Joke: An 80-year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband. A reporter during the interview asked her about the occupation of her newly acquired husband. She replied that he owned a funeral home. Curious about the other husbands, the reporter asked about their occupations as well.
The woman paused for a moment then stated that her first husband was a banker.
The second one whom she was madly in love with, was a circus ring master.
The third one was a minister. A bit puzzled by her answers, because none of them seemed to have anything in common.
Caused him to ask, “Why did you marry them?” She stated that she married number one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.
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We’re going to continue our study through the Old Testament Book of Ruth. And to bring you up to speed if you missed out, we’re looking at a Moabite woman that left Moab for Bethlehem and she got completely transformed started worshipping the God of Israel.
I’m going to skip over some of Ruth this week not because it isn’t good but because if we were to really delve into it all the way we would be having a sermon about dating and marrying the right person. And the culture of our church isn’t that at the moment.
I’m not saying dating right isn’t important, or marrying right isn’t important, but must of us have already found someone or are not looking for someone. However, if you are dating there will be a few things in here for you as well. It would be difficult to not take about any of that because as I mentioned some of the story would be missed if I were to just pass over it all.
So, there will be a few dating tips.
One of the points I want to spend time on today is this, and this principle is for everyone of us rather you are dating or not. The principle is this: I would suggest that instead of just looking for what you want to get from someone, let me suggest that you look at what you want to give someone.
Maybe a better way to say that is: let’s be a people willing to give not just receive.
And the reason why that is so important is because you don’t just attract what you want, you tend to attract what you are.
And I know we’ve all heard opposites attract and that is true to a degree. However, it’s also true that we tend to hang around people that are much like ourselves. Same interests, habits, etc.
We’re going to see that play out today in the Book of Ruth?
Let me just add this as well, to those who attend a, not just this church but any church. Far too many come to a church looking at what the church can do for them rather than what they can do for the church.
And hear this I’m not saying a church shouldn’t help anybody out. Shouldn’t be able to help with programs or things like that. But if you are coming just wanting the church to answer your problems and help with all your struggles and never figure out how you can serve as well than you are coming for the wrong reason.
Jesus said in Mark 10
Mark 10:45 (NIV) – For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
So if we are to be like Jesus and He came to serve shouldn’t we?
Now let’s get to the story. . .
Boaz is checking Ruth out and one of the things we’re going to see is we’re going to see that Boaz is not just looking at her beauty, but he is also noticing her character.
And I want to break that down for you but first let’s make sure we understand the context. Boaz, who is a land owner, is also a lover of God, he is a good leader, and he’s been very kind and generous to Ruth and she’s a little bit surprised.
She’s taken aback and she’s wondering, why are you being so kind to me? Verse 10 of Ruth 2 says this:
Ruth 2:10 (NLT) – Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
And you can almost pick up that she might be a little bit insecure. And what I love about this text is there is no mention of her physical appearance. It doesn’t say, “and this gorgeous woman Ruth was out working the fields.”
Boaz isn’t focusing on what’s on her outside. Way more important he’s looking at what’s on her inside.
The first thing he does is highlight who she is as a person because he appears to notice her character.
Watch how he replies. Well why me? She says. And Boaz replied,
Ruth 2:11 (NLT) – Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for 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.
What’s he saying, I heard that you stopped worshiping the false God Chemosh, and that you left Moab and turned to the one true God and your now worshipping Him.
I’ve heard how loyal to your mother-in-law you have been and you’re not sitting back going, someone take care of me because I’ve lost everything. You’re not looking for a handout, but you got up early, you showed up to the field, you started to work, you were gleaning in the field and you didn’t do what many women feel tempted to do when they are in your situation.
So, church let me ask you a serious question. Are you a person of character? Are you a person with growing spiritual character?
And I’m not talking about of course I am after all I’m a Christian because you know, I grew up in the United States of America and that’s just what we are. And I kinda believe in God. And just so you know that wasn’t my question, my question was do you have true character? Are you a genuine disciple, a follower of Jesus?
Because I’ve met a few people, no actually a lot of people, that say yeah I’m a Christian, but then will do all sorts of things contrary to the Word of God during the week and come to church on Sunday and think everything is alright.
Truth is I’ve met some part time Christians and quite honestly I think I must have talked to them on their day off.
So, again are you a person of spiritual character? Why does this matter? It matters because you don’t build a life of righteousness on a foundation of doing whatever feels good because everyone else is doing it.
But when you understand that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus it should by it’s very nature produce fruits of righteousness in your life.
So, are you a person of spiritual character? Are you seeking to know the God of his Word? You’re studying his Word and letting it change you, and transform your thinking. How do you live, do you tell the truth in conversations? Do you treat people with honor and with integrity?
I just had the greatest compliment said about me this week (talk about what Dave said).
Are you being conformed to the image of Christ? In other words, you look more like Jesus, you behave more like Jesus, you love more like Jesus today than you did a few months ago.
It doesn’t mean that you’re perfect at all. I know this may surprise you but I’m not perfect. But are you being perfected and changed by the presence of God who is active in your life daily because you’re seeking him daily.
Now let me says this God sees you as holy, and blameless. . .
Colossians 1:21-22 (NLT) – This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
God sees you as holy, and blameless. . .so maybe the better question would be do you life as a person of character? Do you live in the way God sees you. Listen the way you see yourself really does matter.
Truth is the way people are living is a reflection of what they believe. And what we believe determines how we behave.
Here’s some wisdom for you. When a person shows you who they really are. . .believe them.
Let’s be a person of godly character, amen. And Boaz was looking at Ruth not necessarily her outward beauty, but I think she may have had that as well because something caused him to take notice of her in the first place. I don’t know that for sure I wasn’t there. It could have just been the fact that she was out gleaning in the field and he happened to wonder who the new girl was. But as he began to see if something more would come from it all, he noticed her character as well.
And let me just add this. If anything or anyone is taking you away from your relationship with Jesus you just might want to get out of Moab and head back to Bethlehem.
Boaz he’s a man of standing. He’s a man of character. And he notices Ruth’s character.
So, Boaz wanting to get to know her a little better invites her to eat with him and the harvesters.
And then in verse 15. . .
Ruth 2:15-16 (NLT) – When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!”
And here’s what makes that so interesting to me. According to the Levitical law, they would have to leave behind whatever fell on the ground for the poor, and widows and such. They had to do that because of the law.
But Boaz is saying give her a little extra. He’s going out of his way to bless her. He’s being extravagant with his blessings.
And did you know that God is extravagant towards us as well. . .
Ephesians 3:20 (TPT) – Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.
Or how about this in Romans. . .
Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) – And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And according to the law, he had to give her what was there. But he’s going beyond that. He didn’t just do what the law requires. He is blessing her with so much more. He’s going beyond what had to be done.
Ruth 2:17 (NIV) – So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.
What’s an ephah? That’s a great question thanks for asking.
Let me tell you what an ephah is. In the Hebrew what it means is a whole bunch in this case of barley. That’s what it means.
An ephah was around two weeks wages.
She worked for a day, but he was so generous, it would be like an Easter egg hunt for your grandkids, you just put ’em everywhere. That’s kind of what he did. He put so much everywhere that after one day’s work, she got an ephah, two weeks wages.
And let me say this Proverbs tells us that God conceals a matter, but kings search it out. That doesn’t mean God is hiding things from us He’s hiding things for us. (Use Easter egg hunt and bury in the sand illustration).
He blessed her with more than she could have ever expected.
And we have a good good Father that exceeds our expectations. Amen?
Let me just say this to all you guys, if you want a Ruth, be a Boaz, be generous.
And I love this Ruth comes home to her mother-in-law and she’s got this ephah,of grain. And watch what happens. . .
Ruth 2:18-19 (NLT) – She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal. “Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the Lord bless the one who helped you!”
(She was like whoever that guy is, I like him. Whoever did this, he’s a good, honorable, godly man. And what we know about Naomi is she loved Ruth. If you remember in chapter one she prayed God send her a godly man, and provide for her a husband).
So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.”
Naomi’s thinking I like what I see happening. Even through Ruth shows up sweaty for her first date. She’s not looking her best. Her hair is a mess she’d been working all day in the sun, but Boaz isn’t looking at just what’s on the outside, he sees her character and he likes what he sees and he wants to get to know her a little bit better.
And I love this when Samuel was looking for the next king he was looking at the statue, the looks, the outward appearance but Scripture tells us. . .
1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Ruth comes in and tells Naomi. And Naomi says, who is this guy that did this?
And she says, his name is Boaz. And Naomi was like Boaz, he’s relative of ours!
And verse 20 says . . .
Ruth 2:20 (NIV) – “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.
What is a guardian-redeemer? Some other versions call it a kinsman redeemer.
This is another one of the themes in the book of Ruth it’s a metaphor. The guardian-redeemer, is a relative whose role is one that chooses to come in and provide for someone who’s had a significant loss. A family member loses a spouse and the widow has no means to provide for herself. So the guardian-redeemer the closest relative to the one who died steps up and protects her and provides for her and honors her and takes care of her.
But here’s the thing Boaz is not obligated to be her guardian-redeemer. He’s not the closest relative.
He’s not one of Elimelech’s relatives who would’ve been the one who was supposed to do it. He wasn’t the closest relative. Not only that Ruth’s not even an Israelite, so honestly he doesn’t owe her anything.
He had a right as a relative to be the guardian-redeemer but not obligated to do so. And I will address that more next week.
And yet he chooses to give her everything. This is not just the law, this is grace.
And in the New Testament we have a guardian-redeemer and his name is Jesus. He is the living Son of God who protects us, provides for us, paid the debt for the forgiveness of our sins and meets all of our needs. He is the one who works in all things, even in your broken relationships, and in your struggling marriage.
He is the one that when you call on him and when you seek him, he will always be found by you.
And he is so good in his providential power, he’s working in all things to bring about good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
He takes what’s broken, and as our guardian-redeemer makes things new. Provides, protects, and loves us as His own.
Scripture tells us, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing right now. And it doesn’t matter how dark or sinful your life is.
Anyone who is in Christ, is a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come.
All things are possible with him. And I want you to hear this. I want you to feel this because I know there is so much pain out there right now.
But I need you to hear this. There is no sin too great for God’s grace. There is no marriage too broken for God’s healing. And there is no relationship beyond God’s redemption.
And if you’re in a marriage, here’s a news flash for you. You can’t change him, and you can’t change her. But you can seek God and you can be the person of character you should be and you can pray and fast and believe God is able to do what only he can do. You do everything possible to live at peace with everyone and then just trust God for what He can do.
Jesus is our guardian-redeemer and he is here right now. He loves you, he’s for you and not against you. And he’s working in all things to bring about good to those who love him.
Do you love him? Because church the truth is He loves you.
And hear this we need to be people of integrity and of character. And for those of you who are dating. Honor God in the process. For those of you in any type of relationship honor God in it.
Maybe it’s your marriage, or a friends marriage, maybe it’s the relationship of a family member that you have had a problem with. Maybe it’s a relationship with some other believer.
I want you to know God is in the healing business. He can restore, renew, revive, and recover. He is a good good Father who cares deeply about you and your situation.
And church you are his ambassadors, His representative to the world that doesn’t know Him. So we need to be a people that represents Him well.
He is the guardian-redeemer. And again I will address that more next week.
But as we close today I want to pray specifically for all the different relationships that are hurting. I also want to pray that we will be a people of integrity and character that we will honor God in all we do.
And that each of us would live a life that truly reflects the genuine love for God. So that everyone we are around will have the opportunity to encounter Jesus through us.
Prayer.
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