[0:00] to his praise from Psalm 147, verses 1 to 8. Psalm 147, verses 1 to 8.
[0:13] Praise ye the Lord, for it is good praise to our God to sing, for it is pleasant, and to praise it is a comely thing. God doth build up Jerusalem, and he it is alone that the dispersed of Israel doth gather into one.
[0:30] Those that are broken in their heart and grieved in their minds, he healeth, and their painful wounds he tenderly upbinds. He counts the number of the stars, he names them every one.
[0:43] Great is our Lord, and of great power, his wisdom search can none. The Lord lifts up the meek, and casts the wicked to the ground, saying to the Lord, and give him thanks.
[0:56] On harp his praises sound, who covereth the heaven with clouds, who for the earth below prepareth rain, who maketh grass upon the mountains grow.
[1:08] These stanzas, verses 1 to 8 of Psalm 147. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord, for it is good.
[1:26] Praise to our God to sing, for it is pleasant, and to praise it is a comely thing.
[1:43] God hath filled up Jerusalem, and he it is alone.
[1:55] That the dispersed of Israel doth gather into one.
[2:08] O satan's broken in their hearts, and grieved in their minds, He healed the land of painful wounds, he tenderly upbinds.
[2:33] He counts the number of the stars, he names them every one.
[2:44] Great is the Lord, and of great power, his wisdom search can none.
[2:56] The Lord lifts up the weak, and casts the wicked to the ground.
[3:09] Sing to the Lord, and gives him thanks. On harp his praises sound.
[3:21] Who cadeth the heaven with clouds, Who pour the earth below.
[3:33] Prepare a great who maketh grass, Among the mountains grow.
[3:44] Let us now call on the Lord's name in prayer. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you on this new morning, For this wonderful privilege that we enjoy.
[4:05] That we have health and strength, To be able to be present here, In the house of our God. And that we have a mind and a desire, To be here to worship you.
[4:22] The psalmist of old also said, That he joyed when to the house of God, Go up, they said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates, Our feet shall standing be.
[4:38] And he was not going up to Jerusalem for Any trivial reason at all. He was going up that he might worship you.
[4:52] As your people also go up to the house of God, To worship their maker and their saviour. That they may hear our word in season for their souls.
[5:04] And that they may know what it is to have fellowship, With God and with one another in Christ. We confess our sin this morning.
[5:15] The many shortcomings of our lives. In the secrecy of our thinking and of our lives. As well as in our public.
[5:26] Living out of our lives. We know and confess that we come short. Day by day. Even in thought and word and action.
[5:38] We ask that you would give us a true spirit of repentance. That we might come to the feet of Jesus Christ. Seeking forgiveness in his name.
[5:51] And to be cleansed in his blood. For the Bible reminds us that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin.
[6:03] The prophet of old exhorted the Israel of his day to come. And he said, Come, let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
[6:17] Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. And give us to have that faith today. That we would come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
[6:28] And place our trust and confidence in him. That our sins would be forgiven. And that our iniquity would be cleansed. We thank you for the word of God open before us this morning.
[6:42] Telling us of the greatness of our God. Who created the whole universe. Who created the moon and the sun and the stars. And that he names the stars every one.
[6:54] Great is our Lord and of great power. His wisdom search can none. Also the Lord who is so great. Also knows the intricacies and the difficulties.
[7:08] And the minuteness of the problems of our hearts and lives. You know when we are afraid. You know when we cannot take another step forward.
[7:21] For fear of what may be in the way. We thank you Lord that your grace is promised to those who don't. Trust in you. And you say that your grace is sufficient for us.
[7:34] And your strength is made perfect in our weakness. We praise you Lord that you know us where we are. And that you know us how we are. And that you are able to supply all of our needs.
[7:47] According to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. We thank you for this congregation. We pray for your blessing to be upon them. On this morning and noon.
[7:59] We remember every individual. Young and old alike. We all stand in need of your grace and of your blessing. Above everything else in the world.
[8:11] May we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. As our Lord and as our Master. We pray for your blessing upon those laid aside in sickness. Who belong to this congregation and other congregations.
[8:25] Those whom we know of. We pray that your healing hand be upon them. And that you would heal them. That they may rejoice in the Lord their healer and Saviour.
[8:36] That they may be raised up to witness for you. And that they may be raised up to sing your praises. We remember those who are mourning the passing of loved ones.
[8:48] We ask oh Lord. That your oil of consolation be poured into their hearts. And that you would bind up their broken hearts. And heal their wounds.
[9:00] We thank you that a word in season from the Lord. More than compensates. For the sorrow we so often feel. We pray then for your blessing to be upon.
[9:12] Each one of us according to your needs today. That you would lead us and guide us. As we continue with this service of worship. And as we look forward to this coming week.
[9:23] God willing. Remember the congregation as they are. Anticipate gathering for a congregational meeting. On the 28th. We pray for your blessing to be upon them.
[9:34] That you would lead them and guide them. In their choices. And that they may come to agree on a man of your choosing. Who will be set here as the under shepherd.
[9:47] To lead them and guide them in the things of God. We ask Lord that you would give them a spirit of prayer. That they may do business with you. At a throne of grace.
[9:58] In advance of this meeting. And that you would lead and guide them. As we said. To a man of your own choosing. Go before us now this morning we pray.
[10:10] Lead us and guide us. And forgive us every sin. In Jesus name we ask it. And for his sake. Amen. Amen. Now I'm going to say a few words to the children among us this morning.
[10:28] And my mind focused on these three words yesterday afternoon.
[10:40] I was thinking about this. And I thought well it would be good to say something about children in need. Now many of you will know that that's the title of a program on television.
[10:55] And it's actually been a program on television every year since the year 1980. It's called Children in Need.
[11:08] And the focus of the program is that there be money gathered to help children throughout the UK and in other parts of the world.
[11:20] People who are in great need. Particularly children. And I was reading up on this. And I read that in the most recent program there were 35 million pounds pledged or promised.
[11:39] To go to help children that are in need. And that's a little bit less than, if you can call it a little bit, less than last year.
[11:51] Last year they had 39 million pounds gathered to help children in need. And when you look at the news on television and read about it in the papers you realise that there are many children who are in need.
[12:10] In our own country. And in various parts of the world. In various parts of the world there are some children who just cannot go to school.
[12:22] Because of the way the situation is. Some of them have very little food. And some of them have little or no water.
[12:34] Except what they can get from a dirty river. And carry it home. So people like that and children like that need help certainly.
[12:48] And the 35 million pounds that was promised last program will go some way to helping these children.
[13:00] But I never came across anything in the literature about children in need that talks about the children's greatest need.
[13:16] What would you think was the greatest need of children today? Well we've spoken about the need of education, yes.
[13:27] The need for water, clean water, yes. For food, yes. For clothing, for good housing and all of that. All of these things are necessary and important. But as far as I know the program didn't mention once the greatest need that children have.
[13:48] And the greatest need that children have and that adults have is that we need to be forgiven our sins.
[14:03] We need salvation. The Bible says about us that we have all sinned and we come short of God's glory. And that's a really big problem.
[14:16] It's worse a problem than lack of housing, lack of water, lack of food, lack of clothing, lack of education. It's a greater need because it takes to do with our very souls in the presence of God.
[14:37] You see the Bible also says that we have all gone astray from God. We have all sinned and come short of His glory. All we like sheep have gone astray.
[14:50] We have turned everyone to His own way. So we need to be found. We need to be saved. And the Bible reminds us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came into the world to seek and to save the lost.
[15:14] And you children here today, you be thankful that you've heard about Jesus. And that you've got a Bible. And that you've got a Bible at home.
[15:26] And parents at home who tell you about this Good Shepherd who is able to supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[15:40] That's what the Apostle Paul wrote when he was writing to one of the churches, the church at Philippi. And he comes to the end of the letter and he's talking about the way the Philippians had helped him and sent him things to help him on.
[15:56] And then Paul says, My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[16:08] All you children here in Tolstain and all the children throughout the world, they need to be directed to the Lord Jesus who is able to do for us.
[16:23] Far above what our children in need donation can do. That can go some way to helping us. But the Lord Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.
[16:41] Children in need, you come to where the Lord Jesus speaks to us. Come to the Bible. Come to prayer. Come to the house of God to hear the word of God explained.
[16:59] Come with the people of God to worship. And the Lord Himself promises that where the two or three are gathered together in His name, He will be there in the midst of them.
[17:15] Children in need, adults in need. Jesus is able to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[17:29] May God bless these thoughts to us. Let us again sing to His praise from Psalm 107 and verses 1 to 8.
[17:44] Psalm 107, verses 1 to 8. Praise God, for He is good. For still His mercy's lasting be, that God's redeemed say so, whom He from the enemies handed free.
[17:57] And gathered them out of the lands from north, south, east and west. They strayed in deserts pathless way, no city found to rest. Down to the end of verse 8.
[18:10] To God's praise. Psalm 107, praise God, for He is good. Praise God, for He is good.
[18:22] For still His mercy's lasting be, let God's redeemed say so, whom He from the enemies handed free.
[18:50] And gathered them out of the lands from north, south, east and west.
[19:05] They strayed in deserts pathless way, no city found to rest.
[19:19] For thirst and anger in them faints, their soul when strates them pressed.
[19:36] They cry unto the Lord and He, then freezed from their distress.
[19:51] Them also in a way to walk, that right as He did guide.
[20:06] That they might to a city go, wherein they might abide.
[20:21] O that men to the Lord would give, praise for His goodness then.
[20:37] And for His word of wonder done. And for His word of wonder done. And to the sands of men.
[20:52] Amen.road sempreosis,デ bu정을, acess!
[21:20] Now let us turn to the scriptures of the Old Testament and the book of Ruth and chapter 1. The book of Ruth and chapter 1, reading at the beginning.
[21:37] Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land.
[21:57] And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Malon and Kilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah.
[22:18] And they came into the country of Moab and continued there. And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left and her two sons.
[22:29] And they took them wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years.
[22:40] And Malon and Kilion died also, both of them. And the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab.
[22:54] For she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her.
[23:07] And they went on the way to return unto the land of Moab, Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's house.
[23:19] The Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you, in the house of her husband.
[23:31] Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters.
[23:45] Why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters. Go your way.
[23:56] For I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight. And should also bear sons.
[24:07] Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? And would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters. For it grieveth me much for your sakes, that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
[24:21] And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her gods.
[24:38] Return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee. But whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge.
[24:53] Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
[25:09] When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they too went, until they came to Bethlehem.
[25:19] And it came to pass, when they would come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them. And they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara.
[25:34] For the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me.
[25:51] So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabites, her daughter-in-law with her, which returned out of the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
[26:07] Amen. May God bless to us that reading from his word. To his name be all the praise. Let us further sing to his praise, this time in Psalm 143.
[26:26] The first version of the psalm, the common meter version. Psalm 143 from verse 6. Lord, free me from my foes.
[27:03] I flee to thee to cover me. Verses 6 to 12. To the end of the psalm. To God's praise. My hands to thee I stretch.
[27:14] My hands to thee I stretch my soul.
[27:29] around third to the psalm, the psalm to thee it is Lord to hear.
[27:41] My spirit hairs. I brought thy case from me.
[27:54] Lest like to lend, like to become, that goes down to the dust.
[28:11] At morn let me thy kindness hear, for in thee too I trust.
[28:30] Teach me the way that I should walk, I lift my soul to thee.
[28:48] Lord, free me from my force, I free to thee to cover me.
[29:06] Because thou art my God, to whom thy will do me in strength.
[29:24] Thy strength is good, me to the land of the brightness of love.
[29:42] Revive and weaken me, O Lord, if for thy own name's sake.
[30:01] And do thou for thy righteousness, my soul from travel take.
[30:19] And of thy mercy slay my host.
[30:30] Let all destroy it be. That do not make my soul, for I have set my damn to thee.
[30:55] Now with the Lord's help, it is turned back to this portion of scripture we've read.
[31:08] The book of Ruth and chapter 1. And consider the words we have in that chapter. Ruth chapter 1 and focusing in particular on verse 16.
[31:25] And Ruth said, So, if a heart but death part thee and me.
[32:09] We find that at the beginning of this chapter, in Ruth chapter 1, it tells us that it was in the days when the judges ruled in Israel that this happened.
[32:29] And it says that there was a famine in the land. And it says that there was a famine in the land. After the death of Joshua, the tribes having settled securely in the land of Canaan, nevertheless, the people drifted away from the pure worship of God.
[32:53] And they involved themselves with the religions of the surrounding nations. And that always brings the Lord's displeasure upon a people.
[33:10] And it brought the Lord's displeasure upon the people in Bethlehem, Judah. Because the Lord had sent a famine into the land.
[33:22] And you find in various parts of the scripture that this is something that the Lord used repeatedly to show his displeasure against the people's sin and their turning their back upon him.
[33:43] And we see that the focus falls on a particular family. As we find that mentioned to us and explained to us in Ruth chapter 1.
[33:57] A family of a man called Elimele and his wife Naomi. And they had two sons, Malon and Kilion. And they weren't happy with the situation in Israel because of the famine.
[34:16] And rather than keep committing themselves to the Lord in their trials and afflictions, they decided to go into the country of Moab.
[34:28] Now the country of Moab really was not too far away. As far as miles goes, about 70 odd miles.
[34:40] And they could have taken a route round the southern end of the Dead Sea from Israel. And they would be into the land of Moab. But the land of Moab was very different from the land of Israel.
[34:56] From this point of view. That the land of Moab was wholly given over to idolatry. And also when you look at the history of the children of Israel, particularly during their Exodus years, that the Moabites made life very hard for the children of Israel.
[35:19] They didn't help them one bit. So they were of a different nature and of a different outlook and of a different culture, all together to the children of Israel.
[35:34] And from one point of view, it's very strange that these Israelites from Bethlehem, Judah, would go into the land of Moab for relief.
[35:46] But that's what they did. And we see what happened. That Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. She was left and her two sons.
[35:58] And they took them wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other, Ruth. And they dwelled there about ten years. And Malon and Kilion died also, both of them.
[36:12] And the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. And she herself recognises that that is an expression of the Lord's displeasure with her in taking away her husband and her two sons.
[36:29] She said that she went out full and that the Lord hath brought me home again empty. And in verse 21 it says, Why do you call me Naomi, which means pleasant and sweet?
[36:46] Rather you should call me Mara, which means bitter. That's the way she was. That's the way she felt. Came back, as it were, all shriveled up and embittered because of the hard providence that she had experienced.
[37:06] But I want to focus particularly on the verses here that tell us, from verse 12 onwards, that she meets the two daughters-in-law and that they go on their way back to Bethlehem, Judah, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had visited his people in Judah in giving them bread.
[37:35] She had heard that the crops were growing. And she said, well, I want to go back to my own country. And the two daughters-in-law decided to walk back with her.
[37:51] But I'd like just to say one or two words, first of all, about what happened when she brings both of the daughters-in-law to the place of testing.
[38:03] She tells them in verse 11, Turn again, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb that they may be your husbands?
[38:16] Turn again, my daughters. Go your way. I am too old to have a husband, and so on. And she asked them to go back to their own culture, to their own homes, to their own society in the land of Moab.
[38:33] And we see that at the beginning, both of these daughters-in-law kissed her, and they lifted up their voice, and they wept, as if they didn't want to go back to their own country, but they wanted to be with her.
[38:53] But then when she puts more pressure on them, we see that Orpah, although she wept and she kissed her mother-in-law, nevertheless, she decided to go back to her own people, her own gods.
[39:13] But Ruth clave unto her. At the end of verse 14, Ruth clave unto her mother-in-law.
[39:26] And that's what I want particularly to focus on this morning. There are three things I'd like to highlight from the way Ruth decided to stay with Naomi.
[39:40] First of all, her pleading in verse 16. Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee.
[39:53] That's the first thing, her pleading. Secondly, in the second part of verse 16, Ruth's resolution. Whither thou goest, I will go.
[40:05] And whither thou lodgest, I will lodge. And thirdly, her confession. Thy people shall be my people.
[40:19] And thy God, my God. How different from Orpah, who may have had emotional ties with Naomi, her mother-in-law, to the extent that she wept when she was parting from her.
[40:37] Nevertheless, Ruth was of a different mindset altogether. Because she wanted to be with Naomi. Because of who she was and what she was like as a believer in God.
[40:54] First of all then, we see at the beginning of verse 16 that Ruth is pleading. She had been in the company of Naomi ten years.
[41:17] It says that they were ten years there. And obviously, she had got to know Naomi very well. She was privileged to see the difference between the way of life Naomi had from the people around about her who lived an idolatrous life.
[41:41] She was privileged to be observing the worshipping of God in the home where Naomi was.
[41:53] She was privileged to see the ethical standards and the lifestyle of those who feared God. How different they were from the ethics that prevailed among the Moabites.
[42:11] And when Naomi says to her, you go back to your people. I mean, I have no more sons that you can marry.
[42:22] You know that this was the rule in Israel that if one son died, then another son from the family was duty bound to marry the widow.
[42:36] And Naomi said, I have no more sons. And even if I had a husband tonight, and if I could bear sons, would you wait for them until they would be mature enough to marry?
[42:48] No, my daughter-in-law, I have not any hope for you in that direction. Go back to where you belong to. And Ruth says, no. I cannot go back.
[43:02] Don't be pushing me to leave you. What did Ruth see in the life of Naomi that so bound her to her in her spirit?
[43:17] Well, she saw a light, I think. Just like the Lord Jesus says to us in Matthew chapter 5, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[43:33] I believe Naomi lived as a light in that dark country. And Ruth was able to see the difference.
[43:45] And she liked what she saw. We see also the apostle Peter saying the same thing. Abstain from fleshly lusts, he says, which war against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak evil against you as evildoers, they may be by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
[44:12] So Ruth was able to see the difference in the lifestyle of Naomi against the backdrop of idolatry that she was observing around her among the Moabites.
[44:30] And when Naomi says, you go back, and she says, entreat me not to leave you, I'll return from following after you.
[44:49] This is a test, isn't it, upon this young woman. She didn't know what lay ahead. The culture was going to be different.
[45:01] Didn't know anybody apart from this lady who was God-fearing. But nevertheless, she said, I want to be with you wherever you go.
[45:14] Don't push me to go back to where I have lived before. And isn't this something true? In the life of all those into whose hearts the Lord has placed the seed of saving grace.
[45:34] That's the only way we can understand Ruth's attachment to Naomi in this way. It's because the saving grace of God had been placed in Ruth's heart.
[45:52] Evidently, it hadn't been placed in Orpah's heart, at least at that time. We don't know what happened to her later on. But this is the reason why Ruth pleads to be with Naomi.
[46:08] Because the Lord had dealt savingly with Ruth in her heart. The witness of Naomi's life was blessed to her.
[46:24] And I think this is something that we have to take note of for ourselves as believers, as Christians. That our light needs to shine before men.
[46:35] Just like her light shone in the darkness of Moab. Surrounded by the idolatry of that place. Naomi's light shone. And it wasn't extinguished.
[46:48] And because it wasn't extinguished, the Lord blessed her witness. And we ask the Lord to give us also to be shining lights.
[47:00] In our own community. In our own church. In our own homes. So that people may notice. That we have been with Jesus.
[47:13] That's what they said about the disciples. When people were listening to them preaching. And they knew. That they were unlearned men. And they were amazed at what these fishermen were able to say.
[47:28] By way of preaching. And then they said. They recognized they had been with Jesus. How many people know. By my speech.
[47:40] And by my lifestyle. That I have been with Jesus. How many people know. By your speech and behavior. That you have been with Jesus.
[47:51] Well this is what was through here. That's why she was saying. Intrigue me not to leave you. Or to return from following.
[48:03] After you. But secondly. She makes a resolution. The second part of verse 16.
[48:16] She says. Whither thou goest I will go. And where thou lodgest. I will lodge. I will go.
[48:28] Wherever you go. I don't know where you're going. But I like your company. Isn't this true?
[48:40] Concerning Abraham of old. When you read in the book of Acts. That the God of glory. Appeared to Abraham. In Ur of the Chaldees. And he told him.
[48:52] Get out from this place. To a place I will show you. And the Bible says. He went out. Not knowing. Whether he went. Didn't know where he was going.
[49:05] But he had met. The Lord of glory. And that meeting. That he had with the Lord of glory. In his spirit. Motivated him. Motivated him.
[49:16] To change the direction of his life. Away from the idolatry. Of Ur of the Chaldees. And he went out. Not knowing where he went. He was in the company.
[49:29] Of the Lord. And we see also. In the experience of Moses. Moses. Moses. Who was.
[49:41] Raised. In the palace of Pharaoh. As the son of Pharaoh's daughter. And he had access. To the riches of Egypt. And the. All the.
[49:54] Fame. And. Attractiveness. That went along with that high position. But it says. In Hebrews. Chapter 11. That when he was come of age.
[50:07] He says. I don't want. To be called. The son of Pharaoh's daughter. I want to suffer. Affliction. With the people of God. Rather than.
[50:18] Enjoy the pleasure of sin. For a season. What. Changed. Moses's mind. And attitude. So that he turned.
[50:30] His back. Upon. All the riches of Egypt. And he involved himself. With a people. Who were enslaved. And.
[50:42] Tyrannized. By the Egyptians. Well it says. It's by faith he did it. In other words. The grace of faith.
[50:52] The grace of God. Came into his heart. And life. And that gave him. A new perspective. On things. The greatness of Egypt.
[51:03] Is long gone. But the people of God. Are still close to the heart. Of God. And the greatness. And the riches. Of Egypt.
[51:14] Have all evaporated. As it were. But the grace of God. Continues. And the things. And the things. That God promises. Do not evaporate. And this is why she says.
[51:32] Where you go. I will go. Where do you go. As a follower.
[51:44] As a follower of Jesus. Well you go. First and foremost. To the Lord himself. Don't you. And you do business with him.
[51:55] In the privacy. And the secrecy. Of your own soul. And you go to the word of God. Which is the only rule. Given to direct us. So we may glorify.
[52:06] And enjoy him. And you search. The word of God. In the emptiness. Of your soul. And in the trials. Of your life. And you come up against.
[52:17] Face to face. With answers. For your problems. And words of encouragement. In the dark days. Of your life. That's what Naomi was doing.
[52:32] And that's what. Ruth saw her doing. And she said. I want to do. What you're doing. The Lord who is. Great.
[52:43] In his grace. Towards you. I want him to be great. In his grace. Towards me. She wants to be with the Lord's people.
[52:57] There's a lovely verse there. In the song of Solomon. Chapter 1. Verse 7. It says. Tell me. O thou. Thou. O thou. Whom my soul. Loveth. Where thou feedest.
[53:11] And where thou makest thy flock. Rest at noon. You see. It's in the picture we have. Of her following the flock of Christ.
[53:25] And she knows that at noon. The good shepherd takes his flock. To be under the shade of some trees. That the intense midday sun.
[53:37] Does not upset them. And she wants to be with the people of God. Knowing that the good shepherd is in charge of them. And he does wisely with them.
[53:49] And he does well. With them day by day. And Ruth says. Where you go I will go.
[54:04] Isn't this what you want to do? To be where the good shepherd is. To be sitting at his feet. Just like Mary of old was.
[54:16] Martha was doing her own kind of thing. Serving. But Mary sat at his feet. Listening to his word.
[54:28] And the Bible says that she chose. The good part. That shall not be taken from her. We need to come and sit at his feet. That's what the people of God are doing.
[54:38] When they come to the house of God. When they come to the house of prayer. They come. And they wait for a word in season. From the great shepherd of their souls.
[54:51] And they love to be in each other's company. Because they see. Jesus. In the face. Of their brothers and sisters in Christ.
[55:04] Does anyone see Jesus in my face? Does anyone see Jesus in your face? Well. This is what she saw.
[55:18] I believe. With Naomi. Where you go. I will go. And where thou lodgest. I will lodge. She didn't know.
[55:31] Where they were going to lodge. there was nothing certain for them when they went home to Bethlehem Judah I mean there wasn't a five star or even a three star hotel earmarked for them when they went there they didn't know what was there but it was enough for Ruth that she lodged with Naomi she had fellowship with her in her spirit and she said where you go I go where you lodge I will lodge where does the Christian lodge where every true believer lodges with Christ the Christ of the gospel he says come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest he is the one who is the mediator between God and man and he is the one who is able to supply all of our needs according to his riches in glory we need to go and lodge with him what an amazing invitation he gives he says come to me and I will give you rest have you come and if you haven't come why haven't you come what a dishonor to the glorious inviter of your soul that you give him such a rebuff and turn away well she said where you lodge I will lodge under his shadow with great delight as the church in the song of Solomon says and his fruit was sweet to my taste so that is her resolution to go where Naomi goes and to lodge where Naomi lodges and then thirdly and finally the confession she makes she says thy people thy people thy people thy people thy people thy people thy people my people who were the Israelites that you meant by thy people well they were a people who were in covenant with the God of all the earth the eyes of the Lord were upon this people when you go back as far as Abraham and you realize that God had made a covenant with Abraham and he had made a covenant promising him that he would give the land of Canaan to his seed there were a people who were redeemed from the land of Egypt taken through the wilderness with such care and affection and given the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey and she says that's the people I want to belong to people who are close to the heart of the Lord
[59:33] for whom the Lord has done so many great things for whom the Lord continues to do great things for whom the Lord promises to do great things even throughout eternity your people shall be my people oh you see I know some of the people who profess to be God's people and I find faults in their lives of course you do that's why they're still here it's at death that the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness none of the Lord's people in this life are perfect they have imperfections in their thinking in their attitudes in their lifestyles and when the Lord teaches them that that is so they mourn over their imperfections and they confess their sins and shortcomings but the time will come and they will not be imperfect at last their soul and body in heaven shall be perfect in holiness if you saw one of the people whom you with whom you find fault as Christians coming back after the Lord has cleansed all their sins
[61:15] C.S. Lewis says if they came back as the Lord will ultimately perfect them he will be tempted to bow down and worship them such will be the change when the Lord undertakes to sanctify wholly his people but while they are in this world although they are imperfect they have a beauty and a loveliness because Christ has smiled on them and his smile remains upon their soul and they radiate that smile in their dealings and in their speech and she said your people are my people I want to be with them in life I want to be with them in death I want to be with them in eternity and your God shall be my God what kind of God is it the only true God all the gods of Moab they were passing the God
[62:29] Molech and the God Chemosh and the Baals with all their associated regional subdivisions of gods all of these have gone but our God is the Lord who has created the heavens and the earth and the God of creation is the God of salvation also God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life what an amazing God that is a covenant God covenant keeping God a God who promises to give salvation to the repentant and who doesn't renege on his promises any of his promises he's a merciful God because the Bible says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when you think back over the years of your life and the number of things that cause you to blush even things that were done in secret the Lord has promised that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us all of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness unrighteousness
[64:07] Ruth may have been very much involved with the worship of the people of her nation before she met Naomi we don't know it is highly likely that she was brought up in that culture but now she has discovered the living God the God of all grace the God of salvation and she said your people shall be my people and your God my God you have heard of this saviour over the years why are you staying so far away from him Ruth from Moab embraced this living God this living saviour for herself and she was received when you embrace the Lord
[65:12] Jesus Christ who is freely offered in the gospel he will receive you too and you shall be like Ruth rejoicing in God your saviour may God bless these thoughts to us let us pray help us to be thankful for the word of God opened before us and give us to rejoice in God our saviour today that he is a God who does not change with the passing of the years that your word is still the word of truth that your word is a word of life to those who believe we thank you also that you are the God of providence and that you appointed this mysterious providence in the life of Ruth that you would meet
[66:14] Naomi in a foreign country and nevertheless was part of your eternal plan to bring Ruth into that line of men and women who at last would culminate in not only King David but the King of Kings in our nature the Lord Jesus Christ give us to be amazed at your providence and give us to enjoy your grace go before us now Lord and come out to lead us in the evening service we pray if we see it and forgive our sins in Jesus name for his sake Amen we will bring your worship to our close at this time singing to God's praise from Psalm 73 Psalm 73 and verses 25 to the end of the
[67:20] Psalm Psalm 73 at verse 25 whom have I in the heavens high but thee O Lord alone and in the earth whom I desire besides thee there is none my flesh and heart doth faint and fail but God doth fail me never for of my heart God is the strength and portion forever to the end of the Psalm Psalm 73 verses 25 to the end to God's praise whom have I in the heavens high whom I wasn't inAs outstanding whom have I in the heavens that may Ky O Lord, alone, and in the earth, whom I desire, besides the dead is none.
[68:29] My flesh and heart, that limp and veil, that God that is me, the earth, of all my heart, for this best strength, and love for us, our Lord, alone, and in the earth, whom I desire, besides the dead is none.
[69:16] as here It is good for me that I come here to God.
[69:56] In God whom I trust that all thy works I may declare the Lord.
[70:14] Amen. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.
[70:44] Amen.