The Bible is full of people who do surprisingly bold things through faith, and God blesses them. When our plans are in alignment with God’s will, it’s okay to be bold! In Ruth 3, Naomi and Ruth hatch a plan for carrying out God’s redemption of their family. Ruth approaches Boaz with boldness, and the rest is history. Ruth, a Moabite woman, would go on to be included in the lineage of Christ through Boaz (Matt. 1:5).

Take-Home Message– Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Naomi’s Plan (1-5)

• Ruth’s Bold Move (6-9)
• Boaz’s Response (10-15)
• Ruth Returns to Naomi (16-18)

Lessons from Ruth 3

• Watch while you wait (2).
• Listen while you wait (5).
• Take bold action when God opens the door (7b-9).
• Remember God’s deliverance (13).

Message: Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

Scripture: Ruth 3:1-18

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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God has a way of showing up when all hope seems lost. Naomi’s world collapsed when she lost her husband and both of her sons. All hope seemed lost as she returned home with Ruth. But in the midst of her darkness, God was working for her redemption. In Ruth 2, we see God’s plan for a radical redemption of Ruth and Naomi. This redemption is a portrait of our redemption through Christ.

Take-Home Message: When all hope seemed lost, God sent my Redeemer.

Ruth and Boaz Meet (1-7).

Boaz and Ruth Honor Each Other (8-17).

• Boaz honored Ruth by…
• Protecting her (8-9).
• Praising her godliness (10-13).
• Providing for her (14-16).
• Ruth honored Boaz by…
• Respecting him (10, 13).
• Praising his godliness (10, 13).
• Providing for Naomi (17).

Naomi experiences new hope (18-23).

· The Kinsman-Redeemer could redeem…

• A family member sold into slavery (Lev. 25:47-49).
• Land that needed to be sold under financial distress (Lev. 25:23-28).
• The family name through a levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10).

· Christ our Kinsman-Redeemer

• Christ redeemed us from slavery to sin (Rom. 3:23-24; 6:15-18).
• Christ redeemed our property privileges lost in the Fall (Gen. 3).
• Christ redeemed our family name – children of God (1 John 3:1).

Message: Ruth Meets Boaz

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-23

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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Faith is not a feeling… but…

• It’s a beautiful thing in those “moments” when our faith and our feelings do connect!

Today we’re going to look at three very different examples of “faithfulness”

• Orpah
• Ruth
• Naomi

Orpah

• On the surface it may appear that Orpah is the least faithful of these three women.
  
  • But don’t be so sure.
    • Even though we are all called to be faithful, we don’t all have the same calling!
      
      • The evidence shows that Oraph was living into her calling.

Ruth

• She’s the heroin of the story, as the name of the book implies. Her faith was exhibited in love, determination and selflessness.
  
  • But the fact is, maybe we’re giving Ruth more credit than is deserved… Perhaps her faithfulness to Naomi grew out of the fact that she had nothing to go home too! We don’t know…
    
    • But does it matter? The fact is, her faithfulness is one of the most beautiful expressions of faithfulness in the entire Bible!

Naomi

• Her faithfulness is expressed very differently than the other two.
  
  • Ruth 1:20- “Call me Mara (which means bitter), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me…”
    
    • In some ways, Naomi’s expression of faithfulness is the best of all! She didn’t loose her faith in the midst of her trials and tribulations.
      
      • Was she angry and bitter? Yes! But she didn’t give up, and God blessed her for that!

God’s got broad shoulders. He can take it if you get mad at Him.

• Just don’t give up on Him!

Faithful (Even when you don’t feel like it)

Scripture: Ruth 1:6-22

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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