Ruth: Hope in the Dark, Part 2

In the dark one who come same as what comes a meek, obedient servant like Ruth like a runt to David. A lot of people miss Jesus for that very reason.

Just like they overlook Ruth may overlook David because they were looking for a Sampson, but what God sent was a little shepherd boy got sample somebody that was poor despised, but nobody thought twice about Dulles and the Bible turns prejudice on it right the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor Arthur religion JD. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits journey through Scripture's point is too short Old Testament but only four chapters long and beautiful picture of God's redeeming love.

The main character is Ruth, a Moabite woman who had married an Israelite, and when her husband and father-in-law passed away. She and her mother-in-law, Naomi, were left with nothing. They were impoverished and vulnerable.

Ruth catches that of a man named Boaz, I smell a romance and making know you so grab your Bible as pastor JD picks up the story today increase Mealtime. Boaz said her community should read.

She ate until she was satisfied she had some left over which she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young man say what are going even on the she also pulled him off of the bottles weren't leaving on the ground were going to stone on the ground for so should bring in the fields, leaving she beat out what she is going.

It was about an e-file of barley and she took it up one of the city. Scholars say e-file would've been a big old thick pile.

We really have her mother-in-law when she gets home he sees what she's going she says to work toward a world where he worked.

Naomi was so excited she stumbling over her words cc asked the exact same thing twice. So she told her mother-in-law with whom she worked in here again, the drama, because Ruth doesn't know the connection of Boaz to a relative.

Naomi does the man's name with whom I worked today and he with me. Boaz is looking to the very last word in the sentence and the audience. Anticipation is building because you, the reader, you know this guy's a relative you know these wealthy, you know that he's a good romantic match.

So you're watching Naomi's eyes as Ruth builds up the last word in the center's name is Ball's first 20 and Naomi said were daughter-in-law. May you be blessed by the Lord's kindness is not forsaken the living or the dead. My raw bitter just got Naomi Sweet again because she realized that God had not forgotten her. After all, and Naomi also said to her. This man is a close relative of ours is one of our Redeemer's mouth. Let's talk for just a minute about that word Redeemer in those days if you were in debt. You could sell your property, your family inheritance.

You get deeded out to somebody else in order to pay off those debts, but here was the deal you have the right at any point to buy back that property back in your family.

You just had to have the money to pay off the debt if you couldn't do that in a family member could do it for you that family member was called a kinsman redeemer well. Boaz is a relative, and Boaz is wealthy. So he's got the right and he's got the resources does he have the results. Let's see chapter 3 chapter 3 verse three watch therefore Naomi says to Ruth and annoy yourself put on a little perfume and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor but do not make yourself known to the man until you finish, even drinking, but when he lies down. Observe the place where he lives, then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do for seven and when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his art was Mary went to lie down at the end of the heap of great then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down at midnight. The man was startled and he turned over and bowl a woman lay at his feet. This was interpreted in Boaz's day as an official request for marriage and it worked. Boaz wants to marry her and he can reclaim the family inheritance. But there's one small complication. They discover that there is a closer relative and close relative of course has first dibs. So Boaz chapter 4 finds out who this guy is and he goes to the city gate to wait for him.

And behold, the Redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken came by when Boaz sees this guy goes up to explain the situation to it verse four and the guy said I will redeem it. But then Boaz very deftly says verse five will. Here's the deal man.

If you take the land.

You also gotta take this Moabite woman and her mother-in-law she's gone ornery. I mean, she named herself that her and so she see says now you know I just prayed about it and I got a check in my spirit so now don't like him to be able to do this so Boaz marries Ruth and they all live happily ever after, but that's not even the climax of the story.

That's all there just to set out the last four versus so Boaz verse 13 took Ruth and she became his wife. When he went into her and the Lord gave her conception, she bore a son and Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse and the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying the sun is been born to Naomi to suite may name the sign obit get this really sweet picture of Naomi's become sweet again. Holy no bed and saying God is alive is let me hold my grandson God has redeemed me and my family. He's given us back our inheritance is turn my bitterness. These turned it back into sweetness. There is number one in the gospel, God is about the business of redemption. The word redemption is used 23 times and Ruth for short chapters and Ruth. We see the unloved or loved again we see the poor restored the inheritance that is been lost because of sin is reclaim the generosity of another who is related to us. Bitterness becomes sweet. The book of Ruth starts with death Naomi losing her husband and her sons, but ends in a genealogy recounting a list of births that's going backwards right for the world. Life starts with birth and death, but for the Christian you turn that story around because we know that life begins were born into what God rewrites her story and wife Naomi goes from barrenness the blessedness she starts the book is a forsaken sunless husband was beggar and she the book is the grandmother of the son of God. That's the theme of the book of Ruth is the theme of the Bible is the heart of the gospel, and it is God's message to you see the gospel is not God rewards the successful afterlife of victory gospel is not God grants heaven to the righteous few who are able to overcome all temptation.

The gospel is called everyone in the forest come to the waters. He who has no money, come by need, buy wine and milk without money and without price like what I money how much of the buy food. The answer is God buys it for you got your kinsman redeemer says you don't have any money I'll pay for for you see we were created to be children of God we were created constantly to be in his presence and his house to have a blessed eternity in heaven that was joy upon joy and blessing upon blessing we we sold our way through sin, we went into the famine of destruction that Jesus our kinsman redeemer. He loved us and he redeemed us, redeemed our inheritance and he bought it back for us. God sees us. Like Boaz, Saul Ruth. He loved us, just as we were oily, slimy, grimy, poor all of it wasn't even the God love some future version of us.

By the way I hear people say that's nothing. Oh God, what we can most us and we were in love the future know you love you just as you were the loved you and all your sin and all your defilement always love that old hymn, we singled on my church every other service I'm just as I am something like 914 verses in it, but I remember like six of them, but the story behind the him is just amazing.

The song was written in 1834 by woman in Charlotte Elliott Charlotte Elliott had a brother who was a pastor and her pastor was starting school for underprivileged girls in the community, orphans and girls that were poor, and so on.

This whole church got involved try to raise money to build the school and so on. Everybody was doing something on this like basic as we can provide will be work projects, but Charlotte Elliott had very poor health. She was bedridden and so everybody else was so in bacon and building style she just southern room and didn't do anything and she got really depressed because she thought I'll never be able to use my body forgot. I'll never be able to do anything for him.

She said it should I be so upset.

I stayed up the entire night just thinking I have nothing that I can offer to God, she said, but in the morning the Holy Spirit as the sun came up seem to remind me of my salvation and I thought about my salvation how God did not accept me because I have something to offer. He took me in my sin. Just as I was and I learned a figure that if he took me out of my sin.

That way, just as I was then.

That's how he would use me. Also, he would use me for help at all. Just as I was when I gave myself to him.

And so the next day she wrote the text to. Just as I am the song that is arguably been used to bring more people to faith in Christ and any other song in history because it's the song they used at just about every Billy Graham rally during the invitation they say just as I am, just as I am, without one plea but not my blood was shed for me. MFL bids become the old Lamb of God, I come just as I am poor wretched and blind site, which is healing of the mind day. All I need in the final Lamb of God, I come just as I am doubt will receive will welcome, pardon Clinton's relieved because God promise. I believe Lamb of God, I come listen, you can be redeemed, sent has messed your life out if made a mess of your heart. It's destroyed your relationship. It put you into the famine of a bad marriage is put you into the famine of an unhappy life you got things or to destroy you got a career that was lost when you repent God begins to redeem he begins to rebuild.

He begins to restore the gospel is not a reward for the righteous is salvation for the sick and all you do is what Ruth thinks you turn you say just as I am come just as I am, and let God do all the work you can be use in the kingdom of God.

Your life up to this point has done nothing but cause harm and pain to other people, you can begin to rewrite your store for blessing just like he did reduce his number two in Ruth we see number two that God uses the least likely yes as instruments of redemption. Ruth has everything stacked against her. Does she not she is a poor childless widow from a hated race. Meanwhile, meanwhile, Sampson backed Israel, an Israelite hero strong enough to knock down walls of a huge temple by himself. Meanwhile, he's off mess around with Delilah swapping out his country safety for some cheap thrills while that's happened in one part of the country and another party a little more by girl forsook everything to follow God and save the nation. It was she not heat that brought salvation into the world that brought Jesus into the world so Naomi says of root.

Maybe the second most important personal book. Bruce 415. You are better to me, says Naomi. Ruth and seven sons sons in those days would've been considered ultimate seven was the number of completion of Aisen infinity. So in other words, through Naomi's mouth. Listen to this, the Holy Spirit says to Ruth Ruth because of your faithfulness. You are more valuable to me than an infinity of the strongest heroes Summit. When will we learn that God works through availability, not ability. God does not need your ability at all. He does not need your money is not need your talents I know that our culture is like oh you're unique in your specialness. Part of the world that a this is all garbage, God doesn't need you at all.

God, to create 10 of you tomorrow.

If he wants what God calls for is not your ability calls for your availability. You want your completed total obedience to the point is not how much money you give. The point is this what you do what he tells you to get major money. You want your obedience point is not how eloquently you speak. The point is whether you speak when he tells you to speak. The point is not what you do or how well you serve. The point is, are you certain ways told you to serve the listen. Some of you. You need to have a conversation today you to write the check today. You need to get involved in the ministry today you need to make a decision today because you can scarcely overestimate what God will accomplish through simple acts of obedience and of course all all this points to the fact that the one who would come and save us would ultimately not come as a mighty conquering warrior rod, not a horse like Samson knocking walls down.

One who come save us, would come as a meek, obedient servant like Ruth like a run to David and a lot of people miss Jesus for that very reason. Just like they overlook Ruth may overlook David because they were looking for a Sampson, but what God sent was a little shepherd boy what God sent was somebody that was poor despised, but nobody thought twice about no listen to Bible current prejudice on its head. Because what the Bible shows us is that those who are considered weak those who are considered for those who are considered lower-class by society are those they are the ones in God chooses to put the riches of his grace, and the powers of his salvation is not many mighty Paul says that were called. It's not many strong it's not many wise auditors and the poor and the despised. They're the ones he puts his power into the excellency of the power to be of God, not of men. Number three. Those who experience the gospel become like the gospel is this whole book gives you a picture of how Israel was supposed to love others. In response to God's love for them as the central question is in chapter 2 verse five whose young woman is this woman.

She got the question that we would been redeemed are supposed to ask about the people in our lives who really is the refugee and the immigrant who really are they are they mainly a political problem to be dealt with, or are they people made in the image of God that Jesus died to say and is put into our lives in our communities for us to love you.

I realize the government has its own questions. It is going to ask about refugees.

They are charged with keeping us safe and we need to pray for them that they make wise decisions with the here's what I know I'm not the government and under the when they show up down the street for me regardless of how they got there as a representative of the church. I know what my job is my job is regardless of how they got there to love them and care for them as people made in the image of God.

But Jesus died to redeem the really no different than I am about this the divorce. The divorce or the girl who's had an abortion. Who is she really is she an example that we hold up of what not to be somebody that we hold up and despises a hometown like her or you see somebody Jesus never stopped loving and that he gave his blood to redeem and whom we have to go tell that because you probably do not anymore for the orphan son really is the orphan just a problem to be cast aside by the statistic that we deal with the higher taxes the government nor are they people made in the image of God that God says once you love them because they were like you. Those who have been redeemed by Jesus to become redeemers of others. The most powerful adoption testimony never heard a couple archers over the state were they were decided that never adopted a child and they arrange for the domestic adoption of on somebody that on that pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy brought out of wedlock.

She is pregnant may arrange that that should care the baby determine and then they'll raise it as their child and so about five months into the pregnancy, the social worker pulls this couple in and says I got terrible news for you.

We just did an analysis and this baby is going to bore with a severe case of spina bifida made all the worse. We see and if the baby survives the pregnancy. The baby is not going to be normal. No amount of operations are going to fix what's wrong and child always to be disabled survives a puddle will be more than a couple years. It's never going to have a normal life.

Listen we know that we got into this adoption process is not what you think in and maybe probably overwhelming for you were not really sure what the counselor girl to whether she should have an abortion or what but we we realize this is not you signed up for. We understand if you just need to back out once a difficult question because the couple got they had gotten on the adoption process thinking I was going to be a future so they went home in the prayed about it and they just kind of assumed that yet.

Every very politely back out because I was a different thing than what they were thinking about what's sleep next morning to get up and the lifeless of the husband and says we need to take this baby and husband said why, but I don't understand we are praying about and I'm open to it, the why, what you might you change your mind last night at his dream. Jim his dream was in this arena serves like a sports arena hundred thousand people in the stands and their kind in the middle they would bring up his children one by one. Beautiful children healthy children. They hold them off and they say once the child so maybe stand out an audience that I want the job I want that job should date the very end of the line that brought this child that was ugly. It was deformed it was disease is completely messed up the mail the baby opposite once his baby so the whole place felt deathly silent.

She said after several minutes of silence. Finally, a man stood up in the front row and set I'll take the child the wall forward and pick up a child and she said the man turned around. She said it was Jesus. Jesus, he took the Charlies and I want the shop just as a man was like I was able to see I was able to write down and this baby you look in the faces baby. She said it was was my face just as I was the child Jesus God that I realize that when I was ugly and scarred by sin. When I had completely messed everything up, Jesus Dobbins, I'll take her and he bought me and redeem me back in my family.

Eventually, the Jesus loved Austin. That's what I want to do for the child and as long as the child is a lie. Don't show it. Love that God has for it or he or she regardless middle listen I know adoptions are a complex process and I'm not trying to give a simplistic answer and I know that there are many people that really is not what you were cut out for and and and and so I'm not saying that's the decision you always make what I'm trying to say is that when you really experience the redemption of Jesus Christ your life. It totally changes how you look at everything and everybody see you start to say, God, you have redeemed me and now I want to be used, to redeem others. Maybe it's not an adoption or foster care. Maybe it's what prisoners maybe it's with high school students. Maybe it's with the person across the street that you can keep love and even though their bad neighbor you maybe you tell them about Jesus or maybe it's a boss that you just keep praying for you keep doing this thing of redemption because you been redeem those who been redeemed by Jesus. They dislike they have to become redeemers of other people.

That's the way that the gospel were thirsty but calm there to receive the gospel become like it. No less a life of gospel generosity is not easy. I understand that adoptions not easy foster care is not easy to get involved in student ministries not easy walking across the office to share Christ with somebody in the cubicle growth. That's not easy anytime a real ministry is golf like one person in our church irrigation adoption said you had taken a child with fetal alcohol syndrome is probably not nearly as glamorous as some people make it look like on TV that wears off really quick, bold, storybook picture of it but the photo album that wears all facets and it may inconvenience your life but that's not really anything compared to what it was like for Jesus to take me. This guy said that the corruption of poisonous and flowing through my body and bring me into his family don't we sing about Jesus is love here is one of her favorite songs.

Some of my sin and my sorrow and he made them his very own.

He bore my burden to Calvary and he suffered and died alone. How marvelous how wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how wonderful is my Savior's love for me to see Jesus's love Russ was marvelous, wonderful, created, wondering people they can understand why you would do it.

What that means is that those of us who have tasted that love. Our love for others ought to be wonderful. Also, it automate people, stand back and wonder and say I just don't understand. Rushmore, who wrote a great book on adoptions.

Think of how revolutionary he says it is for a Christian to adopt a young boy with a cleft palate from a region in India were most people see him as defective.

Think of how I did not seem to American secularist to see Christians adopted a baby whose body trembles with an addiction to the cocaine that her mother sent to her bloodstream before birth.

Think of the kind of credibility. Such action lends to the proclamation of our gospel. Many asked what if we as Christians were known once again as the people who taken orphans and make of them beloved sons and daughters. Those who been redeem by Jesus become redeemers of others and those who really believe the gospel become like the gospel has that happened to you there. You accepted Jesus as your Redeemer is not.

We'd love to help you to step today there's no better decision that you can make with your life. In choosing Jesus. Please get in touch with us by visiting JD Greer.com giving us a call listening to Summit life. The Bible teaching ministry of JD Greer so I think it's time for some real talk I think it's safe to say that many of us don't have a healthy happy prayer life.

We struggle with prayer the way when even the why so did he help us out.

When do you think keeps people from praying Amalia, I thought a lot of people don't want to say this out loud. A lot of Christians are convinced the prayer actually does anything right you like.

While sometimes I pray and things happen sometimes a brave adult.

Sometimes I forget to pray in the financial report happens anyway. So how was this really how is it really effective. What I want to show through this book just ask is exactly how God is hardwired to universe through prayer, so that that prayer is the means by which the vehicle by which he does his work on earth, so if your parent looking for help with your kid if your spouse looking for help in your marriage if you're trying to share Christ with a friend, just ask.

You asked because that's the means by which God will use his power into you and and and it is such a necessary relationship that that Jesus himself is driven to it and if it was necessary for him skimming necessary for us and wanted to help equip you.

Be sure to get in text based or we can get you a copy of Pastor JD's book titled just our way of saying thanks when you donate to support this ministry Senate life wouldn't be possible without the generosity of friendly still grateful to call you partners for this impairment.

When you give a donation today at $25 or more. You can also request that when you join the team monthly click sign and make getting discount eight 335-5228 335 between we can get a request to the online I'm only motivates you so much for joining. Join us Thursday. As we look at the underground story. I continuing our present view of the whole story here on Summit TV JD Greer ministry