Share The Fields

Share The Fields

Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. 2One day Ruth said to Naomi, "Let me go out into the fields to gather leftover grain behind anyone who will let me do it.” And Naomi said, "All right, my daughter, go ahead." 3So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. 4While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. "The LORD be with you!" he said.

"The LORD bless you!" the harvesters replied.

5Then Boaz asked his foreman, "Who is that girl over there?"

6And the foreman replied, "She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest over there in the shelter." 8Boaz went over and said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the women working in my field. 9See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to bother you. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well."

10Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I am only a foreigner."

11"Yes, I know," Boaz replied. "But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully." Ruth 2:1-12 NLT

Slide # 2 Tell the story of Ruth

Elimelech & Naomi – 2 sons Mahlon & Killon go to Moab

Father Emilech dies, the boys marry local girls (Orpah & Ruth)

Sons dies. Naomi is distraught, and decides to go home to Bethlehem.

When they get near Israel, Naomi encourages her daughters-in-law to go back home and find some young man to marry.

Slide # 3 Orpah kisses Naomi & goes back home, but Ruth tells her:

wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried.

The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” NKJV

Slide #4 As widows – no means of support – no husband to help them earn a living, but Jewish law (God’s law) provided for them.

"When you harvest your crops, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners who live among you, for I, the LORD, am your God. Leviticus 19:9-10 NLT

3 points

Slide # 5 1. When we obey God’s law – God provides.

Slide # 6 2. Sharing our resources is not optional, it is imperative. Our resources not ours, they belong to God. We are stewards

Slide # 7 3. The American dream is not a house with a 2 car garage, the dream of America is to share the fields of plenty with all who come:

The Statue of Liberty was concieved by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi to ommemorate America’s 100th birthday

It was a Joint effort between France & US France – Statue; The United States had the responsibility for raising the money to build the base and France raised the money for the actual statue.

Raising the money in the US was extremly difficult, Newspapers mocking idea.

Slide # 8 Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian Immigrant fought in Civil War bought on to the vision. He set a goal for his readers of the “World” to give $100,000.

"The World is the people’s paper and it now appeals to the people to come forward and raise the money. The statue, he said, was paid for by "the masses of the French people. Let us respond in like manner. Let us not wait for the millionaires to give this money. It is not a gift from the millionaires of France to the millionaires of America, but a gift of the whole people of France to the whole people of America."