"IT JUST HAPPENED!"
Ruth 2
READ AT BEGINNING OF SERVICE:
Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
INTRODUCTION
Read Ruth 2
In 1858 a Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Jesus Christ. The clerk was Dwight L. Moody who became an evangelist. In 1879 while preaching in England the heart of a pastor named F.B. Meyer was set on fire, who later came to an American college campus to preach. Under his preaching a student by the name of Wilbur Chapman was saved. He engaged in YMCA work and employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Because the revival stirred the hearts of many, some 30 business men wanted to devote a day of prayer for Charlotte. In May of 1934 a farmer lent the men some land to use for their prayer meeting. The leader of the business men, Vernon Patterson prayed, "Out of Charlotte the Lord would raise up someone to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth." The business men then called for another evangelistic meeting asking Mordecai Ham, a fiery Southern evangelist who shattered the complacency of church-going Charlotte. The farmer who lent his land for the prayer meeting was Franklin Graham and his son Billy became a Christian during the meeting.
All I can say is Wow, what a coincidence! Who would have ever dreamed or imagined that because a Sunday School teacher told a young man about Jesus it would turn out the likes of Billy Graham. Now is that luck or what? If that isn’t fate I don’t know what is! What else could it be?
How about your life? Are there a series of events in your life that may appear as luck, or chance?
That is exactly what the world want us to believe about such events in the lives. It’s all just luck they say. Many would have us believe such things as:
FATALISM: the view that all things are determined by an untouchable law of cause and effect. In other words fate.
DEISM: the idea that God created the world but then withdrew from its day-to-day caring of it.
DUALISM: the view that two opposing forces in the universe are locked in struggle with each other for control.
As Christians is this what we believe life comes down to? An order of fate by an uncaring higher power who is struggling to gain control of the universe?
The book of Ruth and the rest of the Bible has something different to say about the everyday events and circumstances we happen to find ourselves in. It’s called God’s Providential Care.
"Do you know how many times the word coincidence (or any other word like it) is used is the Bible? Zero. Not one event in all of Scripture is ever spoken of as having been coincidental." [ Evan D. Baltz, Pastor Sun Valley Church ]So we begin by answering the question, "Who would have ever imagined or dreamed a Sunday School teacher leading a young man to Christ would have such an impact both now and eternally?" The answer is "God."
With providence meaning to see and know in advance we can conclude that God saw in advance what impact Mr. Kimball would have by leading a young man to Christ.
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.
As Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, today I want us to glean from 2nd chapter of the book of Ruth some truths concerning God and His providential care.
God’s Providential Care Allows Us to Go OnRuth 2:2-3 (NIV)
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor." Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter." 3 So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself [happened] working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
Think about this scene with me for a moment. Ruth is a now a widow, she has left her homeland (Moab) to move into a country to which she would be viewed as a stranger, foreigner, and outsider, and her mother-in-law who is a widow herself has given up, thinking the hand of God is against her.
Ruth however was not inclined to sit and lick her wounds. She knew they had to eat and that meant she would have to work in the fields a gleaner. And that she did!
There is a great deception in the midst of God’s church today. It’s called always got to be blowing and going. If it isn’t then God is not in it.
Isn’t it interesting that God who can move mountains, raise people from the dead, heal the sick and lame, give sight to the blind, provide miraculous feedings, and raise His own Son from the dead, chooses to do most of His work in the quiet, very normal everyday events and happenings?
Behind the scenes of Naomi and Ruth God was quietly at work. Henry Blackabye states that God is always at work around us, even if we do not see Him working. In fact one of the most interesting definitions for coincidence I have come across is:
Coincidence: is a small miracle where God prefers to remain anonymous. (Autoillustrator.com, "COINCIDENCE")I believe it is called a trust factor. The very fact that Ruth was with Naomi, having given up her own, and was now going out to work says she trusted God. Like Elizabeth Elliot has said concerning her husband and herself, so Ruth was in the shadow of the Almighty. The apostle Paul knew this trust factor in his life… 2 Timothy 1:12 (NIV)
12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
"Providence is God’s faithful and effective care and guidance of everything which He has made toward the end which he has chosen." [ Timothy George, Holman Bible Dictionary, Providence ]
Ruth’s "happening" to come into the field of Boaz was not chance or luck, it was by God’s design of providential care. God knew what He was doing and He still knows what He is doing in your life today.
I must say that there is an opposite side to this story. Many like Naomi become bitter and swelled with the cynical view of "Why is God doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this?" The cynic never trusts anyone much less God!
The challenge for us is to see that God is behind the scenes working for our best.
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Few if any escape illness, loss of income, death of a loved one, pressures of job and family, loneliness, injustices, and the many other thorns in this life.
"The point is not that following Christ will exempt one from trouble or pain. What it does provide is the assurance of God’s presence in the midst of the stormy tempests of life."[ Timothy George ]
Genesis 28:15-16 (NIV)
15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."
To know and trust that God is with you in the very place you find yourself today allows you to go on while experiencing His providential care.
God’s Providential Care Allows Us To CareCynicism breeds carelessness. The cynics 2nd favorite line is, "I don’t care!" The first is "I don’t believe that!" We are living in a world much like the dark days of the judges in Ruth’s time to which everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes.
Oh but out of the darkness of the day comes two shining examples of how we are to live life under God’s providential care.
BOAZ …
As a kinsman to Ruth’s husband Mahlon, Boaz was by law to care for her. He could have sighed and begrudgingly allowed Ruth to glean from his fields.
But Boaz being a man of integrity and loyalty to God in the midst of these dark times, sees an opportunity to express his thankfulness to God for His gracious care shown in his own life.
Listen how he greets his workers in the field, "The Lord be with you!" It shows he is sterling in his love for God. It was not a cliché. How do I know, because of the kindness and care that is shown to Ruth, a foreigner, and a stranger.
Allows Ruth to glean more than just extra. God never has us live off the residue of His love. vs. 8,15-16
Gives Ruth protection. God at times hedges us in. vs. 9a
Provides Ruth with water for her thirst. vs. 9b
Feeds Ruth from his own table. vs. 14
God’s providential care had been showered upon Boaz and now he was willing to allow God to use him to show care for another.
RUTH
Another sterling example of light in the midst of darkness is Ruth.
Ruth 2:14 (NIV)
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar." When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.
Ruth 2:18 (NIV)
18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
Ruth could have become selfish having hit the jack pot of sorts and thought only of herself. She could have easily forgotten her bitter mother-in-law. She could have focused upon Boaz as the gift giver and lost sight of who she was, an outsider. I believe she loved God with a whole heart and that allowed her to return and care further for Naomi.
Ruth 2:11-12 (NIV)
11 Boaz replied, "I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband--how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
God want to teach us that we who recognize His providential care must be willing to go to those who are bitter with life and show them His care.
Tell me we have not lost our ability to care. Have we lost sight of who we are, a stranger and alien of whom God has taken in, and who God is. The very truth that He providentially (seeing before you do) cares for us should lead us deeper into a life of caring for one another.
God’s Providential Care Allows Us to Humble OurselvesRuth 2:10 (NIV)
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me--a foreigner?"
There’s something important to remember about Ruth here – not only was Ruth a foreigner but she was also a native of Moab. For those who aren’t familiar with Israelite history this might not mean to much – but for those who are it is significant. Moab was one of the countries that refused to allow the Israelites peaceful passage through their country when they were on their way to the promised land. (Also relate story of Baalam). Ruth knew that she would not be well received in this new land on account of her heritage but she was willing to risk a chance with God.
The average person does not understand what it means to be in need and fails to appreciate the grace of God. Ruth falling on her face demonstrates a great act of humility and respect for the kindness shown to her by Boaz.
She was hurting inside. She was hungry and alone and this act of care and compassion was too much and she fell to the ground in 100% humility.
Are we a humble people? Or has the world crept into our hearts and seared the humility we once had? Have we become prideful and arrogant? I am afraid that too many of us would have responded in this fashion.
"Hey, I am your relative by marriage and by law you have to let me glean!
"Hey, you can’t tell me where to glean and where not to, I will do as I please!
"Hey, I am poor and you owe me you wealthy snob!"
Keep in mind and heart that Ruth is modeling for us what we should be. She is here in the scripture not for some nice story to tell, but her life is for our admonition
Have we spent any time down on our faces of late in the posture of 100% humility? If not let me take you back to the time you confessed and believed in Jesus Christ. Was it not at the point of confession and belief that we finally understood we were a foreigner to God’s grace? And all we could do was humbly bow before Him admitting our inability to do anything about our sinful condition. Confessing your sins to Christ is so hard for some because they don’t want to admit their in need of forgiveness!
Ruth 2:10b (NIV)
"Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me--a foreigner?"
What has happens in our lives that turns us from the act of humility before God?
"Human arrogance and pride and the desire for self-determination often block those words from our lips and our hearts and our minds." [ Evan D. Baltz ]
James 4:10 (NIV)
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
CONCLUSION
After examining this second chapter of Ruth can we look at our lives events and say, "Hum, coincidence!"? No, as we have seen in the life of Ruth there are no happenstance’s. God is at work in our lives through His providential care. Meaning God has already looked into this day and has what you are in need of. He is working in today’s events to provide for you. Don’t miss it!
Ruth 2:13 (NIV)
13 "May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord," she said. "You have given me comfort…
This sermon was preached by Darren Ethier at Hanover Pentecostal Church. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1873, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Thanks goes to Robert Aubuchon for his message,A Story of God’s Care" - part of the Series: Ruth – Kinsmen Redeemer
