Ruth
You Do Matter to God!
Introduction
A. No one can say that life is easy
B. Every honest person would admit it is a challenge
C. We often get so discouraged that we want to quit
D. We do not know how to handle everything, the trials the tribulation
E. Ruth had every reason imaginable to give up, to quit.
F. However, she did not she made more then the most of the situation
G. My hope is that we will realize how important we are to God
H. We are going to look at Ruth’s life and see how we can apply her life to ours. WE are going to look at Ruth
a. Living a Faithful life
b. Living a Constant life
c. Living a Risky life
d. Living a valuable life
I. Living a Faithful Life
A. Explanation
1. When we begin reading Ruth we get some background that is very helpful
2. Naomi (Ruth’s mother in law) moved with her husband because of a famine
3. The settled in the country of Moab
4. Naomi had two sons, both were married
5. By some misfortune both sons and Naomi’s husband died
6. She was left all alone with her two daughters in law, Orpah and Ruth
7. Having no reason to stay the three started back to Naomi’s homeland.
8. Naomi then tried to reason with her daughters in law to go back with their parents
9. Orpah decided to leave, you can’t really blame her, there was no reason for her to stay
10. Naomi begged and pleaded with Ruth to do the same
11. Ruth would not. Ruth saw the faith in God that Naomi had and wanted the same. Ruth made one of the classic statements in the bible
12. Read 1:16-18
B. Application
1. How can we apply this to our lives?
2. Ruth choose to stay with Naomi because of her faith
3. It would have been a lot easier to leave Naomi
4. Ruth was not interested in Personal gain
5. She knew that Naomi had nothing materially to offer
6. Ruth showed commitment, sacrifice, love… all this known as faithfulness
7. There are a lot of times we can give up on situations, some times it seems just not worth it
C. Illustration
1. Kid’s Klub can fall into this category. We have talked before about giving it up. There were many times that it seemed to be completely worthless. I can not tell you how many times I have gone home thinking why do we bother, what are we teaching this kids. You know what? There is a difference in their lives
2. God’s rewarding our faithfulness
3. Is there a situation in your life that you feel like quitting or even have?
4. Is God calling you to stay with the situation? To work through the potential problems? To continue to work on a relationship that you feel is going nowhere but you committed to God?
5. Hang in there, it is not easy, look what Ruth went through, but God will reward your faithfulness!
II. Living a Constant Life
A. Explanation
1. Ruth and Naomi arrived back at Naomi’s homeland
2. Naomi is exhausted, tired, depressed, warn out, done in, ect.
3. She is so upset with God and everything else that she tells everyone to call her Mara. Why?
4. Naomi means Pleasant, Mara means Bitter (which side do you think she was leaning toward?
5. Ruth however remained strong, (Read 2:2) she went out and got a job so to speak
6. Understand what Ruth did was the equivalent of pan handling
7. This was not a glamorous job by any stretch of the imagination
8. She walked behind the servants (hence making her lower the servants) and picked up what they dropped. Basically dumpster diving
9. Now she did this without grumbling, complaining, making a big scene. She did this quietly and with constancy. She worked with constancy
10. She hardly took a break
11. Boaz noticed her, notice her constancy
12. Boaz certainly rewards her. He let her do this, made sure no one would make fun of her, gave her extras, and even invited her to lunch, a poor dumpster diving pan handler got to eat with everyone else.
B. Application
1. Let see if this will work today
2. Constancy: To continue, to not quit, to keep on keeping on…
3. Constancy is not easy
4. To continue to do something over and over and over and over
5. But that is what we need to model in our Christian lives
6. We need that constancy while we are at work. Knowing that someone is watching us who does not know Christ. The testimony of constancy can go a long way there
7. We need that constancy while driving. Oh boy, that means no road rage.
8. We need that constancy while at home. We need to be showing constancy when were at home, possibly that place of most influence
9. Constantly we need to be showing constancy
C. Illustration
1. I know of a family that trained there dog with a one can, twenty pennies and a newspaper. The filled the can with pennies and every time the dog would misbehave they shook the can and then hit the dog with the paper. Today they just shake the can. They modeled constancy and the dog figured that out
2. Doing one or two things in the name of Jesus is no were near as effective as living a life of constancy
3. It worked for Ruth and it can work for you
III. Living a Risky Life
A. Explanation
1. Ruth has been treated very well by Boaz
2. Naomi then encourages Ruth to take a risk
3. She gives Ruth instruction and tells here to go pretty herself – You know do all that girly stuff
4. So Ruth goes to a party that Boaz is having
5. Basically she is there to offer herself to Boaz
6. Boaz does not want to ruin her reputation so he sneaks her out in the we hour of the morning and promises her that he would see if the next of kin wanted to marry her or not
7. He then sends her back with a bunch of food
8. Then Ruth has to do what we all hate to do wait
9. Boaz then finds the relatives that is next in line to marry Ruth
10. The relatives counts the cost that are involved as decided not to marry Ruth
11. So Boaz is then able to marry Ruth
B. Application
1. What can we learn from this?
2. In our lives sometimes we have to be willing to take some risk
3. Risk by very definition are scary; however risk can be rewarding if God is involved
4. We must be willing though to step out of comfortable settings
5. I do not know what this all could imply for you
6. Maybe God is calling you back to school even though you have a full time job
7. Maybe God is calling you to start a new business
8. Maybe god is calling you to change careers
9. Sometimes we have to leave our comfort zones and go and do something
C. Illustration
1. This is how many companies begin. They begin with the dreams of one person going out and getting it done. Without someone taking a risk. Without that person leaving possibility the security of a good job. Imagine what we would be missing. Imagine what would not be invented
2. There will be times in your Christian life were God will ask you to take a risk
3. It may seem like you have more to loose then gain
4. But if god is calling, trust me he will make the risk worth it
IV. Living a Valuable Life
A. Explanation
1. Ruth finally gets another husband
2. She gave birth to a son
3. Naomi was so happy she just grabbed that baby and hugged
4. She realized that God was not mad at her
5. Ruth was so happy to be a mother
6. Now get this. This common women who just a little bit a go barely had reason to live
7. Now has a son
8. On top of that, guess who her great grand child is
9. King David
B. Application
1. How can we apply this to our lives?
2. I have heard many people worrying about what there life value, life destiny is
3. People worry about how people are going to be remembered
4. What will be there shining moment
5. What will make their life complete
6. We do no need to worry about stuff like that
7. God will take care of us; he finds value in us
8. I have often dreamed of being as famous as Billy Graham
9. To be able to pack out stadiums all over the world and tell people of Jesus
10. Will that happen I donno. But that is not important
11. I would love to see Bakerstown Alliance Church start a worldwide revival, will that happen? I donno. But that is not important
12. The important part is that we serve God faithfully.
13. By doing that we will stumble upon our life value
C. Illustration
1. Did you ever stop and think about how you became a Christian? This is a fun thing to do! I have the privilege of introducing a number of people to Christ already. None of that would have been possible if it hadn’t been for my Dad. However, it does not end there. The only reason my Dad found Jesus is because his roommate in College invited him to a Bible study. His roommate in college obviously had someone introduce him to Christ. I am just one person. However look how many people God used to lead me to Himself.
2. You may not be the next big thing, you may not be the next Billy Graham
3. However, maybe you have a chance to influence the next generation
4. If it were not for my dad’s roommate in college, I would not be here today.
5. That is were we can find our live value.
6. Ruth was not a special person, she was a person who lived her life faithfully and God used.
7. The reality of the situation is that we all can have a great life value if we serve that Lord
Conclusion
A. Ruth lived an adventurous life
B. It did not go the way she planned
C. However, she did live a faithful life
D. She did live a constant life
E. She did live a risky life
F. She did live a valuable life
G. Are you doing the same?
H. Is there something in your life that you need to change
I. Is there an area in your life that you need to be more like Ruth?
J. Ruth is a great example on how to live, learn from Her
K. God love’s you as much as He loved Ruth
L. You Matter to God
