WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.600 today. A special welcome if you're a visitor with us. We're glad you're here. And we're glad you're 00:00:06.600 --> 00:00:12.099 here not because we're interested in just filling seats, but we're glad you're here because we 00:00:12.099 --> 00:00:18.660 believe that as we're following after Jesus, that there's no one so good that they don't need God's 00:00:18.660 --> 00:00:24.640 grace. And there's no one so bad that they can't have it. And so we're glad you're here because 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:29.280 we're all trying to learn from Jesus and follow after him, and we believe that he has something 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:35.260 to offer to every single one of us. If you've been with us for the last, now almost two months, 00:00:35.300 --> 00:00:39.200 you know that we are going through the book of Ruth. And I have to say, personally, I'm a little 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:46.799 bit sad because we're almost at the end. We have two more sermons left in Ruth, and it's been 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:53.120 a delight for me to go through this book with you and just a joy. You know if you've been with us that 00:00:53.120 --> 00:00:57.460 Ruth is a book about suffering, and it's a book about suffering because it's a book about people 00:00:57.460 --> 00:01:04.879 who live in a country where they weren't born, and because it's a book about widows. But you also 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:11.000 know that it's a book about redemption because it's about God sustaining and providing and caring for 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:19.040 his people even in the middle of that very same suffering. And even more than that, we've talked 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:24.299 about the fact that this is about God's chesed love. Remember, chesed is that Hebrew word that 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:31.979 means God's never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. And we've 00:01:31.979 --> 00:01:38.239 seen that love as we've gone through the book from God to his people, but we've also seen it from God's 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:44.819 people to each other. That it's a love that comes from God through his people to his people. And that's 00:01:44.819 --> 00:01:51.299 part of what we looked at last week. As we come to the end, remember at the very beginning, we talked 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:56.920 about stories. I asked those of you who are kids why it was that your parents read stories aloud to you. 00:01:58.479 --> 00:02:03.319 And there were many reasons, but one of them was that we would become wise. That God as a loving 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:09.419 Father wants us to know what's ahead of us. He wants us to know how to handle suffering in our lives. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:15.099 And now we're at the very end. We're in the last chapter. And so there's something else that happens 00:02:15.099 --> 00:02:20.560 with stories. And that is, how do we handle endings? There's at least two kinds of people when it comes 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:26.479 to endings. And I learned this growing up because my mom is one of those kinds of peoples. My mom has 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:33.039 to know the ending of a story before she starts it. And so she'll skip to the very end and read the last 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:39.719 chapter. Because if she doesn't know the end, she can't enjoy the rest of the story. She wants to watch 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:45.379 how it all comes together. And then there are others of us who will tell friends if we're reading 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:49.159 a new book that's just come out, hey, I'm just reading this book. You cannot tell me the ending 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:52.319 because you'll spoil the rest of it for me. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:03:02.539 We have a little bit of a teaser. Remember we saw last week that Boaz was going to go and see if he 00:03:02.539 --> 00:03:09.719 could redeem Ruth. And yet there's a closer redeemer. And so we're not sure how the story is 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:15.759 going to end. Now last week we also saw that there were three words repeated in chapter three that we 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:22.719 had seen earlier in the book. And we're not done. We have one more word in this chapter. Now this is 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:27.120 the word that's going to appear not for the second time, but for the third time. So I'm going to tease 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:34.580 you with that a little bit. And so our question is, how is this story going to end? Some of you at 00:03:34.580 --> 00:03:38.420 this point know how the story is going to end. So you might think, well, I have nothing else to 00:03:38.420 --> 00:03:43.740 listen to at this point. I've read Ruth before. And yet if this is a story that God has given us to 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:52.879 become wise, it's not just a question about how does this story end. But how do all of our stories end 00:03:52.879 --> 00:04:05.219 when we walk and work with God? Because this is not just a book about Ruth. It's not just a book 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:10.699 about Naomi, but it's a book for us and about us. It's a book about God's people that he's given to his 00:04:10.699 --> 00:04:17.579 people. And so the ending here for these characters is in some ways the ending for us as well. 00:04:17.579 --> 00:04:27.819 So what happens? How is the story going to end for anyone who walks with God and works with God? 00:04:29.019 --> 00:04:34.839 And whether you like it or not, you're going to be like my mom this morning because we're going to 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:42.360 talk about how the story ends for each and every one of us. With that, we're in Ruth chapter 4. We're 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:46.860 in the last chapter. We're starting at verse 1. Remember that this is God's word. 00:04:47.579 --> 00:04:55.959 And God tells us that his word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold, and that it is 00:04:55.959 --> 00:05:02.159 sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so we're going to turn to 00:05:02.159 --> 00:05:05.979 it now. We're in Ruth chapter 4, starting at verse 1. Please read with me. 00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:14.860 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the Redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken 00:05:14.860 --> 00:05:22.740 came by. So Boaz said, turn aside, friend, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down. 00:05:23.520 --> 00:05:29.660 And he took 10 men of the elders of the city and said, sit down here. So they sat down. 00:05:30.520 --> 00:05:36.520 Then he said to the Redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel 00:05:36.520 --> 00:05:43.220 of land that has belonged to our relative, Elimelech. Verse 4. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, 00:05:43.220 --> 00:05:48.040 buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. 00:05:48.820 --> 00:05:56.160 If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me that I may know. For there is no one 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:03.980 besides you to redeem it. And I come after you. And he said, I will redeem it. Verse 5. 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:11.800 Then Boaz said, the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth, the Moabite, 00:06:12.020 --> 00:06:17.259 the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance. 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:24.360 Then the Redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. 00:06:25.100 --> 00:06:30.259 Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it. Verse 7. 00:06:30.259 --> 00:06:35.459 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:40.379 To confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other. 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:45.680 And this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the Redeemer said to Boaz, 00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:50.579 buy it for yourself, he drew off his sandal. Verse 9. 00:06:51.379 --> 00:06:56.439 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses this day that I have bought from 00:06:56.439 --> 00:07:01.699 the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Malon. 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:08.459 Also Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of Malon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the 00:07:08.459 --> 00:07:13.699 dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers 00:07:13.699 --> 00:07:20.300 and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day. Verse 11. 00:07:20.300 --> 00:07:26.980 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the 00:07:26.980 --> 00:07:32.819 woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:40.019 May you act worthily in Ethraphah and be renowned in Bethlehem. And may your house be like the house 00:07:40.019 --> 00:07:45.240 of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:53.240 woman. Verse 13. So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went into her and the Lord gave her 00:07:53.240 --> 00:08:00.980 conception and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, blessed be the Lord who has not left you 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:08.860 this day without a redeemer. And may his name be renowned in Israel. Verse 15. He shall be a restorer to you 00:08:08.860 --> 00:08:15.220 of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more than 00:08:15.220 --> 00:08:21.760 more to you than seven sons has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap 00:08:21.760 --> 00:08:27.020 and he became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying, a son has 00:08:27.020 --> 00:08:34.100 been born to Naomi. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 00:08:35.139 --> 00:08:38.120 Please pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:49.860 Dear father in heaven, we thank you that you are a good and loving father who longs for us to know 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:56.460 more about you and your ways. And so you've given us your word. We ask that you would help us to 00:08:56.460 --> 00:09:03.419 understand what you've given us. That everything that is written about you, we would hear and see 00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:11.819 and know and believe. We ask these things not because we have earned it, but because your son has. 00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:16.259 And so we ask it in his name, in the name of Jesus. Amen. 00:09:19.319 --> 00:09:23.799 We're jumping in at a high point of tension here because as you remember from last week, 00:09:24.099 --> 00:09:29.480 we are not sure exactly what's going to happen. Ruth has proposed that Boaz would be her redeemer 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:35.519 by marrying her. And yet there's a complication because there's a closer redeemer. Now we've 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:41.580 learned before that the redeemer was someone who was related to a person in their family who was in 00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:47.019 a very bad situation. Maybe someone had been sold into slavery because they were in debt. Maybe they'd 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:53.600 had to give up their land due to an unforeseen circumstance. But for whatever reason, this person 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:59.879 was very dire circumstances. And so a redeemer was someone who would come and they would buy them 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:03.740 back out of slavery or they would buy that land back so that they could have it, so that they could 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:09.180 restore them to fullness. And so a redeemer, in a sense, is someone who makes an investment 00:10:09.180 --> 00:10:16.279 but never gets to see the return. They make an investment for someone else's sake. And as we saw last 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:23.879 week, a redeemer can also marry a widow who has not had children. And the idea of marrying the widow 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:29.439 who has not had children is to carry on the name of the man who died. We see that in this passage in 00:10:29.439 --> 00:10:35.600 verse 5 and 10, Boaz talks about the necessity of carrying on the name of Elimelech. The purpose for 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:41.079 this in God's plan for his people of the Old Testament was that the family was the core of society, 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:46.220 family, number one. And so he wanted the family name to continue. But number two, God wanted to 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:52.820 protect his people from the tragedy of having the haves and the have-nots. And so he wanted to prevent 00:10:52.820 --> 00:10:58.639 the death of a man without an heir from causing that heir's inheritance to transfer to someone else in 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:03.300 the family. In other words, he didn't want one man to begin to amass large amounts of property 00:11:03.300 --> 00:11:09.360 while other people had no property to work with. And so this idea of land and marriage are all tied 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:14.440 together. And we come upon that very issue in this chapter because we have a surprise. We expect that 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:23.399 Boaz is coming here to marry Ruth. He takes action. He shows up at the city gates. And yet, for some reason, 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:29.139 he doesn't want to talk about marriage at all. Did you notice that? He wants to talk about land. 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:36.200 He says in verse 3, by the way, this redeemer, this closer redeemer that he's trying to talk to just happens 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:42.300 to pass by at the right time. And so we continue to see what we learned a few sermons ago, that 00:11:42.300 --> 00:11:48.560 there are things that just happen. But really, it's God's providence blessing his people as they 00:11:48.560 --> 00:11:54.580 follow after his mission. So Boaz takes action. On the one hand, he's not passive, but God meets him 00:11:54.580 --> 00:12:01.600 at the same time. He brings him to the right place at the right time. And Boaz is talking about land, 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:06.759 not marriage. So we have a surprise here in verse 3. He says, Naomi, who has come back from the country 00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:11.700 of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. So I thought I would tell 00:12:11.700 --> 00:12:15.820 you of it and say, buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my 00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:22.519 people. If you'll redeem it, redeem it. Now, this doesn't just raise a surprise for us why he's talking 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:26.920 about land rather than marriage, but it also raises another question about the previous three chapters. 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:34.139 If Naomi has this plot of land, why has she been so destitute this whole time? 00:12:36.339 --> 00:12:41.459 She came back looking for food, and Ruth had to glean for them. And yet it turns out that she's had 00:12:41.459 --> 00:12:47.299 property all along. Well, the book doesn't answer this question for us directly, so we have to piece 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:51.500 a few things together. Presumably, the original audience would have known exactly what was going on 00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:55.679 because they were familiar with the customs at the time. But the best that we can figure out that 00:12:55.679 --> 00:13:02.079 happened is this. When Elimelech and Naomi left, it was impossible to permanently sell your land if 00:13:02.079 --> 00:13:07.359 you lived in the land of Israel. And so what they most likely did was they sold the rights of use to 00:13:07.359 --> 00:13:12.299 the land to someone else. This is a typical practice to sell the rights of use for a time. In fact, 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:17.000 if you were in a dire strait financially, this is something you might do to regain money, something you 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:23.000 might do to pay off the debt. And that's part of what a redeemer would do. A redeemer would buy back 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:29.299 the land so that you could have the use of it again. They would buy back your livelihood. So the most 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:33.740 likely thing that happened is that Elimelech and Naomi left for Moab, and they sold someone the rights 00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:40.840 to the land. And for whatever reason, when Naomi came back, she wasn't able to buy back the rights. 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:44.580 And whoever had the land had no interest in helping her. 00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:52.020 And so there's someone that's been using her land this whole time, and she's been unable to repossess 00:13:52.020 --> 00:13:58.180 it. And this is the very situation for which a redeemer is needed. The redeemer comes back and 00:13:58.180 --> 00:14:03.560 gets the land back for the person who can't afford to buy it, so that they can once again have the 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:08.860 family plot, the family land. And so that's what this man is suggesting here. He's saying, would you like 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:16.480 to buy back the rights of this land? But remember, he doesn't mention the name Ruth at all. Why is that? 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:24.180 He says, would you like to buy back the land of Naomi? Well, this redeemer seems very eager to buy 00:14:24.180 --> 00:14:34.259 back the land until Boaz's brilliance comes through in verse 5. He says, oh, by the way, 00:14:34.259 --> 00:14:42.840 this redeemer said he's going to redeem it, right? He's eager for this deal. It's interesting, he's at 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:47.259 the city gates. He hasn't taken any time to think about it. He doesn't need to go back and check his 00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:53.179 bank accounts or his investments to know if he can afford it. He jumps at this opportunity until verse 5. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:57.419 Then Boaz said, the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, 00:14:57.419 --> 00:15:05.919 you also acquire Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:12.339 dead in his inheritance. Then the redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own 00:15:12.339 --> 00:15:21.199 inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it. Why does this change the deal 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:28.780 so much? You see, when this redeemer first heard about this opportunity, he thought it was an 00:15:28.780 --> 00:15:36.400 opportunity just tied to Naomi. And so he would be able to perform the rights of a redeemer by the 00:15:36.400 --> 00:15:45.780 letter of the law. But remember, Naomi is an older widow. He's probably not going to have to produce an 00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:51.860 heir. And so if he does this, most likely he is going to be able to take this land for his own. 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:56.659 Now he'll have to support Naomi while she's a widow, but he'll do that from the proceeds of the land. 00:15:56.939 --> 00:16:02.120 And then when Naomi passes away, instead of it going to the heir of Naomi, it's going to go to him. 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:10.039 And so he has a wonderful business opportunity in front of him. He can look great. He can come in and 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:15.720 play the part of a redeemer. He can buy back the land. He can support Naomi. And he can also end up 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:23.180 getting a great business deal. And so this redeemer is not interested at all in redemption. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:31.639 He has no interest in actually helping the foreigner. He's not interested in making an 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:36.759 investment that someone else is going to see the profit for. And so when he hears that Ruth goes along 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:43.620 with it, he realizes that if Ruth comes with it, there might also be an heir. And if there's an heir, 00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:51.360 this land that he buys is going to go to that heir. It's going to go to Ruth's first son. It's not going 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:58.139 to go to him. And so we find out that this redeemer actually has no interest in redemption. 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:07.920 Because a redeemer is someone who's willing to save someone else at great cost. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:13.920 This man looks and realizes that it's going to cost him something. 00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:19.539 It's interesting because if we look at the pattern of redeemers like this in the Bible, 00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:22.180 it usually involves them trying to get out of their responsibilities. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.920 This happened with Judah and Tamar, who we're going to talk about in a little bit in Genesis 38. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:29.420 It happened another time in Genesis as well. 00:17:29.580 --> 00:17:32.779 That the redeemers are always trying to figure out a way to not have to redeem. 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:38.059 Because it's very expensive to be a redeemer. Very expensive. 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:44.960 And so this man pulls out completely. Verse 6, I cannot redeem it. 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:48.899 I'm not willing to pay the price for someone else. 00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:54.519 I'm only willing to pay the price if I can actually do what God's intention was not to happen. 00:17:54.579 --> 00:17:57.019 If I can accumulate more and more property for myself. 00:17:57.019 --> 00:18:02.279 And of course this is what Boaz had planned all along. 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:08.359 We see his brilliance here that he waits until verse 5 to suddenly turn the tables on this man. 00:18:08.819 --> 00:18:12.420 And show him that this is a real opportunity for real redemption. 00:18:13.879 --> 00:18:18.119 And of course that's something that this quote-unquote redeemer has no interest in. 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:21.139 And so Boaz quickly seals the deal. 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.400 He's brought in 10 elders. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:28.060 We saw that at the very beginning to make sure that this is done in all the right legal proceedings. 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:31.080 He does it with witnesses so it can never be undone. 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:35.800 They follow an ancient custom of exchanging sandals. 00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:39.860 And then they have all the witnesses in verse 11 who bless them. 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:47.240 And so this redeemer highlights for us what Boaz is doing. 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:52.620 Remember I said last week we were going to see that Boaz was also going to pay a great price. 00:18:54.500 --> 00:19:03.640 The fact that this redeemer, this nameless redeemer backs out, underscores the sacrifice that Boaz is willing to make. 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:10.100 This redeemer, in a sense, serves as a foil for Boaz. 00:19:11.860 --> 00:19:17.660 Highlighting and underlining and accenting the ways in which Boaz is a true redeemer. 00:19:18.620 --> 00:19:28.020 He is willing to sacrifice, to give up, to buy land that he's not going to see his investment come back on. 00:19:28.019 --> 00:19:34.839 Because he's only going to keep this land until Ruth's oldest son is able to take it for his own. 00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:38.799 So he's never going to see the money come back. 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:42.779 He's making an investment for someone else's sake. 00:19:46.379 --> 00:19:54.519 Remember we started by asking, how does the story end when we walk and work with God? 00:19:54.519 --> 00:20:00.000 The first way that the story is going to end is sacrifice. 00:20:02.639 --> 00:20:08.599 If we walk and work with God, whether we're suffering or someone else is suffering, 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:12.579 we will end up giving a lot. 00:20:13.879 --> 00:20:15.660 We'll end up sacrificing a lot. 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:22.759 In fact, if we walk with God and work with God, we will end up giving up everything. 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:29.200 Because God's heart is towards the marginalized. 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:31.480 And it's towards the foreigner. 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:34.599 You notice the other thing that Boaz did in verse 5? 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:37.639 He gave Ruth her full name. 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.980 Ruth the Moabite. 00:20:41.579 --> 00:20:43.059 You're not just redeeming someone. 00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:45.160 You're going to get to redeem a foreigner. 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:52.060 And this land that you invest in is going to go to someone who does not have pure Israelite blood. 00:20:54.140 --> 00:20:59.320 But Boaz here models for us the sacrifice that will happen. 00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:09.579 That if we walk with God, if we follow after Jesus, it is going to cost us tremendously. 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:15.379 It might cost us, like it does Boaz here, it might be a financial cost. 00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:22.099 Boaz is using his resources not for his own fulfillment, but to save those around him. 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:24.159 To save a foreigner. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:27.500 It might not be a financial sacrifice. 00:21:27.600 --> 00:21:29.759 It might be a sacrifice of time. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:34.920 As we do the things that Boaz and Ruth have shown us here, as we commit to people who are suffering. 00:21:38.100 --> 00:21:40.600 It's going to involve a sacrifice of our comfort. 00:21:42.340 --> 00:21:43.460 Sometimes of our happiness. 00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:49.720 But it might just lead to joy. 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:57.240 And it also doesn't end with sacrifice. 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:02.220 Because that's only the first answer to our question. 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:07.740 Remember we've talked before about how important names are in the book of Ruth? 00:22:10.100 --> 00:22:13.160 There's not many people who aren't given a name. 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:19.519 I think the only other character I can think of is Boaz's servant in chapter 2. 00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:20.680 We didn't find out his name. 00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:32.360 In verse 5 and verse 10, Boaz reminds us what he's doing. 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.700 Did you notice it? 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:37.740 In verse 5. 00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:45.340 You acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:48.259 That Elimelech's name is going to continue. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.360 And then we hear that in verse 10 when he tells everyone what he's done. 00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:59.100 Also, Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Malani, bought to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance. 00:22:59.099 --> 00:23:01.559 That the name of the dead may not be cut off. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:06.980 What was the Redeemer unwilling to do? 00:23:08.879 --> 00:23:11.639 He was unwilling to perpetuate the name. 00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:15.299 He was unwilling to raise up someone else's inheritance. 00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:21.159 And in the Old Testament, the punishment fits the crime. 00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:25.279 And so this Redeemer has no name. 00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:35.119 The one who would refuse to raise up someone else's name also loses the chance to have a name. 00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:42.879 When we know the names of everyone else, this is the man who's cut out. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:50.660 And as we'll see next week, it's Boaz's name that's going to continue. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:55.400 It's Boaz who's going to show up in Matthew chapter 1. 00:23:57.140 --> 00:23:57.920 And here. 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:02.620 Because he was willing to raise up the name. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:07.140 And so we're not just left with sacrifice. 00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:13.040 Verses 11 and 12, we see the blessing that everyone asks for, for Boaz. 00:24:13.120 --> 00:24:13.740 In verse 11. 00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:29.359 In other words, you're from the tribe of Judah. 00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:35.720 And may you be considered just as great as the founders of your tribe because of what you've done. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:38.140 May the Lord bless you for your sacrifice. 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:42.000 And we see immediately that that blessing begins to take place in the very next verse. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:45.200 In verse 13, Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:49.099 And he went into her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son. 00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:57.680 This is only the second time in the entire book of Ruth that something has been explicitly ascribed to God. 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:01.839 The first time was in chapter 1 when the Lord visited his people with food. 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:06.299 And now he visits Ruth and Boaz with his special blessing. 00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:12.759 If you remember from chapter 1, it was interesting that Ruth had been married for 10 years. 00:25:14.139 --> 00:25:15.579 And yet there was no heir. 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:21.399 And it's not stated, but we can only assume that she and Orpah were unable to have children. 00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:27.340 And now God extends his blessing to her and Boaz. 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:31.540 Then the women said to Naomi, 00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:34.759 Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a redeemer. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:37.660 And may his name be renowned in Israel. 00:25:37.800 --> 00:25:41.240 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:46.120 This blessing is not just going to be for Boaz and Ruth. 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:50.819 But as we saw last week, it's going to bless the rest of God's people too. 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.519 And so Naomi is going to have a blessing. 00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:56.220 And here's the word. 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:58.000 Here's the third occurrence of the word. 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:01.460 Verse 17. 00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:04.819 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying, 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:08.380 A son has been born to Naomi. 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:13.820 We haven't seen the word son since chapter 1. 00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:19.960 And when we saw it in chapter 1, it referred to Naomi's sons who died. 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:25.840 Remember at the end of last chapter, we saw the first problem solved. 00:26:27.160 --> 00:26:31.060 That Ruth came back with lots of food from Boaz so that Naomi would not be empty-handed. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:35.600 And here, Ruth solves her second problem. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:38.839 She comes back with a son. 00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:45.759 And so the question that was started at the beginning of Ruth, 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:47.779 all the way when we started at the beginning of July, 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:52.199 what's going to happen to Naomi because she has no sons and no food? 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:58.220 It's because of Boaz and his sacrifice 00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:04.539 that now Naomi is going to be able to go all the way from empty to full. 00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:12.039 She's been restored, not just with food, but with a son. 00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:16.639 And it's interesting that they say this son has been born to Naomi 00:27:16.639 --> 00:27:20.460 because of course we know that Naomi didn't give birth to the son, right? 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:24.059 But it's God's restoration here. 00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:29.539 And so what happens when we walk and work with God? 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:35.200 It's not just tremendous sacrifice, but it's also great reward. 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:43.940 Because God delights to bless and reward his people who walk with him, 00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:47.200 who follow his path of sacrifice. 00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:50.339 God delights to do what he does just here. 00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:51.720 He visits Ruth and Boaz. 00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:53.079 He blesses them. 00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:55.539 He uses them to restore Naomi. 00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:59.779 And so when we walk and work with God, 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:07.119 the story ends with sacrifice, but also great reward. 00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:10.839 Because God delights. 00:28:11.379 --> 00:28:13.799 He delights to bless and reward his people. 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:20.980 And yet if we were to stop there, it would be in some ways trite. 00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:24.480 Because if you have been through suffering, 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:27.360 if you've lived in Ruth chapter 1, 00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:30.860 you know that this is not complete fullness. 00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:36.740 Naomi is still a widow. 00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:42.420 There are perhaps still going to be times that Naomi wakes up at night 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:45.559 and realizes that Elimelech is not with her. 00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:50.480 Perhaps as she holds a grandchild, 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:54.259 it will remind her of her own children who aren't with her. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:29:01.140 Remember that Boaz and Ruth have a great gap in age. 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:04.759 That most likely Boaz is a generation older than Ruth. 00:29:06.360 --> 00:29:09.420 And as they have this great marriage that's been blessed by God, 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:13.640 there will probably be times when they have struggles. 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:18.960 Ruth will realize the truth of what Boaz said 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.779 when he said you could have gone after younger men, 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:22.980 whether rich or poor. 00:29:24.940 --> 00:29:28.000 And Boaz perhaps will come to realize 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:31.440 some of the challenges of marrying someone much younger than him. 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:36.620 And so while we see a restoration of Naomi, 00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:40.960 they still live life in this world. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:45.480 The ends are not all tied up. 00:29:47.820 --> 00:29:49.519 Not everything is brought back. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:52.720 No one is going to come back from the dead. 00:29:55.180 --> 00:29:55.740 Elimelech. 00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:57.099 Milan. 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:57.940 Chilean. 00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:03.400 That this is not some trite and sappy story 00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:07.920 about God taking someone and giving them back everything they had. 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:11.840 It is about God restoring and blessing. 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.340 And yet in this life, 00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:17.440 we never experience complete fullness. 00:30:18.820 --> 00:30:21.680 We'll never experience complete restoration. 00:30:23.380 --> 00:30:26.620 And that's where the end of Ruth is going to point us. 00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:29.140 We'll talk more about this next week, 00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:31.140 but we see it a little bit here. 00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:31.380 Remember, 00:30:32.580 --> 00:30:33.920 a son has been born to Naomi. 00:30:34.040 --> 00:30:34.759 They named him Obed. 00:30:34.860 --> 00:30:35.980 And then we find out some things. 00:30:37.060 --> 00:30:38.180 He was the father of Jesse, 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:40.080 the father of David. 00:30:42.040 --> 00:30:42.440 Remember, 00:30:42.520 --> 00:30:43.500 we talked in chapter one 00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:45.680 that this would happen during the time of the judges. 00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:49.820 That there was tremendous political turmoil happening. 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.820 And so they're not just looking for 00:30:53.820 --> 00:30:55.240 restoration as a people, 00:30:55.340 --> 00:30:55.960 but as a nation. 00:30:57.840 --> 00:30:59.700 And David is going to bring that in part, 00:30:59.700 --> 00:31:02.220 but he's going to point forward to someone else. 00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:06.539 We talked last week that God 00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:08.740 brings his power and his presence 00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:11.360 through real people in real time and real space. 00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:13.660 And he's going to do that 00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:15.100 through a descendant of David. 00:31:15.880 --> 00:31:17.880 He's going to do that through Jesus. 00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:19.460 And he's not going to do that 00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:20.680 through Jesus the bumper sticker. 00:31:21.860 --> 00:31:24.100 He's going to do that through Jesus the real man. 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:25.100 He's a Jewish man. 00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:27.340 He's born in a village, 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:28.059 not a town. 00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:30.799 He's born in Galilee called Nazareth. 00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.980 He's going to live a real life. 00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:35.799 He's going to serve as a builder. 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.779 He's going to walk with people 00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.859 and he's going to teach them. 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:42.619 But he's also going to be more than a man. 00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:44.879 He's going to be the only one 00:31:44.879 --> 00:31:46.960 who can bring complete fullness. 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:49.539 And while Elimelech 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:51.419 is not going to come back from the dead, 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:54.480 Jesus is going to raise the dead. 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:57.360 We discussed when we went through the book of Matthew 00:31:57.360 --> 00:31:59.700 the fact that Jesus' miracles are meant to show us 00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:03.339 what true and complete fullness will look like. 00:32:05.380 --> 00:32:06.579 It will look like 00:32:06.579 --> 00:32:09.099 the dead being raised 00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:10.640 and the sick being healed. 00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:15.680 And so while there's partial fullness here 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:17.240 for Naomi, 00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:20.539 the end of this book points us to full fullness. 00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:22.960 It points us to the fullness 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:24.620 that Jesus is going to bring 00:32:24.620 --> 00:32:26.120 in real time 00:32:26.120 --> 00:32:27.319 and real space. 00:32:28.059 --> 00:32:29.460 And Jesus is going to follow 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:30.839 this pattern of suffering 00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:31.859 and reward. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:34.839 Remember that the Redeemer 00:32:34.839 --> 00:32:36.099 is someone who helps 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:38.180 a person who's related to them. 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:41.420 And yet Jesus is going to take that pattern 00:32:41.420 --> 00:32:42.500 and he's going to break it 00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:43.620 and fill it even more. 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:46.080 Because he's going to come for people 00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:47.980 who are estranged from him. 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:50.080 Who are not his blood. 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.960 He's going to come 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:55.080 and he is going to pay the price 00:32:55.080 --> 00:32:56.120 for someone else 00:32:56.120 --> 00:32:57.299 to see the reward. 00:32:58.920 --> 00:33:00.160 And his sacrifice 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:01.920 will be his reward. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.120 Because his sacrifice 00:33:04.120 --> 00:33:05.400 is for you and me. 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:08.300 And that is what he longs for. 00:33:09.580 --> 00:33:11.400 For that to be the reward. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:13.500 And so what happens 00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:15.200 when we walk with God 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:16.700 and work with God? 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:18.920 We follow after the same pattern 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.720 that Jesus did. 00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:21.620 We follow after the pattern 00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:22.360 of sacrifice 00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:23.720 and reward. 00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:27.280 And just like Boaz for us, 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:29.019 the reward is worth it. 00:33:29.860 --> 00:33:31.900 It is worth everything. 00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:37.860 One of my favorite stories 00:33:37.860 --> 00:33:40.540 is about Steve Jobs. 00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:42.580 I'm fascinated by Steve Jobs. 00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:44.400 I probably wouldn't want 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:45.060 to be his friend 00:33:45.060 --> 00:33:46.980 because he was 00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:48.519 quite the character. 00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:49.640 But I would love to 00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:50.960 at least be able to sit down 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:51.580 with him and talk 00:33:51.580 --> 00:33:52.240 for a little bit. 00:33:52.820 --> 00:33:54.220 And probably my favorite story 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:55.000 about Steve Jobs 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:56.560 happened when he was 26 years old. 00:33:57.840 --> 00:33:59.160 When Steve was 26, 00:33:59.360 --> 00:33:59.960 it became clear 00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.759 that he did not have 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:01.920 the maturity to run Apple. 00:34:02.300 --> 00:34:03.340 And so while he was the founder 00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:03.920 and the starter, 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:04.840 the board told him, 00:34:05.360 --> 00:34:06.080 you are not going 00:34:06.080 --> 00:34:06.880 to be able to do this. 00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:07.920 We need to bring in some adults. 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:09.800 And so, 00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.420 but they told him, 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.940 you can have a veto power 00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:12.720 over who we bring in 00:34:12.720 --> 00:34:13.240 as the CEO. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.380 And so Steve Jobs, 00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:15.480 they interviewed 20 people 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.400 and Steve Jobs said no 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:16.920 to all of them. 00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.800 And then they finally 00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:19.700 identified someone 00:34:19.700 --> 00:34:20.840 outside of the tech industry. 00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.760 They brought in John Scully 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:23.360 who had been 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.720 the rock star of Pepsi. 00:34:25.320 --> 00:34:26.000 He was the one 00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:27.019 who had first introduced 00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:27.940 the two liter bottle 00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:29.180 as well as the Pepsi Challenge. 00:34:29.320 --> 00:34:30.039 He had taken Pepsi 00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:31.300 from being a regional brand 00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.200 to a national brand. 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:33.039 And he'd moved 00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:33.940 from driving trucks 00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:34.340 to Pepsi 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:35.219 to being its CEO 00:34:35.219 --> 00:34:36.219 in a very, very short 00:34:36.219 --> 00:34:36.880 amount of time, 00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:37.420 about a decade. 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:40.039 When he first showed up 00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.480 at Apple, 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:42.000 it was just a few houses. 00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:43.340 And Steve Jobs 00:34:43.340 --> 00:34:44.179 had a pirate flag 00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:45.059 flying from the top. 00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:46.699 So he'd come from 00:34:46.699 --> 00:34:47.840 this great corporate headquarters 00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:48.900 to talk to this man 00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:50.699 who was eccentric, 00:34:51.259 --> 00:34:51.739 strange. 00:34:52.759 --> 00:34:53.800 Jobs tried to court him 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:55.079 over several months 00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.360 and it finally came down 00:34:56.360 --> 00:34:56.880 to the moment 00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:57.519 where Scully 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:58.539 had to give him an answer. 00:34:59.000 --> 00:34:59.840 Whether he was going 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:00.940 to stay with Pepsi 00:35:00.940 --> 00:35:02.160 where he'd been successful, 00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:04.420 where he was safe 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.000 and secure, 00:35:05.620 --> 00:35:06.620 where he could continue 00:35:06.620 --> 00:35:08.380 on this great trajectory. 00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:09.780 And of course, 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:10.440 Scully realized 00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:10.960 all of that. 00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.840 And so he finally 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:13.579 had to let Jobs 00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:14.180 down gently. 00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:14.920 And he said, 00:35:15.240 --> 00:35:15.539 Steve, 00:35:15.740 --> 00:35:16.960 I really like you. 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.420 I'm willing to be 00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:19.559 a consultant for you, 00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:21.240 but I think I need 00:35:21.240 --> 00:35:22.340 to stay where I'm at. 00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:22.820 I think I'm going 00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:23.519 to stay with Pepsi. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:24.780 I'm not going to come 00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:25.980 to your pirate flag house. 00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:26.039 Thank you. 00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:26.100 Thank you. 00:35:26.100 --> 00:35:26.140 Thank you. 00:35:26.140 --> 00:35:26.160 Thank you. 00:35:26.160 --> 00:35:26.200 Thank you. 00:35:26.200 --> 00:35:26.240 Thank you. 00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:26.300 Thank you. 00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:26.660 Thank you. 00:35:26.660 --> 00:35:26.800 Thank you. 00:35:26.800 --> 00:35:27.200 Thank you. 00:35:27.200 --> 00:35:28.200 Thank you. 00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:28.300 Thank you. 00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:29.240 Thank you. 00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:30.139 Thank you. 00:35:31.299 --> 00:35:32.319 Steve Jobs paused 00:35:32.319 --> 00:35:32.899 for a second 00:35:32.899 --> 00:35:33.659 and then he turned 00:35:33.659 --> 00:35:35.079 to him and said, 00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:35.759 John, 00:35:36.339 --> 00:35:39.779 do you want 00:35:39.779 --> 00:35:41.839 to sell sugar water 00:35:41.839 --> 00:35:42.799 for the rest 00:35:42.799 --> 00:35:43.439 of your life? 00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:46.819 Or would you like 00:35:46.819 --> 00:35:48.319 to come with me 00:35:48.319 --> 00:35:50.239 and change the world? 00:35:53.779 --> 00:35:54.559 John didn't give 00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.339 his two weeks notice 00:35:55.339 --> 00:35:56.139 because the following 00:35:56.139 --> 00:35:56.579 Monday, 00:35:56.979 --> 00:35:58.419 he started his first 00:35:58.419 --> 00:35:59.139 day at work. 00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:00.059 at Apple. 00:36:03.059 --> 00:36:04.159 Brothers and sisters, 00:36:04.819 --> 00:36:07.199 Jesus has come 00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:09.419 and he's died 00:36:09.419 --> 00:36:10.299 and he's risen again 00:36:10.299 --> 00:36:12.139 and because of that 00:36:12.139 --> 00:36:12.799 he has unleashed 00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:14.199 the most powerful force 00:36:14.199 --> 00:36:15.139 in the world 00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:18.739 and there are many things 00:36:18.739 --> 00:36:21.299 that we might not want 00:36:21.299 --> 00:36:21.959 to sacrifice 00:36:21.959 --> 00:36:25.000 but when we realize 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:26.379 that that is what is 00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:26.840 at stake, 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:29.539 there is no way 00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:30.460 we'll want to continue 00:36:30.460 --> 00:36:32.079 selling sugar water 00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.500 because that's what 00:36:34.500 --> 00:36:35.140 Jesus offers 00:36:35.140 --> 00:36:36.160 to all of us. 00:36:36.820 --> 00:36:37.880 He offers complete 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:39.680 and full restoration 00:36:39.680 --> 00:36:41.720 for those 00:36:41.720 --> 00:36:42.740 who will follow him 00:36:42.740 --> 00:36:43.720 in sacrifice 00:36:43.720 --> 00:36:44.980 and reward. 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:48.180 And so he asks us 00:36:48.180 --> 00:36:49.160 to do that, 00:36:49.660 --> 00:36:50.740 to walk with him 00:36:50.740 --> 00:36:51.820 to the end. 00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.160 Will you pray with me? 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:57.179 Dear Father in Heaven, 00:36:57.980 --> 00:36:59.259 we thank you 00:36:59.259 --> 00:36:59.879 for this book. 00:37:00.879 --> 00:37:02.179 Thank you for giving us 00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:03.679 stories to make us wise 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:05.279 so that we can learn 00:37:05.279 --> 00:37:05.819 about you. 00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:08.159 Thank you that you 00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:09.039 were not satisfied 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:10.440 with partial restoration, 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:12.539 with partial fullness, 00:37:12.679 --> 00:37:13.460 but that you wanted 00:37:13.460 --> 00:37:14.440 complete fullness 00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:16.200 and so you sent 00:37:16.200 --> 00:37:16.800 your son 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:18.679 and he was 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:19.099 the fullness 00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.980 of God 00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:22.320 and yet he was 00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:23.400 our greatest redeemer 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:25.320 who gave up everything 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:26.380 not for his kinsmen 00:37:26.380 --> 00:37:27.220 but for us. 00:37:27.940 --> 00:37:28.720 We ask that you 00:37:28.720 --> 00:37:29.579 remind us of it, 00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:31.559 you'd strengthen us, 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:32.980 that we would be able 00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:34.119 to follow after you 00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:35.700 paying the price 00:37:35.700 --> 00:37:36.519 of sacrifice 00:37:36.519 --> 00:37:38.400 but also following you 00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:39.039 with the reward. 00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:41.260 We ask all these things 00:37:41.260 --> 00:37:42.119 in the name of your son. 00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:43.200 Amen.