Sermons
The Romance of Redemption
THE ROMANCE OF REDEMPTION
Sermon Outline By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / December 11, 2016
As I have mentioned in our FamilyMatters newsletter, I want to do some preaching from Ruth, Esther and Job.
These three books will be the focus of this spring’s L2L Convention, with some of our youth participating.
This morning I want to speak on the book of Ruth -- our kids are currently making a video about this book.
For the most part, those of us in the churches of Christ have a pretty firm grasp of the New Testament.
While this is good, we must not neglect the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
This statement is commonly attributed to Augustine, a serious student of God’s Word who lived in 354-430 AD.
The closest text in Scripture that we can find that communicates this idea is Lk.24:27.
Jesus spoke these words to Cleopas and fellow traveler on the road to Emmaus, shortly after His resurrection.
And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them all the things Himself in all the Scriptures.
Another text that seems to emphasize this concept is 1Pet.1:10-12.
I am pleased to say that we have been spending a bit more time in the Old Testament in the last two years.
Our Sunday AM Bible class has recently studied Genesis and Exodus, and now we are in the book of Joshua.
Last winter we had a sermon series from the book of Jonah - - one that I enjoyed greatly.
Today we will study from Ruth. In the near future we’ll offer a brief overview of the book of Esther.
And then we’ll turn our attention to the book of Job.
I am also hoping to have a sermon series on the book of Amos in the not-too-distant future.
Open your Bible to Old Testament Book of Ruth
Willard Winter states, “The book of Ruth is tucked into the canon of the Old Testament in a
spot where it is like a breath of fresh air in a room that has become heavy with strong odors.”
Chronologically, it follows the book of Judges, which we examine in our Sunday AM class after we finish Joshua.
While the exact authorship of Ruth is unknown, that doesn’t diminish its value.
Because of its seemingly close connection with Judges, some have speculated that Samuel is likely the author.
Many scholars have also surmised that Samuel was also the author of the book of Judges.
As to the date of the book, the ending of the book of Ruth provides some helpful hints.
Without meaning to spoil the surprise, happily-ever-after ending, Ruth 4:17 reveals:
A son has been born to Naomi (via Ruth & Boaz). So they named him Obed.
He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David.
Without taking time to show you the math, if we work our way backwards from the life of King David,
this puts the birth of Obed somewhere in the last years of the reign (judgeship) of Gideon, around 1150BC.
This date coincides with the opening words of the book of Ruth (Ruth 1:1) - -
Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land…
As to the story that unfolds in this narrative, I want to urge you to read these four brief chapters (just 85 verses).
This morning I will offer an overview of the story and I’ll leave it up to you to fill in all of the details.
CHAPTER ONE
The story begins with the family of Elimelech - - Ruth 1:1-5
Elimelech is married to Naomi and they have two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.
They are residents of Bethlehem - - Ephrathites. cf. Mic.5:2
The meaning of their names provides some important insights.
Elimelech means God is King … Naomi means the gracious … Maholon means the weakly … Chilion means pining.
A famine has smote the land of Bethlehem in Judah causing Elimelech to move his family.
This famine was likely caused by the invasion of the Midianites. cf. Judg.7:1ff
So they journeyed eastward to Moab (on the other side of the Dead Sea, south of the tribe of Reuben).
It is very likely that they viewed this region as a temporary sojourn, to avoid the famine.
This was a pagan land (Gen.19:37) and not the ideal place to raise a family.
While there, Elimelech died and Naomi is left as a widow with two sons.
Her sons eventually married Moabite women, Orphah to Chilion and Ruth to Mahlon (we think).
Then the sons died and Naomi was “bereft of her two children and her husband” (vs.5b)
As it turned out they lived in Moab for around ten years - - long enough for the sons to mature, marry & expire.
When good news arrives that the famine in Judah had subsided, Naomi resolved to return to Bethlehem.
Her daughters-in-law began the trip to Judah with Naomi. They had apparently come to love Naomi.
Somewhere, en route, Naomi urged his daughters-in-law to return to their mothers (they may have been fatherless).
Naomi has become somewhat embittered (the hand of the Lord is against me/vs.13b).
Her hardship brings the reality that she’ll struggle to provide for the girls. She’s become a widow indeed and in need.
Orphah kissed Naomi and returned home to Moab. But Ruth refused to leave. She clung to Naomi.
Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge,
I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and you God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will
be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me. / Ruth 1:16-17
When they arrived in Bethlehem, they were greeted warmly (all the city was stirred / vs.19).
Naomi tells them to no longer call her gracious, but rather, Mara (bitter / vs.20). She tells her old friends (vs.20) - -
The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.
It was the time of the early harvest (barley and wheat) when they arrived back in Bethlehem.
CHAPTER TWO
In this chapter we meet Boaz, one of Elimelech’s relatives.
Here we see the providence of God unfolding further. The famine, brought by the judgment of God, produced Ruth.
Now God will sustain what He has started. Ruth asks Naomi’s permission to go into the fields to gather grain.
Vs. 3 says, “she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz”. This is not happenstance.
Boaz was a gentleman who began instantly to watch out for and watch over Ruth.
He warned her not to go into other fields. He urges her to go out with his maidens. He forewarns his male servants not to touch her (cf. 2:22). And he directs her to drink lots of water. He tells her that he knows of her past. / vss.8-9
Furthermore, Boaz states: May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from
the Lord, the God of Israel, Under whose wings you have come to seek refuge. / vs.12
Read 2:14-16
She returned home that day to Naomi with a bushel basket of grain.
Naomi tells her that Boaz is a relative to Elimelech (vs.20).
CHAPTER THREE
This chapter gives us the title for today’s sermon, The Romance Of Redemption.
Lev.25:25f tells of the law of redemption. Essentially, it was a law providing grace for those facing hard times.
Naomi decides to play match-maker. This, too, was part of God’s early plan of redemption.
She helps Ruth do some primping (not pimping). She cleans up and gets prettied up.
To make a long story short, Naomi urges Ruth to throw herself at Boaz’s feet.
Vs.7 – When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain;
And she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, ‘Who are you?’
And she answered, ‘I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.
Let me assure you that this behavior on Ruth’s part was NOT an act of immodesty or lewdness.
This was an ancient custom with deep roots in the Law of Moses (Deut.25:5ff) - - it is called the Levirate Law.
Basically this law provides for the care-taking of a woman who was husbandless and without a son.
Boaz recognizes Ruth’s request as she lay at his feet. He understood that it was a proposal of marriage.
At Harding U. we had Saddie Hawkins (Li’l Abner) week - - when the girls were invited to ask the boys out for dates.
Boaz is a man of integrity. He is willing to honor Ruth’s proposal, but he knows the rules.
Ruth must first be offered to the closest relative.
Boaz loaded up Ruth with an abundance of grain directed her to return to Naomi at pre-dawn.
Ruth went to Naomi and rehearsed every detail with glee and Naomi urged her to wait for his answer. / vss.16-18
CHAPTER FOUR
Boaz proceeded to go to the gate of the city (bringing ten men with him) to resolve this matter of redemption.
The gate of the city was where judicial matters were deliberated and decided.
(Like the Amish men in New Wilmington).
There Boaz laid out the details concerning Naomi and Ruth, as relatives of Elimelech. Read vss.3-4
When it was just the land involved, the closest relative agree to REDEEM IT.
But once Boaz stated that Ruth was part of package, he changed his tune, saying, “I cannot redeem it…” (vs.6).
Read Boaz’s speech in 4:9-10
The story comes to a happy conclusion in vs.13 - - So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife,
and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, sand she gave birth to a son.
The women of the town reminded Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer…” (vs.14).
With God’s blessings Naomi goes from being gracious to being bitter and now back to being gracious once again.
The son born to Ruth & Boaz was named, Obed, which means servant.
Vs. 17 notes that Obed would have a son named Jesse. And Jesse would have a son named David (as in King David).
And through the descendants of David would eventually come Jesus, our Savior.
We should reflect deeply upon all of these Divine inter-workings when we sing, O Little Town Of Bethlehem.
