In The Midst of the Mess - Week 2 - St. Peter - Pastor Bill Monday
In the Midst of the Mess
Week 2 - St. Peter
Pastor Bill Monday
10:43 AM
Welcome back to week 2 of our Series in the midst of the mess study, the Book of Ruth. Today we we pick up on chapter two in the
Yes, you see the man, man, by the name of Boaz. It's kind of a type of, of Christ and image of Jesus. But we, before we jump right into roof chapter 2, as we always do. Let's open with prayer.
Sanctify us by the truth. Oh Lord. Yes, set us apart. For amazing purposes, we who are so ordinary board, be extraordinary for us. Give us Jesus, teach us from the scriptures. What it means to be like Ruth and Boaz and then Lord adventure kingdom. Yes, sanctify us by the truth. Oh, Lord, your word is truth. Amen.
Well, summer is upon us and how many of you are excited about?
Nicer weather, even some rain?
To enjoy the outdoors, to enjoy family time and part of the summer that I like to is a chance to get out of the outdoors back inside, watching some good movies. So some sort of blockbusters, I'm not an outdoors guys. So I didn't be looking forward to any summer blockbusters. Any movies that are like, I got to see that one. Yeah, I'm like that. I thought I'd start off today with what I would suggest to you, is the summer blockbuster of all summer blockbusters, at least this season. And I before I just tell you, I want you to guess, what do you think I think is the best story to be seen out there. So here you go. The story starts with a young damsel in distress and she's longing for better life, longing for identity longing for belonging
Put in a different world. A world that is so foreign to her, and she makes this great sacrifice, she decides to leave her father and family. And she goes off to this different world where she finds love. So it's a love story.
However, she's got many challenges to overcome and fact, she will need her love to rise up and to defeat her antagonist and time is of the essence. So I got three blanks in the bulletin. Can you guess what I think is an amazing summer blockbuster if we go ahead and fast forward, if you taking notes it is of course…The Book of Ruth. I just I don't even know why I'm free blanks there, to be honest with you, justice truth, but I thought I heard The Little Mermaid. Oh yeah, that one's all, that's right.
But isn't the Book of Ruth arrival to even something like The Little Mermaid which is a apparently, a timeless story. Popular back in the 90s animated now, in the live action, I'd suggest to you that what we're studying what we're doing here. The Book of Ruth not only compares to something like the little mermaid or whatever Blockbuster that you're looking forward to seeing.
But it's far greater, in fact, I think Disney should make a movie out of this because the story is truly amazing. Yes, there's a damsel in distress in fact, to there's Naomi and Ruth if we're catching up from last week and want a summary of chapter 1 and these poor women least name, he started out in Bethlehem and she goes over to this place called Moab, its kind of this foreign country. They're enemies of the Israelites, at least. Historically at that time had been Around the time of the judges. What 1350 about 1050, BC at the time of the judges, really tough time start times, which is why they had to leave Bethlehem. When there's a famine, they went over to Moab and Naomi and her husband. And two sons, will they enjoy life? A little while to two sons got married, but then they all well, the men died and it was just Naomi and Ruth really, and they came back to Bethlehem, as widows. In a time where there wasn't any government welfare plans or social security or any handouts to help those that needed it. And so here's this foreigner, this woman in another world for, she's not really welcome. And today we find out, ah, there's love in the picture. But as you come back for weeks three and four, you'll find too many challenges you have to overcome.
So I suppose, if I could add anything to what Pastor Tim talked about last week or Pastor Michael, it's just a really emphasize this context the days in which we find Ruth. This small little book at the, well, beginning of the Old Testament, really. We're it's only four chapters but all the chaos that surrounds it in the time of the judges, it is really a messed-up time. In fact, he went to see how dark these days are just read through Judges chapter 17 through 21 and precedes. The Book of Ruth and actually reverse psychology here, don't read Judges 17 through 21 it and kind of, not kidding because it's R-rated plus. There's a lot of messed-up stuff, there are preachers for hire and they'll promote whatever God you want. There's this Levite out of Bethlehem who isn’t in line with God and actually a descended of Moses, it's tragic. And then there's this horrific thing that happens to a concubine. It's worse than what we would find in Sodom and Gomorrah and it causes a civil war to take place where one of the 12 tribes is almost completely annihilated in a civil war.
And now there's Ruth and all these things are happening around Bethlehem, which is where the story Ruth takes place. So, anyway, Dark Days doesn't get any worse than that. And some Wonder are we in our Western World and maybe even America, are we headed for such dark days? Where it seems like the individual trumps community or whatever else individual rights? Exceed the rights and the hopes and dreams of the people at large. That's the day of Ruth. As I want to jump right in and get into this story. That's amazing better than even The Little Mermaid worthy of any big screen, and we're blessed to cover it.
And these four weeks in June, So, we read. Ruth chapter 2 verses 1 and following. This is now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, a man of standing from the clan of elimelech. Naomi's husband was Elimelech. He had passed away. So here's a close relative and they were tribal people. So family mattered and his name was Boaz. He's a right-upstanding man. And Ruth the Moabite, right, this Foreigner this enemy. Said to Naomi. Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes, I find favor. So Ruth really loved Naomi was thankful for the family that she gifted her even more for the God, that is true, the God of Israel, the god, that we love Caught up in love for her mother-in-law. She went back with her to Bethlehem, so here she is knowing that they're desperate. They need to gather food Naomi's too. Old to go and glean from the fields. So Ruth decides to go well and provide Now again I mentioned how dark these days were. We should know this was a dangerous Venture and I'll talk a little bit more about that. So when Ruth says I, a foreigner, an enemy of your people not by my choice but how I'm seeing, I'm going to go out into the fields. Naomi knew this is pure love for Ruth.
She might not even come back, but what else were they to do? So Naomi said to her, go ahead my daughter. So she went out into the field and began to clean behind the Harvesters as it turned out, and I love that Twist of a phrase and the Hebrew. It's like the author's winking at us as it turned out or as God would have it. She was working in a field belonging to Boaz who was again from the clan of Elimilech. He's a good man to understand how desperate the situation was, it might be good for us to again, get a glimpse of the historical context for Ruth and Naomi they were Up Against All Odds to survive. Again, and those days in the ancient Near East and East the way that Society was structured was very tribal and the building blocks of any tribe was the family unit and it's very much a patriarchy and in a worldly sense, not good for women, but in Israel was beautiful.
It Israel, if they followed God's design, it was a servant mindset that God would instill in every, man, by which the rest of the family. And first, and foremost, the wife and mother of the children would be provided for, I so, how would it work? Well, the man was called by God to love like him. And later on, in the New Testament, Paul reveals to us that love is Christ. So by God's design from the very beginning and to be seen in Israel, the nation among nations, every husband was to be Christ to his wife. Still to this day, that's the design for marriage. So if you want to be a godly man, you need to lay down your life, for your wife and your children, they come first, the man is the slave of the household. The man gets no preference according to God's design. Other than I just want to see my wife blessed and happy. And my children as well. I come last you first. And then the wife according to God's design was to be like well the holy Christian Church always proclaiming the banner of her husband Christ name furthering his cause why? Because his cause is her .
And even to this day, this is why we have the tradition. Yes, to this day where a woman out of love, often takes the name of her husband. It's a sacrifice. She commits to him. Saying if you put me first, I will bear your name. And whatever you give me will be multiplied. And so, the family grows, and the tribe increases in security is experienced by two who are of a servant mindset who give their lives one to another That's how it's supposed to be. But when a culture grows depraved, when a society begins to crumble, what happens? Well there's a mess. Husband's begin to be selfish and wives begin to be selfish and they don't provide not for each other but first and foremost and the children suffer and in the government takes over to take care of the gaps in the family, and the church tries to do the same and it all just crumbles. And everyone becomes well like in the days of the judges, as if there's no King, each person does what they feel is, right? Doesn't that kind of sound like where our culture and Society might be headed? So what happens in the days then to in the ancient times, when a husband dies who was providing for his wife when she becomes a widow. Now in all the other surrounding countries of Israel, there was really no hope for widows or orphans or foreigners and Ruth was well, two of the three.
But you got it. God, in this unique nation of Israel actually made laws hundreds of years before the time of Ruth, which affect this gleaning of the fields, that Ruth was about, God had said to landowners and Harvesters, and to the men of society. You can't Harvest from the outskirts of the fields from the borders of the fields and tell your Harvesters as they go about harvesting. They can't double back. They get one time through when it's harvest time and whatever is left, untouched or falls to the ground. That is for the people, I prize, The Humble, the outcasts, The Widow's, the orphans, the foreigners. Now, when there's an upright Society, it all works. Well, there's plenty of food for everybody. But in the days of Ruth, it was not an upright Society. So she would venture out into whatever field, she might be entering into Sodom and Gomorrah which was entirely immoral and inhospitable. She very easily could have lost her life.
But it's so happened by God's directive that she ended up in a good man’s field. A good man who was abiding by God's love for people. And maybe this is where we can quickly now. Apply it to our lives. You know, this messy world needs? This messy world needs, you and me to be, like, Ruth, and like, Boaz. If you're taking away a truth for today, may be filling in the blanks. In the midst of the mass, we must remain moral. We must remain a godly people or All Is Lost. And when I say moral sense I don't mean in a worldly sense, I mean, in a biblical sense, if you want to know how to live in the midst of the mess, It means that we are a Sanctified, holy people, not that we do everything perfectly know but that we treasure God's love for us who were once by Nature widows and orphans in foreigners to God's kingdom and because Christ
Was the greatest Boaz of all. Our righteousness, our Perfection. When we had none, our payment for our sin, which divided us from God, which made us desperate, our new life as he's risen from the dead. So to we re different Humanity out of the Waters of baptism. So now we can be a moral people even when it doesn't make sense to the world. Even when everyone else is just in it for themselves you and I don't have to be like that. You have every reason because God is so loved you to be upstanding to be upright and the world needs it. Otherwise All Is Lost. What do you think about that in the mess? That is this world and think about it in your family life or in our culture at large how much of a mess is there? Sometimes it can seem so hopeless. And sometimes in the midst of the mess when everybody else is being selfish. I mean, we are so tempted to say, well, if nobody else cares, why should I? It's time for me to look out for number one? I would encourage you resist that temptation.
You're so beautiful to God. You are so different to God. You're a child of God. You don't have to fall into that trap and you're not a fool, not in God's eyes may be in the world, but not in God's eyes. To live out the law of love. To live out the law of love for whatever widows and orphans or foreigners or whoever's desperate in your life. You're not foolish to be selfless. That this is exactly what Jesus was talking about when he said how different we become.
How different he's made us by his grace how unique we are, how important we are even in our everyday lives. When maybe you feel like a widow where an older man who just has a field got nothing more. The Jesus says this in Matthew, says you, you are the salt of the earth you are, what makes this world go round. Your love from God. And for God, and for others, that's what the world needs, which the world is lacking, which is why it's so messed up. He says, you're the salt of the earth. Now, if the salt loses its saltiness, if you revert back to the old ways and you become selfish and it's corrupt as everybody else, what good as the salt, It's only good for being thrown out and trampled underfoot. And he says, another picture, you're the light of the world you you, if you got up this morning you felt like what's the point here? Jesus words, you are so beautiful to God and your the light, the only light in this Dark World. Why? Because you radiate, Jesus. You see, a Town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. In the same way, let your light shine before others be unique, be different be moral. People never mind with the world does that they may see your good deeds and your love and say why do you care?
And then come to Faith and glorify your father in Heaven. This is what we're seeing chapter 2. This no named Widow. Now, we know her name Ruth and this older fellow. Now, we know his name is Boaz ordinary people doing now, extraordinary things. So we continue on with chapter 2, verses 4 and following. This is where the love story comes into play. I'm a softy, I guess. So, Justin Boaz arrived from Bethlehem. He must have been doing something important and probably a leader of the townspeople there, but he loves his people. The common people are out harvesting through his Fields, he greeted the Harvesters and said, the Lord be with you, and they probably said, and also, with you particularly, they said, the Lord bless you kind of a throwback to our last series Blessed,another great series. I think we'd be blessed to hear if we have him. Boy has asked the overseer of his Harvesters. Who does that young woman belong to? You know, she was a foreigner, she stood out like a sore thumb.
The overseer replied, she's the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi and she said, please let me glean and gather among the she leaves behind a Harvesters. So she came into the field and has remained here from morning till now except for a short rest in the shelter, she was very much like a fish out of water, or a mermaid, who just got her legs. See the parallel. Okay, I'm a big fan of The Little Mermaid, sue me, that's fine.
First date, Boaz said to Ruth. Don't go and clean in another field and don't go away from here, you understand all the more, why boys would say that. Who's I do care for you. They don't want you to be hurt or harmed or die. You're safe here. Stay here. You're loved here. She's Blown Away by that. So don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with the women who worked for me, watch the field where the men are harvesting and follow along after the women. So he's given her the ins and outs of how to glean. Well, Now, I've told the men not to lay a hand on you and whenever you're thirsty go and get a drink from the water jars, the men have filled. That was a beautiful gift in and of itself. It could take all morning for a woman or any person to fill enough water for the day in the jars. Are they had now, I'll give that to you for free. Because I care for you in a day when nobody cared for anybody. Now another place says, Boaz gave orders to his men. Let her gather among the sheaves and don't reprimand her. Even pull out some stocks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up and don't rebuke her. I do. You say he understands about how bow has a. So generous for this Foreigner, this enemy formerly of God's people. And the Harvesters must be like Boaz. You're a really good guy. This is crazy. And then the Harvesters to go along and there. Harvesting the Grain. And for them to look back and Ruth is just trying to eke out a day's earnings if you will, and they would just drop stalks there for her and she'd pick up. He must have been cracking up a little bit like, oh, this is so cool. She's gonna, it's gonna be a big payoff for her today and that was by Boaz's command.
Now at mealtime later on Boaz said to her over here, have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar so he rolls out the Royal carpet for and she ate all she wanted and she had some leftover like Ariel that was lost on the beach. She's welcomed into Prince Eric's Palace, okay, then another sorry that it's The Little Mermaid again. Back to our story. Not this Ruth bowed down with her face to the ground and she asked him. Why have I found such favor in your eyes? That you notice me, Foreigner, Boaz replied. I've been told all about what you've done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. How would you left your father and mother and your Homeland and came to live with the people you did not know before? In other words, boas are saying I have seen that you've been touched by God's grace? In a land, in a world where nobody loves each other because I've seen your love, I've heard about your faith, which can only come from God.
Oh, by the way, kind of a side note for anyone that's pursuing marriage today. I would suggest to you. Find somebody like Boaz, find someone like Ruth, it don't settle for anything less. In a world where people can be so selfish and so on, loving how beautiful to know God provides, Even to this day, people care about him you know the love of Christ and love others. There's no greater love story than stuff that we find right here. So may the Lord repay you. He says, for what you've done, may you be richly rewarded by the Lord the God of Israel under whose wings, you have come to take refuge and what a blessing. God would have in store for Ruth and that just Ruth. Because spoiler alert, she'd end up marrying Boaz. Sorry if I ruined it for you, find out next week and the week after.
But the blessing would be that she would be the great-grandmother of King David. So she would be royalty and even better. She would be the great-great-great-great great-great-great-great great-great-great. I don't know how many greats, but a lot of greats, great-grandmother of King Jesus.
So friends, in this little no-name town with these no-name people, God has an eye toward you, your salvation story is what's hitting the big screen right now? That's the Blockbuster. And so, as we see this love that can only come from God. This blessing that can only come from God for people who are so ordinary.
This is what Ruth said. May I continue to find favor in your eyes. My Lord. You have put me at ease by speaking, kindly to your servant though. I do not have the standing of one of your servants. I almost here like Sebastian singing go on and kiss the girl. You hear that to anybody? No should I did not have any more Little Mermaid references. Okay. Then I won't….tough crowd. No. In the midst of the mess, another truth. And it's really the flip side of the earlier one.
You got Ordinary People. But why do we know them as extraordinary? Why don't we know about all the other widows that were there in the time of Judges or whatever other landowners, what because they didn't love, like these two? We don't know them. But we know Ruth and Boaz. A book has been written about them. Ordinary people who God is touched with his extraordinary, love and now makes a part of his extraordinary plans. We're talking about the ancestors of Jesus here.
And God is in the business of making this common among his people. This is not just a unique story long ago that has nothing to do with you and me today. Know this. We who acknowledge where ordinary people? Who live humble lives that the world would not recognize.
In loving the Lord and loving others, like the Lord. God has great plans for you. As you go about your ordinary lives, know this. God has extraordinary plans for you. Whereas, you love like him and share, Jesus making others children of God, heirs of eternal life. Yeah, we won't be ancestors of the Savior, but we can be descended makers of the Savior. To just sharing the humble Love Of Christ. Don't be surprised if somebody writes a book about you. And if not in the world, by the family and generations that come to know Jesus because of you because you were upright and not all was lost and don't be surprised. If in having you find your name in a book that matters because you will, and when you get to heaven because of the life you've lived in the love, you've had warned of God. Unlike the world offers Generations, will praise God for your steadfastness all praise to God. These days are coming. That's your future and mine. So walk away with this truth today, no matter the mess that you're facing in your life. Here's how you live. If we do what is right. So salvation comes and fixes the mess, And that's the power God has given you because when God sees you, he sees Ruth's, he sees Boaz's, he sees a people who are not so ordinary anymore. Again, this is what Paul was talking about when he says in 1st Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters think of what you were when you were called Not many of you were Wise by human standards you were just like Ruth and Boaz. Not many were influential just like peasants from long ago. Not many were of noble birth. No, not until you knew Christ but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things. Yes you and me the things that are not to nullify the things that are so that no one may boast before him. How blessed and privileged we are friends. That's round out chapter 2 then.
So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening, then she thrashed The Barley she had gathered and it amounted to about an ephah that's about 10 days worth of food. So a great harvest for one day as she carried it back to town and her mother in law saw how much he had gathered. And was also brought out and gave her what she had left over after. She had eaten enough and her Mother-in-law asked her. Where did you glean today? Where did you work? It was like you hit the lottery Ruth. Blessed be the man who took notice of you then. Told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place, she had been working the name of the man. I work with today is Boaz. She said, the Lord bless him, Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, he has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead, she added that man is our close relative. He is one of our kinsman redeemer 's. Due to time we have to stop there another Cliffhanger. Oh what that that term that that phrase a kinsman Redeemer a guardian Redeemer, it's so beautiful. So come back next week and the week after and see how much that kinsman redeemer reminds us of Jesus.
