WEBVTT

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 We ask, Father, that your word would grip us.

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 We know, Father, that it's impossible for us to read your word day by day and always have it grip us.

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 And we ask, Father, that for those of us who are in Jesus, you would help us to hear part of your word and read part of your word every day.

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 But now, Father, as we gather around your word, we ask that you would bring your word home to us,

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 that you would help us, Father, to be honest with ourselves and honest with you in light of your word.

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 And we ask that your Holy Spirit, Father, would bring Jesus very close to us as we hear your word.

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 And we ask that Jesus would just have his way in the very center of our lives and to the very end of our lives.

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 And we ask this in Jesus's name. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So because I watch Netflix and Amazon Prime and I'm always looking for a good show to find,

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 it's not uncommon that around the family and with other places that people will say,

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 somebody will say to me, oh, George, you know, you should watch this movie.

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 And if my kids are there and if they've seen the movie or heard of it,

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 they'll often very, very quickly say, actually, I'm going to turn from this mic to this mic.

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 Done? Perfect.

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 Anyway, so one of the things my kids will often say when somebody recommends a movie to me

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 is they'll say, Dad is not going to like this movie because nobody gets shot and nobody dies.

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 And so they think I only like movies.

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 I mean, I have to confess.

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 Okay, don't do what I say, okay?

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 This is confession.

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 I like watching Die Hard at Christmastime.

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 I mean, you know, what can I say?

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 Like they're a little bit, it's not as if my children do not know me, okay?

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 Okay, so, and so anyway, and another thing they would say about me is that I generally don't like romantic comedies.

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 So I know I've just alienated a large group of the room, but that's just, you know, full disclosure time.

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 So one of the problems we have today, if you're just a guest, we're going through the Gospel of Ruth,

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 not the Gospel, the Gospel of Ruth, yeah.

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 We're going through the Book of Ruth, and we're going to read it in a moment.

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 If you have your Bibles, you might want to start looking for it.

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 It's a teeny tiny little book between Judges and 1 Samuel, which are bigger.

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 Those of you who don't have your Bibles, the text is going to be on the screen in a couple of minutes as we start to read through it.

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 And so one of the ways to think of the Book of Ruth is as if you watched a Netflix special with four separate episodes.

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 So each episode is its own episode, but all four of the episodes tell a bigger story.

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 So each episode tells a story, but all four episodes together tell a bigger story, and that's a way to understand it.

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 And it's also a bit of a challenge for me preaching because, well, you know, because there's a bigger story.

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 But anyway, so here's the thing is last week's story, where we were, if you missed last week.

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 Well, last week's story, I mean, that was actually people died.

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 So, you know, I liked it.

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 No, it's terrible.

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 So in last week's story, we get introduced to Naomi and her husband and her two sons, and they go to, they leave Bethlehem because there's a famine, and they go to Moab, and they take their two sons.

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 And they get to Moab, which is an ancient enemy of Israel, and they're Jewish people, and they go to this place where they go to their enemies, so to speak.

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 But while they're there, first of all, Naomi's husband dies.

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 Her two sons take wives in Moab, and then the two sons die, and there's no other sons to Naomi, and both of her kids, her sons and their wives, have no children.

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 And in that ancient world, they have just about died.

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 They have hit the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of the bottom.

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 And Naomi hears that the Lord has visited his people back in Judah, in Israel, and so she says she's going to go back.

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 And as she's going back, she ends up having several very frank talks with her daughters-in-law, whom she loves, and they love her.

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 And she says, listen, don't be fools.

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 My life is over.

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 At first, she does something which is quite faithful.

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 She's quite faithful.

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 She sort of has this, like, way advanced sort of sense that the Lord will even bless them, even though they're in Moab, which is quite—we talked about it last week.

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 I won't go back into it again.

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 But, you know, the Lord can bless you in Moab, but you need to go back.

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 You're still young enough to have husbands and have a life and have a future.

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 My life sucks, and my life is terrible.

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 I will only drag you down.

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 Don't come with me.

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 Horpa agrees with Naomi's diagnosis and goes home.

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 Ruth does this remarkable act, and we talked about it last week.

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 I will go with you wherever you live, wherever you stay, wherever you walk.

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 Your people will be my people.

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 Your God will be my God.

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 And I will stay in your land, worshiping your God.

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 Even after you die, nothing will ever make me leave you.

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 And ultimately, in the day, leave the Lord.

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 And it's quite a remarkable speech.

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 But as the story goes on, other two remarkable things in the story is that Naomi just blasts God and says,

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 God, my life sucks, and it's all your fault.

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 And she says it twice.

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 And then when she gets back to Bethlehem, she actually tells everybody,

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 you can no longer call me Naomi, which means pleasure and pleasant.

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 You have to call me Mara, which means bitter.

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 And then she gives it.

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 That's the second zinger.

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 Because God has made my life completely and utterly bitter.

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 And that's how the story ends.

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 So that, you know, it's a bit of a shocking thing to realize that for a lot of religious and spiritual people

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 and for a lot of Christians to believe that God actually allowed, actually had that recorded,

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 this blast against him, had it recorded twice.

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 And so now we're going to look at Act 2, the second part of the story.

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 And here's the problem.

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 It's a romantic comedy.

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 Now, why is that a problem, some of you say?

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 Well, I mean, the problem is, I mean, this could be made by Disney, this next part.

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 This isn't X-rated.

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 This is, I mean, not that that stops Disney anymore.

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 But that's, you know, it's just, it's like a romantic comedy.

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 It's, we just look at it and go, oh, yeah.

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 Yeah.

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 So the poor young thing meets a rich guy.

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 And there's really, it's a bit blah.

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 But there's something else going on here.

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 So let's at least look at the story now that I've warned you that you're going to find it.

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 I mean, some of you are going to say, well, I could see how they could make that into a script.

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 And it could turn into a bit of a love story and all that.

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 And as those of you who know the rest of the next two chapters, a love story does develop.

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 But this is the beginning of it.

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 It's like a rom-com.

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 It doesn't seem very serious.

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 Okay.

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 And it doesn't seem very, like, real to real life.

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 It seems a bit fairy tale-ish.

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 Well, let's look at the story.

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 Okay.

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 So turn to Ruth 2.

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 And those of you who don't have Bibles or just would rather look at the screen, let's look at the screen and see how the story goes.

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 And here's how it goes.

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 Now, Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

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 And we'll just pause here.

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 Just so you don't get confused in the story, what the writer does, the story is set, what the writer does is he lets the reader know something that the actors don't know.

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 Okay.

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 Okay.

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 That's what you need to understand.

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 He's telling us, but Ruth doesn't hear this.

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 The writer, we don't have to know if the writer is a he or a she, by the way.

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 I shouldn't say he.

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 But the author of the story lets us know something that one of the characters, one of the key characters doesn't know.

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 Okay.

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 That's how the craft works.

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 Verse 2.

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 And Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi, let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.

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 And Naomi said to Ruth, go, my daughter.

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 And just sort of pause here for a second.

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 And the story is going to mention quite a few times to remind us that she's from Moab.

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 And just those of you who weren't here last week or you don't remember, when the Israelites tried to, when they would talk about who the Moabite people are, they'd say, well, listen, what can you expect?

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 Because the way the Moabite nation was founded was a man got drunk, had sex with his daughter, and the daughter got pregnant.

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 And that was the guy who started Moab.

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 Like, what can you expect of such a people?

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 And they've always been our enemies.

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 So this story is going to mention quite a few times this episode that Ruth is from Moab.

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 So it wants us to remember one moment, this is who Ruth is in the eyes of the Jewish people who were there.

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 And it's going to come up that they recognize that that's where she's from as well.

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 And they just want the reader to recognize this.

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 The other thing, which is that there's no answer about it in the text, but it looks as if Naomi has given up on life.

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 Because Naomi doesn't say, that's a really good idea to go glean.

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 Let's go do it together.

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 She says, you go.

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 And Naomi does absolutely nothing whatsoever.

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 Ruth's going to do all the work.

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 So Naomi has continued to have given up on life.

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 She's living in a desert.

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 Her life is as good as dead.

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 And she is doing nothing to deal with it.

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 She is completely and utterly depressed.

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 But Ruth recognizes the need that they're going to have to get some food.

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 So she says, let me go out and have a chance to glean.

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 And in the ancient world, what she could have, even in places like Moab, that after you've got the barley and everything like that, there's always something left behind.

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 They don't get 100% of it.

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 So you can go and see what's left behind.

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 And what she might or might not know is that in the Old Testament law, there were specific rules around how harvesters were to harvest because God in his law wanted to provide for the poor.

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 And so God in his law, if you were, in fact, an observant, faithful Jewish person at this time, you would have known that you intentionally leave extra grain untouched at the edges.

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 And it's your goal.

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 In fact, if you got 100% of the grain, you were disobeying God.

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 God didn't want you to get 100% of the grain.

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 He wants you to leave some of the grain behind so the poor and the dispossessed could have grain to eat.

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 She might or might not have known that.

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 The story doesn't tell you.

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 But she uses that word.

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 So she sets off.

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 And she doesn't really know where she's going.

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 It's not that big.

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 But she just sets off.

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 Like, I know the harvest is going on.

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 I'll just see if there's some good fields.

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 And the story continues in verse 3.

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 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers.

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 And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz.

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 Boaz, our ears pick up because Boaz is a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech.

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 She happens to come to the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

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 Now, just pause here another game.

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 This story is going slow.

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 But there's actually some depth here in the story.

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 In the original language, when it says happened to, you know how it says up there,

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 she happened to come to the part of the field?

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 In the original language, it says she chanced to chance.

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 It says chanced twice.

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 She chanced to chance.

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 And it's a literary device to try to emphasize the opposite.

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 Oh, yeah.

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 Like, she happened to come to this field.

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 Like, that's in a sense how you read it.

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 She happened to come to this field because what they want you to know is that it wasn't just chance.

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 I'm not going to talk about it very much today because it's going to come up in the next episode, so to speak.

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 But what's at work here in this story is that on one level, God is never mentioned.

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 But what the author has just done here by saying, well, she just happened to come to that field is, no, it's not just happening.

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 It's providence.

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 Providence.

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 God is acting behind the scenes to nudge her in a particular direction because he's at work in her life.

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 He's working anonymously in her life.

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 You see, the main way that God works in a Christian's life is anonymously.

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 In heaven, we will discover how many times our prayers were answered.

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 You know, Lord, keep my family safe.

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 And then we'll find out that God caused somebody to, caused you to stop for a pedestrian.

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 If you hadn't stopped for a pedestrian, you would have gone through a light and had a car accident.

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 I mean, I don't know what it is.

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 But you'll discover how many times, in fact, God has been answering your prayers and active in your life, but he does it in an anonymous way.

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 And that's what the story is signaling.

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 God is working anonymously in this story, in particular in the story of Boaz and Ruth and Naomi.

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 It's a very important and comforting thought that God works anonymously in our lives.

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 It means he works gently and respectfully.

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 Some of you have heard, the start of my journey that led to me becoming a Christian was when I was walking down Elgin Street.

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 And as I'm walking down Elgin Street, I saw a poster that captured my eye.

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 And this was a long, long time ago when Christians didn't have rock music.

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 I know it's hard for young people to believe.

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 Ask some of the old timers.

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 If back in the old days, if you'd seen a Christian rock concert, well, first of all, for some of the old timers, they didn't know what rock, they hadn't been rock music yet.

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 But for not quite as old timers, Christian rock, and by providence, that poster caught my eye.

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 By providence, I went down Elgin Street.

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 I didn't go down O'Connor.

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 I didn't go down Metcalf.

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 I didn't go down Bank where there were no posters.

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 I went down the street.

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 I noticed the poster out of all the posters.

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 I went to the event.

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 It was the beginning of my journey to becoming a conference.

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 That's providence.

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 That's providence.

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 So the writer is saying, okay, guys, just listen.

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 God is acting anonymously in this story.

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 And then it continues.

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 Verse 4.

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 And this is part of the providence.

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 Because it wouldn't be that Boaz showed up every day.

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 But as part of the providence, not only, you know, she goes to this field, this field, this field.

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 She ends up following this field.

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 And they haven't kicked her off.

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 And by providence, she's there.

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 And by providence, Boaz shows up.

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 Because the guy who's like the boss of the boss of the boss of the boss of the boss, as you know, doesn't always show up in a particular workplace.

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 But he shows up at this workplace this day when Ruth is there at the very, very beginning of the barley harvest.

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 Verse 4.

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 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem.

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 And he said to the reapers, the Lord be with you.

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 And they answered, the Lord bless you.

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 Now, just pause here again.

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 This is actually going to be just a bit of an aside about why this is a bit significant.

00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:38.120
 What this show, first of all, in Ottawa, we can all relate to this.

00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:42.980
 The first thing it shows is unlike some hockey teams where the players don't like the owner.

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:44.840
 I don't know where that would be.

00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:49.460
 In this case, it shows that the workers like the owner.

00:15:50.779 --> 00:15:53.179
 But the more important thing is it's setting a tone.

00:15:54.179 --> 00:15:59.759
 Boaz is obviously working to set a tone for how people talk and how the workplace works.

00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:06.440
 When my kids were all younger and I had all nine of them at home, occasionally we would have bouts of name calling.

00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:07.899
 I know that's hard to believe.

00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:10.139
 That kids would call each other names.

00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:12.240
 And I'd have to have a bit of a talk with them.

00:16:12.259 --> 00:16:16.139
 And I'd say, listen, you have to have a bit of a decision here about the type of house you want to live in.

00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:20.299
 Do you want to live in a house where everybody calls each other names?

00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:23.539
 And where it's completely and utterly miserable?

00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:26.960
 Or do you want to live in a house where that doesn't happen?

00:16:27.060 --> 00:16:27.820
 Where it's not miserable?

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.259
 Like the choice is yours.

00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:34.179
 And my kids were great kids, still are great kids.

00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.759
 And I mean, they're kids.

00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.200
 I'd have to have the talk more than once.

00:16:37.319 --> 00:16:42.879
 But they'd understand that if you go ahead, and I can't say some of the words from the pulpit that they would say to each other.

00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:47.639
 If that's the heir of the house, it's going to be a toxic type of household.

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:51.120
 And so what Boaz is doing here, he's putting the Lord at the center of the workplace.

00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:52.799
 A Lord who blesses.

00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:54.000
 A Lord who greets.

00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.080
 He's at the center of the workplace.

00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:58.300
 So it's actually quite significant.

00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:01.680
 Anyway, so verse 5.

00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:06.360
 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers.

00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:13.140
 This is not reapers in a firefly sense, by the way, for those of you with a pop cultural reference.

00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.279
 These are people who bring in grain.

00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:16.840
 Okay.

00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:20.700
 He says to the reapers, whose young woman is this?

00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:22.400
 And I just pause.

00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:30.019
 So maybe some of you have brought your seeker friend who's never been to a church, and they come to a line like this and go,

00:17:31.040 --> 00:17:32.960
 Oh, dang.

00:17:34.580 --> 00:17:35.840
 Here we go.

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:37.780
 I'm going to have a conversation afterwards.

00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:42.100
 Yes, the Bible tries to tell Christians that women are just property.

00:17:43.040 --> 00:17:44.680
 You know, whose woman is this?

00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.180
 As if she's not her own woman.

00:17:46.340 --> 00:17:48.120
 Like, why can't she be her own woman?

00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:52.579
 Why does the Bible try to talk as if women are just property of men?

00:17:52.639 --> 00:17:53.859
 That's not what's going on at all.

00:17:58.439 --> 00:17:59.639
 I grew up in Montreal.

00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:05.099
 When I moved to Ottawa, I had a hard time adjusting because I felt like we'd moved to a small city.

00:18:06.139 --> 00:18:08.439
 And I eventually got over it.

00:18:08.719 --> 00:18:12.679
 And then my first place as a minister was in the suburbs of Ottawa.

00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:15.840
 And then after that, I went to Eganville with 1,300 people.

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:20.380
 And I also looked after a little church in Killaloo with 700 people.

00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:25.140
 And I looked after two other little churches, one in Traymore and Klontarf with zero people.

00:18:29.620 --> 00:18:33.039
 I used to joke you could go to Klontarf at just about any time of the day,

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:37.320
 close your eyes with an assault rifle, a Kalashnikov rifle,

00:18:37.320 --> 00:18:41.480
 and fire a full clip around you and not hit anything other than maybe a deer.

00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:44.599
 And, you know, eight people would show up on a Sunday.

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.539
 And I cared for that.

00:18:45.620 --> 00:18:46.599
 They were my congregation.

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:48.000
 I was their pastor.

00:18:48.360 --> 00:18:52.019
 But here's the thing which took me a long time to understand when I was in a rural church.

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:55.039
 And for those of you from rural areas or those of you from other countries,

00:18:55.579 --> 00:19:00.839
 is I had a hard time getting used to the fact that you never just met somebody.

00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:03.779
 Like, Denise would not just introduce me to Delmer.

00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:03.899
 Delmer.

00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:10.160
 She would say, Delmer is married to Jan, who is...

00:19:11.859 --> 00:19:13.099
 You got it, right?

00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.139
 And everybody.

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.960
 That's how all the introductions worked.

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:17.359
 It was never just...

00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:18.899
 You know, in Ottawa, you don't do that.

00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:20.200
 You don't say, hi, this is Gary.

00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:21.160
 You know, he's...

00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:23.519
 Well, in fact, Gary's related to nobody in Ottawa.

00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:25.220
 I mean, other than through Lynn, right?

00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:27.559
 And it would look weird.

00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:28.940
 But that's how rural people do.

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:32.720
 For many people, you could, you know, ask some people who are immigrants here.

00:19:32.820 --> 00:19:34.600
 That's probably how in many other cultures it works.

00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:36.860
 You always establish the family connections.

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:37.860
 And that's what Ruth...

00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:39.019
 That's what Boaz is doing.

00:19:39.840 --> 00:19:40.559
 Who is that person?

00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:41.259
 Like, who...

00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:43.600
 Like, help me to fit her in.

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:51.500
 Is she, you know, Bob's cousin's, you know, wife's sister or something, right?

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.660
 But you always establish that.

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.440
 And that's what he's trying to do.

00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:56.620
 It's not trying to tell us that women are being treated as property.

00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:59.079
 And so she...

00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:00.819
 And verse 6, go back to verse 6.

00:20:00.939 --> 00:20:02.939
 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered,

00:20:03.459 --> 00:20:05.659
 She is the young Moabite woman, there's that word,

00:20:05.719 --> 00:20:09.019
 who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:10.879
 She said,

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.279
 Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.

00:20:14.779 --> 00:20:18.019
 So she came and she has continued from early morning until now,

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:19.039
 except for a short rest.

00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:20.839
 In other words, she's been a very, very hard worker.

00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:25.279
 Now, probably what's happened is that Ruth has gone to different fields

00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.579
 and they've kicked her off.

00:20:27.239 --> 00:20:29.500
 But this particular manager,

00:20:29.679 --> 00:20:34.459
 because he understands that Boaz is actually trying to keep what the law says

00:20:34.459 --> 00:20:35.819
 and have it formed...

00:20:35.819 --> 00:20:36.439
 He wants...

00:20:36.439 --> 00:20:39.059
 That Boaz wants the Lord and the Lord's word

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:42.199
 to form Boaz's life and Boaz's workplace.

00:20:42.419 --> 00:20:44.439
 This manager has allowed the woman to glean.

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:47.179
 And now I guess, in a sense, what's Boaz going to do?

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:49.219
 And his answer is actually quite remarkable.

00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.279
 I have...

00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:54.979
 I'm actually a very shy person.

00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:57.860
 That the Lord...

00:20:57.860 --> 00:21:00.220
 After I became a Christian,

00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:02.460
 about three months after I became a Christian,

00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:05.059
 I actually started a Christian club in my high school.

00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:06.960
 I mean, how cool was that?

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.059
 That's what everybody said.

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:09.900
 You're supposed to laugh at that.

00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:13.099
 Christian clubs, like, go right up there with the chess club

00:21:13.099 --> 00:21:16.799
 and the cello club in terms of coolness in a high school.

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:17.339
 Okay?

00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:21.259
 Like, to start a Christian club at your high school

00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:22.639
 is to tell everybody,

00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:24.379
 put a big tattoo on your forehead,

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.659
 this man is not cool.

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:27.379
 Anyway, and on top of it,

00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:28.959
 I had very, very, very bad acne.

00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:30.279
 I was very shy.

00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:31.980
 And I knew that when you had a Christian club,

00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:32.819
 you had to open the Bible.

00:21:32.959 --> 00:21:34.319
 Nobody else would do it, so I would do it.

00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:37.059
 And that was the beginning of what turned into me becoming a pastor.

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.299
 But I...

00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:39.659
 Anyway, so you...

00:21:39.659 --> 00:21:41.359
 All of us have been in situations

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:43.119
 where we're out of our comfort zone.

00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:44.079
 We're in a gathering.

00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:46.460
 Maybe it's in a different country, a different culture,

00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:48.460
 just a different subculture.

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:50.539
 And somehow or another, we get in there,

00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:52.679
 and we're not sure how anything works.

00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:57.359
 Like, I...

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.319
 This sounds so crazy,

00:21:58.419 --> 00:22:00.539
 but the first time I went into a place in England,

00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:02.419
 I sat down,

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.639
 because in Canada, the waitress comes to you.

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.500
 And I sat there,

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.980
 and I'm getting more and more uncomfortable

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:09.779
 because everybody else...

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:11.379
 I discovered you have to go up to there.

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:15.060
 You go to the cash to get your meal,

00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:16.720
 and the waitress brings it to you,

00:22:16.780 --> 00:22:18.000
 but she doesn't come to take your order.

00:22:18.120 --> 00:22:19.000
 Anyway, you know what I mean.

00:22:19.280 --> 00:22:20.400
 You go into a new situation.

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:21.180
 You don't really know what to do.

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:22.280
 Maybe you're with rich people.

00:22:22.360 --> 00:22:23.260
 You don't know what to do.

00:22:25.020 --> 00:22:29.960
 I remember I got invited to a $500...

00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:33.220
 It was a $1,000 a plate meal once

00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:35.340
 because there was a person in the congregation

00:22:35.340 --> 00:22:38.980
 who gave me the ticket and my wife.

00:22:39.360 --> 00:22:40.460
 And we were a bit nervous.

00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:42.539
 Because I have no idea how to act

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:44.000
 at a $1,000 a plate meal.

00:22:44.100 --> 00:22:45.279
 I'm a McDonald's guy.

00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:49.640
 Like, living it up is going to Subway.

00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:54.400
 That's where the higher class people go,

00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:56.299
 you know, where I feel a bit stretched, right?

00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:58.880
 And we felt very uncomfortable here.

00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.400
 So you can just imagine Ruth.

00:23:00.860 --> 00:23:02.299
 She doesn't really know what's going on.

00:23:02.340 --> 00:23:05.579
 Listen how Boaz helps her in verse 8.

00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:07.259
 Then Boaz said to Ruth,

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:08.920
 Now listen, my daughter.

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:13.039
 He's taking some responsibility for her.

00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:13.640
 He doesn't say,

00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:15.079
 Listen, you Moabite.

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:16.940
 Or he doesn't say,

00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.519
 Oh, come on.

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:19.279
 Just make yourself at home and then leave.

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:20.940
 Leaving her completely and utterly helpless

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:21.879
 is what to do.

00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:22.359
 You know?

00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:24.759
 But he says,

00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:26.199
 Now listen, my daughter.

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:29.299
 Do not glean in another field

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:30.479
 or leave this one,

00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:32.259
 but keep close to my young woman.

00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.259
 He gives her a blank check into the future.

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:36.779
 Stay with me and stay close.

00:23:37.459 --> 00:23:38.559
 Don't have to stay far away.

00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:39.199
 Come as close.

00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:40.099
 Come really close.

00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:41.539
 And then verse 9.

00:23:41.639 --> 00:23:42.979
 Let your eyes be on the field

00:23:42.979 --> 00:23:44.619
 that they are reaping and go after them.

00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:48.099
 Have I not charged the young men not to touch you?

00:23:48.099 --> 00:23:52.839
 Long before the Me Too movement,

00:23:53.379 --> 00:23:54.980
 this is a workplace

00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:56.839
 where women are not to be sexually harassed.

00:23:58.439 --> 00:23:58.879
 Why?

00:23:59.059 --> 00:24:02.099
 Because Boaz is being guided by the Word of God.

00:24:03.199 --> 00:24:05.240
 The Word of God always forbids

00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:07.399
 the harassment of the weak in general

00:24:07.399 --> 00:24:08.480
 and women in particular.

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.419
 Always.

00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.059
 Always, always, always, always.

00:24:14.439 --> 00:24:16.240
 And he knows there's going to be an issue there

00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:18.299
 because a lot of these young men are very unconverted.

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.120
 And he says,

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.480
 I've told the young men,

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:24.019
 you're not allowed to harass or touch or molest you.

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:26.299
 And when you are thirsty,

00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.240
 go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.

00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:32.079
 So he said, you're welcome here.

00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.599
 And not only are you welcome here,

00:24:33.620 --> 00:24:34.720
 I want you to work close.

00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:36.079
 And not only are you to work close,

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:38.059
 you're completely and utterly under my protection.

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:39.680
 And not only are you under my protection,

00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:41.819
 have as much water as you want.

00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:43.319
 She knows how to function.

00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:46.299
 It's a very, very kind and compassionate gesture.

00:24:46.419 --> 00:24:48.039
 He's entered into her world.

00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:52.720
 And it even gets deeper because,

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:55.480
 well, sorry, we jumped up the story a little bit.

00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.159
 So verse 10,

00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:57.579
 then she fell on her face,

00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:59.419
 bowing to the ground and said to him,

00:24:59.939 --> 00:25:01.679
 why have I found favor in your eyes

00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:03.059
 that you should take notice of me

00:25:03.059 --> 00:25:04.179
 since I am a foreigner?

00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:05.919
 And the bowing on her face,

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.359
 that's just a cultural moment.

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:09.619
 Remember, one of the reasons that the Bible here

00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:10.500
 mentions this story

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:12.539
 with all of its cultural particularity

00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:15.079
 is because the Bible isn't about

00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:18.759
 timeless, eternal truths that we just know.

00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:21.420
 It's not about abstractions.

00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:23.640
 It's at the heart of the Bible

00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:26.180
 is the idea that God loves

00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:29.079
 not the abstraction of George,

00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:31.319
 not the abstraction of human beings,

00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.759
 but God loves George,

00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:34.079
 and God loves Andrew,

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.319
 and God loves Joey,

00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:37.259
 and God loves Lynn,

00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:39.740
 and God loves Alex,

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:43.240
 and he loves you in your particular story,

00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:44.779
 in your particularity,

00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:47.740
 and he wants you in your particular story

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:49.220
 to enter into his story

00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:51.420
 and have his story change your story.

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.819
 And so particularities are mentioned.

00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.339
 Verse 11,

00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:58.140
 but Boaz answered her,

00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.379
 and this is very interesting,

00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:02.099
 what he's going to tell her right now

00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:04.980
 is I do this because the Lord wants me to do this,

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:06.220
 and in a sense he doesn't say,

00:26:06.420 --> 00:26:08.319
 I'm doing this for my glory,

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:10.279
 I'm doing this to show you how cool I am.

00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:12.720
 You know, this is all the Lord's provision for you.

00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:14.120
 The Lord wants to bless you,

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.880
 and he's just using me.

00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:17.759
 Listen to how he puts it.

00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:20.019
 All that you have done for your mother-in-law

00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:21.299
 since the death of your husband

00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:22.799
 has been fully told to me,

00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.559
 and how you left your father

00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.920
 and your mother and your native land

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:26.799
 and came to a people

00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:28.120
 that you did not know before.

00:26:29.120 --> 00:26:31.599
 The Lord repay you for what you have done,

00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:35.199
 and a full reward be given you by the Lord,

00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.399
 the God of Israel.

00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:38.659
 Remember, they keep telling you she's a Moabite?

00:26:39.459 --> 00:26:40.819
 Given you by the Lord,

00:26:40.919 --> 00:26:41.719
 the God of Israel,

00:26:41.899 --> 00:26:45.919
 under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:49.759
 By the way, this is really important.

00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:52.719
 Bible, for those of you who might get confused

00:26:52.719 --> 00:26:54.980
 outside of the context of here,

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.819
 it's very, very clear

00:26:56.819 --> 00:26:59.339
 that you're only to use masculine pronouns for God.

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:07.059
 But, the Bible just compares God to a hen.

00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:10.919
 Right? That's fine.

00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:13.679
 The Lord, the Almighty God,

00:27:14.139 --> 00:27:14.959
 is like a hen,

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:18.439
 and you are like one of the chicks,

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:20.439
 and you find sucker and protection

00:27:20.439 --> 00:27:21.679
 under the hen's wings.

00:27:22.659 --> 00:27:24.359
 Very close and intimate.

00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:28.159
 And it just shows that,

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:31.159
 you know, there's some order of the images,

00:27:31.459 --> 00:27:34.339
 but we're to use these type of maternal images

00:27:34.339 --> 00:27:35.679
 for our Father God

00:27:35.679 --> 00:27:38.339
 in terms of how he protects us and cares for us.

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:42.839
 And then, verse 13, she responds,

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:44.899
 I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord,

00:27:44.979 --> 00:27:45.919
 for you have comforted me

00:27:45.919 --> 00:27:47.519
 and spoken kindly to your servant,

00:27:47.939 --> 00:27:51.059
 though I am not one of your servants.

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:53.059
 Now, just sort of pause.

00:27:53.179 --> 00:27:53.619
 We're almost,

00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:55.619
 we're sort of almost just through reading the story,

00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:58.259
 and we haven't even got to the full significance of the story.

00:28:00.119 --> 00:28:00.839
 Like, so far,

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:02.960
 I've brought out some of the details

00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.179
 so that when you're reading the story,

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:05.319
 you can sort of understand

00:28:05.319 --> 00:28:06.559
 some of the things going on here,

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.500
 but it does sound still like

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:09.079
 a little bit of a rom-com story, doesn't it?

00:28:10.159 --> 00:28:11.359
 God acts in her life.

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.419
 For a lot of us, we'd say,

00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:14.319
 well, that's sort of a very inspirational story.

00:28:14.399 --> 00:28:17.240
 I know how Disney makes inspirational movies,

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.960
 and I feel inspired,

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:19.680
 but you know, George,

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:21.319
 the problem is that,

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:22.859
 I don't know, George,

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:25.039
 like, my,

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:28.319
 my life sucks, George,

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:32.039
 and I can watch all sorts of inspirational movies,

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.880
 and I feel good for a little bit,

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:36.120
 but then my life still sucks.

00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:40.519
 And I don't know if this story's going to do anything for me, George,

00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:42.599
 because did I tell you that my life sucks?

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:44.279
 My life sucks.

00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:49.920
 Well, it's still going to sound very rom-com-ish,

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:51.819
 but we need to go through the rest of the story,

00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:53.480
 and then we'll show how this is actually

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:55.220
 a very important story for our lives.

00:28:55.639 --> 00:28:56.240
 Verse 14,

00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:58.000
 at the meal,

00:28:58.079 --> 00:28:58.799
 and at mealtime,

00:28:58.920 --> 00:28:59.920
 Boaz says to Ruth,

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:01.579
 come here and eat some bread

00:29:01.579 --> 00:29:03.119
 and dip your morsel in the wine.

00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:07.379
 So she sat beside the reapers,

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.399
 and he passed to her,

00:29:08.399 --> 00:29:10.660
 he passed to her roasted grain,

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:12.740
 and she ate until she was satisfied

00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.920
 and had some left over.

00:29:14.819 --> 00:29:18.559
 One scholar says that at the time that this was written,

00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:23.379
 you could divide Jewish society into 16 levels,

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.859
 16 strata,

00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:27.500
 and everybody would have known where they were,

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:29.920
 that it was a very stratified society.

00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:32.899
 It's a very, very common thing in ancient cultures

00:29:32.899 --> 00:29:34.180
 to be very stratified.

00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:37.160
 We try to pretend that there's no classes here,

00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:38.779
 but there are social classes here,

00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:39.980
 and there are other types of classes,

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:41.259
 but we try to pretend they aren't.

00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.339
 But in the ancient world,

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:43.039
 they would have just said,

00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:43.759
 yeah, there's classes.

00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:44.559
 I'm of this class.

00:29:44.619 --> 00:29:45.459
 You're of this class.

00:29:45.919 --> 00:29:46.139
 You know,

00:29:46.159 --> 00:29:47.119
 and if you're a high class,

00:29:47.199 --> 00:29:47.419
 you just,

00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:49.720
 the lower class people exist to serve you.

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:51.980
 And from the data,

00:29:52.159 --> 00:29:55.159
 it's not clear whether Boaz is at number three

00:29:55.159 --> 00:29:56.000
 or number four.

00:29:56.199 --> 00:29:57.359
 Number one's the highest.

00:29:57.879 --> 00:30:00.119
 But what is clear is that Ruth is at 16.

00:30:02.119 --> 00:30:03.379
 Ruth is at 16.

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:04.740
 Boaz,

00:30:04.740 --> 00:30:06.480
 it's not clear whether he's three or four.

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.440
 He's really high.

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:09.039
 Like,

00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:10.019
 generally,

00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:11.440
 she can't see that high.

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.700
 Right?

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:15.559
 And it's quite shocking

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:17.420
 for an ancient story

00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:18.380
 that a number three

00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:19.279
 or a number four

00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:21.140
 is serving the number 16.

00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:22.759
 And the other thing,

00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:23.720
 which is very shocking,

00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:25.400
 which we don't get as shocking as,

00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.500
 and by the way,

00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:28.740
 the reason we don't find this shocking,

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:29.539
 the reason that,

00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:31.819
 the reason that even if I was to read this

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.759
 at a coffee shop,

00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:34.619
 and not a single person there was Christian,

00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:36.099
 none of them would find this shocking.

00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:39.160
 The reason Canadians don't find this shocking

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:41.700
 is because whether Canadians realize it or not,

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:43.940
 these stories have changed

00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:45.480
 how they understand the world.

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:49.980
 Every person I talk to at a coffee shop

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:52.319
 has been formed by the biblical worldview,

00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:53.660
 even though they don't know it.

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:56.779
 Every single one of them.

00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:01.420
 Because it's just not the way

00:31:01.420 --> 00:31:02.980
 the ancient world would have worked.

00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:05.039
 In the ancient world,

00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:07.259
 Boaz wouldn't have allowed Ruth in the field.

00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:07.680
 Why?

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:10.039
 Because a dollar given to the poor

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:11.779
 is a dollar less for me.

00:31:13.380 --> 00:31:14.700
 And if you do do it,

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:16.300
 you do it for your own glory.

00:31:16.860 --> 00:31:18.580
 So people will sing your praises,

00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:19.800
 not for her.

00:31:20.140 --> 00:31:21.500
 And if you do allow her here,

00:31:21.580 --> 00:31:22.000
 it would be,

00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:22.400
 listen,

00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.980
 if you come and serve me,

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.259
 I'll give you a few scraps.

00:31:25.420 --> 00:31:26.580
 But he serves her.

00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:27.800
 And as we'll see in the story,

00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:28.620
 he serves her

00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:30.399
 and gives her more than she needs.

00:31:37.639 --> 00:31:38.519
 Verse 15,

00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:39.659
 when she rose to glean,

00:31:40.479 --> 00:31:42.019
 Boaz instructed his young men,

00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:42.279
 saying,

00:31:42.399 --> 00:31:42.979
 let her glean

00:31:42.979 --> 00:31:44.500
 even among the sheaves

00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.719
 and do not reproach her.

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:48.159
 And also pull out some

00:31:48.159 --> 00:31:49.199
 from the bundles

00:31:49.199 --> 00:31:50.339
 for her

00:31:50.339 --> 00:31:51.239
 and leave it

00:31:51.239 --> 00:31:52.339
 for her to glean

00:31:52.339 --> 00:31:53.319
 and do not rebuke her.

00:31:53.639 --> 00:31:54.019
 You see,

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:55.299
 what Boaz understands

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:56.239
 is that if you read

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:56.940
 the Old Testament,

00:31:57.059 --> 00:31:58.279
 when it talks about the tithe,

00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:59.140
 when it talks about

00:31:59.140 --> 00:32:00.440
 leaving the borders,

00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:01.400
 what it is,

00:32:01.460 --> 00:32:02.160
 is God is,

00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:03.359
 what God is doing

00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:05.160
 is God is launching us

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:05.880
 on a trajectory.

00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:06.559
 He's saying,

00:32:06.920 --> 00:32:08.259
 if you start to understand

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:10.259
 that I am Jehovah Jireh,

00:32:10.299 --> 00:32:11.500
 I am your great provider.

00:32:11.620 --> 00:32:12.980
 If you start to understand

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:14.339
 that I have redeemed you

00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:15.380
 out of the nation,

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.160
 out of Egypt

00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:17.319
 and out of the house of slavery,

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.599
 I have redeemed you

00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:19.480
 and you are mine

00:32:19.480 --> 00:32:20.640
 and I am your God

00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:21.700
 and I will care for you.

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:24.980
 I want you to so be gripped

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:25.960
 by who I am

00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:27.640
 and how I have rescued you

00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:29.180
 that all of those

00:32:29.180 --> 00:32:30.279
 natural tendencies

00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:31.000
 within you

00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:31.660
 to hoard,

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:33.100
 to be self-centered,

00:32:33.580 --> 00:32:34.980
 to be miserly,

00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:35.759
 that they will begin

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.840
 to die on you

00:32:36.840 --> 00:32:37.720
 as you are gripped

00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:39.220
 by how I have redeemed you

00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:40.380
 and you start not only

00:32:40.380 --> 00:32:42.200
 to do these few small acts

00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:43.140
 of generosity,

00:32:43.340 --> 00:32:44.660
 but you grow in generosity.

00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:46.319
 That it's not just

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.860
 a matter of,

00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:47.920
 okay,

00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:49.000
 I got that little tiny bit

00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:50.000
 of generosity out of the way,

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:51.740
 but the Lord wants to so work

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.819
 to free you

00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:55.220
 from having,

00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.740
 from serving money

00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:57.920
 and serving yourself

00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:59.359
 and serving all of that

00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:00.920
 that you start to learn

00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:02.220
 the freedom

00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:04.000
 of giving and blessing

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:05.880
 and Boaz has got it.

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:07.900
 Boaz has got it.

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:11.099
 Let's just finish reading

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:12.099
 this story very quickly.

00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:13.619
 It's already 32 minutes,

00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:14.000
 but here's,

00:33:14.900 --> 00:33:16.359
 so he's gone way beyond

00:33:16.359 --> 00:33:16.980
 what has happened

00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:17.700
 and he's told

00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.700
 the whole workplace,

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:19.660
 you are to be generous

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:20.380
 with this woman.

00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:21.160
 Verse 17,

00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:22.819
 so she gleaned in the field

00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:23.519
 until evening

00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.340
 and then she beat out

00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:25.160
 what she had gleaned

00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:25.680
 and it was about

00:33:25.680 --> 00:33:26.940
 an eppha of barley,

00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:29.400
 but basically she's gleaned enough

00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:30.640
 for two people

00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:31.779
 to live for two weeks.

00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.319
 Okay,

00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.600
 that's how you can understand it.

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:36.180
 She's gotten enough food

00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:37.319
 for two people

00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:38.600
 to live on for two weeks

00:33:38.600 --> 00:33:40.740
 and she took it up

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:41.580
 and went into the city.

00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:42.279
 Her mother-in-law

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:43.680
 saw what she had gleaned.

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.279
 Remember,

00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:44.700
 bitter,

00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:46.299
 sees what she's gleaned

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.940
 and she also brought out

00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:48.339
 and gave her

00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:49.639
 what food she had left over

00:33:49.639 --> 00:33:50.680
 after being satisfied

00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:51.899
 so bitter has something

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:52.759
 extra to eat

00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:54.480
 and her mother-in-law

00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:55.399
 said to her,

00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.399
 where did you glean today

00:33:56.399 --> 00:33:57.579
 and where have you worked?

00:33:57.919 --> 00:33:58.819
 Blessed be the man

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.779
 who took notice of you.

00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:01.440
 So she told her mother-in-law

00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:02.639
 with whom she had worked

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:03.299
 and said,

00:34:03.379 --> 00:34:04.000
 the man's name

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:04.879
 with whom I work today

00:34:04.879 --> 00:34:05.419
 is Boaz.

00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:05.759
 Remember,

00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:07.099
 we know that Boaz

00:34:07.099 --> 00:34:07.579
 is somebody

00:34:07.579 --> 00:34:08.659
 but she didn't know that

00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:09.840
 until right now

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:11.320
 and Naomi said

00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:12.099
 to her daughter-in-law,

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:13.019
 may he be blessed

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:13.719
 by the Lord

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:15.119
 whose kindness

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.840
 has not forsaken

00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:17.840
 the living or the dead.

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:20.059
 Naomi also said to her,

00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:21.719
 the man is a close relative

00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:22.159
 of ours,

00:34:22.259 --> 00:34:23.380
 one of our redeemers

00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:24.400
 and that's going to become

00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:25.719
 an important word

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:26.759
 for the rest of the story

00:34:26.759 --> 00:34:27.780
 but I'll leave that

00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.420
 for next week

00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:29.139
 and the week after.

00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:31.559
 And Ruth the Moabite said,

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:31.920
 remember,

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:32.920
 they want us to remember,

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.699
 besides he said to me,

00:34:34.759 --> 00:34:35.719
 you shall keep close

00:34:35.719 --> 00:34:36.759
 by my young men

00:34:36.759 --> 00:34:37.619
 until they have finished

00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:38.500
 all my harvest.

00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:40.579
 And Naomi said to Ruth,

00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:41.360
 her daughter-in-law,

00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:42.800
 it is good my daughter

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:43.600
 that you go out

00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:44.519
 with his young women

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.660
 lest in another field

00:34:45.660 --> 00:34:46.460
 you be assaulted.

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:49.019
 So Ruth kept close

00:34:49.019 --> 00:34:49.740
 to the young woman

00:34:49.740 --> 00:34:50.380
 of Boaz,

00:34:50.780 --> 00:34:51.840
 gleaning until the end

00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.440
 of the barley

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.640
 and wheat harvest.

00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:54.720
 So for eight weeks,

00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:55.539
 seven or eight weeks,

00:34:55.600 --> 00:34:56.320
 she stayed there.

00:34:57.160 --> 00:34:57.820
 And if at six,

00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:58.780
 you can just do the math,

00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:00.280
 if six days a week

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.100
 she was getting enough

00:35:01.100 --> 00:35:02.060
 for two people

00:35:02.060 --> 00:35:03.360
 to live on for two weeks,

00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:04.320
 you can do the math.

00:35:04.780 --> 00:35:06.120
 At the end of this process,

00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:08.380
 Boaz has been remarkably

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:09.700
 generous to her.

00:35:10.900 --> 00:35:11.700
 And she has provided,

00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:13.039
 Boaz and Ruth

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:13.659
 have provided

00:35:13.659 --> 00:35:14.719
 for Naomi and Ruth

00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:15.779
 to live for the whole year

00:35:15.779 --> 00:35:17.219
 and to be able to trade

00:35:17.219 --> 00:35:19.500
 and have some leftover,

00:35:19.859 --> 00:35:20.759
 have elbow room.

00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:24.379
 And Ruth continues

00:35:24.379 --> 00:35:25.219
 to live with her mother-in-law.

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:26.319
 So, okay,

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.159
 so here we go.

00:35:27.299 --> 00:35:28.279
 We spent a lot of time.

00:35:28.379 --> 00:35:29.079
 You've got the story

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:29.799
 sort of straight.

00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.639
 So could you put up

00:35:31.639 --> 00:35:32.659
 the first point, Andrew?

00:35:32.859 --> 00:35:33.879
 Here's how we start

00:35:33.879 --> 00:35:35.000
 to unpack this,

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.219
 you know,

00:35:35.219 --> 00:35:36.480
 because it does just sound

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:37.780
 like this is a,

00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:38.019
 you know,

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:39.139
 a romance movie.

00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:41.240
 It's an inspirational movie.

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:42.579
 You know,

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.320
 I took out a movie

00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:44.039
 from the library

00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:44.820
 about a cowboy

00:35:44.820 --> 00:35:46.579
 who breaks his back

00:35:46.579 --> 00:35:48.740
 and ends up,

00:35:48.780 --> 00:35:49.000
 you know,

00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:50.260
 getting new meaning in life.

00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:51.260
 It's an inspirational movie.

00:35:51.300 --> 00:35:51.900
 I haven't taken it.

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.820
 I haven't watched it yet.

00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:54.619
 Maybe I won't

00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:55.780
 because I have to return it tomorrow.

00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.219
 But it's like,

00:35:56.260 --> 00:35:56.679
 just sounds like

00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:57.460
 an inspirational thing.

00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:58.480
 But here's the thing

00:35:58.480 --> 00:35:59.920
 which is really important

00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:00.800
 about this story.

00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:02.920
 Ruth isn't trapped

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:04.680
 in the circle

00:36:04.680 --> 00:36:06.099
 or by fate

00:36:06.099 --> 00:36:07.619
 or by the gods.

00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:09.220
 Instead,

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:11.559
 by the Lord's providence,

00:36:12.039 --> 00:36:12.760
 Ruth is living

00:36:12.760 --> 00:36:13.840
 a different story,

00:36:14.280 --> 00:36:17.180
 a resurrection-shaped story.

00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:19.180
 So, you see,

00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.220
 here's the thing

00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:21.579
 that we don't quite appreciate

00:36:21.579 --> 00:36:22.579
 about older stories.

00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:22.980
 Like, you know,

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.559
 we watch something

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:24.599
 like The Lion King

00:36:24.599 --> 00:36:25.420
 and they have all this

00:36:25.420 --> 00:36:26.300
 wonderful thing

00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:27.519
 about the circle of life

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:29.039
 and all of that

00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:30.539
 and everything just seems happy

00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:31.039
 and all that.

00:36:31.139 --> 00:36:32.059
 But here's the thing.

00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:32.940
 In the ancient world,

00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:34.139
 the circle is a trap.

00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:36.559
 You are stuck.

00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:37.659
 In fact,

00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:38.799
 the circle is depressing

00:36:38.799 --> 00:36:39.860
 because you know

00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:40.799
 what the circle tells you?

00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:42.579
 You live and then you die.

00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:46.980
 Don't ever forget that.

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:47.940
 You live

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.920
 and then you die.

00:36:50.759 --> 00:36:51.820
 It's just a circle.

00:36:52.279 --> 00:36:52.940
 You live

00:36:52.940 --> 00:36:53.579
 and then you die.

00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:55.759
 No hope.

00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.340
 You're stuck.

00:36:59.059 --> 00:37:00.340
 And we like movies

00:37:00.340 --> 00:37:01.139
 like The Lion King

00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:02.079
 because we imagine

00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:03.460
 that we're the prince.

00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:06.539
 We don't realize

00:37:06.539 --> 00:37:07.339
 that the circle

00:37:07.339 --> 00:37:08.039
 is used

00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:09.559
 in all of the ancient stories

00:37:09.559 --> 00:37:10.679
 in all of the ancient world

00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:12.039
 to justify servants

00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:13.659
 being servants forever.

00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:15.659
 If your life sucks,

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:17.900
 it's going to suck

00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:18.639
 until you die

00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:22.339
 if I'm a high caste person

00:37:22.339 --> 00:37:24.739
 because it's the circle.

00:37:24.739 --> 00:37:28.500
 or it's just fate.

00:37:28.679 --> 00:37:30.099
 You're fated to die

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:31.699
 or the gods are mad at you

00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:32.719
 and you're all,

00:37:32.859 --> 00:37:33.639
 you're just a puppet.

00:37:34.359 --> 00:37:35.839
 And those are all the options.

00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.059
 And in this story,

00:37:37.819 --> 00:37:39.039
 we see something

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:39.679
 which,

00:37:39.879 --> 00:37:40.919
 like literary scholars,

00:37:41.059 --> 00:37:41.739
 talk about how

00:37:41.739 --> 00:37:42.239
 in the Old

00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:43.079
 and the New Testament

00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:44.919
 a completely different idea

00:37:44.919 --> 00:37:46.619
 emerges into the consciousness

00:37:46.619 --> 00:37:47.479
 of the world.

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:49.000
 That it's not just

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:49.959
 that we're sort of stuck

00:37:49.959 --> 00:37:51.039
 in this endless circle

00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.979
 of death and rebirth.

00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:53.159
 It's not that we're stuck

00:37:53.159 --> 00:37:54.380
 in some type of a fate,

00:37:55.079 --> 00:37:56.260
 but that you can change

00:37:56.260 --> 00:37:56.840
 your destiny.

00:37:58.500 --> 00:38:00.059
 You can be like me

00:38:00.059 --> 00:38:01.740
 and be,

00:38:01.980 --> 00:38:03.079
 and my dad and my mom

00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:04.280
 had grade 8 education.

00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:06.940
 Grade 8 education.

00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:10.340
 I have a master's degree.

00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:11.940
 I have a professional job.

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:13.159
 I have a respectable job.

00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:16.300
 And a lot of you

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:17.539
 can tell the same type of story.

00:38:17.699 --> 00:38:18.559
 And you tell people,

00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:18.719
 you know,

00:38:18.740 --> 00:38:19.099
 what do they say

00:38:19.099 --> 00:38:20.780
 at every high school graduation?

00:38:20.780 --> 00:38:22.300
 Every single high school grad.

00:38:22.300 --> 00:38:22.960
 None of them say,

00:38:23.360 --> 00:38:24.240
 it's a circle of life.

00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:24.940
 Your life sucks.

00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:25.660
 You're going to die.

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.240
 What do they say?

00:38:29.300 --> 00:38:29.560
 They say,

00:38:29.640 --> 00:38:30.680
 follow your dreams.

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:31.960
 They say,

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:33.300
 the world isn't just a fate.

00:38:33.400 --> 00:38:34.519
 It's not just a circle.

00:38:34.660 --> 00:38:35.380
 You're not trapped

00:38:35.380 --> 00:38:36.200
 with where you are.

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:37.260
 If your life sucks,

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:38.240
 it won't suck

00:38:38.240 --> 00:38:39.320
 after you just

00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:40.519
 pick up the ball

00:38:40.519 --> 00:38:41.140
 and whatever

00:38:41.140 --> 00:38:42.519
 and grab your talents

00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:43.600
 and live your dream.

00:38:43.700 --> 00:38:44.260
 And that's what they say

00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:45.540
 at every single high school.

00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:47.400
 Every single high school

00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:48.980
 story

00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:50.199
 is not based

00:38:50.199 --> 00:38:51.659
 on the basic myths

00:38:51.659 --> 00:38:52.360
 and understanding

00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:53.240
 of the ancient world

00:38:53.240 --> 00:38:53.960
 and today.

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.740
 Because what is it working today?

00:38:55.800 --> 00:38:57.059
 What does a serious movie

00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:57.900
 look like today?

00:38:58.940 --> 00:39:00.019
 Especially when you look

00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:00.920
 at movie reviewers

00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:01.740
 and movie reviewers

00:39:01.740 --> 00:39:02.199
 want to show

00:39:02.199 --> 00:39:02.980
 that they're not just

00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:05.460
 fluffy promotional hacks,

00:39:05.559 --> 00:39:06.440
 but they're serious.

00:39:07.099 --> 00:39:07.860
 So they have a couple

00:39:07.860 --> 00:39:08.280
 of the movies

00:39:08.280 --> 00:39:08.940
 they have to put in,

00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:09.139
 you know,

00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:09.760
 because let's say

00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.820
 when the first Guardians

00:39:10.820 --> 00:39:12.000
 of the Galaxy came out,

00:39:12.059 --> 00:39:13.420
 it like made a gazillion dollars

00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:14.599
 and everybody loved it

00:39:14.599 --> 00:39:15.000
 and it laughed,

00:39:15.059 --> 00:39:15.920
 so you have to put it in there.

00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:17.059
 But you also include

00:39:17.059 --> 00:39:17.900
 the serious movies.

00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:19.280
 And what's a serious movie?

00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:22.180
 Justice doesn't happen

00:39:22.180 --> 00:39:23.159
 and you die.

00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.840
 I Love Tanya

00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:26.880
 is a serious movie.

00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:28.019
 If you watch that movie,

00:39:28.180 --> 00:39:29.159
 her life sucks.

00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.139
 Her life sucks,

00:39:31.220 --> 00:39:31.880
 her life sucks,

00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:32.619
 her life sucks,

00:39:32.680 --> 00:39:33.139
 and at the end

00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:33.880
 you discover that

00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:35.039
 her life really does suck.

00:39:36.240 --> 00:39:37.500
 It's a serious movie.

00:39:38.740 --> 00:39:40.240
 Why is it a serious movie?

00:39:40.579 --> 00:39:41.800
 Because what do we really know?

00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:43.320
 What do serious thinkers know?

00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:44.579
 What do serious thinkers know?

00:39:44.579 --> 00:39:45.519
 Is that death wins.

00:39:45.880 --> 00:39:47.259
 What do serious thinkers know?

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:48.599
 Serious thinkers know

00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:50.079
 that everything is a result

00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:51.440
 of time and chance.

00:39:52.099 --> 00:39:53.360
 The strong eat the weak

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:55.259
 and you die.

00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:57.619
 So yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:39:57.639 --> 00:39:59.119
 You can have your inspirational stuff

00:39:59.119 --> 00:40:00.199
 and everything like that.

00:40:00.259 --> 00:40:00.900
 And here's the other thing,

00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:01.380
 by the way.

00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:04.460
 The non-serious movies

00:40:04.460 --> 00:40:05.679
 make a billion dollars

00:40:05.679 --> 00:40:06.980
 and the serious movies

00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:07.819
 that the critics love

00:40:07.819 --> 00:40:09.440
 make 15 million dollars.

00:40:10.599 --> 00:40:11.000
 Why?

00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:14.260
 We now know

00:40:14.260 --> 00:40:15.360
 at the deepest levels,

00:40:15.980 --> 00:40:16.980
 even if we don't know

00:40:16.980 --> 00:40:18.460
 how they can possibly be true,

00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.760
 we want those stories

00:40:19.760 --> 00:40:20.380
 to be true.

00:40:21.320 --> 00:40:22.579
 We want the high school

00:40:22.579 --> 00:40:23.719
 graduation speeches

00:40:23.719 --> 00:40:24.340
 to be true.

00:40:25.019 --> 00:40:26.219
 We want it to be

00:40:26.219 --> 00:40:27.019
 that we're not just

00:40:27.019 --> 00:40:28.519
 on some wheel of fate

00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:29.360
 that's going to

00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:30.639
 eventually crush us.

00:40:31.880 --> 00:40:33.260
 That we're not trapped.

00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:36.139
 We want a resurrection story

00:40:36.139 --> 00:40:36.679
 to be true.

00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:39.799
 So, in fact,

00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:41.039
 actually,

00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:42.299
 if you think about it,

00:40:42.399 --> 00:40:45.759
 if a modern filmmaker

00:40:45.759 --> 00:40:47.059
 just made Ruth one,

00:40:47.859 --> 00:40:49.779
 the serious critics

00:40:49.779 --> 00:40:50.460
 would say,

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.819
 that's a real story.

00:40:53.179 --> 00:40:54.819
 She ends up with nothing,

00:40:55.559 --> 00:40:56.419
 cursing God.

00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:57.460
 Yes!

00:40:59.019 --> 00:41:00.980
 And for all 5,000 people

00:41:00.980 --> 00:41:01.480
 on the planet

00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:02.259
 who watched it,

00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:04.379
 that's yes.

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:05.699
 And Ruth two

00:41:05.699 --> 00:41:06.579
 just blows it.

00:41:06.859 --> 00:41:08.799
 Oh, standard rom-com stuff.

00:41:08.919 --> 00:41:10.480
 Young thing meets rich guy.

00:41:10.619 --> 00:41:11.339
 Come on.

00:41:11.919 --> 00:41:12.659
 Fairy tale,

00:41:12.819 --> 00:41:13.500
 Santa Claus,

00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:14.239
 Easter bunny,

00:41:14.599 --> 00:41:15.259
 great pumpkin.

00:41:15.659 --> 00:41:16.440
 Not serious.

00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:18.579
 But here's the thing

00:41:18.579 --> 00:41:19.299
 that's going on,

00:41:19.399 --> 00:41:19.759
 you see.

00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:20.619
 If you could put up

00:41:20.619 --> 00:41:21.559
 the next point, Andrew.

00:41:22.919 --> 00:41:24.099
 Canadians do not believe

00:41:24.099 --> 00:41:25.339
 in the resurrection of Jesus,

00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:26.639
 but they love

00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:28.000
 resurrection-shaped stories.

00:41:29.199 --> 00:41:29.339
 Right?

00:41:30.119 --> 00:41:31.500
 Canadians do not believe

00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:32.559
 in the resurrection of Jesus,

00:41:32.559 --> 00:41:33.319
 but they love

00:41:33.319 --> 00:41:34.679
 resurrection-shaped stories.

00:41:35.159 --> 00:41:35.379
 You see,

00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:35.899
 what's happening

00:41:35.900 --> 00:41:36.579
 for Canadians

00:41:36.579 --> 00:41:37.280
 is this.

00:41:37.599 --> 00:41:38.720
 This sermon series

00:41:38.720 --> 00:41:39.160
 is called

00:41:39.160 --> 00:41:39.840
 Upside Down.

00:41:41.519 --> 00:41:41.960
 If you just,

00:41:42.200 --> 00:41:42.639
 for a second,

00:41:42.760 --> 00:41:43.960
 don't see the words there,

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:45.680
 all those buildings

00:41:45.680 --> 00:41:46.960
 are standing on nothing.

00:41:50.019 --> 00:41:51.320
 All those buildings

00:41:51.320 --> 00:41:52.160
 are standing on,

00:41:52.220 --> 00:41:52.639
 oh, thank you,

00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:52.940
 I didn't know

00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:53.500
 you could do that.

00:41:54.420 --> 00:41:55.460
 All those buildings

00:41:55.460 --> 00:41:56.660
 are standing on nothing.

00:41:57.579 --> 00:41:58.000
 You see,

00:41:58.099 --> 00:41:59.599
 we want a resurrection story

00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:00.539
 without the resurrection.

00:42:00.539 --> 00:42:02.920
 We find the resurrection

00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:03.460
 offensive.

00:42:04.360 --> 00:42:05.779
 But we now come to understand

00:42:05.779 --> 00:42:06.900
 that our resurrection story

00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:07.719
 got to be true.

00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:09.320
 It's got to be true.

00:42:09.739 --> 00:42:10.599
 Because gosh,

00:42:10.659 --> 00:42:11.219
 it sucks

00:42:11.219 --> 00:42:12.500
 if life sucks

00:42:12.500 --> 00:42:13.739
 is the only thing

00:42:13.739 --> 00:42:14.300
 that's true.

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:16.320
 If death wins,

00:42:17.320 --> 00:42:17.759
 you know,

00:42:17.860 --> 00:42:19.500
 if justice never wins,

00:42:19.840 --> 00:42:21.039
 if right and wrong,

00:42:21.219 --> 00:42:21.380
 just,

00:42:21.639 --> 00:42:23.159
 if wrong wins,

00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:25.699
 and so we believe

00:42:25.699 --> 00:42:26.980
 this inspirational stuff,

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:27.759
 but we're stuck

00:42:27.759 --> 00:42:28.500
 in a culture

00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:30.099
 where

00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:33.420
 we have resurrection stories

00:42:33.420 --> 00:42:34.440
 with no resurrection.

00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:36.279
 And so the serious people

00:42:36.279 --> 00:42:37.119
 say that's illusion.

00:42:38.159 --> 00:42:39.259
 Your life just sucks.

00:42:41.219 --> 00:42:41.699
 Can you put up

00:42:41.699 --> 00:42:42.579
 the next point, Andrew?

00:42:45.159 --> 00:42:45.639
 Because

00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:47.139
 the resurrection

00:42:47.139 --> 00:42:48.339
 of Jesus is true,

00:42:49.699 --> 00:42:51.579
 the story of your life

00:42:51.579 --> 00:42:52.819
 can become

00:42:52.819 --> 00:42:55.239
 a resurrection story.

00:42:56.619 --> 00:42:57.860
 Because the resurrection

00:42:57.860 --> 00:42:59.500
 of Jesus is true,

00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:02.179
 the story of your life

00:43:02.179 --> 00:43:03.279
 can become

00:43:03.279 --> 00:43:04.460
 a resurrection story.

00:43:05.179 --> 00:43:05.480
 You see,

00:43:05.539 --> 00:43:06.199
 that's what's going on

00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:06.759
 here in Ruth,

00:43:06.860 --> 00:43:07.819
 is this story,

00:43:08.759 --> 00:43:09.759
 the ancient world,

00:43:09.940 --> 00:43:10.679
 they would have been used

00:43:10.679 --> 00:43:11.239
 to the idea

00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:11.819
 that you're just

00:43:11.819 --> 00:43:13.119
 a puppet in the hands

00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:14.179
 of angry gods.

00:43:14.279 --> 00:43:14.940
 They would have been used

00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:15.480
 to the sense

00:43:15.480 --> 00:43:16.559
 that there's stories

00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:17.420
 of how the fates

00:43:17.420 --> 00:43:18.179
 are going to eventually

00:43:18.179 --> 00:43:19.059
 have you die.

00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:20.340
 They're used to the stories

00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:21.440
 of the circle of life.

00:43:21.579 --> 00:43:22.639
 And your life sucks

00:43:22.639 --> 00:43:23.319
 and then you die.

00:43:23.420 --> 00:43:24.519
 But this story

00:43:24.519 --> 00:43:25.440
 is starting to be

00:43:25.440 --> 00:43:26.659
 something which is

00:43:26.659 --> 00:43:27.619
 very revolutionary

00:43:27.619 --> 00:43:29.059
 and it's preparing us

00:43:29.059 --> 00:43:29.960
 for the day

00:43:29.960 --> 00:43:31.579
 when a man named Jesus

00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:32.279
 is born

00:43:32.279 --> 00:43:34.119
 and lives an anonymous life

00:43:34.119 --> 00:43:35.019
 for 30 years.

00:43:35.199 --> 00:43:35.860
 And then he has

00:43:35.860 --> 00:43:37.259
 a three-year public ministry

00:43:37.259 --> 00:43:38.639
 and he does remarkable things

00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:39.579
 like raise the dead

00:43:39.579 --> 00:43:40.960
 by a mere voice of command.

00:43:41.079 --> 00:43:42.420
 And he does remarkable teachings.

00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:44.420
 And then shock of shocks,

00:43:44.779 --> 00:43:45.799
 a man who could feed

00:43:45.799 --> 00:43:47.019
 5,000 from a few

00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:48.179
 barley loaves and fishes

00:43:48.179 --> 00:43:48.860
 and we thought

00:43:48.860 --> 00:43:49.579
 that he would be

00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:50.340
 somebody different.

00:43:50.340 --> 00:43:52.100
 And he dies on the cross

00:43:52.100 --> 00:43:53.260
 and it looks as if

00:43:53.260 --> 00:43:54.660
 the story is completely

00:43:54.660 --> 00:43:55.100
 and over.

00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:56.200
 And on the third day

00:43:56.200 --> 00:43:57.180
 in a real place,

00:43:57.420 --> 00:43:58.360
 in a real city,

00:43:58.840 --> 00:44:00.579
 a real number of years ago,

00:44:00.680 --> 00:44:01.420
 on the third day

00:44:01.420 --> 00:44:02.539
 the tomb is completely

00:44:02.539 --> 00:44:03.360
 and utterly empty

00:44:03.360 --> 00:44:04.579
 just as he prophesied

00:44:04.579 --> 00:44:05.100
 and predicted.

00:44:05.500 --> 00:44:06.160
 And then he starts

00:44:06.160 --> 00:44:06.780
 to show himself

00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:07.559
 to lots of people

00:44:07.559 --> 00:44:08.579
 and the word comes out

00:44:08.579 --> 00:44:09.160
 that the body

00:44:09.160 --> 00:44:10.079
 cannot be found

00:44:10.079 --> 00:44:11.320
 and the only explanation

00:44:11.320 --> 00:44:12.700
 is that this man

00:44:12.700 --> 00:44:14.400
 in a completely new way,

00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.220
 still recognizable

00:44:15.220 --> 00:44:16.380
 but a completely new way,

00:44:16.600 --> 00:44:18.000
 he actually has risen

00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:19.780
 from the dead.

00:44:20.920 --> 00:44:22.039
 It's true.

00:44:24.099 --> 00:44:25.280
 And this casts

00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:26.260
 this bright light

00:44:26.260 --> 00:44:27.219
 all the way back

00:44:27.219 --> 00:44:28.980
 to all the Old Testament stories.

00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.940
 Ruth is preparing us

00:44:31.940 --> 00:44:34.460
 for a resurrection story.

00:44:38.539 --> 00:44:40.860
 Ruth is living a story

00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:42.519
 where she is as good as dead.

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:43.619
 You see,

00:44:43.679 --> 00:44:44.440
 it's not so much

00:44:44.440 --> 00:44:45.920
 that the stories are linear

00:44:45.920 --> 00:44:48.079
 but the Bible story

00:44:48.079 --> 00:44:49.159
 starts up here

00:44:49.159 --> 00:44:50.759
 and there's a death

00:44:50.759 --> 00:44:52.539
 and then it goes like this.

00:44:52.739 --> 00:44:52.840
 Right?

00:44:52.900 --> 00:44:54.179
 That's what inspirational stories

00:44:54.179 --> 00:44:54.699
 are like, right?

00:44:54.759 --> 00:44:55.980
 They're sort of like a check mark.

00:44:56.539 --> 00:44:57.659
 They go right up

00:44:57.659 --> 00:44:58.259
 and to the right.

00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:00.360
 And this is saying

00:45:00.360 --> 00:45:02.139
 the reason we love

00:45:02.139 --> 00:45:03.300
 resurrection stories

00:45:03.300 --> 00:45:03.960
 is that God

00:45:03.960 --> 00:45:05.280
 was preparing our hearts

00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:07.119
 for the resurrection

00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:07.759
 of his son.

00:45:09.360 --> 00:45:10.699
 And here's the thing

00:45:10.699 --> 00:45:12.359
 is that

00:45:12.359 --> 00:45:14.339
 it means

00:45:14.339 --> 00:45:16.199
 that wherever you are

00:45:16.199 --> 00:45:17.239
 if you've given your life

00:45:17.239 --> 00:45:17.679
 to Jesus

00:45:17.679 --> 00:45:18.639
 he, you know,

00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:19.539
 there's nothing you can do

00:45:19.539 --> 00:45:20.500
 about your past

00:45:20.500 --> 00:45:22.099
 but no matter what

00:45:22.099 --> 00:45:23.659
 your past is

00:45:23.659 --> 00:45:25.299
 the rest of your life

00:45:25.299 --> 00:45:26.379
 can be shaped

00:45:26.379 --> 00:45:27.019
 and marked

00:45:27.019 --> 00:45:28.299
 by the resurrection

00:45:28.299 --> 00:45:29.039
 of Jesus.

00:45:29.899 --> 00:45:30.899
 Now this isn't a

00:45:30.899 --> 00:45:32.539
 health and wealth

00:45:32.539 --> 00:45:33.480
 gospel story.

00:45:33.639 --> 00:45:34.299
 It's not saying

00:45:34.299 --> 00:45:34.759
 that it means

00:45:34.759 --> 00:45:35.379
 that you're going to have

00:45:35.379 --> 00:45:36.059
 lots of money

00:45:36.059 --> 00:45:37.599
 and all of a sudden

00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:38.039
 you know,

00:45:38.119 --> 00:45:38.759
 all of us guys

00:45:38.759 --> 00:45:39.379
 are going to look like

00:45:39.380 --> 00:45:40.000
 George Clooney

00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:40.680
 or Brad Pitt

00:45:40.680 --> 00:45:41.559
 or a younger version

00:45:41.559 --> 00:45:41.900
 of them

00:45:41.900 --> 00:45:42.619
 or Paul Newman

00:45:42.619 --> 00:45:43.180
 and you know,

00:45:43.220 --> 00:45:43.660
 all the women

00:45:43.660 --> 00:45:44.300
 are going to look like

00:45:44.300 --> 00:45:44.579
 you know,

00:45:44.640 --> 00:45:45.400
 pick your actress

00:45:45.400 --> 00:45:46.180
 I picked a guy

00:45:46.180 --> 00:45:47.599
 analogy on purpose

00:45:47.599 --> 00:45:49.000
 and you know,

00:45:49.019 --> 00:45:49.940
 you're all going to be rich

00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:51.099
 and you're all going to be

00:45:51.099 --> 00:45:52.059
 athletes like

00:45:52.059 --> 00:45:53.460
 Usain Bolt

00:45:53.460 --> 00:45:54.619
 and all that type of stuff.

00:45:54.720 --> 00:45:54.820
 No,

00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.720
 it's not a health

00:45:55.720 --> 00:45:56.559
 and wealth text.

00:45:58.559 --> 00:45:59.700
 But it means like

00:45:59.700 --> 00:46:00.220
 even Ruth

00:46:00.220 --> 00:46:00.920
 at the very bottom

00:46:00.920 --> 00:46:01.760
 of the social level

00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:02.480
 that she's going to be able

00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:03.240
 to do something

00:46:03.240 --> 00:46:04.619
 as happens in this story

00:46:04.619 --> 00:46:06.200
 that makes Boaz

00:46:06.200 --> 00:46:06.780
 stop

00:46:06.780 --> 00:46:07.980
 and bless the Lord.

00:46:09.380 --> 00:46:10.260
 And give him

00:46:10.260 --> 00:46:10.880
 all the credit

00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:12.019
 and just wow him

00:46:12.019 --> 00:46:13.160
 with the goodness of God.

00:46:13.880 --> 00:46:14.760
 It means that

00:46:14.760 --> 00:46:16.200
 at the center of your story

00:46:16.200 --> 00:46:17.840
 you can start to look

00:46:17.840 --> 00:46:18.440
 you're dying,

00:46:18.559 --> 00:46:18.900
 you're dying,

00:46:19.000 --> 00:46:19.300
 you're dying,

00:46:19.380 --> 00:46:19.940
 you're in the desert

00:46:19.940 --> 00:46:21.559
 but resurrection is possible.

00:46:21.760 --> 00:46:22.800
 God is in the resurrection

00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:23.980
 story business.

00:46:25.720 --> 00:46:26.960
 And it might just be

00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:28.420
 that God uses you

00:46:28.420 --> 00:46:30.000
 in whatever that desert space

00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:31.559
 is for a period of time

00:46:31.559 --> 00:46:33.079
 that you start to have

00:46:33.079 --> 00:46:34.160
 a sense of his presence

00:46:34.160 --> 00:46:34.940
 and his providence

00:46:34.940 --> 00:46:35.680
 in the midst of it

00:46:35.680 --> 00:46:36.539
 in such a way

00:46:36.539 --> 00:46:38.059
 that it inspires others

00:46:38.059 --> 00:46:39.239
 or it brings you

00:46:39.239 --> 00:46:40.279
 into a new depth of pride.

00:46:40.279 --> 00:46:41.119
 I don't know what it is

00:46:41.119 --> 00:46:41.480
 but you see

00:46:41.480 --> 00:46:41.960
 at the heart

00:46:41.960 --> 00:46:43.179
 of a resurrection story

00:46:43.179 --> 00:46:44.139
 is a surprise

00:46:44.139 --> 00:46:45.559
 not fate.

00:46:46.800 --> 00:46:47.659
 And I say this

00:46:47.659 --> 00:46:48.219
 because it's not

00:46:48.219 --> 00:46:49.159
 a high school graduation

00:46:49.159 --> 00:46:50.199
 but it's because

00:46:50.199 --> 00:46:51.779
 Jesus actually did rise

00:46:51.779 --> 00:46:52.440
 from the dead

00:46:52.440 --> 00:46:54.400
 and the story of Jesus

00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:55.599
 and the story of the gospel

00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:56.420
 is to be the story

00:46:56.420 --> 00:46:57.159
 of your life.

00:46:59.739 --> 00:47:00.440
 Can you put up

00:47:00.440 --> 00:47:01.259
 the final point,

00:47:01.519 --> 00:47:02.139
 Andrew, please?

00:47:03.940 --> 00:47:05.259
 The gospel shapes you

00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:06.260
 to shape the world

00:47:06.260 --> 00:47:07.900
 in a gospel shape.

00:47:09.140 --> 00:47:10.640
 The gospel shapes you

00:47:10.640 --> 00:47:12.500
 to shape your world

00:47:12.500 --> 00:47:14.160
 in a gospel shape.

00:47:14.500 --> 00:47:15.680
 See, what we need,

00:47:16.460 --> 00:47:17.820
 this is why we read the Bible.

00:47:18.380 --> 00:47:19.320
 This is why we need

00:47:19.320 --> 00:47:20.200
 to have friends

00:47:20.200 --> 00:47:21.400
 who are Christians.

00:47:21.600 --> 00:47:22.340
 This is why we need

00:47:22.340 --> 00:47:23.660
 to be in small groups

00:47:23.660 --> 00:47:24.800
 where we start to learn

00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:25.720
 how to do life together.

00:47:25.860 --> 00:47:27.180
 This is why we come to church

00:47:27.180 --> 00:47:28.080
 on a Sunday morning

00:47:28.080 --> 00:47:29.940
 and the telling of the gospel

00:47:29.940 --> 00:47:31.200
 is always to be central.

00:47:32.140 --> 00:47:33.380
 Because what we need

00:47:33.380 --> 00:47:34.080
 is not for me

00:47:34.079 --> 00:47:35.179
 to tell you new rules

00:47:35.179 --> 00:47:35.900
 or new techniques.

00:47:36.079 --> 00:47:36.819
 You know what we need?

00:47:37.559 --> 00:47:39.719
 We need God

00:47:39.719 --> 00:47:40.619
 and his kindness

00:47:40.619 --> 00:47:42.179
 to have the Holy Spirit

00:47:42.179 --> 00:47:43.679
 bring the gospel home

00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:44.619
 to deeper levels

00:47:44.619 --> 00:47:45.340
 of who we are.

00:47:46.799 --> 00:47:47.860
 That's what I need.

00:47:48.759 --> 00:47:51.039
 I need God's Holy Spirit

00:47:51.039 --> 00:47:52.420
 to day by day

00:47:52.420 --> 00:47:53.259
 and week by week

00:47:53.259 --> 00:47:54.539
 and month by month

00:47:54.539 --> 00:47:56.699
 bring the gospel home

00:47:56.699 --> 00:47:57.779
 to a deeper level

00:47:57.779 --> 00:47:58.659
 of who I am

00:47:58.659 --> 00:48:00.059
 so it touches more and more

00:48:00.059 --> 00:48:01.000
 of who I am.

00:48:01.599 --> 00:48:03.000
 The story of the gospel,

00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:05.719
 that God loves me,

00:48:06.280 --> 00:48:08.019
 that he has done everything

00:48:08.019 --> 00:48:10.340
 to make me right with him,

00:48:10.860 --> 00:48:12.619
 that all of my sins

00:48:12.619 --> 00:48:13.500
 have been dealt with

00:48:13.500 --> 00:48:14.239
 on the cross

00:48:14.239 --> 00:48:15.820
 and all of the righteousness

00:48:15.820 --> 00:48:17.099
 I need to stand

00:48:17.099 --> 00:48:18.199
 at the banquet table

00:48:18.199 --> 00:48:19.639
 of my God

00:48:19.639 --> 00:48:20.400
 and my king

00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:21.619
 at the end of days,

00:48:21.960 --> 00:48:23.260
 all of that righteousness

00:48:23.260 --> 00:48:24.239
 has been given to me

00:48:24.239 --> 00:48:24.940
 by Jesus

00:48:24.940 --> 00:48:27.199
 and that when I put my hand

00:48:27.199 --> 00:48:28.199
 in the hand of Jesus,

00:48:28.360 --> 00:48:29.860
 he will never let me go.

00:48:29.860 --> 00:48:32.720
 And the world might tell me

00:48:32.720 --> 00:48:33.960
 that my life is going to suck.

00:48:34.079 --> 00:48:35.079
 The world might tell me

00:48:35.079 --> 00:48:36.200
 my football coach,

00:48:36.320 --> 00:48:37.380
 my dad,

00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:38.039
 my mom,

00:48:38.180 --> 00:48:38.860
 my wife,

00:48:38.980 --> 00:48:39.519
 my friend,

00:48:39.620 --> 00:48:40.559
 they all might tell me

00:48:40.559 --> 00:48:41.420
 that failure will be

00:48:41.420 --> 00:48:42.539
 the final word about me.

00:48:42.579 --> 00:48:43.780
 But when I put my hand

00:48:43.780 --> 00:48:45.099
 in the hand of Jesus,

00:48:45.360 --> 00:48:46.599
 he will never let me go

00:48:46.599 --> 00:48:48.000
 and the final word about me

00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:49.400
 will not be failure.

00:48:51.340 --> 00:48:52.740
 And that's true of you.

00:48:52.880 --> 00:48:53.900
 And it's not because

00:48:53.900 --> 00:48:55.140
 I'm an optimist.

00:48:55.139 --> 00:48:57.920
 It's because this is

00:48:57.920 --> 00:48:59.139
 what the Bible teaches.

00:49:00.299 --> 00:49:01.619
 The final word

00:49:01.619 --> 00:49:02.359
 about the person

00:49:02.359 --> 00:49:03.099
 who puts their hand

00:49:03.099 --> 00:49:03.920
 in the hand of Jesus

00:49:03.920 --> 00:49:04.460
 will be,

00:49:05.359 --> 00:49:06.000
 welcome.

00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:08.960
 I have been looking forward

00:49:08.960 --> 00:49:12.379
 to walking with you

00:49:12.379 --> 00:49:13.319
 face to face.

00:49:14.739 --> 00:49:16.420
 That is the final word

00:49:16.420 --> 00:49:18.219
 about the least person

00:49:18.219 --> 00:49:19.639
 who puts their hand

00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:20.839
 in the hand of Jesus.

00:49:21.759 --> 00:49:22.539
 Let's stand.

00:49:22.539 --> 00:49:22.579
 Let's stand.

00:49:25.139 --> 00:49:32.059
 Bow our heads in prayer.

00:49:35.420 --> 00:49:35.859
 Father,

00:49:36.159 --> 00:49:38.239
 there are some of us here

00:49:38.239 --> 00:49:39.019
 who really are

00:49:39.019 --> 00:49:40.199
 in a desert place.

00:49:41.819 --> 00:49:42.519
 And Father,

00:49:42.699 --> 00:49:43.299
 you know there are

00:49:43.299 --> 00:49:43.920
 some of us here,

00:49:43.980 --> 00:49:45.059
 we've been in a desert place

00:49:45.059 --> 00:49:46.559
 for quite a long time.

00:49:47.920 --> 00:49:49.659
 And Father,

00:49:49.739 --> 00:49:50.819
 we thank you so much

00:49:50.819 --> 00:49:52.039
 that you know them

00:49:52.039 --> 00:49:52.659
 and you love them

00:49:52.659 --> 00:49:53.299
 and that desert

00:49:53.299 --> 00:49:54.039
 isn't going to be

00:49:54.039 --> 00:49:55.119
 the final word about you.

00:49:55.139 --> 00:49:57.900
 Ask Father that

00:49:57.900 --> 00:49:59.339
 your Holy Spirit

00:49:59.339 --> 00:50:00.619
 for every single one of us

00:50:00.619 --> 00:50:01.219
 who is here

00:50:01.219 --> 00:50:02.879
 that your Holy Spirit

00:50:02.879 --> 00:50:04.079
 would bring the gospel

00:50:04.079 --> 00:50:05.219
 close to us.

00:50:06.159 --> 00:50:07.799
 That every single one of us,

00:50:08.019 --> 00:50:08.099
 Father,

00:50:08.219 --> 00:50:09.199
 that your Holy Spirit

00:50:09.199 --> 00:50:10.039
 would make the gospel

00:50:10.039 --> 00:50:11.179
 more real to us.

00:50:11.940 --> 00:50:13.699
 That for every single one of us

00:50:13.699 --> 00:50:14.719
 that you would have

00:50:14.719 --> 00:50:15.359
 the gospel,

00:50:15.500 --> 00:50:16.480
 the story of Jesus

00:50:16.480 --> 00:50:17.299
 and who he is

00:50:17.299 --> 00:50:18.379
 and what he's done for us

00:50:18.379 --> 00:50:19.599
 and what he's won for us

00:50:19.599 --> 00:50:20.679
 and it's all by faith.

00:50:21.359 --> 00:50:22.259
 That that would start

00:50:22.259 --> 00:50:23.159
 to shape us.

00:50:23.639 --> 00:50:24.319
 That it would shape

00:50:24.320 --> 00:50:24.840
 our desert,

00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:25.460
 it would shape

00:50:25.460 --> 00:50:26.519
 our lamentation

00:50:26.519 --> 00:50:27.700
 and our calling out to you,

00:50:27.800 --> 00:50:28.360
 it would shape

00:50:28.360 --> 00:50:29.019
 our prayers,

00:50:29.160 --> 00:50:30.400
 it would shape us

00:50:30.400 --> 00:50:32.280
 to look for surprising ways

00:50:32.280 --> 00:50:32.980
 by which

00:50:32.980 --> 00:50:34.900
 you will bring new life

00:50:34.900 --> 00:50:36.900
 and you will help us

00:50:36.900 --> 00:50:38.039
 to die to idols

00:50:38.039 --> 00:50:39.100
 that make our lives

00:50:39.100 --> 00:50:40.200
 seem even more bitter

00:50:40.200 --> 00:50:42.160
 and even more deserted

00:50:42.160 --> 00:50:43.420
 and that we might start

00:50:43.420 --> 00:50:44.920
 to see those different ways

00:50:44.920 --> 00:50:46.019
 that you are bringing life

00:50:46.019 --> 00:50:46.840
 into our world

00:50:46.840 --> 00:50:48.100
 and will use us

00:50:48.100 --> 00:50:49.240
 to bring life to others

00:50:49.240 --> 00:50:50.440
 unworthy as we are.

00:50:50.440 --> 00:50:52.500
 So Father,

00:50:52.579 --> 00:50:53.940
 we know that we need you.

00:50:54.960 --> 00:50:55.860
 We know, Father,

00:50:55.920 --> 00:50:57.539
 that we need the Holy Spirit

00:50:57.539 --> 00:50:58.820
 to bring the gospel

00:50:58.820 --> 00:51:00.700
 ever closer to us

00:51:00.700 --> 00:51:01.820
 and to write the gospel

00:51:01.820 --> 00:51:03.240
 and make it more real to us

00:51:03.240 --> 00:51:04.840
 day by day as we live.

00:51:05.539 --> 00:51:06.820
 And so we call out to you

00:51:06.820 --> 00:51:07.360
 who love us.

00:51:07.440 --> 00:51:08.159
 You are our Father

00:51:08.159 --> 00:51:08.760
 who loves us.

00:51:08.800 --> 00:51:09.559
 You want us to pray

00:51:09.559 --> 00:51:10.519
 and we call out to you

00:51:10.519 --> 00:51:11.880
 and we ask for this

00:51:11.880 --> 00:51:13.039
 in the name of Jesus.

00:51:13.840 --> 00:51:14.159
 Amen.

00:51:14.159 --> 00:51:14.320
 Amen.

00:51:14.320 --> 00:51:14.340
 Amen.

00:51:14.340 --> 00:51:14.360
 Amen.

00:51:14.360 --> 00:51:14.380
 Amen.

00:51:14.380 --> 00:51:14.400
 Amen.

00:51:14.400 --> 00:51:14.420
 Amen.