OPEN: A Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California, was eager for the title of "doctor" - until one newly degreed professor shared his story. He said: A friend had called his home and asked, "Is the doctor in?"
The Professor’s 10 year old son replied, "Yes, but he’s not the kind that can do you any good."
APPLY: Credentials are important. When we see the letters: Ph.D. MD. DDS. and so on, these titles indicate that the person bearing those letters is valuable to us as individuals, or to society at large. These credentials indicate that an authorized organization or individual has placed their stamp of approval on that person.
ILLUS: Recently, I attempted to visit a inmate at the Jail. The officers in charge said that they would be more than happy to do so… however I had to produce my ordination certificate. Those credentials indicated that some authorized organization or individual had placed their stamp of approval on me.
I. What would we expect to see, if GOD put His stamp of approval on someone?
What if…
· the person in question was a woman from an accursed nation
· she was one of only 2 women who had a book named after her?
· she was one of only 3 women who appeared in Jesus’ genealogy?
How many of you would think that that woman must have impressed God? The woman we’re talking about this morning is Ruth. All that was true of her. AND since those things are true, since Ruth received credentials from God that said she had His approval, there must be something in the book of Ruth that reveals what it was that impressed God.
II. Before we get that far in this sermon – I want to a little back ground information.
Ruth was from the nation of Moab. She was not originally an Israelite. To make matters worse, . Moab was a cursed nation, condemned because of way they treated Israel in wilderness.
This dates from the time when Balak hired Balaam (the prophet with the talking donkey) to curse Israel as it passed through his land. When that failed the Moabites stooped to tempting the people of Israel into sexual immorality. Because of that Deuteronomy 23:36 tells us “No Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.”
RUTH was of that despised tribe of people. So how was it, that a woman from a tribe condemned by God became part of Jesus’ genealogy? You could say she married into it (Ruth 1:3-5). But there’s a problem with that simplistic explanation. Ruth’s husband, along with Naomi and Orpah’s husbands, died while in Moab. Naomi opts to return to her homeland and tells Ruth and Orpah to stay in their native land. Orpah goes home but Ruth doesn’t. At that point, Ruth’s involvement in the line of Christ could have ended, but because she chose to remain with her mother in law, history changed.
Now that is odd. That Ruth would go home with Naomi. One of the commentaries I read depicted Naomi as a whining, miserable, ungodly woman (vs 20-21). I don’t believe that. Maybe it’s because we named our daughter Naomi… but I just find it hard to believe that this woman was a complainer.
Have you ever been around complainer? Do you like being around complainers? Do you find it easy to love complainers? Would you willing choose to live with a complainer? Of course not. And that’s why i don’t believe Naomi was one (vs 16-18).
Naomi wasn’t a shrewish, critical, bitter woman. Of course, she had reason to be unhappy - she’d just her lost husband and 2 sons, and had no visible prospects for her future. In her lament she declares that she believes God is punishing her. BUT she doesn’t curse God or turn from Him. IN FACT (according to Ruth 2:20) when Ruth encounters Boaz, Naomi cries: "Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen." (KJV)
Naomi was a woman of every day faith who had hit rock bottom. AND I BELIEVE if it hadn’t been for that everyday faith - that showed up in a backwards way when all was seemingly lost, in the dark days of her life - if it hadn’t been for Naomi’s every day faith, Ruth wouldn’t have said… "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. Where 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." (Ruth 1:16-17)
In other words: If it hadn’t been for Naomi & her relationship with God, Ruth would have remained in Moab, worshipping foreign gods, belonging to an accursed nation, and forever on the outside of God’s blessings. Women: take that to heart!
III. But because of Naomi’s witness, Ruth comes into a special relationship with God and becomes highly regarded by God. Something in the 4 chapters of this book tells us the story of a woman God has highly esteemed.
So: What’s the story? The story is about the return of Ruth and Naomi to Bethlehem. While there, Ruth takes care of Naomi by going out gleaning in the fields. As Ruth is working the fields, she catches the attention of a wealthy landowner named Boaz who asks "Who is this woman?" The foreman replies:
"She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi.She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter." (Ruth 2:6-7)
Boaz introduces himself and offers her his protection. A relationship blossoms - and he marries her. AND THAT’S IT!
That’s it?? You mean to tell me God has dedicated an entire book to THAT story? God included her in a select group of women in Jesus’ genealogy, and that’s the whole story?
Well, no – that’s not the whole story. You see, we live in a society where women have to…
· Win a beauty contest
· Marry a rich or prominent man
· Or have a position of prominence or importance (royalty/ actress/ politics)
to get noticed.
In fact, many people believe the only reason the book of Ruth was in the Bible was because she married Boaz – ancestor of Jesus. That’s an interesting theory. But, it doesn’t hold water. The other two female ancestors of Jesus - Tamar and Rahab - I’m sure they had interesting things that could have been written about their lives. But they didn’t get a book. RUTH GETS A BOOK – why? Because – in a society where a woman has to win a beauty contest/ marry well/ etc. to get noticed, GOD SAYS – that’s not what gets MY attention!!!
God is impressed with Ruth. She has His credentials of approval. God wants us to see that what impresses Him about women like her. What impressed God? The fact that Ruth was a girl that…
- Worked hard
- Was very humble
- Was not self-centered
- And had a servant’s heart
Ruth 2:11-12 tells us:
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. 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."
Ruth 3:11 adds: "And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character."
God is saying to you women: this is what I want you to aspire to. This is my ideal type of woman. Whether you are a poor girl in the fields or an empress in a her palace.
God chose Ruth because she modeled these traits with graciousness, patience and self sacrifice. AND because Ruth loved Naomi and had learned to trust Naomi’s God.
That is what God calls us all to be like. We’re told in Matthew 20: Jesus said to His James and John "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
That’s the type of person who impresses God - whether male or female. But before you can truly impress God, you must make the decision that Ruth made when she first considered leaving with Naomi. You must decide to take this God as your own…
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
The Woman Who Impressed God = Ruth 1:1-1:22
A Prostitute For God = Joshua 2:1-2:21
