Now can we turn together in our Bibles to the book of Ruth.
The Old Testament book of Ruth and chapter 3.
Book of Ruth chapter 3.
We've come to this next stage in our story where we think about the plan that Naomi puts in place for Ruth's future.
So Ruth chapter 3.
We'll read the whole chapter.
One day Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her,
My daughter, I must find a home for you where you will be well provided for.
Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours.
Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes.
Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
When he lies down, note the place where he is lying.
Then go and uncover his feet and lie down.
He will tell you what to do.
I will do whatever you say, Ruth answered.
So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,
he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.
Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
In the middle of the night something startled the man.
He turned, and there was a woman lying at his feet.
Who are you? He asked.
I am your servant, Ruth, she said.
Spread the corner of your garment over me,
since you are a guardian redeemer or a kinsman redeemer of our family.
The Lord bless you, my daughter.
He replied, this kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier.
You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
And now, my daughter, don't be afraid.
I will do for you all you ask.
All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.
Although it is true that I am a guardian redeemer of our family,
there is another who is more closely related than I.
Stay here for the night,
and in the morning, if he wants to do his duty as your guardian redeemer,
good, let him redeem you.
But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives,
I will do it.
Lie here until morning.
So she lay at his feet until morning,
but got up before anyone could be recognized.
And he said, no one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.
He also said, bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.
When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley
and placed the bundle on her.
Then he went back to town.
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law,
Naomi asked, how did it go, my daughter?
Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added,
he gave me these six measures of barley, saying,
don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.
Then Naomi said, wait, my daughter,
until you find out what happens.
For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.
Amen.
This is God's word for us this evening.
Quite likely you have heard it said that home is where the heart is.
But perhaps we recognize in a city,
maybe especially like Edinburgh,
that it's sometimes a complicated question
to find out exactly where we feel home is.
Again, recently last week I was in a coffee shop
and listening to someone talk about that,
having moved multiple times as a child
and then moved around as an adult,
moving for study and for work.
Where are one's roots?
Really easy question for some of us
and a really complicated question for others.
I guess instinctively we know
that a place that we can call home,
perhaps a people that we belong to,
that's something that we value,
and that's security, that rest.
But as we find as people,
we're moving for study and for work,
perhaps for marriage, for adventure.
The question of where to find that sense of home
can be a lot harder for people to come by.
Well, the idea of finding a home
and finding a resting place
is one of the dominant themes of the book of Ruth.
And here at the beginning of chapter 3,
we find Naomi feels responsible
to provide this home, this place of rest.
Naomi had already said that
in chapter 1, verse 9,
her desire to find for Ruth
a place of rest,
a home for her.
And now she's back to that theme.
But standing above Naomi's plan
and very much within God's plan
is that desire to give Ruth
a home from which the royal family will come,
from which David will come,
ultimately Jesus comes.
So chapter 3, we see home
as one of the dominant themes.
But there's another theme
and it's kind of connected,
the idea of the Redeemer.
So that was very much in view last week,
Ruth chapter 2,
here's Boaz and he's the kinsman Redeemer.
And Naomi in this chapter has this plan
and it very much brings
these two themes together.
Her hope and desire
is that in Boaz,
the kinsman Redeemer,
Ruth can find home.
And those themes we find linked
in other stories also.
Got me thinking of the Toy Story movies.
Boys and girls,
if you've watched the Toy Story movies,
there are certain themes
that keep coming back.
Either Woody or Buzz
will find themselves getting lost
because of some adventure or other.
And then either Woody or Buzz
along with the rest of the toys
have to come and rescue,
always rescuing
so that they might be brought home.
Brought home to Andy
or brought home to the rest of the toys,
whatever it might be.
But a Redeemer
who brings someone home.
And we can find that here.
But we can also, I think,
perhaps find that
in our own hearts as well.
Do we recognize that longing,
that looking for
a saviour,
someone or something
that will give us
a place of security,
someone or something
that will provide us
with a sense of identity,
someone or something
who will provide us
that rest.
Keith read for us
from Luke chapter 15.
Tim Keller
in his book,
The Prodigal God,
makes the observation
that sin
involves looking to someone else
besides God
for our salvation.
And Luke chapter 15
in many ways
is the classic example
of two ways
that we can do that.
So we find in
the prodigal son's story
the younger son
who wants to find himself
by living wild and free
and ignoring all the rules.
And then
we find the older brother
who wants to
find his identity
by proving himself
and being super moral
and obedient.
And so we find ourselves
perhaps as people
instinctively looking
for someone or something
to save us
and to say,
I have meaning
and I have value
because of this one
or this thing.
And again,
the story of Ruth
tying in with the story
of the Bible
said that's God's desire
for us.
God's desire
that we would find
our identity,
our salvation
in the Redeemer,
Jesus,
that the Father
has provided for us.
So that's just
to set the scene.
Let's get into our text
and let's look at
the first six verses
and recognize
Naomi's plan.
Before we get there,
confession,
I am a fan
of Pride and Prejudice.
I'm not afraid to say that,
especially the BBC
dramatization,
wonderful effort.
I couldn't help
but think of
Mrs. Bennett
when thinking about Naomi.
She is the biblical
version, I think.
If you don't know
the story of Pride and Prejudice,
you meet the Bennett family
and Mrs. Bennett
is very concerned.
Her family
once
grand estate
at risk of poverty
because they only
have daughters
and so
much of the story
finds Mrs. Bennett
trying to find a match
for her girls.
Find the right man
with the right money
with the right estate.
There is
security.
Shame is not
going to come.
Naomi
understands
her and Ruth
in a very vulnerable
position.
There is no security
for them
to widows
trying hard
to survive
in Israel.
And so
Naomi
takes the initiative
in verse 1,
My daughter,
I must
find a home
for you
where you will
be well
provided for.
More than just
a house,
a place of security,
provision,
family,
love.
And it's really
interesting as the
chapter develops
this idea
that one of the
things that a
husband will do
is to provide
shelter.
In chapter 2
in verse 12
Boaz said,
May you be
richly rewarded
by the Lord
the God of Israel
under whose wings
you have come
to take refuge.
That idea of
covering and
protection
as a gift
and a blessing.
And we see very much
this is Naomi's
desire.
There will be
someone who will
cover and
protect Ruth.
She has someone
in view.
Verse 2
is Boaz.
Now Boaz
with whose women
you have worked
is a relative
of ours.
So again,
if you weren't
here,
chapter 2,
what we find
is God
in his providence,
God in his
goodness,
bringing Ruth
to come to
work in the
field of Boaz
and Boaz
coming to
the field
and desiring
to show
kindness
and favour
to Ruth.
And so Naomi
is looking at
that,
recognising
here is God's
provision,
now it's time
to act,
to seek to
find this
home from
Boaz.
And then we
get to verses
3 and 4.
And one of the
interesting things
about the Bible,
isn't it,
is it gives us
insights into
the way other
cultures work
because we have
details that
seem so
perhaps odd
to us.
We understand
Ruth putting on
perfume and
getting dressed
up,
but then the
idea of waiting
till Boaz
falls asleep
and then
sort of uncovering
his feet and
lying under the
cloak seems
unusual.
To me,
anyway,
it seems unusual.
But it's given
us a little insight
into the way
things were done
in other cultures.
Then when we
worked in Glasgow
and we worked
in an international
cafe,
we did one
week where we
explored together
different wedding
practices.
And it's really
interesting to
share cultures.
One of the great
things about living
in cities is now
you get to share
culture.
So I discovered
in China,
traditionally,
rather than
white dresses,
red dresses would
be common,
important colour
for love and
loyalty and those
kind of things.
In Uzbekistan,
we had some
Uzbek students
and they had
a ceremony
where a bride
would be,
as it were,
kidnapped by the
family and then
the groom would
have to go to
the house and
give some gifts
to redeem
the bride.
Not so far away
from redemption
prices that we
have here.
Well,
in Bethlehem,
at the time of
Ruth,
it seems like
this idea of
being covered
by a cloak,
by a garment,
it was a symbol
like, I guess,
our engagement ring.
Here is a commitment
as she wants
Boaz to give
that security,
that protection,
that provision.
And Ruth,
we learn in
verses 5 and 6,
is going to
obey,
I will do
whatever you
say.
It's a risky
scheme.
Here is a woman
going at night
into the fields,
bearing in mind
that she is a
foreigner,
she has no
natural claim
to Boaz,
his heart,
or to Boaz,
his kindness.
But she's trusting.
She's trusting that
God is working out
his good purposes,
and so she's going
to act.
And one of the
things we see as
the story develops
is behind this
bold plan
on Naomi's part
stands God's
purpose,
and we've said that
all throughout.
God has the desire
to give Ruth a home
and a place of
rest.
Because that's
something that's
dear to God's
heart.
That's something
that he wants
to give to
his people.
That's something
he wants to
give to you
and me.
It's a thread
that weaves
its way all
through the
storyline of
the Bible.
Go back to
Genesis 1 and 2,
go back to
the Garden of
Eden,
and what do we
find there?
We find Eden
was a home
for Adam
and for Eve.
It's a place
where they knew
God's kindness.
It's a place
where they knew
God's presence.
It's a place
where they were
invited into
God's rest.
God's good design.
Think about
the story of
Old Testament
Israel.
From Abraham
onwards,
what was the
great hope
and the promise?
It's the land
of Israel,
the promised
land,
a place where
they would know
peace and
security and
rest if they
would obey
God.
And then with
the coming of
Jesus,
these themes
return.
Matthew chapter
11,
wonderful words,
come to me,
all you who are
weary,
a burden,
and I will
give you
rest.
That rest is
found when we
take the yoke
of Jesus and
learn from
him.
Life with
Jesus,
learning from
Jesus,
being a follower
of Jesus,
is true
rest.
True rest
comes when we
know God
and we are
living life
with God,
and that's
found in
knowing
Jesus.
And then
when we
think about
the imminent
departure of
Jesus as he
anticipates the
cross and he
speaks to his
troubled disciples,
John 14,
he speaks to
them of his
father's house.
My father's
house has
many rooms,
if it were not
so,
would I have
told you?
And he says,
I'm going
there to
prepare a
place and
I'll come
back and
take you to
be with me
that you
might be
where I
am.
So now,
Jesus wants
for us when
we think about
home and rest
to think of
this is the
reality of
our future
salvation.
Future
salvation is
being at
home with
the Lord
and enjoying
perfect rest,
unbroken rest
for all
eternity.
And that
takes us all
the way to
the end of
the Bible,
to Revelation
21,
and there we
have these
wonderful words.
Look,
God's dwelling
place,
God's home,
is now
among his
people.
God himself
will be with
them and be
their God.
heaven is
home,
the new
heavens and
the new
earth are
true home
for the
people of
God.
And the
imagery that
goes in
Revelation
21 is
wedding
imagery.
Jesus is
the groom
and his
church is
his made
beautiful
bride.
So Naomi's
plan to
give Ruth a
home and
rest is
for us a
window to
see God's
greater plan
to give us
a home
and a
rest in
trusting
Jesus and
having faith
in him and
having that
hope of
future salvation,
future joy.
This is God's
promise and
it's a wonderful
promise when we
think about the
times that we
live in,
how anxious
many people
are,
how restless
so many
people are.
There is a
home,
there is
rest.
We came
across on
Netflix,
a documentary
called
Found,
which follows
the story
of three
girls who
were abandoned
as tiny
babies in
China and
ended up
being adopted
in American
families.
And then
these three,
it turned
out they were
cousins,
they made
this journey
back to
China to
try and
find their
biological
parents.
And you
know our
instinct to
find the
happily ever
after story,
you're sort
of watching this
documentary and
you're just
waiting for,
and then the
detective who's
hired finds
the family.
They never
find their
family.
There's that
longing for
home and
that connection
but it's
never found
as yet.
But I
wonder do we
recognise that
sense of
restlessness that
there often is
in our own
hearts and
then do we
see how the
promise of the
gospel is
such good
news?
in this
life we
discover yes
there is
love but
also there
is loss.
Perhaps we
find a place
where we
really feel
that we
belong but
there are
also times
where we
feel like
strangers.
And all
the way
along we
are invited
to know
and to
remember that
we were
made to
be at
home with
God now
and forever.
when we're
trusting
Christ
when he
has our
heart
we have
that promise
of an
eternal
home
of eternal
rest
that right
now we are
pilgrims
passing through
this world
is not our
home.
Where is
our true
home?
Where do we
look to find
rest?
Are we looking
to find our
rest?
In Jesus
so there's
the plan
and then the
middle section
is really the
plan in action
verses 7
to 13
so as we
said this is a
bold maneuver
it's a risky
maneuver
this is something
that happens
at night
time
what do we
find Ruth
doing in
the field?
She's tracking
Boaz's
movements
she sees
where he
goes to
sleep
she creeps
by perhaps
the other
workers
she picks
up a
corner of
his cloak
she covers
herself
and she
lies down
to wait
to see
how Boaz
will react
to wait
and see
how God's
going to
work it
all out
and then we
get verse 8
in the middle
of the night
something startled
the man
he turned
and there
was a woman
lying at
his feet
and we
perhaps know
the experience
of waking
up in the
middle of
night
were a bit
chilly
because perhaps
our feet
had been
poking out
the bed
covers
but I
can almost
rest assured
that nobody
has had
this experience
so Boaz
is startled
no surprise
verse 9
he asks
the obvious
question
who are you
it's very
dark
listen to
Ruth's
words
I am
your servant
Ruth
spread the
corner of
your garment
over me
since you
are a
guardian
redeemer
of our
family
so here
is Ruth's
request
she requests
this covering
this protection
and she
couples that
with
Boaz
you're one
of our
kinsmen
redeemers
you put
those two
things together
and what
do we
have
we have
Ruth
in effect
as a
servant
as a
foreigner
making a
marriage
proposal
to Boaz
what a
proposal
Boaz
never saw
it coming
Ruth
calls
herself
a
servant
she
knows
her
only
chance
of
success
lies
in
Boaz's
kindness
ultimately
in
God's
grace
and that's
where Boaz
comes again
as such a
wonderful
character
such a
wonderful
help to
point us
to the
character
of Jesus
what does
Boaz do
verse 10
the Lord
bless you
my daughter
this kindness
is greater
than that
which you
showed
earlier
again
here's
this word
hesed
this word
of
kindness
so his
first instinct
is to
again
praise
Ruth
for her
loyalty
and devotion
to Naomi
but also
to praise
her for
the loyalty
and devotion
now she's
showing to
Boaz
she could
have gone
after someone
younger
or richer
perhaps
but no
she's stuck
with
faithful
Boaz
and we
find
Boaz
is wonderfully
determined
to seek
her
welfare
verse 11
now my
daughter
don't be
afraid
I will
do
for you
all you
ask
he knows
there's
someone
closer
another
kinsman
redeemer
but he
promises
he's not
going to
let the
matter
drop
he's
going to
work
to
resolve
this
we
find
in
Boaz
someone
who
is
wonderfully
willing
to pay
the price
of
redemption
again
think about
the social
cost
because
Ruth is
from Moab
she's a
foreigner
she's a
natural
outsider
think about
the financial
cost
taking on
Naomi
and Ruth
but
Boaz
gladly
acts
in the
spirit
of the
kinsman
redeemer
and he
takes in
verse 13
an oath
before the
Lord
as surely
as the
Lord
lives
I
will
do it
and we
see as the
story develops
he becomes
the Lord's
means of
blessing
Ruth
of providing
for Ruth
and for
Naomi
and again
just to
pause and
to frame
this story
within the
bigger
Bible
story
because
the story
of Naomi
and Ruth
and Boaz
really takes
us to
the gospel
so many
times
perhaps
we can
think about
the reality
that
Christianity
is at
heart
a rescue
religion
it recognizes
that we
are sinful
people
and that
if there
is to
be any
hope of
us being
reconciled
to a
holy
God
we need
someone
from outside
of ourselves
to save
us
to reconcile
us
to redeem
us
our need
is far
greater than
the very
real needs
facing Ruth
and Naomi
for them
it was the
risk of
poverty
and the
lack of
having someone
to keep
on a
family line
insecurity
poverty
but for
us we
need to
understand
that by
nature
because of
our sin
we stand
in a
position of
guilt
before a
holy
God
without
Jesus
we stand
condemned
before
the
righteous
judge
under
his
righteous
anger
ultimately
without
Christ
heading
for
eternal
homelessness
eternal
restlessness
in hell
away from
God
and everything
that is
good
and we
need to be
aware of
that
we need
to be
aware of
the urgent
need that
we all
face
to be
right with
God
to find
the right
redeemer
our hope
and our
rescue
does not
lie
within
ourselves
it's not
let me
try a
little bit
harder
let me
turn over
a new
leaf
let me
begin
some
religious
practices
no we
need
our
kinsman
redeemer
we need
Jesus
to take
on flesh
to dwell
among us
ultimately
to die
for us
and we
discover
in Jesus
one who
is willing
to pay
the redemption
price
as we're
told in
the book
of
first
Peter
we're
redeemed
not with
silver
gold
but by
the precious
blood of
the Lord
Jesus
is the
one who
covers us
not with
a garment
but with
the garment
of his
spotless
righteousness
so we
can be
welcomed
and loved
as Jesus
himself
is loved
and Jesus
has so
acted
in his
death and
resurrection
that he
has secured
for us
an eternal
home
and eternal
rest
that we
receive by
faith
before moving
on
maybe it's
worth us
thinking about
the character
of the
church that
this should
produce
when we
think about
someone like
Boaz
shouldn't we
want to be
this kind
of community
where we
are actively
looking to
extend grace
kindness
that crosses
countries and
cultures
that reaches
to the
lonely
and to
the isolated
where we're
pointing by
our words
and our
actions to
Jesus the
Redeemer
to where
home and
rest is to
be found
Paul in
2nd Corinthians
5 says
that we're
ambassadors of
Christ and
we're agents
of reconciliation
therefore we
have this
calling to
serve others
like Boaz
to seek
their welfare
like Boaz
to seek
to honour
like Boaz
that others
might come
under the
wings of
God and
find rest
with him
we come to
the last
section from
verse 14
to verse
18
again
if Naomi
reminded me
of Mrs
Bennett
I couldn't
help but
think of
Hannibal
from the
A team
some of
us I'm
sure are
old enough
to remember
Hannibal
every episode
same line
usually with
a cigar in
his mouth
I love it
when a plan
comes together
and don't
we see
the wonderful
way that
God has
been working
out his
plan and
Naomi begins
to appreciate
remember she
started off
with that
sense of
bitterness
towards
God
but now
God is
working for
her and
she can see
it and
she knows
this is
going to
end well
but picture
Naomi here
is Ruth
she's just
got up
she's got
her barley
she's coming
back home
we can imagine
Naomi can't
we up all
night waiting
to see Ruth
coming waiting
to find word
so verse 16
when Ruth came
to her mother-in-law
Naomi asked
how did it go
my daughter
then she
told her
everything
Boaz had
done for
her and
added
he gave
me these
six measures
of barley
saying don't
go back to
your mother-in-law
empty handed
that barley
is a message
to Naomi
it's a message
of Boaz's
commitment
to her
family
commitment
to act
a sign
of good
faith
and our
chapter ends
with waiting
Naomi said
wait my
daughter
until you
find out
what happens
for the
man will
not rest
until the
matter is
settled
today
she
understands
the character
of Boaz
here is a
redeemer who
will not
wait
he'll not
keep us
waiting
he is going
to work
and to make
sure that
Ruth and
Naomi
will be
redeemed
so here is
Naomi looking
back on this
plan which
was a bold
plan but
ultimately we
know it was
God's plan
remember that
the way Ruth
is written
it reminds us
at the end
that Naomi and
Ruth are
connected to
the royal
family
to the line
of David
God had this
plan to
establish
his royal
line
the king
after his
own heart
ultimately
Jesus
his son
and saviour
as king
and this is
all part
of God's
wonderful
redemption
story
the story
of Ruth
and Boaz
is a great
love story
but there is
a greater
love story
standing
over
and above
it
God's
love story
the story
of Jesus
the son
who left
his home
left his
place of
rest
leaving
glory
the glory
of heaven
coming to
earth
ultimately
to pay
the
ultimate
price
giving
his
life
to
redeem
foreigners
like us
foreigners
to God's
grace
foreigners
to God's
promises
without hope
and without
God
in the world
except for
God's
grace
and God's
redeeming
love
Ephesians
5
speaking of
how
marriage
points us
to the
gospel
speaks of
Jesus
as the
bridegroom
who loves
his church
his bride
who gives
himself
for his
bride
who has
washed
his bride
clean
and will
present her
to himself
as holy
and beautiful
home
and rest
found in
eternal
fellowship
with
the Lord
Jesus
that's
where
God's
love
story
ends
for the
church
and you
know
just as
we leave
the story
with that
promise
that Boaz
as redeemer
will not
rest
until the
job is
done
Jesus
our redeemer
is not
resting from
his work
today
Jesus
is still
praying
for his
church
his bride
Jesus
is still
sending
his spirit
to his
church
Jesus
is still
calling
others
home
to himself
and we
know that
Jesus
ultimately
will not
rest
until all
his people
his whole
church
throughout
history
is at
home
with
him
his
love
for us
is so
great
that he
has bound
his heart
to the
heart
of the
church
he has
bound
his
joy
to
ours
so as
we
enjoy
this
wonderful
love
story
let's
remember
God's
great
love
for his
church
and we'll
come back
next week
to see
how it
all
finishes
now
let's
pray
together
Lord
our
God
we thank
you that
throughout
the
Bible
there are
so many
stories
and pointers
and pictures
towards
your
redeeming
love
thank you
that Jesus
taught us
to read
the Old
Testament
and to
see him
as the
fulfillment
and so
we are
glad
to recognize
that Boaz
is just a
faint shadow
of Jesus
the perfect
Redeemer
thank you
for his
willingness
to act
as our
kinsman
Redeemer
thank you
for his
willingness
to go
to the
cross
to pay
the
redemption
price
to free
us from
our sin
by his
precious
blood
thank you
for his
ongoing
commitment
to his
church
his bride
thank you
that he
will
present
us to
himself
in the
end
holy
and
beautiful
Lord
in those
days
when we
feel
restless
and
homeless
may we
recognize
that you
are drawing
our hearts
to find
our rest
in you
that while
we can
place
so much
time
and energy
on
building
a house
today
may we
be so
much more
careful
to be
preparing
for our
eternal
home
give us
that wisdom
and give
us that
joy
increase
our
understanding
of your
great love
for us
we pray
in Jesus
name
amen
now
our
closing
hymn
speaks
to us
of
the
call
of
Jesus
to
find
rest
in
him
I
heard
the
voice
of
Jesus
say
come
unto
me
and
rest
so
let's
stand
and
let's
sing
together
amen