WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.140 Good morning. It's my joy to be with you all again and bring God's Word to you. 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:16.519 A special welcome if you're a visitor, but welcome to all of you, whether you've been coming here for many years or this is your first time. 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:23.120 I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad you're here not because we're interested in filling seats or we want high numbers, 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:27.100 but I'm glad you're here because we are trying to follow after Jesus. 00:00:28.040 --> 00:00:35.500 And we're convinced that there is no one so good that they don't need God's grace and no one so bad that they can't have it. 00:00:36.260 --> 00:00:41.179 And so I'm glad you're here because I know that there is something that all of us need and all of us are here 00:00:41.179 --> 00:00:48.620 because we have something to learn, to grow as we follow after Jesus, learning how to be disciples. 00:00:50.120 --> 00:00:55.640 If you have been with us over the last several weeks, you know that we are in the book of Ruth. 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:59.480 And you'll remember I've been saying that the book of Ruth is a book about suffering. 00:01:00.140 --> 00:01:03.160 It's a book about suffering because it's a book about widows. 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:08.760 And it's a book about suffering because it's a book about people who live in a country where they weren't born. 00:01:09.900 --> 00:01:12.900 But we've also been saying the last couple of weeks that it's a book about redemption 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:19.560 because it's about God meeting and sustaining those very same people in the midst of suffering. 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:23.740 And ultimately, it's about God's chesed. 00:01:23.820 --> 00:01:32.400 Remember we talked about the Hebrew word chesed, which means God's never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. 00:01:33.320 --> 00:01:38.300 And so it's a book about first God's never stopping love to us, primarily. 00:01:38.299 --> 00:01:43.920 And then secondarily, our never stopping love to those around us. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:49.359 If you've been with us from the beginning, you know that we started out, we met a woman named Naomi. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:53.840 Naomi originally lived in the land of Israel, but there was a famine in the land of Israel. 00:01:54.060 --> 00:02:00.319 And so Naomi and her husband Elimelech and their two sons left Israel for the pagan land of Moab. 00:02:00.659 --> 00:02:02.799 They left God's people in search of food. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:09.079 And while they were there, Elimelech, Naomi's husband, passed away as well as her two sons. 00:02:10.359 --> 00:02:12.919 And so we began to ask the question about suffering. 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:17.659 Is God still in charge? Is he still in control when tragedy strikes? 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:28.180 And we saw that even in the dark, God was preparing a way for Naomi and her two daughters-in-law to return to the land of Israel. 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:31.300 That at the very same time, God had visited his land with food. 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:33.540 So we saw them return. 00:02:33.700 --> 00:02:39.780 And as they were going back, Naomi makes the best case she can to her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, that they should go back. 00:02:40.320 --> 00:02:45.100 That they should not return with her to the land of Israel because that would only be to continue in her suffering. 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:50.320 But against all odds, we saw that Ruth committed to Naomi. 00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:56.480 And so we learn that faith commits to those who are suffering, even when there's nothing to gain. 00:02:57.720 --> 00:03:00.720 We continue to follow in chapter 1 the story of Naomi. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:01.879 Naomi, she returned to Israel. 00:03:02.139 --> 00:03:07.379 And despite all of God's provision around her, the provision of Ruth and the provision of food, 00:03:08.780 --> 00:03:10.819 she believed that God was against her. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:17.639 And so we asked the question, is God against us in the midst of tragedy? 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:24.359 And we saw again, know that God is working to sustain and redeem his people. 00:03:25.619 --> 00:03:26.839 And so we kept going. 00:03:26.919 --> 00:03:36.579 We saw that Ruth had to suffer the consequences or face the reality of living as a foreigner in the land of Israel. 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:40.660 And so we asked, how do we sustain the life of faith day by day? 00:03:41.920 --> 00:03:47.520 And we saw that when God's people go on God's mission, God sustains them and holds them up. 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:54.500 And so then last week, we asked if God sustains his people when they go on his mission, what is that mission? 00:03:54.500 --> 00:03:59.719 We'd seen before that it was the commitment of Ruth to Naomi. 00:03:59.860 --> 00:04:07.259 But here in the example of Boaz, we saw that God's mission is a mission to the vulnerable, the foreigner, 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:10.599 those who are on the outskirts of society. 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:15.319 And now this week, we're going to ask if that is God's mission, 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:20.980 if God's mission is to the foreigner, to those who need a home, 00:04:21.659 --> 00:04:24.040 to those who are helpless without God's grace, 00:04:24.719 --> 00:04:27.259 then how does God accomplish that mission? 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:31.300 How does God accomplish his mission? 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:34.620 I'm going to give you two teasers as we start. 00:04:35.699 --> 00:04:39.379 As I've done before, there's a few things that I did not highlight last week 00:04:39.379 --> 00:04:42.740 in our passage that we are now going to look at. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:46.699 So we talked about the concept of the Redeemer last week. 00:04:46.779 --> 00:04:52.519 Remember that the Redeemer is someone who buys someone else out of slavery in the broad sense. 00:04:52.860 --> 00:04:56.180 God had redeemed his people out of slavery as a great Redeemer. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.500 And so he called on his people as little Redeemers to keep each other from slavery. 00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:04.959 And so the Redeemer was a relative who, if someone in their family was sold into slavery, 00:05:05.060 --> 00:05:06.180 they would buy them back. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:07.319 They would buy their freedom. 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:10.839 If there was land that had been given up, they would buy that land back too. 00:05:10.899 --> 00:05:13.920 But we did not talk about another responsibility of the Redeemer. 00:05:15.300 --> 00:05:19.920 And the responsibility we did not talk about was the fact that sometimes Redeemer's job 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.019 was to continue the family line. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.879 If a man died and he did not have any children, 00:05:27.539 --> 00:05:34.000 then the Redeemer could marry the widow to continue that man's descendants, 00:05:34.219 --> 00:05:35.219 to continue his name. 00:05:35.220 --> 00:05:39.000 And the reason for that was because God had set up the world in such a way 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:41.060 that the family was its core unit. 00:05:42.060 --> 00:05:46.820 And he also wanted to make sure that there did not come a situation in his land 00:05:46.820 --> 00:05:49.940 where people were slaves, not maybe formally but informally, 00:05:50.760 --> 00:05:52.460 where land became diluted, 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:55.360 where there were some people who had lots of land and some who had none. 00:05:56.040 --> 00:05:59.500 And so he wanted to keep there from becoming this great disparity 00:05:59.500 --> 00:06:00.680 between the rich and the poor. 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:04.860 And so sometimes a Redeemer would not just restore someone 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:09.740 in terms of their status as a slave or their status as someone without land, 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.259 but he'd restore them by continuing the family line. 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:15.480 And so in chapter 2, verse 20, 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:16.860 when Naomi tells Ruth, 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:20.639 this man is a close relative of ours, one of our Redeemers, 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:22.699 it raises the question, 00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:24.960 not only could this man be generous to us, 00:06:25.580 --> 00:06:27.740 not only could he redeem us out of poverty, 00:06:28.780 --> 00:06:33.300 but would this be the man that would continue the line of Elimelech? 00:06:35.180 --> 00:06:38.000 Elimelech's name was repeated multiple times in chapter 2 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.439 in reference to Boaz. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.980 And so that also raised the question, 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:44.839 would Boaz play a role as more than just a generous man? 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.120 And then finally, in the very end of chapter 2, it says, 00:06:49.219 --> 00:06:51.439 so she kept close to the young women of Boaz, 00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:54.040 gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. 00:06:54.660 --> 00:06:58.019 And she, that is Ruth, lived with her mother-in-law. 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:02.420 In other words, the author of Ruth is teasing us. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:07.759 The author has laid out these breadcrumbs for us, these hints, 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:10.279 and yet nothing has happened. 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:12.980 She's still living with her mother-in-law. 00:07:13.060 --> 00:07:16.980 In other words, there is still not a man for either of them. 00:07:18.599 --> 00:07:21.339 And so that lays the groundwork for chapter 3. 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:22.819 I'm also going to give you another teaser. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:25.480 I'm going to test your memory a little bit. 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.060 All the way back on July 1st, 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:32.000 I told you that when we read the book of Ruth, 00:07:32.620 --> 00:07:34.480 there were going to be a lot of words 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.000 that appeared only twice in the book. 00:07:38.740 --> 00:07:39.980 I'm not going to ask for a show of hands, 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:41.740 but I am curious who remembers that 00:07:41.740 --> 00:07:43.339 all the way back from July 1st. 00:07:44.259 --> 00:07:46.399 Well, I told you that in preparation for today 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:48.199 because we are finally going to have a payoff. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:50.860 We've seen the first occurrence of most of these words, 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.639 and the second occurrence for most of them 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:55.240 is going to occur in chapter 3. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:57.740 So my challenge for you as we read 00:07:57.740 --> 00:07:59.539 is to see if you can catch 00:07:59.539 --> 00:08:02.980 what are the words that only appear twice in the book of Ruth, 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:04.939 in the second instance is in chapter 3. 00:08:04.939 --> 00:08:07.399 So without further ado, 00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:09.259 we're going to jump right into Ruth chapter 3. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:11.019 Remember that this is God's word. 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:16.060 And God tells us that his word is more precious than gold, 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:18.079 even the finest gold. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:20.540 And it is sweeter than honey, 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:24.120 even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. 00:08:25.159 --> 00:08:26.480 And so we're going to turn to it now. 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:28.639 We're in Ruth chapter 3, starting at verse 1. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:56.679 Verse 4. 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:26.659 Verse 5. 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:32.559 Verse 5. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:33.139 Verse 5. 00:09:33.139 --> 00:09:33.759 Verse 5. 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:34.319 Verse 6. 00:09:34.319 --> 00:09:34.839 Verse 6. 00:09:34.839 --> 00:09:35.919 Verse 6. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:36.459 And she answered, 00:09:36.579 --> 00:09:38.219 I am Ruth, your servant. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.339 Spread your wings over your servant, 00:09:41.579 --> 00:09:43.120 for you are a redeemer. 00:09:44.299 --> 00:09:45.279 And he said, 00:09:45.699 --> 00:09:47.839 May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. 00:09:48.599 --> 00:09:51.199 You have made this kindness greater than the first, 00:09:51.719 --> 00:09:53.879 and that you have not gone after young men, 00:09:53.939 --> 00:09:55.059 whether poor or rich. 00:09:55.059 --> 00:09:57.799 And now, my daughter, do not fear. 00:09:58.359 --> 00:10:00.439 I will do for you all that you ask, 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:04.099 for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 00:10:04.939 --> 00:10:05.639 Verse 12. 00:10:06.459 --> 00:10:08.719 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. 00:10:09.839 --> 00:10:12.079 Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:13.660 Remain tonight, 00:10:13.660 --> 00:10:14.480 and in the morning, 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.540 if he will redeem you, 00:10:15.740 --> 00:10:17.440 good, let him do it. 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:20.000 But if he is not willing to redeem you, 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:21.220 then as the Lord lives, 00:10:21.340 --> 00:10:22.320 I will redeem you. 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:25.180 Lie down until the morning. 00:10:26.540 --> 00:10:28.139 So she lay at his feet until the morning, 00:10:28.220 --> 00:10:30.520 but arose before one could recognize another. 00:10:31.300 --> 00:10:31.960 And he said, 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.040 Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. 00:10:35.780 --> 00:10:36.519 Verse 15. 00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:37.920 And he said, 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.000 Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out. 00:10:40.700 --> 00:10:41.660 So she held it, 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:44.820 and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. 00:10:45.660 --> 00:10:47.019 Then she went into the city. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:49.460 And when she came to her mother-in-law, 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:49.900 she said, 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:51.200 How did you fare, my daughter? 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.759 Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:55.120 saying, 00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:58.100 These six measures of barley he gave to me, 00:10:58.180 --> 00:10:58.980 for he said to me, 00:10:59.640 --> 00:11:02.900 You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law. 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:04.620 She replied, 00:11:05.340 --> 00:11:06.060 Wait, my daughter, 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:08.060 until you learn how the matter turns out, 00:11:08.640 --> 00:11:10.040 for the man will not rest, 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.200 but will settle the matter today. 00:11:14.100 --> 00:11:16.780 Please pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:11:18.820 --> 00:11:19.900 Dear Father in heaven, 00:11:19.899 --> 00:11:21.279 we thank you 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:24.279 that you are a good and loving Father 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:25.639 who wants us to be wise. 00:11:26.939 --> 00:11:29.179 And so you've given us this story in your word. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:31.620 We ask that you would send your Spirit to help us. 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:34.340 Because without your help, we are dead. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:36.220 But with it, we are alive. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:39.620 And so we ask that you would help us understand 00:11:39.620 --> 00:11:43.259 everything that you have written about yourself in your word. 00:11:43.980 --> 00:11:45.620 We ask it in the name of your Son. 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:46.559 Amen. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:46.699 Amen. 00:11:49.439 --> 00:11:52.219 If you remember from the very end of chapter 2, 00:11:54.719 --> 00:11:57.359 Boaz has not done anything about being a redeemer. 00:11:58.279 --> 00:11:59.539 He's made no move. 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:01.539 He's done nothing except be generous. 00:12:02.699 --> 00:12:04.219 And so in the middle of this question 00:12:04.219 --> 00:12:05.519 about what's going to happen 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:07.039 with this final element of redemption, 00:12:07.199 --> 00:12:08.739 the redemption of the family line, 00:12:09.079 --> 00:12:11.199 there's not a single thing he's done. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:16.180 And so we see here that Naomi decides to take action into her own hands. 00:12:17.040 --> 00:12:20.960 Last week, we saw the first positive word from Naomi in the entire book. 00:12:21.580 --> 00:12:22.320 In verse 20, 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:23.520 she blesses the Lord, 00:12:24.300 --> 00:12:26.520 whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead. 00:12:27.180 --> 00:12:31.200 And now we continue to see her progression as she is moving from... 00:12:32.020 --> 00:12:34.720 Her original statement was that she had gone from full to empty. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.259 And now she starts to move from empty to full. 00:12:38.660 --> 00:12:42.480 And part of it is that she becomes an active player in the process. 00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:44.620 She comes up with this plan. 00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:48.580 My daughter, should I not seek rest for you that it may be well with you? 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:49.139 Verse 1. 00:12:50.040 --> 00:12:51.700 She has found some information. 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.580 Somehow, Naomi has done gleaning of her own. 00:12:55.580 --> 00:13:00.180 And she happens to know exactly what Boaz is going to be doing that night. 00:13:00.900 --> 00:13:05.440 And so she comes up with a risky but well-calculated plan. 00:13:06.700 --> 00:13:11.340 It's risky because Ruth is going to have to go down by herself to the threshing floor. 00:13:12.220 --> 00:13:14.280 There's the potential of there being other women there, 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:16.379 the potential of being other threshers there. 00:13:16.920 --> 00:13:18.500 But it's also calculated 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:21.280 because Naomi has thought through everything. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:27.839 In verse 3, she makes sure that Ruth is going to be very careful and secret. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:32.039 Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:33.980 So Ruth is going to stay in hiding 00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:38.799 until Boaz is at the optimal moment to be as generous as possible. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.379 He'll be full of food. 00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:42.559 He'll have had something good to drink. 00:13:42.959 --> 00:13:45.019 And he'll be a man who's in a good mood. 00:13:46.299 --> 00:13:47.919 But she doesn't just think of that. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:51.599 But there's going to potentially be other people at the threshing floor. 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:53.539 And so how is she going to be able to guarantee 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:57.519 that only Ruth and Boaz are there together? 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:01.779 Well, there's this plan of uncovering the feet. 00:14:02.439 --> 00:14:05.419 Go and uncover his feet and lie down and he will tell you what to do. 00:14:06.139 --> 00:14:09.099 And we see as the plan is carried out that it works perfectly. 00:14:10.099 --> 00:14:12.819 She goes down and does just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:13.419 Verse 6, 00:14:13.419 --> 00:14:15.539 Boaz eats and drinks. 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:17.079 He's feeling good. 00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:17.939 He lies down. 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:21.659 And then we find out the brilliance of the foot plan. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.279 Because it's going to serve as something of a time bomb here. 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:29.620 She's going to uncover his feet after he's gone to sleep. 00:14:30.899 --> 00:14:32.319 Now think about this for a second. 00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:33.219 You're outside. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:35.360 We know this in Colorado. 00:14:36.079 --> 00:14:38.019 What happens in the middle of the night? 00:14:39.500 --> 00:14:40.639 It gets really cold. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.019 Yeah. 00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:42.639 The temperature drops. 00:14:43.939 --> 00:14:46.659 And so his feet are waiting there for when the temperature drops. 00:14:47.579 --> 00:14:48.639 At the right moment. 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:50.840 After everyone else has left. 00:14:52.220 --> 00:14:54.139 And Ruth is just following the plan. 00:14:54.199 --> 00:14:55.340 She's lying down at the feet. 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.740 I'm just going to pause for one second and say there are some people 00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:02.139 who have suggested that there's some innuendo going on in this chapter. 00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:05.019 I'm not going to go into all the details of the Hebrew right now. 00:15:05.059 --> 00:15:06.699 I'd be happy to talk about it with you later. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:07.980 All I'm going to say is this. 00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:08.919 There is no innuendo. 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:14.240 When she uncovers the feet, she is literally uncovering his literal feet. 00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:15.740 Okay? 00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:19.399 And if you read something else, I'm happy to talk to you about it. 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:24.799 But we are told that Boaz is an honorable man and that Ruth is an honorable man. 00:15:24.839 --> 00:15:26.620 We have no reason to believe otherwise here. 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:29.480 So this time bomb goes off. 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.019 It finally gets cold. 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:35.799 Boaz notices that his feet are cold. 00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:37.679 And he wakes up. 00:15:41.539 --> 00:15:42.799 What does Ruth say? 00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:49.000 I've been waiting for this since July 1st. 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:55.259 I am Ruth, your servant. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:00.500 Spread your wings over your servant. 00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:02.360 For you are a redeemer. 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:07.519 When was the first time we saw the word wing? 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:13.279 It was in chapter 2. 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:18.919 I believe it was verse 9 or 10. 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:22.439 Excuse me, verse 12. 00:16:23.699 --> 00:16:26.579 Who says wing in verse 12 of chapter 2? 00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:30.319 It's Boaz. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:32.080 He says, 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:34.160 The Lord repay you for what you have done. 00:16:34.280 --> 00:16:37.460 And a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, 00:16:37.920 --> 00:16:40.879 under whose wings you have come to take refuge. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.300 And so Ruth is telling Boaz, 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:47.960 Boaz, 00:16:48.300 --> 00:16:51.560 I want you to answer your own prayer. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:56.459 And more than that, 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:58.259 the author of Ruth is telling us this, 00:16:58.359 --> 00:17:00.099 that as Boaz 00:17:00.099 --> 00:17:02.939 lifts his hand 00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:06.779 to cover Ruth with the wing, 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:09.000 God's hand 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:11.639 is there on top of it. 00:17:15.639 --> 00:17:16.759 And so God 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:18.940 is working 00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:20.620 through 00:17:20.620 --> 00:17:21.600 Boaz 00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:22.480 to 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.480 Ruth. 00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:26.640 Remember, I asked, 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.900 how does God accomplish his mission? 00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:30.460 And we see here that God 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:32.180 accomplishes his mission 00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:33.660 through his people 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:35.860 to his people. 00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:39.039 God accomplishes his mission 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.200 through his people 00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:42.059 to his people. 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.200 That the hope, 00:17:44.620 --> 00:17:45.519 that the sustaining, 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:48.039 that the provision that God has given his people 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:50.220 is not some pie-in-the-sky hope. 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:53.779 It's not some mystical, 00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.579 magical hope, 00:17:54.659 --> 00:17:55.319 but it's hope 00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:56.720 in real time 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.960 and real space. 00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:01.379 Oh, and that's not all. 00:18:02.159 --> 00:18:03.240 Because I skipped 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:05.180 the first repeated word. 00:18:07.639 --> 00:18:08.700 It's all the way back 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:10.039 in verse 1. 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:12.519 Then Naomi, 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.200 her mother-in-law, 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:13.680 said to her, 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:14.159 My daughter, 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:15.139 should I not seek 00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:17.139 rest for you, 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.420 that it may be well with you? 00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:23.460 Do you remember the first time 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:24.659 we saw the word rest? 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.240 It's in chapter 1. 00:18:31.980 --> 00:18:32.720 Verse 9. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:35.680 So we saw Boaz's prayer 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.500 before Boaz, 00:18:36.600 --> 00:18:37.460 prayed that the Lord 00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:39.200 would reward Ruth 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:39.799 and bless her. 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:41.000 Now we see Naomi's prayer. 00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:42.660 Chapter 1, verse 9. 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.380 The Lord grant 00:18:43.380 --> 00:18:44.380 that you may find 00:18:44.380 --> 00:18:45.620 rest, 00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:47.259 each of you, 00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:48.140 in the house of her husband. 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:49.980 Then she kissed them 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.680 and they lifted up 00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.180 their voices 00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:52.160 and wept. 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:55.900 So Boaz 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:57.779 gets to be part 00:18:57.779 --> 00:18:58.880 of answering his prayer. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:01.900 And Naomi 00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:04.020 gets to be part 00:19:04.020 --> 00:19:04.940 of answering hers. 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:08.080 And so God 00:19:08.080 --> 00:19:09.780 uses his people, 00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:12.160 his provision, 00:19:12.760 --> 00:19:13.620 his redemption, 00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.300 his sustaining, 00:19:15.840 --> 00:19:16.700 never stopping, 00:19:17.360 --> 00:19:18.400 never giving up, 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:20.260 unbreaking, 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.560 always and forever love 00:19:21.560 --> 00:19:22.660 is through his people 00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:24.100 to his people. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.620 And so we see 00:19:27.620 --> 00:19:28.360 something even more 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:29.659 that God's presence 00:19:29.659 --> 00:19:32.699 and God's power 00:19:32.699 --> 00:19:35.399 come through God's people. 00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:39.000 God's presence 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:41.199 and God's power 00:19:41.199 --> 00:19:44.199 come through God's people 00:19:44.199 --> 00:19:46.099 in real time, 00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:47.919 in real space. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.279 As they act, 00:19:50.979 --> 00:19:52.459 as both Naomi 00:19:52.459 --> 00:19:54.299 and Boaz do here, 00:19:55.159 --> 00:19:56.559 they act with wisdom 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.439 and calculation. 00:19:59.179 --> 00:20:00.000 Naomi figures out 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.799 an excellent plan. 00:20:01.719 --> 00:20:02.939 They act with sacrifice. 00:20:03.099 --> 00:20:03.939 Boaz has already 00:20:03.939 --> 00:20:04.459 been generous 00:20:04.459 --> 00:20:06.079 and we're going to see 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:07.079 later that he's going 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:08.839 to be even more generous 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:10.359 next week. 00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:12.579 And so 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:14.719 the question for us 00:20:14.719 --> 00:20:15.259 is this. 00:20:16.699 --> 00:20:18.000 Do you want 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.759 to experience 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.539 God's presence 00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:22.259 God's presence 00:20:22.259 --> 00:20:23.119 and God's power? 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:23.180 Do you want 00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.279 to experience 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:24.460 God's presence 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.180 and God's power? 00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:25.519 Do you want 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.139 to experience 00:20:26.139 --> 00:20:26.339 God's presence 00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:26.899 and God's power? 00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:27.900 God's presence 00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:28.540 and God's power? 00:20:28.540 --> 00:20:29.519 If you want 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:30.400 to experience 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.420 God's presence 00:20:32.420 --> 00:20:33.880 and God's power, 00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:35.940 then you have 00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:36.420 to be 00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:37.680 with God's people. 00:20:39.560 --> 00:20:40.440 If you want 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:41.100 to experience 00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:41.900 God's presence 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:42.640 and his power, 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:43.600 you must be 00:20:43.600 --> 00:20:44.220 with his people. 00:20:44.580 --> 00:20:44.940 Let me put it 00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:45.519 another way. 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:47.420 If Ruth 00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:48.259 had stayed 00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.180 in Moab, 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.960 this would have 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:51.940 never happened. 00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:54.440 If Naomi 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:54.900 had stayed 00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:55.400 in Moab, 00:20:55.600 --> 00:20:56.000 this would have 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:56.660 never happened. 00:20:57.900 --> 00:20:58.660 That God's 00:20:58.660 --> 00:20:59.420 faithfulness, 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.200 his love 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:01.140 to his people 00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:02.440 is always 00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:02.940 connected 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:04.120 to those 00:21:04.120 --> 00:21:04.900 very same 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:05.640 people. 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.420 Now there's 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:09.680 a lot of 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.740 different answers 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:11.259 today about 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:11.740 where God's 00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:12.299 power and his 00:21:12.299 --> 00:21:12.820 presence come 00:21:12.820 --> 00:21:13.100 from. 00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:14.580 Some people 00:21:14.580 --> 00:21:15.120 believe that 00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:15.700 God's power 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:15.980 and his 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:16.420 presence are 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:17.180 primarily in 00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:17.480 nature. 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.960 That we don't 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.660 need to be a 00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:20.059 part of the 00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:20.279 church. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:21.080 We can actually 00:21:21.080 --> 00:21:21.640 have a 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:21.960 spiritual 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.660 experience by 00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:23.220 going on a 00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:23.460 hike. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:26.320 And that if 00:21:26.320 --> 00:21:27.140 we can read 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:27.780 our Bible out 00:21:27.780 --> 00:21:28.120 there at the 00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:28.540 top of a 00:21:28.540 --> 00:21:28.780 mountain, 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:30.259 then we don't 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:30.720 need to come 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:31.140 to church. 00:21:32.100 --> 00:21:32.640 That might 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.280 work for some 00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:33.660 people, it 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:34.300 might be good, 00:21:34.820 --> 00:21:35.600 but that's not 00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:36.100 necessary. 00:21:36.340 --> 00:21:36.780 I mean, if that 00:21:36.780 --> 00:21:37.520 works for you, 00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:38.240 then great, you 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:38.680 do it. 00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.360 You sit, you 00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:40.820 know, on the 00:21:40.820 --> 00:21:41.620 level plane at 00:21:41.620 --> 00:21:42.120 the bottom of 00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:42.540 the mountain 00:21:42.540 --> 00:21:43.020 where there's 00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:43.560 not a great 00:21:43.560 --> 00:21:43.940 view. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:44.900 You can hang 00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:45.300 out with some 00:21:45.300 --> 00:21:45.780 other people, 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.480 some of whom 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:46.920 are great, 00:21:47.040 --> 00:21:47.460 some of whom 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.240 might annoy you. 00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:49.400 But there are 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:50.000 other ways to 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:50.900 experience God's 00:21:50.900 --> 00:21:51.259 presence. 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:52.000 And his 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.300 power. 00:21:56.500 --> 00:21:57.140 Let me tell you 00:21:57.140 --> 00:21:57.520 a story. 00:21:59.840 --> 00:22:00.520 A few of you 00:22:00.520 --> 00:22:01.040 know that a few 00:22:01.040 --> 00:22:01.680 months ago, this 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:02.680 past spring, I 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:04.740 was, unexpectedly, I 00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.160 had to go to the 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:05.800 emergency room. 00:22:06.020 --> 00:22:06.640 I am fine. 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.200 I'm not going to go 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:08.060 into the 00:22:08.060 --> 00:22:08.960 uninteresting details 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:09.360 of that. 00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:11.820 But do you know 00:22:11.820 --> 00:22:12.740 when I went into the 00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:13.620 emergency room, who 00:22:13.620 --> 00:22:14.800 came and visited me? 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:18.119 It's funny to think, you 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:18.659 know, I actually went 00:22:18.659 --> 00:22:19.859 on a hike yesterday, and 00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:21.039 I saw God's beauty and 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:21.659 his grandeur. 00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:24.379 But not a single 00:22:24.379 --> 00:22:25.139 tree, would you 00:22:25.139 --> 00:22:25.779 believe it, not a 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:26.680 single tree came and 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:27.180 visited me. 00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:30.619 There wasn't a single 00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:31.899 rock that showed up. 00:22:33.419 --> 00:22:34.319 None of the great 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.180 views from Garden of the 00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.879 Gods came. 00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:40.160 Do you know who 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:40.400 came? 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.200 It was Mark and 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.060 Maurice who got up in 00:22:44.060 --> 00:22:44.600 the middle of the 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:46.860 night and came and 00:22:46.860 --> 00:22:47.460 visited me in the 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:47.800 hospital. 00:22:49.540 --> 00:22:50.600 It was God's people 00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:51.060 who came. 00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.480 And that emergency 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:55.620 room visit originally 00:22:55.620 --> 00:22:56.420 was billed to be about 00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:57.720 $8,000 and ended up 00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.680 costing about $4,000, 00:22:58.760 --> 00:22:59.380 which is a commentary 00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:00.260 on our health care that 00:23:00.260 --> 00:23:01.180 we can have at another 00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:01.520 time. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.000 And you know who 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:04.799 paid that bill? 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:08.420 I'm a part of a group 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.079 of Christians who 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:10.200 joined together to pay 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:11.160 each other's health 00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:12.480 expenses, and so all of 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.519 that bill was paid by 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.440 other Christians who 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:16.099 sent me checks. 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.279 Now that's a small 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:21.599 example. 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:23.359 That's a small S 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:23.859 suffering. 00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:24.660 I don't mean to 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:26.180 compare it to big S 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:26.720 sufferings. 00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:28.660 But we could talk 00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.279 about this in many 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:29.740 different ways. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:30.759 But we see that God's 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.500 provision for his 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:33.240 people is through his 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.599 church. 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:38.700 It's the only enduring, 00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.500 the only lasting 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.059 community. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.500 And why is that? 00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:46.980 Well, I haven't 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:47.839 finished telling the 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.859 story of chapter 3. 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:51.539 So where we left off is 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:53.220 Ruth had asked Boaz to 00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:54.460 spread his wing over 00:23:54.460 --> 00:23:54.720 her. 00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:57.660 And we saw that she was 00:23:57.660 --> 00:23:59.039 asking him to answer his 00:23:59.039 --> 00:23:59.519 own prayer. 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:01.019 What does he say? 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:03.099 This, by the way, is 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:04.039 why we're not going to 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:05.539 find 12 ways to find 00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:06.079 your Boaz. 00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:07.359 It's because of verse 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:07.619 10. 00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.380 And he said, 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:10.720 May you be blessed by 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.720 the Lord, my daughter. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:14.039 You have made this last 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:14.640 kindness. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:16.180 Remember, kindness is the 00:24:16.180 --> 00:24:16.700 word hesed. 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.440 It's the word that means 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.359 never stopping, never 00:24:18.359 --> 00:24:19.119 giving up love. 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:20.839 You have made this last 00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:21.880 kindness greater than the 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:22.740 first, and that you have 00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:24.400 not gone after young men, 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:26.440 whether poor or rich. 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:30.500 So there's something here 00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:33.400 that Ruth is doing that's 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:34.120 self-sacrificial. 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:37.100 He's not saying, 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:37.880 Blessed are you. 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:39.039 You have chosen a very 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.000 fulfilling, romantic 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:40.660 relationship. 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:44.600 No, he says, not only is 00:24:44.600 --> 00:24:45.779 this great love that you 00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:46.960 are showing, but it is 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.200 even greater than the love 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:49.440 that you showed to Naomi. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:54.360 It's greater than the 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:55.799 first, this last kindness. 00:24:56.360 --> 00:24:57.160 Greater than your first 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:58.440 kindness of coming all the 00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.140 way from a foreign 00:24:59.140 --> 00:24:59.539 country. 00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:01.180 And he tells us why. 00:25:02.080 --> 00:25:02.799 You have not gone after 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.120 young men, whether poor 00:25:04.120 --> 00:25:05.140 or rich. 00:25:06.600 --> 00:25:07.860 There's something that both 00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:11.700 Boaz and Naomi say to 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:11.920 Ruth. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:14.620 They both call her my 00:25:14.620 --> 00:25:14.960 daughter. 00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:18.799 You don't have to be a 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.279 Hebrew scholar. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:19.859 I don't know why. 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.180 It's that Naomi and Boaz 00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:23.519 are most likely of a 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.440 similar generation. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.039 And so Ruth is going and 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.279 proposing marriage to a 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:30.720 man who is probably old 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.700 enough to be her father. 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:36.039 And she's doing it. 00:25:36.339 --> 00:25:37.299 Think about the risk here 00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:37.700 for a second. 00:25:37.940 --> 00:25:39.359 So Naomi has asked her to 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:40.339 go into this very risky 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:40.859 situation. 00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:41.859 This could have gone very 00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:42.180 badly. 00:25:43.639 --> 00:25:45.879 But we see in verse 13 00:25:45.879 --> 00:25:46.980 that it still might go 00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:47.519 really badly. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:50.220 She's committed herself to 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:51.779 Boaz and he says, if he 00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:52.700 will redeem you, meaning 00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:53.720 there's this other man who 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:55.139 might redeem you, good, let 00:25:55.139 --> 00:25:55.619 him do it. 00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.200 But if he is not willing to 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.079 do it, then as the Lord 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.240 lives, I will redeem you. 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:01.740 So Ruth at this point could 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:02.920 end up with Boaz, but she 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.339 might not. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:04.819 She might just end up with 00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:05.460 this other man. 00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:08.900 But she's showing the never 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:10.099 stopping, never giving up 00:26:10.099 --> 00:26:11.859 love because this is the 00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:12.940 relative of a Limelech. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:15.299 And so she's putting 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:16.420 herself in a position 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:18.460 that's going to be best 00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.880 for Naomi. 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:22.660 And Naomi's looking for a 00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:23.559 situation that's going to 00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.900 be best for Ruth. 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:29.460 And Boaz recognizes that, 00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:31.480 you know, we don't know 00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:32.940 100% what to make of his 00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:34.360 poor or rich comment, but 00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:35.960 she hasn't headed after men 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:36.640 her own age. 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:38.780 And one person has 00:26:38.780 --> 00:26:39.820 suggested that the poor 00:26:39.820 --> 00:26:41.820 would be someone that she 00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:43.240 was infatuated with, 00:26:43.320 --> 00:26:44.259 someone she just had this 00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.620 intense romantic love for. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:46.660 So she was willing to 00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.460 marry him because he's 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:47.700 poor. 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:49.820 And the rich would be 00:26:49.820 --> 00:26:50.740 someone she's willing to 00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.640 marry because he has lots 00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:52.000 of money. 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:54.360 And so she's chosen 00:26:54.360 --> 00:26:55.300 neither of those. 00:26:56.380 --> 00:26:57.740 Instead, she's chosen 00:26:57.740 --> 00:27:02.080 the man who's going to be 00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:04.120 best for the good of her 00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:06.140 and the good of Naomi. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:09.820 And so this is a love 00:27:09.820 --> 00:27:10.160 story. 00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:12.780 But it's not an American 00:27:12.780 --> 00:27:13.380 love story. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:16.120 It's not a 21st century 00:27:16.120 --> 00:27:16.540 love story. 00:27:16.620 --> 00:27:18.060 It's not a self-fulfillment 00:27:18.060 --> 00:27:18.620 love story. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.759 You know, in other love 00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.720 stories in the Bible, we 00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:23.480 are told about the figure's 00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:24.560 attraction to one another. 00:27:25.600 --> 00:27:26.520 In Genesis, we're told 00:27:26.520 --> 00:27:27.360 about how attractive 00:27:27.360 --> 00:27:28.560 Rebecca is, for example. 00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.540 In the book of Judges, 00:27:29.600 --> 00:27:30.680 we're told about how 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.200 Samson is attracted to the 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:34.300 women that he is drawn to. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:36.980 And what does Boaz say 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.980 about Ruth here? 00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.919 Verse 11. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.899 I will do for you all 00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:45.119 that you ask, for all my 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:46.339 fellow townsmen know that 00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:48.440 you are a worthy woman. 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:54.279 And so this is a self-sacrificing 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:54.880 love story. 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:57.380 A love story based not 00:27:57.380 --> 00:27:58.980 necessarily on attraction, 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:00.480 but on character. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:05.799 And so that's the reason that 00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:08.019 God's presence and God's 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:10.079 power come through his people. 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:13.240 Because it's in God's people 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:16.400 that we find his chesed love. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.120 It's in God's people that we 00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:20.420 find the never stopping, 00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:22.640 never giving up, unbreaking, 00:28:23.079 --> 00:28:24.200 always and forever love. 00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:26.940 It's the love that Ruth has 00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.599 shown to Naomi. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:30.019 It's the love that Naomi now 00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:31.139 is trying to show to Ruth. 00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.819 It's the love that Ruth is 00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:33.719 showing to Boaz. 00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.419 And we're going to find out 00:28:35.419 --> 00:28:37.719 next week that this is going 00:28:37.719 --> 00:28:39.039 to cost Boaz as well. 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:41.419 And so it's his love for Ruth 00:28:41.419 --> 00:28:42.279 too. 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:46.439 There's... 00:28:46.439 --> 00:28:48.439 All of us at some level 00:28:48.439 --> 00:28:50.119 long for community. 00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:53.740 We long for this kind of 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:55.119 never stopping, never giving up 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:55.399 love. 00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:57.440 A place where people know us 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.220 and they'll meet us in our 00:28:58.220 --> 00:28:58.560 need. 00:29:00.580 --> 00:29:02.019 And so my question for all of 00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:03.480 us for Christians and for 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:04.620 non-Christians is this. 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:07.140 Where are you going to find 00:29:07.140 --> 00:29:08.660 true community? 00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:12.140 We have all kinds of places 00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:13.440 around us that claim to offer 00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:13.640 it. 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:17.240 I go to a coffee shop that I 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.640 love here in town and their 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:21.140 slogan, one of their slogans is 00:29:21.140 --> 00:29:22.280 they're building coffee through 00:29:22.280 --> 00:29:22.700 community. 00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:24.519 And they do a really good job of 00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:24.639 it. 00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:25.940 I love this coffee shop. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.839 They know my name. 00:29:28.579 --> 00:29:29.599 They give me free coffee 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:30.799 sometimes because I'm there a 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:31.019 lot. 00:29:34.019 --> 00:29:37.279 But what if I'm anxious and so I 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:38.619 don't want to have any caffeine in 00:29:38.619 --> 00:29:39.039 my body? 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:42.220 Are they going to be there for 00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:42.440 me? 00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:46.500 When I'm in the hospital, am I 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.220 going to call them? 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:51.460 I'm not. 00:29:53.299 --> 00:29:54.720 The army wants to be a community 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.160 too. 00:29:55.620 --> 00:29:56.559 It wants to be a family. 00:29:57.360 --> 00:29:58.160 And it will be. 00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:01.039 But what if you get a DUI? 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:06.039 Is the army going to show you 00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:07.360 never stopping, never giving up 00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:07.620 love? 00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:17.339 It's only in God's people that God 00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:19.239 gives his presence and his power. 00:30:20.639 --> 00:30:22.739 And so friends, we have to commit 00:30:22.739 --> 00:30:24.259 to God's people. 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:27.519 We have to commit to God's people 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:30.059 because that is the place that he 00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:32.459 has designed for his presence and his 00:30:32.459 --> 00:30:33.079 power to be. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:35.859 That's the place that he's given us. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:40.299 And it's only when we have a 00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:44.000 self-sacrificing community that we 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.599 can have a true community, a full 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.019 community. 00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:48.339 So as theologists talk about the 00:30:48.339 --> 00:30:49.879 difference between thin and thick 00:30:49.879 --> 00:30:52.240 communities, thin communities would 00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.720 be ones like the coffee shop that I've 00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.159 told you about. 00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:55.240 It's a community. 00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:57.259 But it's a thin community. 00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:59.839 It's not going to be with me there 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:00.460 when I suffer. 00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:03.539 It's not going to give me answers 00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:05.900 to explain my experiences in life. 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.360 But people there are going to know 00:31:08.360 --> 00:31:08.779 my name. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:11.019 So it's a thin community. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:14.920 A thick community is a place where 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:17.960 people do stick with us when we 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:18.220 suffer. 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:22.140 People do help us understand the 00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:23.900 things that happen in life. 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:26.460 And we can only have a thick 00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:30.259 community if there's something that's 00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:31.480 self-sacrificing in it. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:32.680 And if there's something greater 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:33.319 than us. 00:31:34.579 --> 00:31:35.960 Now we live in a world where we're 00:31:35.960 --> 00:31:38.220 told that we are the most powerful 00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:38.539 thing. 00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:39.339 We are the answer. 00:31:40.140 --> 00:31:41.079 We are autonomous. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:43.299 Our choices, our beliefs about 00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:44.599 ourselves are the most important. 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:47.339 But the problem with that is that if 00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:48.859 you are the end of everything, 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:53.160 you have shut yourself off from any 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:53.759 true community. 00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:53.839 community. 00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.900 As we've been going through this 00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:58.240 book, I've also been reading a book 00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:59.859 called Walking with God Through Pain 00:31:59.859 --> 00:32:00.460 and Suffering. 00:32:00.879 --> 00:32:02.359 And one of my favorite quotes is 00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:02.720 this. 00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:05.559 Community among persons is formed 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:06.980 only when there is something more 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:08.980 important than one's own interests to 00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:10.619 which all share a higher allegiance. 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:15.059 Humanism suffers from the valorization of 00:32:15.059 --> 00:32:15.720 the individual. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:17.079 Now listen to this. 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:20.879 When I am the final authority for 00:32:20.879 --> 00:32:23.399 determining right and wrong, and when 00:32:23.399 --> 00:32:24.919 nothing is more important than my 00:32:24.919 --> 00:32:27.460 right to live as I see fit, tight, 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:29.699 supportive community is eroded. 00:32:30.819 --> 00:32:32.980 Perhaps even impossible. 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:40.519 And so if we want true community, we have 00:32:40.519 --> 00:32:41.539 to be in God's community. 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:47.019 If we want true community, we have to be 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:48.240 in God's community. 00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:52.480 There's one more word. 00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:56.519 There's three of them here. 00:32:58.220 --> 00:33:01.460 And it shows up at the very end of the 00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:01.759 chapter. 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.440 Verse 17. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:10.399 Boaz gives an extra measure of food. 00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:12.200 To Ruth. 00:33:12.399 --> 00:33:13.879 To take back to her mother-in-law. 00:33:14.659 --> 00:33:15.920 Some people think this is some kind of 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:16.460 down payment. 00:33:17.139 --> 00:33:18.399 Sort of like an engagement ring. 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:19.659 He's saying, I'm giving you this as a 00:33:19.659 --> 00:33:20.720 sign of my commitment to you. 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:21.359 My generosity. 00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:26.200 Naomi says, verse 17. 00:33:26.519 --> 00:33:28.339 These six measures of barley he gave to 00:33:28.339 --> 00:33:28.480 me. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:31.299 For he said to me, you must not go back 00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:33.440 empty-handed to your mother-in-law. 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:38.899 When's the last time we saw the word 00:33:38.899 --> 00:33:39.299 empty? 00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:44.680 It was on Naomi's lips. 00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:52.159 Remember she said, I left full, but God 00:33:52.159 --> 00:33:53.259 brought me back empty. 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:57.019 And so we see at the very end of this 00:33:57.019 --> 00:34:00.059 chapter that God is working through his 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:03.940 people to his people to do what? 00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:08.519 To take them from empty back to full. 00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:14.380 He gave this to me so that you would not be 00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:14.940 empty-handed. 00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:19.159 And so we don't need just a religious 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:19.679 community. 00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:22.559 It's not pick between the world's 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:24.059 religions so that you can find thick 00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.440 community. 00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:29.440 But we need a self-sacrificing community. 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:34.280 A community that's based on never stopping, 00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:35.280 never giving up, 00:34:36.200 --> 00:34:38.019 unbreaking, always and forever love. 00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:44.400 Now, as some of you know, I started working at the 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:46.840 church here full-time in June. 00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:49.239 And that means that I'm here at the church 00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:50.739 building a lot more than I used to be. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.699 And I've learned some things since I have 00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:55.800 started just being here during the day. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:57.539 You know, people use our parking lot a lot, for 00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:57.900 example. 00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:00.539 My favorite is when the police use it. 00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:02.500 They'll park right under there under our 00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:03.800 covering to talk to each other. 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:05.579 Just makes me feel good. 00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:08.739 Sometimes people use it for, you know, 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:09.300 random meetings. 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:10.719 Sometimes people need to pull off this road. 00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.559 They pull off the highway. 00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:13.300 We're one of the first places they can stop. 00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:18.019 But there's one kind of stopping in our 00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:19.219 parking lot that I didn't expect. 00:35:19.320 --> 00:35:20.199 I've been surprised by. 00:35:22.300 --> 00:35:24.099 There was a time I was here a few weeks 00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:26.239 ago and, you know, we've been having a lot 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:27.039 of hail recently. 00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:32.559 And so the hail started and I thought, 00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:34.940 okay, I don't want to run out in this hail, 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:36.599 but I also don't want to get my car to get 00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:37.900 wrecked again by another hailstorm. 00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:40.900 And so I finally put on my rain jacket and I 00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:42.579 ran outside and I got in the car and I drove 00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:44.119 it around here to this covering. 00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:47.320 And I wasn't sure if I was going to be able 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:48.119 to find a spot. 00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:55.400 Because when the hailstorm comes, 00:35:55.400 --> 00:36:00.720 first place people run to is that covering 00:36:00.720 --> 00:36:01.440 under our church. 00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:04.639 And if you think about it, there's not a lot 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:06.680 of places here in this area to cover your car 00:36:06.680 --> 00:36:07.660 if you don't have a house here. 00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:09.780 There's an apartment complex over there. 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.700 They have parking spots. 00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:12.180 Those are reserved for people who pay. 00:36:14.180 --> 00:36:17.200 There is only one free offer of car covering 00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:18.559 here on West Meadow. 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:21.000 And you know what? 00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:23.059 When I pulled up there, it really doesn't matter 00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:26.639 if your car is expensive or cheap. 00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:29.559 If it's not under the covering. 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:35.440 And there are people who won't show up here 00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:38.739 in our church parking lot until there's a storm. 00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:46.459 This passage is telling us, this book of Ruth 00:36:46.459 --> 00:36:51.859 is telling us that the church, that God's people 00:36:51.859 --> 00:36:55.519 is the only shelter when there's a storm. 00:36:56.059 --> 00:37:01.439 And it doesn't matter what kind of car you have. 00:37:01.500 --> 00:37:03.000 It doesn't matter if it's cheap or expensive. 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:08.800 All that matters is whether you're hidden under the wing. 00:37:14.699 --> 00:37:21.500 And so Jesus came to us who are people 00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:23.099 who are interested in self-fulfillment, 00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:25.559 not self-sacrifice. 00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:31.920 He comes in real time and real space. 00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:33.920 You know, part of the reason that Christianity 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:36.180 has survived as a religion and many others have not 00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:39.940 is that ours is based in a historical event. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:43.019 It's not primarily in an idea, but in a person 00:37:43.019 --> 00:37:46.840 who came and lived a life in real time, 00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:48.420 in real space, here with us. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:54.780 And he gave up the shelter of God's wing 00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:57.920 so that we could hide under it. 00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:04.320 And so he invites you and he invites me. 00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:08.740 The wing is there for anyone who is willing 00:38:08.740 --> 00:38:10.980 to come and hide under it. 00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:14.659 But you have to come and hide. 00:38:15.619 --> 00:38:19.059 You have to commit to God and his people 00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:24.340 because he is the only shelter in the time of storm. 00:38:24.340 --> 00:38:27.220 Will you pray with me? 00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.400 Dear Father in heaven, 00:38:32.680 --> 00:38:36.360 we thank you that you cover us, 00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:39.620 that you offer to be our protection 00:38:39.620 --> 00:38:40.800 in the time of trouble. 00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:44.460 We confess that we look to ourselves 00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.400 and many other places, 00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:47.100 but we ask that you would work in our hearts 00:38:47.100 --> 00:38:48.100 that we would look to you. 00:38:48.099 --> 00:38:51.920 And so we would commit to you and your people, 00:38:53.319 --> 00:38:57.119 leaving behind our sin and our self-righteousness, 00:38:57.559 --> 00:39:00.179 and instead hiding and finding shelter with you. 00:39:01.099 --> 00:39:02.779 We thank you for your son, 00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:04.159 who you sent, 00:39:05.139 --> 00:39:07.679 that you took shelter away from him, 00:39:08.339 --> 00:39:09.839 that you could give it to us. 00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:12.219 We ask it in his name. 00:39:12.940 --> 00:39:13.199 Amen. 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:13.339 Amen.