"The Family That Worships Together Stays Together” ( All Saints Sunday)

All Saints Sunday Sermon: “The Family That Worships Together Stays Together”

Scripture: Ruth 1:6-18 (NRSVue)

Introduction: Today is All Saints Sunday. We gather to honor, remember, and celebrate the saints who walked before us, those who paved the path we walk today. Hebrews 12:1 tells us, “We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.” These words carry weight and power—this is our spiritual heritage! These are our mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers, the ones who loved us, prayed for us, and lived lives of faith, resilience, and commitment. Today, we honor them, and as we look at their legacies, we realize the importance of family, faith, and the bonds that tie us together.

Today’s scripture from the Book of Ruth illustrates what it means to be family and how the love, loyalty, and faith shared within a family leaves a legacy for future generations.

Scripture Focus

Ruth 1:6-18 begins with Naomi, a widow, and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, facing a time of deep sorrow. Naomi had lost her husband and her two sons, leaving her without a male provider or protector in a time when women depended on male family members for security. She hears that the Lord has visited her homeland, Judah, with the blessing of food. Determined to return home, Naomi tells Ruth and Orpah to return to their own families. Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye, but Ruth clings to her, saying, “Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried” (Ruth 1:16-17). Ruth’s declaration is more than words—it’s a covenant, a commitment to family that transcends bloodlines and personal comfort. Ruth embodies love, loyalty, and faithfulness, characteristics of a family that stays together.

All Saints Day calls us to pause and reflect on those who sacrificed, loved, and stayed true to God. They taught us the value of family, marriage, and sticking together through thick and thin. They left us a legacy not just in words but in actions, and as we reflect on Ruth’s commitment to Naomi, we are reminded that our families, our marriages, and our commitments to one another must also reflect that same loyalty and love.

Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi gives us a blueprint. Saints, this text speaks to us profoundly about what it means to be family.

In our culture, we honor bloodlines, but the Word of God also shows us that family is about covenant, loyalty, and commitment.

Family means being there when it’s easy and hard, when it’s convenient, and when it’s not. The saints we remember today—those grandparents, parents, and church elders—

built families that worshiped together,

families that prayed together,

Families that even voted together,

families that stood firm through hardship.

They taught us that family is sacred, that marriage is a covenant, and that our relationships should honor God.

As we look at the story of Ruth and Naomi, we see the value of worshiping together as a family. When we talk about a family that worships together, we’re talking about a family that builds a foundation on God’s word, prayer, and faith. Ruth wasn’t just declaring her loyalty to Naomi but her faith in Naomi’s God.

She committed to being part of Naomi’s people, part of her family. In the same way, when we come together to worship, when we gather our children, our spouses, and our siblings, we are doing more than attending a service—we are laying a foundation of faith. When we say in the baptism service that we will raise these persons up in the tradition of God and family, we are talking about Covent.

Let me tell you something, beloved: The family that worships together is blessed together. When we teach our children to worship, pray, and sing praises to God, we are building a legacy that will last long after we’re gone.

Our families become testimonies of God’s love and power. And this is what our saints have shown us. Many of us grew up watching our elders pray, lifting their hands in worship, and going to church, come rain or shine. And because of their example, we are here today. That’s the power of a family that worships together.

Three Quick Moves on Worshiping Together, and I'll be out of your way!

Move 1: Saints and Family Are Pillars of Faith

The saints who went before us, the ones we remember on this holy day, laid down the foundation of faith for us. They were mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers who built homes centered on worship and prayer. Just as Ruth stayed by Naomi’s side, saying, “Where you go, I will go,” the saints stayed by us, building a legacy of faithfulness.