WEBVTT 00:00:00.500 --> 00:00:02.700 I want to invite you to the Book of Ruth. 00:00:02.740 --> 00:00:03.510 It's good to see you this morning. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:07.680 By the way, my name is Nathaniel in case you're new, just got to introduce myself. 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:13.460 We're in a new series together on the Book of Ruth, talking about God's grace, second chances. 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:15.340 A beautiful book of redeeming love. 00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:22.600 We're looking at this narrative of Ruth's life and discovering in this story how her story could relate to our story and encouragement in our walk 00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:23.980 with God. 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:31.040 The small story of Ruth's life is a greater cosmic story of what God wants to achieve in our lives through His redeeming hand as it 00:00:31.040 --> 00:00:33.310 works itself in scripture. 00:00:33.580 --> 00:00:35.530 I'm thankful you're here to be a part of it. 00:00:35.720 --> 00:00:39.100 As you look for the Book of Ruth, Ruth is actually eight books into the Old Testament. 00:00:39.160 --> 00:00:45.220 So if you start from Genesis, going it goes Joshua, Judges then Ruth, sixth, seventh and eighth book. 00:00:45.540 --> 00:00:52.660 While you find that, I do want to take just a couple minutes and let you know how delighted and filled my 00:00:52.660 --> 00:00:57.980 soul has felt over the last, especially the last few weeks here at Alpine Bible Church. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:01.660 I can think, just a few weeks ago we had a snow storm here at the church. 00:01:01.760 --> 00:01:08.780 On Sunday morning there was some snow, a lot of ice in our parking lot and I know, I went outside just a little concerned about safety of people, just to see 00:01:08.780 --> 00:01:11.090 how it's at, how it was going. 00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:13.760 We did have a few people slip, which I'm sorry for that. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:20.840 But what was cool to see is that a lot of church family was there and just helping to carry some things and trying to be a 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:23.400 place to provide some safety for people as they got in. 00:01:23.820 --> 00:01:29.360 But it really doesn't just end there for our church, you walk through the doors and see friendly faces, people serving. 00:01:29.360 --> 00:01:33.810 I think it's a beautiful thing, a beautiful expression of your genuineness for Jesus. 00:01:34.380 --> 00:01:41.620 Not only here on Sunday, but even in our connection groups that meet through the week, just to hear the stories of how God is knitting your 00:01:41.620 --> 00:01:44.660 hearts together and your love for Christ together. 00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:52.160 It's a beautiful thing that God is doing here and I'm thankful that I get to be a part of what God is doing in your lives 00:01:52.160 --> 00:01:55.520 and His gracious presence over us. 00:01:56.580 --> 00:02:01.020 With that being said, I should even add, even this weekend we had a marriage conference this weekend. 00:02:01.080 --> 00:02:06.270 There's a lot of people that poured some significant amount of time into that, just appreciate the hearts there. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:14.020 With all of that, I'm going to share from the Book of Ruth, last week we started this series. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:22.000 I'm going to share where we are so far int the context of this story, because this is a narrative and it's important to know 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.010 where we've been to get to where we want to go. 00:02:25.600 --> 00:02:28.290 Last week was the first week we looked at chapter one. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:34.510 In chapter one we started of the story recognizing in the very first verse that this takes place during the time of Judges. 00:02:35.140 --> 00:02:42.340 And when you read the Book of Judges, when you get to the very last paragraph of Judges, the very last verse, it tells us that the mentality of the people during 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:45.060 their end-time, that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. 00:02:45.580 --> 00:02:49.420 And so their theology wasn't really driven on truth as God as determined it. 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:57.200 Their theology, it was driven by what they would call truth but was really what the desires that their heart were, which might conflict 00:02:57.200 --> 00:02:57.660 with God. 00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:05.620 It's similar to our culture today, where we teach one another to look for the purpose of life within yourself by saying, "Whatever makes you happy just go for that," 00:03:06.200 --> 00:03:13.320 sort of this ad-hoc philosophy to life, where when you wake up this morning, however you feel that's what you pursue and you kind of determine the reality of 00:03:13.320 --> 00:03:14.230 your own truth. 00:03:15.040 --> 00:03:18.440 But reality is that truth is truth whether you believe it or not. 00:03:18.440 --> 00:03:22.220 That if there is a God and He created us for His purposes, then He's the definer of what is true. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:29.160 Contrary to that sometimes we get to places in our life, like Judges, where it tells us that everyone does what's right in their own eyes. 00:03:29.780 --> 00:03:33.220 On the backdrop of that it then starts to tell us the story about a man named Elimelech. 00:03:34.580 --> 00:03:39.280 Elimelech leads his family from the place of Bethlehem to Moab. 00:03:40.160 --> 00:03:46.400 When he leads his family, he leaves the place of God and the people of God towards what is sickness and death. 00:03:46.440 --> 00:03:53.500 The reason we know it's sickness and death is because it identifies for us Elimelech's two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, which 00:03:53.500 --> 00:03:56.420 are great names for your children if you're looking for a couple. 00:03:56.420 --> 00:03:58.250 Throw those out, Mahlon and Chilion. 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.640 And defined in their terms in that period it means sickness and death. 00:04:02.580 --> 00:04:06.520 And so Elimelech leaves God's place, God's people for sickness and death. 00:04:06.540 --> 00:04:09.350 And I don't think he's doing this intentionally but unintentionally. 00:04:10.940 --> 00:04:12.760 He didn't want to destroy his family. 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:14.560 In reality he really just wanted to survive. 00:04:14.900 --> 00:04:20.300 He wanted to be a provider, but he only wanted to provide in one area of life, which was just food. 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:27.200 When you read the story it tells us that he's leaving Bethlehem, and they want us to recognize the significant of Bethlehem. 00:04:27.200 --> 00:04:29.460 Because the words Bethlehem literally means the house of bread. 00:04:30.460 --> 00:04:33.990 They're leaving the house of bread because of a famine. 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:36.460 God had told His people, "If you follow me you'll be blessed. 00:04:36.520 --> 00:04:43.620 If you don't there will be some divine discipline because of that." And so because in the period of Judges people are 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:47.560 doing what's right in their own eyes, walking away from God, God is bringing His discipline upon them. 00:04:47.940 --> 00:04:53.760 And the people of God, rather than turning back to God are then moving further away from Him, and Elimelech is one of those. 00:04:53.860 --> 00:04:57.340 It tells us in the context of this story that he moves for 10 years. 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:05.900 So it's like, Elimelech's looking for physical sustenance for his family to survive and he's neglecting all other aspects in his family and 00:05:05.900 --> 00:05:07.160 it breeds sickness and death. 00:05:07.640 --> 00:05:14.700 So when they leave the people of God for 10 years, it's acknowledging to us that Elimelech isn't taking any concern for the spiritual health of 00:05:14.700 --> 00:05:15.400 his family. 00:05:16.060 --> 00:05:22.220 That they're leading the people of God behind and are going to the land of Moab, where God had already told His people to stay away from. 00:05:22.540 --> 00:05:29.660 Because when Israel was coming from Egypt as slaves into the promised land, the Moabites refused to give any 00:05:29.660 --> 00:05:32.800 assistance to God's people in any time of need. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:39.750 So God told them they're godless, they're idolaters, and stay away from them because they're going to persuade you into idolatry. 00:05:40.140 --> 00:05:45.220 Elimelech takes his family, it's only a 30 to 50 mile journey into this land. 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:52.520 The irony is he leaves Bethlehem, the house of bread, because of a famine in search of all of the provision which he could provide in his own strength 00:05:52.520 --> 00:05:55.360 in life, and what he discovers is sickness and death. 00:05:56.420 --> 00:06:02.800 With all the hope that this world has to offer, what he finds he nothingness, emptiness. 00:06:02.960 --> 00:06:10.160 In this story Elimelech dies, his two sons die, his wife and his two daughter-in-laws are left as widows. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:15.900 One of his daughter-in-laws and Naomi, Ruth and Naomi, returned back to Bethlehem. 00:06:15.900 --> 00:06:20.040 So they leave from Moab with all the promises this world has to offer and they're bankrupt. 00:06:20.320 --> 00:06:26.540 They leave bankrupt to Moab with all the promises in God and hope in Him, and they find themselves satisfied. 00:06:28.580 --> 00:06:35.920 It's in the context of that story, Elimelech not trying to intentionally destroy his family but unintentionally making no provision 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:40.440 for the holistic wellbeing of his family, that his family finds death. 00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:48.340 And then Naomi prays this prayer, "May the Lord grant you find rest." Naomi now being 00:06:48.340 --> 00:06:51.020 a widow on her own, she knows that she's bankrupt. 00:06:51.100 --> 00:06:53.080 She has no land for which to find provision. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:54.420 She has no family. 00:06:54.420 --> 00:06:57.680 And in the time of Naomi family was everything. 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:00.520 It was an agricultural society and land was everything. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:08.200 You taught your children the trade, the children carried on the work of the family and when there was ever a need in the family, the family gathered 00:07:08.200 --> 00:07:10.280 around one another to help provide for that need. 00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:17.620 But in Naomi's life having no land, no family, being older in life and can't provide for herself, she has no provision for herself. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:23.980 So Naomi knows that her life is looking pretty grim right now. 00:07:24.020 --> 00:07:25.780 In fact, it could even result in death. 00:07:27.020 --> 00:07:34.080 And she prays this prayer for Orpah and Ruth, because she knows Orpah and Ruth now being widows themselves, they need to return to their family if they're going 00:07:34.080 --> 00:07:37.020 to have any sort of life that the family can provide for them. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.360 And so she prays for them, they may find rest. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:46.720 And then we see this incredible statement, this is a theme verse within the Book of Ruth that I think is worth noting as we started this 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:47.430 book together. 00:07:48.380 --> 00:07:55.380 Naomi talking to Ruth says this, "Then she said, 'Behold, your sister in law, Orpah, has gone back to her people and her gods. 00:07:55.720 --> 00:08:03.360 Return after your sister-in-law.'" But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave, to 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.960 leave you or to turn back from following you, for where you go I will go and where you lodge I will lodge. 00:08:08.260 --> 00:08:11.180 Your people shall be my people and your God my God. 00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:14.320 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:22.620 Thus may the Lord do to me and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:26.540 gives this profound statement of faith. 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:29.220 She steps in and follows God. 00:08:29.320 --> 00:08:36.380 This is a passage of scripture that sometimes we see read at weddings that really has nothing to do with a wedding ceremony, but it has to do with extreme 00:08:36.380 --> 00:08:37.900 devotion in the life of an individual. 00:08:38.020 --> 00:08:38.850 You see that in this passage. 00:08:39.500 --> 00:08:43.340 "Naomi, if you leave you could die. 00:08:44.280 --> 00:08:44.980 You're old. 00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:45.710 You have no land. 00:08:45.880 --> 00:08:46.760 You have no ability to really provide. 00:08:47.340 --> 00:08:48.740 This world that we live in is brutal. 00:08:49.820 --> 00:08:53.330 But if I go with you there might be a place for you to survive. 00:08:54.540 --> 00:09:00.360 We talked about the uniqueness of Ruth story here because when most people become immigrants they do so with the hope of a better life. 00:09:01.880 --> 00:09:06.860 But here now Ruth is going to become an immigrant as a Moabite into the land of Israel where the people hate her people. 00:09:08.420 --> 00:09:13.120 She's not thinking necessarily about a better life in this world but in the world to come. 00:09:13.280 --> 00:09:17.620 The reason we know that, because verse 17 says, "Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:25.120 Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." The word that Ruth uses here 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:28.860 for Lord, this is a very specific name of God. 00:09:29.760 --> 00:09:36.820 In fact this is the name of God that the Jews would rarely utter because they were afraid of any sacrilegious thought that would go into this name. 00:09:36.900 --> 00:09:41.800 This is the sacred name that God gave to them from the time of Moses, when he called them out of the land of Egypt. 00:09:41.920 --> 00:09:46.120 They wouldn't just utter this off their lips, and definitely not flippantly. 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:54.860 And Ruth identifies herself with this God, and so from this point on the story of Ruth becomes an authentic 00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:58.820 genuine faith journey being told for us. 00:09:59.220 --> 00:10:06.510 The beauty of this genuine faith journey is that we see in the context of her life being lived out, that Ruth in turn becomes great-grandmother 00:10:07.280 --> 00:10:10.700 of King David who is lineage of Jesus. 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:17.940 That God takes this foreigner and writes into her story the redeeming hand of God as Jesus comes into this 00:10:17.940 --> 00:10:19.700 world through her lineage. 00:10:21.660 --> 00:10:28.760 It's a beautiful story, and it's a story this morning that I want to examine as we look at the context of her 00:10:28.760 --> 00:10:36.180 genuine faith journey, to then examine our own faith journey to see in our life how genuine 00:10:36.180 --> 00:10:43.340 we truly are in our walk with Jesus, and as people who desire a genuine faith journey in God, how we can 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:47.100 promote that as God's people, as God's community. 00:10:47.100 --> 00:10:48.890 Seeing that worked out in our midst. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:53.260 So let me just tell you this, I'm going to highlight it on three words. 00:10:54.380 --> 00:11:01.500 Three things that we I think as people, I believe we experience in a genuine authentic faith journey 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:04.620 through your relationship with God. 00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:13.460 A real faith journey and just looking at this narrative story being told, a real faith journey should be mark by 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:14.330 these three experiences. 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:18.720 The first two kind of go together and the last one promotes the first two. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:25.310 The first two, it's risk and sacrifice, promoted through grace. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.800 Risk and sacrifice promoted through grace. 00:11:32.640 --> 00:11:39.680 Now, as we think about the Christian walk today, Jesus was pretty clear in telling us it's 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:40.730 not always going to be easy. 00:11:42.160 --> 00:11:45.040 But we know the ultimate hope rests in Jesus. 00:11:47.060 --> 00:11:54.420 But if we were to be honest, I think we could say it like this, as followers of Jesus we 00:11:54.420 --> 00:12:01.420 may not always know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who 00:12:01.420 --> 00:12:02.260 holds tomorrow. 00:12:05.160 --> 00:12:07.620 The story of Ruth is that. 00:12:10.140 --> 00:12:17.380 By taking this step out in faith to follower her, yeah Naomi told her to go back to her homeland, and yes it could have been comfortable according to earthly experiences 00:12:17.380 --> 00:12:19.320 in relationship to what awaits her. 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:28.020 But what Ruth desired more than anything in this world is to know this God and to walk with Him. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:35.560 She no doubt has likely seen it as God has provided for Israel, in the land in which they had become a part 00:12:35.560 --> 00:12:36.210 of. 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:40.520 Ruth and her faith that she desires to express, it's not an ignorant faith. 00:12:40.540 --> 00:12:48.260 She's seen how God has worked in the land of Israel, but it's also a faith in the sense that she's truly depending upon God 00:12:48.260 --> 00:12:50.350 to provide. 00:12:50.400 --> 00:12:53.640 And in that provision she's also making a sacrifice. 00:12:55.680 --> 00:13:02.800 She's leaving a world of certainty, of relationship that she has been a part of behind in order to press on into a greater future in 00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:05.480 the God who is before her. 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:11.240 And so when we talk about a genuine faith journey in life, it is marked by one sacrifice. 00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:18.620 When you look at this illustration of Ruth's life and you compare it to the rest of scripture, you see those 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:21.700 in which God tells their stories about entrusting in Him. 00:13:21.760 --> 00:13:27.320 It is one of consistent sacrifice and depending upon God and all other things in this world. 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:34.460 In fact, in Philippians chapter three starting in verse one Paul lays out his life's journey, of everything that he could 00:13:34.460 --> 00:13:36.320 be trusting in this world. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:43.820 And then in verse seven he starts to say this, "But whatever things were gained to me, those things I have counted 00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:46.120 as lost for the sake of Christ. 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:53.440 More than that, I count all things to be lost in the view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my 00:13:53.440 --> 00:14:01.460 Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so 00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:08.500 that I may gain Christ." When you 00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:15.560 consider a genuine journey of faith, one of the notable marks in 00:14:15.560 --> 00:14:18.120 scripture is sacrifice. 00:14:20.680 --> 00:14:28.080 Maybe even for us in looking at Ruth's story and trying to connect this narrative to our life, it would leave us to ask the question, "What sacrifice 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:35.180 have you made to show the genuineness of your faith?" So we live in this society 00:14:35.180 --> 00:14:38.990 where saying Christian, really it's not that difficult. 00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:45.470 It's more of a popular way of viewing the perspective of who you are as a human being. 00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:50.620 It's losing its popularity over time but nonetheless there's not as much consequence to it. 00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:59.840 And so when it comes to the genuineness of your faith, one of the marks that we have as individual to demonstrate that is the willingness to sacrifice, 00:14:59.940 --> 00:15:08.460 to say, "Above everything else that might be valuable to me in life, the thing that matters most is Jesus." It's 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:15.740 to look a your life in the midst of culture and Christ, and saying when culture presses against Christ, what do you ultimately 00:15:15.880 --> 00:15:16.330 choose? 00:15:19.300 --> 00:15:23.020 What sacrifice have you made to show the genuineness of your faith? 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:31.980 I would even encourage us in that and say as Christians if we ask that question and the mark that you go to is something 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:37.680 that happened 20 years ago, I'm not asking that question for 20 years ago. 00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:44.140 I think in the consistency of your walk with Jesus it confronts the culture of this world every day. 00:15:45.140 --> 00:15:50.700 If your faith is alive and active it shouldn't be dated to something that happens decades ago. 00:15:52.380 --> 00:15:59.640 But if faith is to be considered genuine, then the sacrifice of other things to demonstrate the genuineness of that faith should 00:15:59.640 --> 00:16:04.280 be something that we should be able to see within the context of our life if Jesus really matters. 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:11.240 I like the way Peter says it in first Peter chapter one. 00:16:11.340 --> 00:16:13.000 He's writing to a prosecuted church. 00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:21.120 He says in verse six, "Though you're experiencing various trials the testing of your faith more precious than gold and silver, 00:16:22.760 --> 00:16:30.160 lifts the praise and the honor and glory of God." Peter's even acknowledging how the faith has 00:16:30.160 --> 00:16:36.620 sacrifice, but when that faith sacrifices if it's genuine what it promotes is the goodness of God in our life. 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:44.100 He even goes on further than that and he says, "As you demonstrate that in your life the world around you, though it may prosecute you, though it 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:52.900 may try to malign you, as you remain faithful they see the goodness of who your God is." What 00:16:52.900 --> 00:16:55.750 sacrifice have you made to show the genuineness of your faith? 00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:59.820 The context of Ruth's story continues on. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.850 It tells us in chapter two verse one, it starts to tell us about this character named Boaz. 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:10.520 I want to us to know, when chapter two verse one starts, I don't think this verse is necessarily something Naomi and Ruth are focused on. 00:17:11.300 --> 00:17:14.060 I think this is for you the reader to know how God is going to provide. 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:20.700 It's about to share with you, Ruth steps out in faith, trusting in God, and God sovereignly is there to provide for Ruth. 00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:22.700 This is how we know, chapter two verse one. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:30.180 "Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth." Real translation is just saying he's worthy. 00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:34.320 Sometimes translators go a little further in describing in what way he's worthy. 00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:42.720 In this context it describes him as a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:51.960 In Naomi and Ruth's day when someone in a family experienced a death, the greater family 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:57.500 would then see whose responsibility it was to help take care of that particular family's need. 00:17:57.520 --> 00:17:59.410 And so you would look the relatives to help provide. 00:18:00.080 --> 00:18:07.400 In this context it's recognized, in that Boaz, he's not the next kinsman in line but Boaz is related to this family and 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:12.080 Boaz is going to become a provider to this family because of his faith in the Lord. 00:18:12.100 --> 00:18:18.140 But it's telling us in the story that there is someone who can make provision, but Ruth and Naomi aren't really aware of this yet. 00:18:19.100 --> 00:18:26.260 Something goes on in verse two, "And Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi, 'Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain 00:18:26.580 --> 00:18:33.580 after one in whose sight I may find favor.' And she said to her, 'Go my daughter.'" And 00:18:33.580 --> 00:18:40.300 so what it's telling us in this story is that in the time of Israel God had sort of a welfare system setup for people in need. 00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:48.400 The way that system worked is if you owned a piece of land and you were coming to harvest that land, that the rules of the land were that you couldn't harvest 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.240 the corners of your property. 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:54.720 You were to leave those and the people could come in and they could pick up what was left behind. 00:18:55.120 --> 00:19:02.430 If people went through your land and they harvest your land, afterwards if anything was left over people could also go through that and pick up what was left behind. 00:19:02.800 --> 00:19:10.120 So this was God's way, if someone was willing to work a little bit, that they could go to this piece of land and find some sort of substance for 00:19:10.120 --> 00:19:12.250 their life in order to provide so they wouldn't starve. 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:19.920 And so in verse two this is what Ruth is asking of Naomi, just for her provision to be able to do this, her approval 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:20.620 to do this. 00:19:20.820 --> 00:19:22.640 She says she's looking for favor. 00:19:23.580 --> 00:19:26.700 This word, for favor, is the Old Testament word really for grace. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:29.640 She's seeking God's hand of grace. 00:19:29.860 --> 00:19:32.020 She's saying to Naomi, "Look, I trust in this God. 00:19:32.020 --> 00:19:33.880 I've seen how this God has provided for you. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:41.340 I've come to this land at risk of myself to help provide for you and I just want to see what this God can do." She's 00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:48.540 not waiting around twiddling her thumbs but she's seeking God's grace, God's favor and how God could provide. 00:19:49.520 --> 00:19:53.910 And then in verse three, interesting verse, I just want us to think about a little deeper culturally. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:20:01.980 It says, "So as she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to this portion of field belonging to 00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:06.330 Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech." So it's like she just happened to. 00:20:07.170 --> 00:20:14.480 She didn't really know how God was going to provide but for her it just looked like this happening, but God sovereignly, divinely cares 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:15.680 about her. 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:19.460 Now when it goes to verse three, this is like her first day on the job. 00:20:19.860 --> 00:20:26.900 I were to poll us this morning and maybe ask you, "Hey, how many of you love the first day of new jobs?" I think 00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:32.500 most of us would be like, "Well, I mean having a job is cool, but that first day you've kind of got some jitters. 00:20:32.560 --> 00:20:38.600 So if I could just fast forward two weeks into that, where I have a routine and I kind of know some people and it's a little bit more friendly, I would rather do that. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:43.540 First day on the job, too nerve wracking." And for Ruth, same thing. 00:20:44.540 --> 00:20:51.600 But I want us to think about magnified and how amplified this situation would become for her. 00:20:52.260 --> 00:20:58.000 This would have been very nerve wracking for Ruth because when she's going into this land in verse three... 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:58.900 let me just highlight it for us. 00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:06.620 When she's heading into this job as a Moabite in Israel, Israel 00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:08.080 does not like the Moabites. 00:21:09.300 --> 00:21:11.720 And she's representing the Moabite people. 00:21:12.540 --> 00:21:19.580 Any venom that they would want to spew towards the Moabites, guess who becomes the direct recipient of all 00:21:19.580 --> 00:21:19.960 that hatred? 00:21:22.260 --> 00:21:23.860 It's Ruth. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:29.740 Now we talk about first day jitters, who wants to step in that room? 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:33.420 We'll hire you for the job, but just want to you to know, everyone hates you. 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.860 All day long they're going to be watching you. 00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:38.300 They may spit on you, hit you. 00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:39.740 You could be killed and raped. 00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:41.040 Welcome. 00:21:42.800 --> 00:21:49.200 Even when you look at the context of this passage, both Boaz and Naomi chime in Ruth's life. 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:52.640 Boaz says this, talking to Ruth about the fields. 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:58.290 He says, "Let your eyes be on the field which they reap and go after them," talking about his field with his reapers. 00:21:58.850 --> 00:22:05.940 "Indeed," look what he has to do, "I have commanded the servants not to touch you." If he had to command the servants not to touch you, it 00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:09.300 kind of looks like the plan of the servants might be, "I want to touch her. 00:22:10.020 --> 00:22:11.300 I want to kill her," right? 00:22:11.300 --> 00:22:12.540 So he's like, "Don't worry. 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:19.760 I walked in and said, 'Hey, just don't kill her, okay?'" Then he goes, "When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants drawn." It's 00:22:19.760 --> 00:22:26.800 even to say like, "They think you're so far beneath them that you can't even drink from the same well they're drinking from So good news, I've told 00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:34.110 them not to kill you and to not let you get dehydrated and die." He goes in verse 15 and 16, if you read on a little bit further, 00:22:34.260 --> 00:22:41.480 he tells her, "And I've commanded them not to say anything bad about you." And then Naomi it tells us in verse 22, Naomi said, 00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:43.620 "It is good my daughter. 00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:53.520 You go out with his maids so that others do not fall upon you in another field." She's 00:22:53.520 --> 00:22:58.300 saying this to Ruth, "Look Ruth, you could seriously die. 00:23:01.020 --> 00:23:01.580 People here want to... 00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:03.400 I mean I've been getting some death threats in the mail. 00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:12.120 I think it's kind of wise that you just take this hand of grace." I want to tell you and just confess, I'm 00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:19.160 thinking the reason Naomi might be saying this, and this is me taking the text probably further than it needs to go, but the reason Naomi might be saying 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:21.640 this is Ruth in some way might be dealing with a little bit of pride. 00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:24.580 I wrestle the same thing in this way. 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:26.900 I like to be the person that helps people out. 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:30.330 I'm not necessarily always the person who likes to receive a helping hand. 00:23:31.720 --> 00:23:36.790 I want to be that guy that's really there for you, and then when it comes to my life I'll put the backpack on and carry the weight myself. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:44.550 Which, that's not really good when you want to be a missionary, like when you tell people you're going to plant a church. 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:48.400 Turns out, it takes some financial resources to do things like that. 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:51.720 So you've got to ask for some help to start churches like ABC. 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:59.520 I remember when I was in college, I was that person in life that, I don't like the spotlight, I 00:23:59.700 --> 00:23:59.940 don't like to be... 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:01.110 This right here, I don't like to do. 00:24:01.260 --> 00:24:02.580 This is not what I would pick for myself. 00:24:03.280 --> 00:24:07.730 The Lord had worked my way to change my life to pursue something like this. 00:24:09.340 --> 00:24:16.620 If it were the further back row in the darkest place that you could find serving, that would be the spot that I would want to sign up for. 00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:24.100 When I was in college I can remember teaching at different places and doing some things for professors in school, where they grade you, and then people would 00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.900 every once in a while say something nice to me. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:32.980 After being there for a few years, one of the professors finally just came out to me and said, "You know what, you really stink at taking compliments." Because would come and be like, 00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:40.760 "Good job," or, "Thank 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:49.420 you so much." I'm like, "Glory to God, whatever. 00:24:49.860 --> 00:24:55.940 Just don't draw attention to me, okay? 00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:56.540 I spoke. 00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:01.120 I'm done. 00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:01.260 I don't care. 00:25:03.080 --> 00:25:26.340 I don't want to the spotlight, 00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:29.060 no attention. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:49.700 Move on." And 00:25:51.120 --> 00:25:59.320 the professor's like, "You know, 00:26:01.520 --> 00:26:01.640 you really stink at taking compliments. 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:10.900 Just say, 'Thank you,' and move on." "Okay. 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.260 Thank you," just move on. 00:26:11.260 --> 00:26:35.000 But he shared with me why afterwards. 00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:37.160 He came on to me pretty harsh, he shared with me why afterwards. 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:43.780 He said, "Look, everyone in life has different gifts. 00:26:43.780 --> 00:26:51.800 I don't want you to be so arrogant as to assume when you serve in life that you're the only thing that matters, that when other people come to you and offer a word 00:26:51.800 --> 00:27:02.660 of encouragement or want to help, that you provide them a place to do that 00:27:44.020 --> 00:27:45.400 man. 00:27:51.800 --> 00:27:59.860 Because if 00:27:59.920 --> 00:30:06.220 you're not providing them a place to 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:18.340 do that you're not providing a place for 00:30:21.780 --> 00:31:09.660 the body of Christ 00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:09.660 to be the body of Christ. 00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:09.660 Let people serve you if they want to serve you. 00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:10.460 Let people encourage you if they want to encourage you. 00:31:13.540 --> 00:31:30.380 Let them 00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:30.870 use your gifts. 00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:35.940 You're being a blessing to them to allow them to exercise that. 00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:43.220 Don't be so proud as to not allow that to happen." I think that's what Naomi's saying to Ruth, "Look, 00:31:43.580 --> 00:31:48.200 you've asked and prayed for God's favor, you're going out into this field, and I don't want you to take the hard road because this could lead in your death. 00:31:51.460 --> 00:32:13.040 Just take 00:32:22.450 --> 00:32:37.680 God's hand of favor. 00:33:01.830 --> 00:33:04.920 Let God give you a place of rest. 00:33:04.920 --> 00:33:15.920 You think about your faith Ruth, 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:44.940 your faith has involved risk and sacrifice." The wisdom of Naomi, she's coming 00:33:44.940 --> 00:33:54.500 into her life and she's just telling her, "Look, 00:33:54.620 --> 00:34:22.219 in the midst of this risk 00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:36.780 let God strengthen you through His 00:34:36.780 --> 00:35:33.900 people." Just think 00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:35.780 of what Naomi and Ruth are involved in this moments. 00:35:35.780 --> 00:36:24.940 Ruth goes with Naomi who 00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:30.280 would likely die without her into a land where she is to be hated in. 00:36:38.520 --> 00:36:45.600 And Ruth is till 00:36:45.600 --> 00:37:10.540 young, she 00:37:10.540 --> 00:37:12.680 probably has some aspirations to get remarried. 00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:13.340 And now you think about the way she puts out her dating profile on social media. 00:37:13.340 --> 00:37:13.780 She gets on a little eHarmony that day, or some Christian Mingle. 00:37:13.780 --> 00:37:28.920 I mean, nice 00:37:28.920 --> 00:38:01.640 Christian men. 00:38:01.640 --> 00:41:05.100 She's like, "I 00:41:05.100 --> 00:41:13.680 hope he swipes right on this new Tinder app today." She puts 00:41:13.680 --> 00:41:51.560 her profile up there, it's like, "Okay, Ruth what is it we could say about you recently in life?" 00:43:31.900 --> 00:43:38.920 "Well, I would 00:43:38.920 --> 00:43:48.340 really like to meet a man that's not interested in the death of family, and when he wants to know what I have to offer, well I'm a Moabite," which his people hate, 00:43:48.880 --> 00:43:49.970 "having pursued a life of idolatry. 00:43:54.240 --> 00:44:02.160 I come with no kid, no land, no money, and by the way a nagging mother-in-law." If 00:44:02.160 --> 00:44:12.960 you read the end of chapter one, when Naomi 00:44:12.960 --> 00:45:04.720 comes back in the land she says, 00:45:04.780 --> 00:45:09.920 "Change my name from Naomi to Mara," which means bitter. 00:45:10.660 --> 00:45:16.760 "So we're sort of this package deal where you get my mother in law from my previous marriage, who is this bitter old nag. 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:16.760 Pick me. 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:16.760 But you can't call me because I don't have enough money for a phone. 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:16.760 We just live on a tent by the side of the road. 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:16.760 Hopefully we run into each other. 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:16.760 I can't wait to meet you." What is that? 00:45:16.760 --> 00:45:20.940 Risk and sacrifice. 00:45:23.480 --> 00:45:24.320 It's the genuineness of her faith being made known. 00:45:25.740 --> 00:45:26.140 Why would someone step out on those terms? 00:45:26.140 --> 00:45:26.140 Why would she be an immigrant like that? 00:45:26.140 --> 00:45:53.120 It's because she wants to know her God 00:45:53.120 --> 00:45:57.740 above all else. 00:45:58.820 --> 00:46:06.800 Because let me say it like this for us, as a way for us to examine what it means to 00:46:11.520 --> 00:46:20.840 say, "I have faith in God." If your faith hasn't involved any risk or sacrifice, can it really be trusted? 00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:22.680 Without a risk or sacrifice can you really say you're depending on God? 00:46:23.220 --> 00:46:30.400 If you haven't exercised a real dependence on God, can you truly say you've ever depended on Him 00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:30.480 at all? 00:46:31.880 --> 00:46:32.450 How do we know it's just not convenience that we call faith? 00:46:34.240 --> 00:46:37.900 I think the genuineness of our faith as first Peter six and seven says is seen in the sacrifice. 00:46:45.180 --> 00:47:01.860 Truthfully, truthfully I think this is why some 00:47:01.880 --> 00:47:05.660 people sometimes walk away from Christianity. 00:47:05.800 --> 00:47:59.380 It's because though they may have called themselves Christians they never truly had genuine faith. 00:48:14.500 --> 00:48:22.580 The evidence 00:48:22.840 --> 00:48:29.360 of the sacrifice and the value of their God wasn't made known. 00:48:39.160 --> 00:48:47.660 So when you ask the question, when 00:48:50.290 --> 00:48:58.040 you look back in your life where is 00:48:58.040 --> 00:49:37.060 the sacrifice you ever made from God? 00:49:37.060 --> 00:50:42.220 It's not there, 00:50:44.180 --> 00:50:55.820 because God 00:50:57.420 --> 00:50:59.100 isn't ultimately what mattered. 00:50:59.100 --> 00:51:26.460 In Hebrews chapter 11 00:51:30.290 --> 00:51:37.580 verse one I think that the beginning of that chapter wants us to 00:51:37.580 --> 00:51:53.320 understand the expression of our faith being for 00:51:53.380 --> 00:51:55.100 that purpose. 00:51:56.580 --> 00:52:06.100 It says, "Now faith 00:52:06.100 --> 00:52:13.920 is the conviction of things unseen." It's not to say that faith is this ambiguous guess, that you hope you're 00:52:13.920 --> 00:52:13.920 right. 00:52:14.880 --> 00:52:18.520 I think God gives us the evidence of who He is pretty clear so that we know we can trust in Him. 00:52:19.520 --> 00:52:27.480 But in the promises of what He has there's this place where we have to step out and say, "Hey God, this is who you said you are, now show it." That's 00:52:27.480 --> 00:52:28.340 what Ruth is saying in this chapter. 00:52:29.340 --> 00:52:31.640 "I'm pursuing this God, even death comes upon my life. 00:52:31.640 --> 00:52:32.720 I'm pursuing this God," and now in verse two, "God, where is your favor? 00:52:32.720 --> 00:52:32.720 God, I see you as this God of promise. 00:52:32.720 --> 00:52:33.040 Now God, I'm seeking you in those promise to demonstrate who you are." And so Hebrews chapter 11 verse one, "Now the faith is the conviction of things unseen." So the rest of Hebrews chapter 11 is full of individuals who step out as the hall of faith of individuals that step out and trusting in God. 00:52:33.040 --> 00:52:33.040 You have Noah, spending 100 years building a boat. 00:52:33.040 --> 00:52:34.390 Or Moses, with the audacity to come before Pharaoh Pharaoh and say, "Let me have the slaves." Or Abraham, who leaves Ur of the Chaldeans, in a time and place when family was everything because you relied on that family unit for protection. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 There was no police force, it was your family that got the job done for justice. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 A Peter who steps out on a boat, a Ruth who becomes an immigrant. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 The mark of genuine faith journey involves risk. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And the reality is guys, it's beautiful when you see it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That's why we read Ruth today, it's a beautiful redeeming love story of second chances. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's beautiful. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When it happens in my life and I experience with God, love it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And when I see it in other people's lives, love it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's kind of contagious, right? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you see that it just further encourages you to pursue with people around you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It kind of leaves me with a question of asking myself, how can our church be that? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Or maybe for all of us, how can our church be that kind of place where we see people stepping out and risking it for Christ, wanting to know him deeply in our life? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 How can we invite that in and how can we experience that? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 How can we celebrate that? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 How can that be written in our history? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I'm glad you asked the question, because that's where Boaz fits in. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 The second part of a faith journey also involves the experiencing and the giving of this grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Rather than just solely depending on ourselves we depend on the Lord to provide. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 In verse four it starts that way. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It says, "Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, 'May the Lord be with you.' And they said to him, 'May the Lord bless you.'" You already see the kind of person Boaz is, first verse as they introduce him. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Here's the cool thing, Elimelech, sickness and death, positioned against Boaz who means strong man. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I show my wife that every morning. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Boaz, this is strong man, this is a Godly strong man because you see it in the story. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Verse four it says, "May the Lord be with you." So Boaz is walking down the strip of the property he owns, where he is reaping, and he just shouts out to the people, "May the Lord praise you," and then the people start breaking out, "May the Lord praise you." They start this church service. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Loving it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 They're like, "Look, here comes our boss. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We love him and he loves us," and they're just happy to see one another. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That's different than some of the bosses we have. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Where like, most of us would be like, "He's coming. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Shh, quiet. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Quiet. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I think he said something. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Don't look. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Don't look." But here it is, Boaz walks past his people and they're just excited to see him because they know when Boaz is a part of their life that they're blessed and they're better for it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 This is the kind of person that drips with encouragement and joy. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You ever around that kind of Christian, I feel so good about myself every time I get away from them? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When can I go back to them? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I just see Jesus in their life. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And then it goes on and starts to describe exactly how Boaz displays this type of character in the Lord that he has. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It says in verse five, "Then Boaz said to his servants, 'Who is in charge of the reapers? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Whose young woman is this?' And the servant in charge of the reapers replied, 'She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab,' and she said, 'Please, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheathe.' Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 She has been sitting in a house for a little while." Verse say, "Then Boaz said to Ruth, 'Listen carefully my daughter, do not go to glean in another field. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Furthermore do not go on from this one, but stay here with my mates. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap and go after them. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Indeed I have commanded the servants not to touch you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you're thirsty go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.'" What kind of man is Boaz? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I mean verse one of this chapter told us he is a worthy man. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you look at verse five to 10, you can just start to see characteristics pop out as what this godly individual demonstrates in his grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's a worthy man. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's a protector. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's a provider. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's one that people are encouraged by. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's a man that gets stuff done. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He is a strong man. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Do you know the difference between a man and a child? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 A child is one that asks, "What can others do to care for me?" But a man asks, "What can I do to care for others?" In fact we looked at that when God designed man and woman in marriage in Genesis chapter one, 26 and 27. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And then in verse 28 it says, "To husband and wife be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth." Providers, caregivers. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Paul said it like this in first Timothy chapter five verse eight, "But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially his household, he is denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And so you see in the life of Boaz this place of grace in his demonstration towards Ruth. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Even in Boaz' time there were certain laws in regards to giving. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 In Boaz' day the people who commanded gave 10% to the temple. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It went to the worship in the temple in which people gathered around. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But that wasn't all they gave. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 In fact when you consider the celebrations and the festivals in Israel's history along with the restrictions they had towards giving those in need in the edges of their fields when they would harvest them, people estimate that most Israelites gave between 20% to 25% if they gave faithfully to people in need. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And then on top of that, then you find in the context of this story, Boaz gives even more. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He literally allows Ruth to eat from his profits. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 After this man gives to God and gives to the people in need, he then invites this woman. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And he his kinsman to her, meaning that his people should be taking care of her, but he's not the next in line, and yet he extends grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Boaz allows Ruth to eat from his profits, encourage her. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And then Ruth says something that's very important in recognizing who he is in her life. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It says this, "Then she fell on her face, bound to the ground and said to him, 'Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?'" Ruth even recognizes her position in this society. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 "I am a foreigner," meaning, "I don't belong." But what she identifies about Boaz here, "but the thing that helps me in this moment is your favor. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's your grace." If you want to impact your culture, men, women, this should be us. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 A real authentic faith journey. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's a place of sacrifice. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's a place of risk, and it's beautiful. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's beautiful. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 If you want to be around people that are taking those steps in their lives, you've also got to be a person of Grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We ask the question, "How can ABC experience people like Ruth whose lives are being transformed?" The answer is, be a place of grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What is ABC about? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 If we want to see God moving our value, moving our myths, moving our relationships, it's important because our goal in life is to honor God. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But to do that we've got to be a place of grace, a people of grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And so if you're new to ABC or you've been a part of our church family for a while, let me just remind you the kind of culture that we want to create. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We want to be a place of healing. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We want to be a place where lives are transformed. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 A place where we're not so much interested in where you've been but rather in where you're going. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Look, we understand that everyone in life, we have scars to work through. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But we also want us to walk in the fact that the future is bright in Christ. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Now when we say all of those things I know sometimes there's those among us that are very truth heavy individuals, and here I am talking about love, and we need to be gracious in our love. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I want us to know that when we say that as a church, we're not saying that because we understand our life is full of lollipops and gumdrops, right? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We don't just hide the truth, but we understand what the significant of the truth is. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 The purpose of truth is that truth comes in our lives to transform us. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Truth is the catalyst for life change. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 So unless you're honest with people, you don't really love them. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We don't shy away from truth because we understand its power. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Jesus said, "The truth shall set you free." But it's what you do with the truth that dictates and declares your motivation behind it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because some people will take truth and use it as a club to abuse others, that they're interest is proving more that they're right than to seek the heart of others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But I want to you to know, here at our church, the point of truth isn't to prove that we're right and other people are wrong. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you look at Christianity from a biblical perspective we approach it like this, we're all wrong. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We're all sinful. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We all need Jesus to transform our hearts. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 We all screw up, and the truth sets us free. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 The truth is a catalyst for life change. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Here's the truth, in the midst of your sin Jesus loves you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 As you seek his hand of favor, Christ has already pursued you in the cross. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Jesus loves you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 The truth for us isn't about bashing people over the head and devaluing others, but rather the truth is about serving you and your need for Jesus, to meet you where you are and love you as Christ loves you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Listen, religion is great at telling you everything that you've done wrong. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But Jesus is gracious in experiencing transformation in him. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I think in my life one of the most beautiful stories I think in scripture that remarks that thought of truth is John chapter four. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Jesus meets the woman at the well, alone, and he's truthful with her. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He tells her, "You've been married five times, the person you're with now, you're not even married to them." He's honest. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 She needs Jesus. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But you know what else Jesus says? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He's a person that loved her at a depth at which she had never experienced love in her life. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He thinks she's a Samaritan, the Jews would never talk to her. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And on top of that the Samaritans won't even talk to her, that's why she's at the well by herself. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 She is the loneliest person on earth. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And Jesus being a male who doesn't talk to females at this time, and Jesus being a Jew coming to a Samaritan, Jesus comes into her life and loves her at such a depth that she has never experienced before. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 So we talk about being a people that see this type of faith journey before our eyes and being able to celebrate that. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I think the draw to us is also to be a place of such tremendous grace that we meet people where they are and we love them as Christ would love them. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That allows us to become instruments or people that are used in the lives of others for life change. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you look at Boaz' story, let me just say it like this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 God is capable of miraculously doing whatever He wants. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He could supernaturally just change things in the life of Ruth. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But you know, more often than that the way that God desires to work? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 While He can do anything miraculously at any time, God chooses to work through you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You know why? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because you are the on that's created in His image, and you are the one that are given hands to reflect His glory and a mouth to bring Him praise. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You're the ones that God has chosen to draw people to Him in this world. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That's why we emphasize as a church passages like Matthew 16:18. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 "The gates of hell will not prevail against God's church." Or Matthew 28:19, All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Jesus and Jesus uses his authority to leverage it and you're positioned to glorify him in this world as God calls you to light up the of the world. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When we think about serving here at ABC, ministry exists for people. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's about reaching hearts. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 So I think it's important for me to just say to say, when we want to see God move in this way, we've got to see ourselves as people of grace that invite others in no matter where they are. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Here's why. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Your relationship with God is not disconnected from your relationship with others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Your relationship with God is directly connected to your relationship with others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What I'm saying to you is this, if you really want to worship God and you really want to love God, choose to worship God by the way that you love on others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You want a Bible verse with that, let me give you this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 First John 4:20, "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 For the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." Many Christians, it is impossible to say that you are practicing faith in God and you are a believer in Christ, if you then turn around and deny that faith by hating on people. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because if you love God you love the things that God loves. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And the things that God loves is people. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And the reason we know that is because Jesus gave his life for them. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 So the purpose for the church, the church is the only entity created in the world that exists for a reason outside of itself. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because if all it was about was just knowing Jesus, the moment you came to trust in Jesus God would have you taken you out of the world. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But you bear his light, to who? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 To the Ruth's, those are taking the step of faith and risk and sacrifice, needing healing, wanting to know this God. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You are the torch of grace in this world. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And so this passage is encouraging us to recognize in your life, when you do ministry it's not about accomplishing tasks. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's about reaching hearts wherever you are. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 If we want to be a place where we see people like Ruth thriving in their relationship with God, you've got to become a place of grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Now I'm not saying we're not, but I'm encouraging to say, keep walking in this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I think what God is doing here in our midst is beautiful, and I just want to continue to see that happening. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 So this morning we're just looking at the question, what is genuine faith? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Guys, can you look back and see any sacrifice or risk in your life as it relates to Jesus? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because that really is the proving ground, the testing ground to say you really have faith. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Guys, have you become people that club others in the head with truth? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Or do you really come to them serving them with it? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Are you a place of grace? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And so let me just end with this though, because I think there becomes one important question to ask. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Sacrifice will cost you, right? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But what if you choose to live this kind of life, or you are living this kind of live, and it just blows up in your face? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 There's a risk to this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What you say, "Okay God, I'm all in." You go out and you try to love on people this way, but what you get is hate. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I mean Boaz is running that risk. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He goes out and he wants to love people. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What if his own people start hating him because of his love for Ruth? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Or what if Ruth steps out and all of a sudden she gets beat up? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What if she got killed? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That could have happened. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 That was a legitimate concern. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 All this blows up in her face. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What if that happens to you? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You step out, you see this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You want to see this cultivated. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You want to see your life bringing further life because of what Jesus does in you and through you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What if you step out and do this and it just blows up in your face? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Truth is you can't have control the way others act, but you can control how you respond, and you can choose to trust into God who fights for you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Kind of let you know, for me and my family, because of the nature of what we do, I feel like at least once a year we get some sort of threat. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Sometimes to the point of a death threat, but more it's like, "I'd rather maim you and leave you hurting than kill you." But I feel like at least once a year that happens to us, sometimes multiple times. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 What do we do? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Romans 12 says it like this, I had a friend bring this passage up to me when I was a very young Christian. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It was very timely for him. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Romans 12 verse 17, listen to this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 If possible so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Never take your own revenge beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I will repay,' says the Lord. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And if he's thirsty give him a drink. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 For in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." So it's saying to us, "Look, God just created you in this world to be a light and God will take care of it." I had a friend one time come to me with this passage. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He just said, "Listen, don't waste your life on revenge, because whatever God's going to do to them is far greater than anything you could do at the expense of your energy anyway." Trust God. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Christians, what I'm saying is when you throw mud you get dirty too. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 But rather do this, let your character speak for itself. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Just let the glory of who your God is be made known in your life. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Whatever person might come against you, I mean Ruth could have turned to be a psycho woman, only in it to hoard Boaz' money. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You don't know. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He did know she was a godly woman, but just theoretically, right? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You don't know. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Let your character shine. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 You may not see it payback today or tomorrow, but it will. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And ultimately it will one day before your God. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because this is the reason we're in this faith journey to begin with. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's not about the accolades of others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's about the glory of our God. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 And so when we face these kinds of trials in our life we need to ask ourselves, what is it that I want to see as the fruit of my faith anyways? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Is it about what other people think? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Or is it about the one I want to glorify in my life? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Let God be your defender and don't stand in the way of God fighting for you. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 If you've ever taken a step out to be a place of grace or a person of grace and you've seen it come back to bite you, can I just give you a chapter of the bible? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Let it be your anthem chapter, to remind you of how to live. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 It's Psalm 37. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I'm just going to read half of the Psalm to you, but I think it's a beautiful place of rest. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Listen to this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 "Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 For they will whither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him." That's what Ruth's story is. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 I don't have time to read it but if you get to verse 11 you start to see, because she walked in this character God brought favor. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Because when you think about the genuineness of your faith journey, and maybe even ask, "How genuine is my faith journey?" I think it starts with this. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Is there sacrifice and risk that evidence the value of Jesus in my life? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 When you see the beauty of what it is for someone to walk in that way, to then say, "How can I continue to invite that around me?" Because it encourages too. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 How? 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Person of grace. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 Your relationship with God is directly connected to your relationship with others. 00:52:34.390 --> 00:52:34.390 In fact I would say if you really want to worship God, love on those around you to the glory of your God.