is a home. But even if it takes leaving home, step out on faith, leaning and depending on Jesus, and make sure that when you start your new home, that your family is right there by your side. Have I got a witness?
Yes, Naomi had it going on, because she had a dedicated husband. And not only that, she had two good-looking sons. Now the bible doesn’t tell me that they looked good, but it tells me that they both took wives. And how many of you know this evening that most women don’t even give the time of day to strange men unless they have something going for themselves.
Now Ladies don’t act like ya’ll don’t know what I’m talking about. Some of you used to go out to the club or even to church (for those of you who don’t want to admit you used to go clubbing); and especially here in Opelika, you always knew who was an out-of-towner….who was a stranger…..who was NOT from the area. And if they asked you to dance, UNLESS they had it going on, (in other words, unless they looked good and had the dress to go with it) the only thing they’d be talking to was your hand. Am I right about it?
So I would draw the conclusion that Naomi’s sons had it going on. And just like her sons, Naomi had it going on. She had everything that she could possibly dream of in her life.
But I can here Job saying that the Lord gives and the Lord taketh away.
Things began to go the other way for Naomi. First, her husband died. And this must have been a big blow for a woman who would have followed her husband to the end of the earth. And then on top of that, she lives to see the death of both of her sons. Everything that meant anything to her was gone. Everything that made her house a home was no more. All she had was her daughter-in-laws. And she was trying hard to send both of them back to their own homes; to their own lands.
You see sometimes when you’re down and out, when it seems like the weight of the world is resting firmly upon your shoulders, when all hope is gone and you’re too bitter to even turn to God, you don’t want nobody around you. It doesn’t matter how much you love them. It doesn’t matter how much you care about them. But when you get that low in your life, you begin to believe that you are cursed, and you don’t even want that curse to rub off on your worst enemy. Am I right about it? I know there are some folk in here this evening who have not only had some good times, but have had some difficult times in their lives. Have I got a witness?
Naomi had reached the end of her rope. But through it all, she knew that she could go home.
The Bible tells us that one of her daughter-in-laws by the name of Orpah did exactly what Naomi asked her to do, and returned to her own home. But Ruth decided to stay with her mother-in-law. It didn’t matter that her mother in law was broke and had nothing to give to her, Ruth considered her home as being wherever Naomi would end up. Ruth had a special love for her mother-in-law. She had a certain type of loyalty toward her mother in law. Her mother in law was an in-law to her and not an out-law. Have I got a witness?
But this is where something really special occurs in this book of Ruth. Not only was Ruth choosing to cling to Naomi, but she was also choosing to cling to Naomi’s land, Naomi’s people, and Naomi’s God. She was willing to forsake all that she ever knew to follow Naomi and to obey the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; making Him her own personal God. My brothers and sisters, it was this devotion to God that placed Ruth in the family line of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is this kind of commitment to God that will get some of us in line to be a part of the royal line of Jesus Christ. Am I right about it?
Well, this story goes on to tell us that having no other place to go, Naomi chose to return home. So together with Ruth, Naomi travels until they arrived in Bethlehem.
Our text tells us that when they arrived in Bethlehem, that “all the city was moved about them.” The New King James Versions says that all the city was excited because of them.” Here was Naomi, returning home having been away for years and folk were excited to see her. And you know I can almost understand what she was feeling as folk kept asking is this Naomi? Last year I went to a family reunion in Virginia and everybody kept asking who are you? And when I told them who my grandmother and my mother were, it went from who are you to Is this really little Tommy? You see, some of them had not seen me since I had been at the last family reunion that I attend which was about my son’s age.
And you know, it normally feels good when you go back home. It is normally uplifting and exciting. But Naomi was a bitter woman. To her, God had taken everything that ever meant anything to her. So when folk started asking if she were Naomi, she told them not to call her Naomi, but to call her Mara, which means bitter. She was caught up in her own little pity party.
And some of us should not find that so difficult to understand. Because there are a whole lot of Christians and I’m sure there are even one or two in this church who are always caught up in a pity party. It doesn’t matter what you say to them, they will always see the bad side of it. It doesn’t matter how much you compliment them, they will always tear down your compliment. It doesn’t matter how much GOD is continuing to blessing them, because they’re still caught up in what didn’t go their way. Have I got a witness? Have you ever met anybody like that?
And God forbid you ask them how they’re doing. You’ll hear about how their arthritis is acting up. You’ll here about how they can’t pay their bills. They’ll tell you about how somebody just does them wrong. And the thing is, it’s the same story all the time. Nothing good ever comes out of their mouth. They never have anything nothing positive to say. They are just bitter. And if you stay around them too long, you’ll find yourself caught up in their pity party. Have I got a witness?
Naomi was bitter, and she blamed everything on God. She tells of how she left home full, but returned home empty. She describes how God had testified against her and afflicted her. But my brothers and my sisters, I stopped by today to let you know that even in the midst of some of your most trying times, even when it seems like there is no hope for tomorrow, if you keep on trusting in the Lord, he’ll always give you a ram in the bush. Have I got witness?
Naomi was so bitter that she didn’t realize how God had blessed her with a ram in the bush. Even though her husband had died, God still made a way for her out of no way. Even though her sons had passed away, God still didn’t leave Naomi all by herself. Even though one of her daughter in laws had returned home to her own land, the Bible tells me that God provided Naomi with a ram in the bush. For Ruth was there in her life, shining as bright as the sun in the middle of her darkness. Ain’t the Lord Alright.
But not only that, here was Naomi returning home, after leaving and staying away for quite some time, and still folk were excited to see her coming home. Oh Lord.
And even though she was returning home with nothing to call her own, the Bible tells us that she was returning at the beginning of the harvest. Am I right about it?
Harvest is that time when hopefully all of your labor is rewarded by the yielding of whatever you’ve sowed. If you’ve sowed good seed you should have a good yield. Am I right about it?
For the Bible tells us that you reap what you sow. Oh Lord.
But what I want you to understand today church, the fact that there was a harvest beginning in Israel, tells us that the famine had come to an end. Ain’t the Lord alright.
Naomi was blessed and didn’t know how blessed she was. Because even though she had escaped the famine in the land of Israel, she had not escaped the famine in her life circumstances. Have I got a witness?
But now, here he was returning home just in time for the start of the harvest. Ain’t the Lord alright.
And just like Naomi, some of you have returned home today for this homecoming celebration, not knowing and not understanding that the famine has ended in you’re your life and now it’s time for the harvest. Can I get a witness?
If you’re having a famine in your finances, bills are due, but money is short, I’m here to tell you today, turn it over to Jesus because it’s harvest time. Oh Lord.
If you’re having a famine in your relationship with your husband or your wife, there’s no communication, no understanding, no sweet talking, no love making, nothing but barren land. I’m here to tell you, just hold on, it’s harvest time. Ain’t the Lord Alright.
If you’re having a famine on your job. You’re watching others get you’r promotion. Your boss is riding you day in and day out. You can’t even remember the last time you got a raise in your pay. Don’t you worry, and don’t you fret, it’s harvest time. Ain’t the Lord alright.
Ain’t He alright. Do you know he’s alright. Have you tried him? Won’t he make a way for you? Out of know way?
For the Bible tells me that Jesus went riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. And when he rode in the whole city was so moved that they started asking Who Is This? Have I got a witness?
He rode in during a time that famine was raging the land. There was famine in the temple and I can hear Jesus telling the money changers, this house is a house of prayer, but have made it a den of thieves. Oh Lord. But I am the bread of life and now, it’s harvest time. Ain’t the Lord alright.
Don’t you hear Jesus telling that old fig tree “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” And even though, that fig tree experience famine, I can here Jesus, nourishing his disciples with fruit from the harvest as he told them, “whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall received.” Ain’t the Lord Alright.
It must have been a time of famine when Judas agreed to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. But don’t you remember that it was on the first day of the of Feast of Unleavened Bread that Jesus broke bread with his disciples, saying take eat; this is my body; this is my blood; Oh Lord.
It must have been a day of famine when Jesus, marched up Golgatha’s Hill. They nailed him in his hands. They nailed him in his feet. They speared him in his side. Blood and water came streaming down. And the bible tells me that as he was up there in the middle of the famine, He died on Calvary’s cross, until the Sun refused to shine. They tell me that two suns can not shine at the same time. Ain’t the lord alright. He died on that cross until the earth started rocking and reeling. Until the veil was torn in two. Until the guard standing by the cross looked at Jesus and said surely this must be the Son of God. He died in the middle of the famine, but unline Naomi, Jesus, Jesus, Oh Jesus, never got bitter. For I heard, Jesus say, Father, forgive them because they know not what they’re doing. Ain’t the Lord alright.
Then when he had completed al of his work down here, the Bible tells me that he told His father IT IS FINISHED and hung his head and died.
But I’m here to let you know today, It’s Harvest time….. cause early one Sunday morning, Jesus, got up out of the grave with all power in his hands……. (close)
