This morning we begin the story of trial, faithfulness and redemption that is found in the book of Ruth. This book was also set in the time of the Judges, but it also shows there were some who were faithful to the Lord.
Ruth 1: Naomi Widowed
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,
5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.
7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
9 The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.
10 And they said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."
11 But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?
12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,
13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."
14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."
16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."
18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
Naomi and Ruth Return
19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, "Is this Naomi?"
20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?"
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth 2: Ruth Meets Boaz
1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favour." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."
3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.
4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, "The LORD be with you!" And they answered, "The LORD bless you."
5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, "Whose young woman is this?"
6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, "She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.
7 She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.' So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest."
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.
9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn."
10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favour in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"
11 But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.
12 The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!"
13 Then she said, "I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants."
14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.
15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.
16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her."
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.
19 And her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, "The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz."
20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers."
21 And Ruth the Moabite said, "Besides, he said to me, 'You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.'"
22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted."
23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Things to think about…
1. When times get tough the easiest thing to do is to run. Rather than stay where the Lord has called us. Elimelech went to Moab but was called to stay in Judah. Neither he, nor his sons returned, Ruth 1:5. God uses this situation ultimately to bless, but at what cost? Consider if you are choosing ease over obedience in any area of your life, James 4:13-17. Naomi lost her husband and 2 sons. Thankfully gained a noble daughter-law-law that by er own testimony was better than 7 sons.
2. Naomi is clearly a broken woman, Ruth 1:8-13. She has nothing to offer these two Moabite women who, though young, are also widows. Naomi believes the best thing for them is to stay in their land, with their natural families and their gods, Ruth 1:15. When we have nothing left, we find it difficult to minister to others. Hence the need to always go back to the well of Christ. This well of living water never runs dry, even when there is a spiritual drought in the land. The woman at the well in John 4 could testify to this after a long period of grief and loss.
3. Ruth’s faithfulness to her mother-in-law is noble. Her faithfulness to the Lord is righteous, Ruth 1:16. Everyday is a choice to re-commit lives and purpose to Christ our Redeemer.
4. Ruth is both discerning and bold. She knows the place of blessing for her and Naomi is with the clan that Elimelech her father-in-law came from, as such she seeks out employment with Boaz. She believes she will find favour in his sight, Ruth 2:1. This was both prudent and wise. The Lord uses both of these things when metering out blessings for His people. Boaz shows he is a man of grace by greeting and blessing the reapers. Note that these are different from the harvesters. The harvesters get the lion’s share, the reapers gather what falls out afterward. This was a requirement in the law, Lev 22:23, but Boaz considers it part of his administration and considers it a privilege to look after these folk, many of whom would be foreigners or destitute in some way.
5. Ruth had plenty of options. Note that there was a young man in charge of the reapers under Boaz’s employ, Ruth 2:5. He would have been closer to Ruth’s age and they would have spent a good deal of time together as this young man was also Ruth’s immediate boss. Ruth was not in this for a blessing to just for herself, but also for Naomi whom she also wanted to comfort, Ruth 2:18.
6. Why would Boaz be sensitive and open to a foreign girl’s needs, Ruth 2:7-14? The Lord had clearly put upon the heart of Boaz an interest in this woman. She was a noble character and she had supported her mother-in-law and left her foreign gods to follow the God of Israel. During this initial interaction, Boaz affirms his faith and the faith that Ruth has in the God of Israel, Ruth 2:12. Both would be blessed as a result.
7. Boaz is a close relative of Elimelech and therefore Naomi and Ruth is told to stay close to Boaz’s young women for protection, Ruth 2:22. These were likely young sisters, nieces or sisters-in-law to Boaz. Ruth is invited into the closer family circle and Ruth gets to know more about Boaz and his family by spending time with them. Ruth’s character is also seen as well as her integrity as a worker at close quarters. By the Lord’s grace we are protected and ministered to by angels and the Holy Spirit. May you experience His love and protection today? Pray He gives you all the blessings of having a covenant relationship with Him. Stay close to His blessing, protection and providence as you work for Him.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon and reading topic for this week – Sermon “You’re not saying it right”
Reading – Judges 12:1-7
1. The Judges were often outcasts. Jephthah was no different. He was the son of a prostitute and cast out by his brothers to live miles away in a town called Tob. But this period made Jephthah into a warrior and he was called upon to lead the Gileadites. What hardships or differences from the ‘norm’ have you experienced that have made you stronger and more resilient?
2. Jephthah led the Gileadites and fought the Ammonites and won. Another tribe in Israel, Ephraim got jealous and fought against Jephthah and the Gileadites. Do you recall the circumstances surrounding the word “Shibboleth” and how it was their undoing?
3. Discuss what you know about the history of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, what it was and how Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 reverses the language barrier curse.
4. We are known by our words and attitudes as to what motivates us and what captivates our hearts. Discuss how the Holy Spirit speaks to you and how we can more accurately discern God’s voice.
5. Discuss some prayer points of the group. Church prayer points.
Prayer Points
1. Recharge youth and Kids@Church ministries. Pray for Maddison and Melinda as they Coordinate Kids and Youth ministries.
2. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
3. Church finances to meet our new staff and to put a roof over our café.
4. Sunday’s message from Ruth 4 - “Ruth’s Redeemer and ours” – Pastor Jay.
Praise Points.
1. More visitors to church on Sunday.
2. Two cell groups starting up this term.
3. Praise and worship – pray for continued growth and blessing.
4. Unity, peace and grace at CBC.
Announcements
1. Members meeting 23rd May after the morning service.
2. Recharge on this week all high schoolers – 6:30pm-8:30pm Friday at church. $2 coin donation. Melinda Fourie heading up this ministry.
3. Kids Church for all primary schoolers. Maddison Willey is the ministry contact. Parents please check your rosters. Remember to sign your kids in and out.
4. Combined Church worship and prayer meeting at Beacon Baptist, 30th May 5pm.
5. Working bee – Saturday 5th June, 8:00am start at the church.
6. Outdoor service in the morning 6th June followed by lunch, Potjie on “the common”
7. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
