Seven Reasons to Say "I Do", Part 2

You're interested in stingy and selfish. Don't expect generosity to follow the weddings or someone telling his money do they hoard what they have do they spend money only on themselves. Frankly, you could say that she hears Boaz is showing genuine care and rare generosity back.

James says over chapter 1 pure religion is here wanted to be the one to redeem. However, there was another man who had the right to do that ahead of Boaz Boaz being a man of great honor navigated that situation in a godly way today on wisdom for the heart were learning some important and practical lessons about marriage from Ruth and Boaz were specifically looking at characteristics of a suitable mate last time Stephen began a lesson called seven reasons to say I do it comes from Stevens exposition through the book of Ruth and now here's the rest of this lesson go back to Ruth chapter we've already learned.

By the way, if you been with us in the study relationship Boaz with God was living was active in in the days of Judges when everybody did that which is right in their own eyes. Boaz lived with the sense of spiritual awareness.

You find them in chapter 2, where he is asking for the blessing of God on his employees. We talked about how it would be so interesting to have a boss that comes to work, walks by your desk and says how are you doing with God. The day when that be wonderful to have someone who cares spiritually about you in the workplace would be certainly unique and his employees were no different in understanding the uniqueness of him when he first met Ruth, the guy starts praying he asks them that she would find shelter under the wings of God. I imagine right then and there she is saying that that's while that would be a guy would be interested now at the threshing floor after after the love of his life is already fallen in love with her, asks him to become her kinsman redeemer, which means if you know the go well, to be the one to marry her by up her late husband's estate pay off all of her family debts.

The first thing Boaz said in verse 10 of chapter 3 is in response. May you be blessed of the Lord.

My daughter and I said last time that Hebrew word is simply one word yet basically is what he meant.

God bless you Ruth what he said this wasn't an act, it really wasn't the best foot forward. This was a life for you love God, and God was always on his lips.

He had an active living, walking, breathing relationship with God. This is this is foundational. This is where you you begin why because unless the Lord builds the house, you labor in vain to build it on your own.

Someone 27, one egg, I am so convinced of that being foundational every couple will have challenges and difficulties in whatever I'm involved in a wedding. It is always very moving to me to come to that dedication prayer I'm always close to tears because I realize I'm holding their hands. They have their hands clasped and were having that dedication prayer.

I have no idea what they're going to face in their lives no idea how high the mountain peaks are going to be in health, deep valleys are here. They stand up at the threshold of life and they must stand there united in their faith to Christ. It will be tested.

Understanding that were sinners were progressing. We we we make great statements of faith and we have times of doubt, but there is that underlying relationship with the grace of God, and it is foundational. Another character quality of this list would be humility.

These two attributes don't necessarily show up in the same body. It's possible to be spiritually minded and proud. Look at verse 10 of chapter 3, Boaz says to her. Now these responding to her proposal. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first.

By not going after young men, whether poor or rich. The long way of saying I can't believe you chose me. I can't believe you want me when he refers here to her first kindness is referring to the way she's treated Naomi that kindness is nonbiased. All that first kindness wow that was amazing to see the kind of commitment you made to this woman, your mother-in-law is referencing her care for Naomi, but then he says all but your last kindness is greater than your first what's the last kindness you want me you are so kind to want to marry me.

His humility is obvious. We watched it have we watched him care for his employees.

We've we've watched them communicate concern for those around him. Now he's got his sleeves rolled up in his outer threshing floor is even spending the night out there, he could've he could've bought people to do that for the truth is, in his culture. He was near the top of the food chain. He had every reason to be proud instead of humble and yet every time he opens his mouth.

The quality of humility comes a guise as you study this along with me.

I hope the with me. You are challenged already by this man.

Another character quality might want to add to your list is the word priority in other words, know what matters most in Ruth evidently does as well.

That's clear to look at verse 11. Boaz goes on to say, listen the reason I'm so pleased with your proposal and want to say this is because all of my people in the city know you are a woman of beauty. No all of my people in the city know that you are a woman of of rare talent know all of the people in my city know that you are a woman of class know all the people in my city know that you are a woman of personal charm, no all of the people in my city know that you are a woman of excellence. Your text may read noble character. That's what you're known for.

She evidently had priorities as well.

The same word is translated virtuous in Proverbs chapter 31, by the way, lest you think I better Proverbs 31 startup sermon out of their it's also the same word used in chapter 2 of Boaz translated well I think unfortunately same word hi Jill, this is a person of moral character and strength. You hear a lot of sermons about the virtuous woman. Too bad you don't hear sermons on the virtuous man.

Same word is used for both of them. Here is then the making of a good match.

They are both committed to the priority of godly living.

They were incompatible in so many ways except character and that became the footings dug deep in the soil of their hearts that allow them to build the foundation for home and haven throughout the generation give you 1/4 marker in this godly match honesty.

This is where now in the text.

Boaz will drop an atomic bomb, which could explode the mood and the moment. Look at verse 12. He says I am a close relative.

However, there is a relative closer than I now the law of the go all of the law of the kinsman redeemer allowed the closest relative to the woman to redeem her if he was available he would marry her by the estate of her husband and and they would have children as God would bless them and the children would be given at least the first one. The name of the deceased husband which would allow his name to continue and the one that had the right to redeem the widow was the closest one to her and her family and so here they are on the threshing floor.

Ruth just said I want you to be my go well my kinsman redeemer Boaz is thrilled.

They love each other and then he says wait for somebody else more closely related to you than me. Okay, so no, not so stop. There is a great deal of anguish in those words.

I imagine Ruth beginning to cry that you know.

Did Naomi tell her did Naomi withhold that little piece of information. Knowing Ruth might not have gone had she known it didn't. Did Ruth already know and go to the threshing floor anyway.

Informed Boaz that she really wanted him to redeem her according to the Old Testament provision of the kinsman redeemer which I would throw my head in on that one.

We we don't know for sure what we do know is that after Boaz has told her that he effectively loves her and would be thrilled to marry her.

He tells her what he doesn't know.

She might know, he tells her the truth even though it could ruin everything. Listen Ruth I would love to redeem you as your closest relative. But I'm not your closest relative. I hate to tell you this for somebody older than I am and thus first in the line who has the right to redeem thought about this for what you know today's culture. Boaz would've gotten a lawyer to sue the other guy for his rights. He he would've found the counselor or psychologist to tell him to follow his heart. Whatever made him happy and loving Ruth is wonderful. God created love and would certainly want to be happy so don't worry about the law leaving Boaz without a pastor to tell them that the laws of kinsman redeemer were four different context and culture and the laws of the kinsman redeemer don't apply to him. And besides they were there centuries old and they are no longer relevant. He could've found some friends to tell them Boaz said you're not getting any younger. You love her. She loves you.

These are the days of the judges were everybody does what is right in their own eyes, and if it's right for you than man listen.

It's all all right get over your Victorian guilt trip and go for it that's unfamiliar what happened today.

Had Boaz and Ruth lived.

Instead, Boaz simply says Ruth. I can't because it's not right and I hate to tell you this but I gotta be honest tell you there's someone closer in line to give you 1/5 word follows on the heels of this is the word accountability spirituality humility priority honesty accountability as I read and reread and reread again. This text, I found it hard to imagine any man in Boaz and sandals saying what he's about to say verse 13 remain.

This night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you. Good, let him redeem you, but if he does not wish to redeem you that I will redeem you as the Lord lives that that I just read what I thought I just read if he will redeem you. Good, let him redeem it is Boaz some kind of concrete block, no emotion made out a granite.

No feelings hey if if that other guy wants you.

I'm fine with that. I guess not on your life. We've already read his first response is thrilled he is. He is so moved that she would want him. He's so excited he loves her to. He just happens to be a man of character to the point that he submits his emotions to the laws of God and allows the law of God to put a boundary on his heart that this matter has to be settled legally.

Ancient Jewish commentary by the way on the scene called the midrash taught the other kinsman was Naomi's brother-in-law, which would have been an uncle to Boaz so it at this point he is mine is obviously racing and you see that proven as he lies there that night. He's holding himself in check, but is accountable to the word of God's mind is racing about that moment when he's going to see his uncle will know his name is uncle get out of town.

Uncle moved to another village. Whatever happens to be. He's going to face some. He's gonna very cleverly approach him as will see but but let me just stop for a moment here a little longer and and say this, especially to my single friends find someone who was willing to set aside their emotions and their personal feelings in order to do what is right and you are well on your way to finding a man or woman worthy of saying I do. I don't know what the context will be. You'll see it may happen where their heart is kept by the word of God, where they will set aside their emotions in order to do what is right. Maybe it's responding to a boss. It is responding to some difficulty where you know how they feel. And yet there guarded in the response based on a commitment to the word got Boaz has looked we know what the law says and working to follow the law. Remind me this into this little seven-year-old girl who obviously had her emotions well under control.

Much like Boaz or an eight-year-old boy in her Sunday school class at church asked her to marry. She said I can't protest why not. She said well my daddy married my mommy. My grandpa married my grandma and all my uncles married my answer we can get married because were not related, not good.

We gotta do what's right were not related, we can do it's right something though that's easy to overlook family relation or not.

There is nothing binding upon Boaz or Ruth to surrender to the laws of kinsman redeemer. They could have married, they could have sent a note to that other man who didn't care anyway. No big deal.

Lead in water but but they didn't have to follow the law and again this is the times of the judges. You do whatever is right, but it mattered. In fact, since Ruth more than likely knew about the other relative. She is also willing, as we see her here to abide by whatever the law of God allowed nothing less than nothing more legally break this down even more simply, Boaz would rather remain single and lose the love of his life than not follow God's design. He didn't have to. For him it wasn't Ruth or someone else.

It was Ruth or nobody else he'd Artie thought it through what what is remarkable about this individual is that instead of coming up with loopholes to the covenant of God. He was strategizing on how to approach his uncle, there's another word comes to mind.

Number six. It's the word purity verse 13. The latter part. Boaz said lie down until morning lie where verse 14 so she lay at his feet, until morning that we have already dealt with this discussion of this issue. But let's let's go back again for a moment, make no mistake your Boaz might have taken advantage of her.

She has already expressed her love to him.

He has expressed his love to her there.

There isn't anything binding them they wouldn't be looked down on day could do whatever they wanted and what more would you need but no advantage was taken and no solicitation offered. I could help. Just think of one word sure in their culture have bought into it because everyone was doing was right in their own eyes. Let me give a practical word here and I want to be sensitive, in a mixed audience. But let me just say this to every single woman. If a man demands your body before he declares his valve's name is not worth taking. In simple terms, thrown back, and the like to fish and I want to put it right down there where you can't miss it. You fishermen caught it. I know keep fishing. Let me say this to single men.

If a woman uses her body to manipulate your heart, you have little reason to trust her heart. What you have here in Bethlehem this night are to sinners who happen to be highly committed to God.

Here you have two people who quietly pledged their love and they've chosen to wait in purity to see what God would do, let me quickly give you one more word number seven the word generosity came came to mind. In verse 15, look there.

He says to her, give me the club is on you and hold it. She held it, he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her and she went into the city when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, how did it go.

My daughter she told her all that the man had done for her. She said these six measures of barley he gave to me for he said, do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.

Is he a wise man was well by the way he had every reason to keep his money to keep his grain, but Boaz was sensitive to the needs of Ruth and Naomi and the spot. This amount of grain. By the way would last about two week so Boaz is thinking that's about all I need before your mind.

Lord willing, and I can take care of you. So he gives her two weeks to take care of herself and to take care of Naomi listen if that individual you're interested in is stingy and selfish.

Don't expect generosity to follow the wedding ceremony so I'm telling his money do they hoard what they have. Did do they spend money only on themselves now not talking about careful stewardship I'm talking about being stingy.

Frankly, you can say that she is an ancient Hebrew word here is Boaz is showing genuine care and rare generosity. In fact, James says over in chapter 1, the pure religion is the care for widows dogs.

He loved one of made it a lot easier. But he was demonstrating not just care for her care for Naomi when there's a checklist for you. It's not in any way comprehensive maybe to get you started in the right direction, spirituality, humility, priority honesty, accountability, purity and generosity. Those are observations from a life marked by character friends. It doesn't matter how you met that guy that girl online or real life begin with conversion moved to character, and no matter how many compatibilities you have or you don't have with the word of God, sort of serving as a runner for your heart. In the sea of emotion you will be able to navigate the able sale through God honoring journey doesn't mean that the waters going to be smooth. It may be very rough.

He might be thrown out of the boat a few times, but according to his will, which is what you desire that you are pursuing just might at the old where you will commit your heart and your life. This love of your heart of life and commit to a marriage that you trust and desire to glorify Christ advance the gospel and illustrate Christ's love for his church, create a haven in a relationship together in the midst of a perverted world. And if God gives you children to raise a generation to live for love Jesus Christ who still to this day happens to be calling bride self as kinsman seven say I do it comes from Steven Davies teaching series through the book of Ruth we have three more lessons to go in this series and will bring you those in the days ahead. But before we go today you might know someone who's contemplating marriage and would benefit from hearing this message. Actually, any person who is not yet married should consider the seven principles we've seen today. I think it would be highly beneficial if you were to share this message with that person. There are several ways you can do that to get started, go to wisdom online.org. We've posted this message on that website you can type the message title into the search bar and you'll find it.

You can also navigate to the message library and opened the book of Ruth. You'll find the full-length message there.

It's available for you to listen online or you can download and read Stephen's sermon manuscript we don't have CDs of individual messages, but we do have CD sets for each series. So if you want this series on CD that's available as well. But again, anyone who's not yet married would benefit from hearing this message.

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