Once Upon a Time

Election, when did the redemption of the awakening of a redeemed center calling of a sinner to join the bridal party just become some called emotionless transaction between us and our Savior wended its threat of its joy J.

Vernon McGee goes on to write in his commentary the book of Ruth declares the redemption is not a business transaction. It is a love story every good fairytale begins with the classic line. Once upon a time, in some ways, Ruth's story is a fairytale but it's true. Ruth is known as a love story but it's much more Ruth serves as an illustration of the redemption, God brings us through Jesus Christ.

Today's lesson serves as an introduction to the book Stevens going to identify the major themes in Ruth and clarify why God wanted us to have this wonderful story.

Today's lesson is called once upon a time where there are very few text or books that I have the opportunity to preach twice we've been preaching to the Bible now for almost 20 years I thought would balance a little bit by going to look at the Bible I preached before effects 16 years ago I preached through the little book of Ruth. So that would go back to this and redo it.

In fact, I'm starting from scratch about even using my material.

I did 16 years ago and were going to take a little slower pace. I'm sure that the shock to you is that we go through this book a Christian magazine that I subscribe to. A number of five kind of interesting, humorous stories about love and I thought well you know this is one of the reason all of our men probably need a good love story you probably identify perhaps with this poem carried by this, a magazine for many of your late roses are red violets are blue daffodils cost 30 bucks so will dandelions do, even when I can feel that pain yes hands all over. Well, maybe that's why ladies you can identify with us one single woman had been dating a guy for number of years. She tried everything to get him to commit. Nothing works, and so she finally just gave up. She had she been praying and I asked the Lord for wisdom and finally she decided she would place an ad in the classifieds.

She listed her phone number to distant desperation gave up in her ad simply read this husband wanted her phone number underneath. The next day she received over 100 phone calls from women and they all said the same thing.

You can have mine. We all probably enjoy fairytales and I'm keeping the title you 16 years ago, but we all know that they don't come true today, but one did one did, in fact, it has all of the elements in here of a great instant classic and angry bitter stepmother, a beautiful but poor damsel in distress and a wealthy prince who comes in to save the day. J.

Vernon McGee wrote in his commentary. This book reads like a novel, but it is not fiction. It's for real, there's no evidence in the story of poison apples or or or wicked witches and glass slippers, all that stuff is make-believe. But this one's for real. In fact, there will be plenty of evidence that God's hand is behind-the-scenes or arranging all of the details so that the damsel in distress could be rescued at just the right time. In just the right way by just the right man. This powerful little love story is only four chapters long and you can read it in about 25 minutes or less. There are some who believe that this so little book was written by an anonymous author infected is anonymous but others find good reason as I do believe it was probably written and recorded by the prophet Samuel. We can know for sure but a Jewish tradition dating back centuries. Consider Samuel to be the author of this little love story.

There are six action packed emotion filled scenes in this dramatic tale of true love.

In fact if you look at the opening just the opening words now it came about in the days when sounds a lot like Once upon a time.net Once upon a time long long ago. But before we turn to many pages. Let me give you several reasons why God preserved this 25 minute love story for sinner Bibles. Each one of these I think will deepen our appreciation of the truths that are in bedded in this fairytale that comes true.

So we just give them to you as we introduce this book number one first, one of the reasons the book of Ruth is provided by God and his word is to demonstrate the gospel of grace we might miss the richness of this truth as we read the story. I found it interesting in my study just recently that in the Hebrew arrangement of the Old Testament.

Ruth was one of five scrolls. That was read annually by the Jewish people at a festival. Some of the other scrolls read annually. I knew this one. Perhaps you do Esther was read annually at the feast of Purim another book of escrows Ecclesiastes. That was read air every year at the feast of Tabernacles and Ruth was one of the five that was read annually and Ruth was was read at the feast of weeks, also known as Pentecost. It's more than just a coincidence that the love story of a kinsman redeemer who would win his bride would be read at the feast of Pentecost. Centuries later on the day of Pentecost the kinsman redeemer would initiate the redeeming love. His bride is the bride of Christ. The church would be created at Pentecost, and our love story would begin the work of grace then and now, here you have a Gentile girl, a descendent of Moab will look later at all that. That would mean condemned by the law forbidden to enter into the temple of God for under the law, it declared, and I quote an ammonites or Moabites shall not enter the congregation of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 23 verse three.

Yet, she will give herself to Boaz. She will by the way, ask him to redeem her, which is significant for her own story which he will do it and he will redeem her, not because she meets the requirements of the law, but because she will be saved by grace.

This is a story grace. The law says you can't.

Grace says you can the law says keep out Grace says well come in.

Which leads me to another reason for preserving this wonderful love story not only demonstrates the gospel of grace, but it illustrates the love of Christ for his church. Did you know that Ruth provides the only clear example in the Bible of the Goel. That's the word translated kinsman redeemer of the law of Moses allowed for a near relative or kinsman to marry the widow of a deceased relative in order to provide everything she needed including an air to his estate. Not just anybody could marry the widow he had to be a relative of the family and the closest family member have the right of first refusal so to speak is will discover later, Boaz was related to Naomi's husband Ola Malec and he could legally redeem Ruth if he chose to do so. So in this he becomes an illustration of Jesus Christ V ultimate and final Goel and his love for the bride and in this we discover one of the reasons then for the incarnation of God the son. He became a human being, so that he could become a relative of the human race. Now he's able to redeem the bride. This is what Paul meant when he wrote to the Galatians and he said when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them, who were under the law. Galatians for four and five so just as Boaz was a relative of all of the likes of Jesus Christ would become a near relative of ours capable of redeeming us. Furthermore, just as Boaz was not responsible for the bankruptcy of of Ruth's estate. Naomi's estate. Jesus Christ is not responsible for the sinful bankruptcy of the human race. Just as Boaz will accept the bankruptcy of Naomi and Ruth and their estate, so Jesus Christ accepts our bankruptcy, bearing in his body on the tree, our sin so that we, being dead to sin can live underwriters only add to that justice Boaz had to be wealthy enough to redeem you stated that if he wanted to get to be wealthy enough to buy it. So our Lord according to the riches of his grace redeemed us through his blood, Ephesians 17 the legal tender for Boaz was money. The legal tender of our redemption was the blood of Christ, would you mark in your minds that this transaction was neither cold nor emotionless. If you read this love story anytime before you know, especially the first time you read it have attention bills doesn't just bills each dramatic scene builds upon another and you find yourself saying to that other potential kinsman redeemer is more closely related than Boaz. Don't buy the land get lost go down.

Boaz allows her to find yourself just on the edge of your seat and you can sense that Boaz is about to jump out of his skin when that man says to him, I tell you what you can have the land and you can have Ruth and you go. Oh yes, this is exciting. This is thrilling, or in church but it's it's exciting you know is you been led from one dramatic scene to the next that at that point Boaz can hardly contain his joy. This is the joy of a man who is just proposed and after some convincing. She has said yes men, you know, up to that point in your life.

That's the greatest moment of joy you've ever experienced a man amen your quick learners could be in the car on the way home. When you select this in Jesus Christ isn't saying okay all, I'll take Stephen Marsha, I'll take Mark and Irene.

I guess the do the redemption of one sinner is cause for celebration of joy in and among the posts of heaven.

Luke 1510 we did election when did the redemption of the awakening of a redeem center calling of a sinner to join the bridal party just become some cold emotionless transaction between us and our Savior.

When did it get strapped of its joy, perhaps more than likely comes out of our more recent theological past writers like we certainly respect writers like Jonathan Edwards and the history redemption in Stuart Robinson and the discourse of redemption entirely omit any reference to the book of Ruth, even though they are tracing redemption through the Old Testament. They got the concept right. I got the theology right, but they missed the passion of the transaction. They missed that one author said that this method of writing theological truth brought redemption. The mean of cold business transaction is as a thousand times no redemption is the love story of a kinsman who neither counted the cost per figure of the profit and loss but for joy paid an exorbitant price or one that he love J.

Vernon McGee goes on to write in his commentary the book of Ruth declares that redemption is not a business transaction. It is a love story. The truth is I thought about this in my study. I have not sure. We believe that we know that he supposed to be special to us but were not really sure were all that special to him.

We know us when you get excited over us.

Yes, he does and I'm fairly convinced that in heaven we spent a long time.

The outfit amazed at what is provided for amazed at what he's done for us amazed at what is created for us amazed at how he will reward us.

I think were gonna go around saying this is unbelievable some amazing really helps us.see this book wraps theological truth inside of deep passion and emotion to love story of the grace of Christ and his love for the church.

Third, the book of Ruth also defends the lineage of Jesus Christ. The book of Ruth provides a clear line between David Perez, the royal line in Judah's line of the coming king.

In fact, the last genealogy between David and Jesus Christ providing the link between David and ultimately Jesus Christ is the genealogical table discovered the very end of the book of Ruth Ruth genealogy, that table will be brought over by Matthew and by Luke in their genealogy of Jesus Christ fact so critical is the link that Ruth provides in her genealogical table that Old Testament scholars Kyle and dealers are convinced that this is the reason why the book was recorded everything else is secondary is the provision of the genealogical link between Christ and the royal line of David which proves he has all the necessary legally and in the bloodline to serve as the King of Israel one more time on that particular point, you'll discover in the genealogy that Boaz is Gentile mother Rahab the what the harlot and amazing how God continually reinforced that every time she shows up.

It's that not to denigrate her, but to remind us of his great love and grace. That's Boaz's mother, Rahab the harlot and she didn't marry just any Jewish man as she fled Jericho.

Remember the scarlet cord and a desire to leave and follow the God of Israel. She she marries a Jewish man will learn from the genealogy but not just any Jewish man. He happens to be the nephew of Aaron, she marries a man with in the priestly line of this nation, so also Jesus Christ who marries his bride, the church is not really only a member of the priestly line. He is the high priest.

He is the greater than Boaz. He fulfills all of the little illustrations of what Boaz reflects in Ruth church book of Ruth demonstrates the grace of God. It illustrates the love of Christ for his church defends the lineage of Jesus Christ is the literal descendent of David. Therefore, heir to David's throne and forth. The book of Ruth is proof that godly living can take place in an ungodly culture.

The fairytale that really does come true. If you notice in your Bibles begins with the word and or you can translate it now.

It's a continuation of the previous book.

Look at Ruth one verse one again. Now it came about in the days when the judges govern us stop was given to us because God needed some space to fill up. He wants us to know the setting it takes place in the days when the judges govern what was it like in the days when the judges govern will all you have to do is look across the page to the last verse of the previous book, which happens to be the book of Judges and the last verse of that last chapter says in those days that is in the days of the judges. There was no king in Israel and guess what everyone did what was right in his own eyes that this immediately informs us that this beautiful love story of Boaz and Ruth will shine against the troubled sinful anything goes in moral backdrop of its times.

One author wrote the book of Ruth is up her role in the pigpen of the judges.

That's what's happening, you might come to the conclusion he just sat down and you just read the book of Ruth. You might come to the false conclusion by this addendum, isn't that wonderful. What a wonderful time to raise a family. What a wonderful time to seek a bride. It just perfect man are are respectful and godly kind to women and those in need, and women are respectful and discreet toward men. I mean, you might get the impression that all the landowners care about those who are foraging in the care about widows and they use their money to help the needy. Nothing could be further from the truth which makes the pure love story of Boaz and Ruth all the more remarkable.

What were the days of the judges like they were the lowest points in Israel's history. For starters, division cruelty, immorality and idolatry.

Apostasy Civil War and national disgrace. In fact, based on clues that we will get into but I had an opportunity to research Old Testament scholars believe that Boaz is probably a contemporary Gideon and they probably knew one another, but Gideon's biography. If you've ever studied it goes from good to bad and from bad to evil. Gideon starts out well, but he ends up marrying a number of women as her turned away from the Lord, he bears 70s son who will be assassinated in cold blood.

As soon as Gideon dies judges chapter 9 then there is the judge named Samson you probably know about him, his life was one fornication after another, until he sold his soul to his latest mistress named Delilah discovered the secret bullet out of them and then cut his hair. One night the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes judges 16. There goes one of your judges. There's the unbelievable story of the Levite. Later on in judges who took his mistress from none other than the town of Bethlehem probably knew Boaz the town of Bethlehem. He travels to Ephraim and where she was and and he's spending the night in the opener finally greeted and welcomed into a home. Unfortunately, Israelite men come take her. They raped her and she dives and that story spreads nearly bringing the nation to the brink of civil war. This was front-page news in the Bethlehem times. These are the days of the judges.

These were no easier times to find a spouse and raise a family. Have a godly testimony than today and it the lives of Boaz and Ruth and shine all the much more brighter.

Don't think you discover here the sanctuary of a godly home you discover the commitment to humble service to those in need, you find a description of godly manhood that shepherds a family you discover the presentation of godly womanhood that pursues a virtuous life. You discover the sanctity of the marriage. Val, you discover the high standards for marriage and fidelity even in the days of the judges when mistresses were as common as wives. These are the dark days of the judges and this is the shining testimony of Boaz and Ruth.

It's possible to live a godly life in the midst of an ungodly culture in this book will reveal it's possible to be pure when surrounded by impurity, it's possible to not have your culture rewrite your character, but for your character to remain unwritten by your culture and so influence your culture for the glory of God.

The book of Ruth is a demonstration of the grace of God, the love of Christ.

The proof of Christ lineage proof that godliness is possible even in ungodly times. Let me give you one more.

The book of Ruth reveals the providence of God in the smallest details of life. Let me just give you a quick overview of this book, the patriarch of this family limo like in his faithlessness left the land of God's will see in our next session and the people of God, but he just so happened to go to Moab to live in. It just so happened that one of his sons and his rebellion married a Moabite girl who just so happen to be rude who just so happen to desire to follow after God and returned with Naomi. 10 years later and she just happened to glean in the field which just so happen to belong to Boaz who happened to be a relative of Naomi's and he just so happen to be riding his horse out of the field on the very day when Ruth just so happened to choose his field in which the forage for leftover green. What's Marty just so happen to be a godly single man, the son of a Gentile woman in Rahab who happened to have converted to Judaism years earlier and it just so happened that she married a Jewish man so that their son just might happen to be open to the idea of a Gentile wife and it just so happened that they married became part of the lineage of Christ, who would then carry not only Jewish blood, giving them the right to sit on David's from a Gentile blood is an illustration that the bride he came to win would include both Jewish and Gentile believers. And isn't that amazing how it all just so happened well not quite. This is a book that reveals that God is the director of the Symphony and he is orchestrating all things to fulfill his purposes, even faithlessness. Even some of those events that don't make sense to to us now and they made never make sense to us. They're going to make sense.

Generations later, I imagine at the outset of this of this dramatic tale, Boaz would be thinking I just got give me a wife is an older godly man wealthy financial resources to provide for family. I wonder if he rode around in his horse wondering God, why, why don't you give me life. I would imagine not Naomi will be asking God why did you take away my husband. I imagine Ruth would be wondering what kind of God have I decided to follow the kind of people will be waiting for me. What will my life be like even a little light of thought in his dying breath. My faithlessness to follow God during the famine is ruined everything. Everything is lost.

They have knowing the truth is, neither so as their storyline begins as the curtain prepares a rise on this drama. I want to take God happens to be the one writing just their story. Yours and mine, as believers in Jesus Christ. God has already written our story is Stephen just reminded us it's not a story with an ending our story is forever because the hope and the promise of every believer's eternity in heaven with God. This is wisdom for the heart. With today's message. Stephen began a series from the book of Ruth, a book that illustrates the redemption Jesus Christ brought to us. I hope you will be with us for this entire series.

This series has been turned into a book.

We have more on the way. But we do have a limited supply. If you'd like information on how you can get a copy. Call us at 86 648 Bible again.

That's 86 648 Bible. That's all for today.

Please join us again tomorrow as we continue through Ruth on wisdom for the hearts