Thursday, May 06, 2010

835 – Faith’s Unexpected Reward

May 9, 2010

Sermon #835

Faith's Unexpected Reward

Ruth 1:16 - 17 (NKJV) 16But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever 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.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me."

  • Ruth's unexpected confession of faith

  • A Moabitess becomes a believer

    Ruth 1:1 - 5 (NKJV) 1Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. 3Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

    • Ruth was a Moabitess from the land of Moab, 120 miles north of Israel.
    • The sons of Elimelech married Moabitess
    • Mahlon chose Ruth while her best friend Orpah was give to the eager Chilion.
    • The two men both die
    • Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem

  • A decision brings a division – it always does

    • Orpah decides to remain a Moabitess
    • Ruth decides to become a Jew

      Luke 14:25 - 33 (NKJV) 25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
      26      "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
      27      And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
      28      For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
      29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
      30      saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
      31      Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
      32      Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
      33      So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.


       

    • Ruth had to leave Moab and its gods
    • Ruth had to leave her family in Moab
    • Ruth had to separate from her best friend, Orpah

  • The Decision is tested

  • The time is 13 centuries before Christ
  • Naomi and Ruth have no protector and no money beyond their barest needs
  • They crossed the Arnon and Jordan
  • Ascending mountains and descending into deep valleys
  • When they came to Bethlehem, Ruth had to take the hard task of a reaper…

    Ruth 2:1 - 9 (NKJV) 1There was a relative of Naomi's husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor."
    And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."
    3Then she left, 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 family of Elimelech.
    4Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you!"
    And they answered him, "The Lord bless you!"
    5Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, "Whose young woman is this?"


     

    6So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, "It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house."
    8Then Boaz said to Ruth, "You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn."

  • Once the decision is made, the end is predestined

Romans 8:28 - 39 (NKJV) 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?


 

36As it is written:
"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


 

Ruth 2:10 - 12 (NKJV) 10So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"
11And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

Christian Mothers – do not despair! - Naomi believed God

Acts 11:4 - 14 (NKJV) 4But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5"I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'
8But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' 9But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'
10Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.


 

11At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.' 


 

Acts 16:25 - 34 (NKJV) 25But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."
29Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"


 

31So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.


 

Psalm 103:17 - 18 (NKJV) 17But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children's children,
18To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

  • Ruth was not prepared for the next order of Naomi

Ruth 3:1 - 4 (NKJV) 1Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?
2Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do."

  • Naomi knew the Scriptures


     

    Genesis 38:6 - 11 (NKJV) 6Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him. 8And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." 9But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also.
    11Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

    ILL: The next of kin was to provide an heir for the dead!


     

  • Ruth did not know this but obeyed trusting in Naomi!

    Ruth 3:5 - 18 (NKJV) 5And she said to her, "All that you say to me I will do." 6So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
    8Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9And he said, "Who are you?"
    So she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."
    10Then he said, "Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich.


     

    11And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. 12Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning."
    14So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor." 15Also he said, "Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it." And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.
    16When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "Is that you, my daughter?"
    Then she told her all that the man had done for her.


     

    17And she said, "These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'"
    18Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."

  • Imagine what Ruth was concerned about – would Boaz think that she was a prostitute?
  • Boaz was an honorable man, an honorable man is honorable even when no one else knows what he is doing!
  • Boaz made sure there would not be any gossip.
  • Boaz handled everything in a legal manner.


     

    Ruth 4:1 - 12 (NKJV) 1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend, sit down here." So he came aside and sat down. 2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down. 3Then he said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4And I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.'"
    And he said, "I will redeem it."


     

    5Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."
    6And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it."
    7Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
    8Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal. 9And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.


     

    10Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day."
    11And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman."

Conclusion: The prophecy of the women:

Ruth 4:13 - 15 (NKJV) 13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."


 

Matthew 1:5 - 6 (NKJV) 5Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
6and Jesse begot David the king.
David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.


 

Matthew 1:24 - 25 (NKJV) 24Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
25and did not know her till she had brought forth her
firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

God will always keep His Word to a Righteous Mother! 
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