Sunday Sermon
sunday morning service 9th Aug 2009
Ruth 2
Last Sunday we say the unfolding events in chapter one:
Disaster v1-5, Returning Home v6-18 and pleasantness to bitterness v19-22.
We see Judgement (famine and death), followed by Repentance (returning home) and then God’s mercy in the blessing of Ruth and harvest, despite Naomi’s remaining despair and bitterness. So to chapter 2
The chapter is set out very carefully with an introduction, followed by three scenes and a conclusion.
1) Introduction and scene 1. V1-13
V1 the introduction of Boaz, a relative of Naomi (on husbands side). Boaz means quickness.
This verse is the introduction to the chapter.
V2 first scene: Ruth goes off to work picking grain
V3 “as it happened” she worked in the field of Boaz – a God-incidence.
V4 all of a sudden it would seem, Boaz appears on the field to greet the harvesters.
V5 Boaz takes note of Ruth, seeks to find out who she is!
V6 finds out who she is
V7 foreman tells Boaz of her good manner and hard work
V8 Boaz then makes direct contact! Speaks to her, asks her to stay with his harvest girls.
V9 told not to worry but follow the harvest pickers and take water whenever thirsty
V10 at these words of Boaz, Ruth is shocked and surprised. Why should she have such favour!
V11 explanation: Boaz knows all about what she has done for Naomi and her family
V12 expresses a desire for God to bless her for what she has done
V13 Ruth then thanks Boaz for his undeserved favour
App
a) Life goes on! After all the tumultuous happening of chapter 1!
Ruth simply gets on with the work at hand.
But it is all under Gods hand. He brought them back at the time of harvest.
The encouragement for us is not to give up, but to keep doing the work that God provides.
b) God is in control!
Ruth “happened” to find herself in Boaz’s field! V3
Boaz happened to turn up at the right moment. V4
This is how God delights to operate, in the lives of people like us, just nobodies in the worlds eyes, but God takes a special care over his own!
c) attitude.
Ruth’s character seems remarkable. She is polite and a hard worker v7.
We might get into the attitude that asks what the world owes me, especially after experiences such as Ruth has gone through, leaving homeland and losing husband!
2) Scene two v14-17
V14 new scene: mealtime, Boaz continues to show favour to Ruth,
V15 Boaz then tells the workers that Ruth can harvest where she likes!!
V16 even tells them to help her by deliberately leaving her some stalks of grain!
V17 Ruth continues to gather, then threshes and gathers an ephah
App:
a) mealtimes.
Much of the important happenings in the bible happen over meals.
The Lords Supper itself was instituted over a meal.
Food is a gift from God, every meal is a time to give a sacrament of thanks to God.
b) hospitality
what an example Boaz is for us, he is a living picture of what it means to do unto others as you would have them do to you! He provides all that Ruth needs, and without hope of return.
What a witness such hospitality is!
3) scene three and conclusion v18-23.
V18 3rd scene: Ruth returns home with all her hard day’s work
V19 Naomi is amazed, needs to know who helped her!
V20 Naomi expresses great delight in Boaz for all his goodness. Notes he is a close relative!
V21 Ruth then notes more of Boaz’s kindness
V22 Naomi recommends Ruth take up the offer!
V23 conclusion: Ruth says working with Boaz’s girls until wheat and barley harvest are over.
App:
a) delight in the Lord.
Naomi has changed! She is able to give thanks for Boaz.
After times of hardship we need to be quick to return back to delighting in God.
The danger with bitterness is that nothing ever then seems good. We get blind to God’s grace and favour!
b) work so long as the door is open.
Ruth went on to work the whole harvest in Boaz’s fields.
If we have open doors before us we must use them.
Jesus has not yet returned so we need to keep on working in his harvest field, the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few!
c) fear not as you work for God.
Ruth was safe in Boaz’s fields. We are safe in God’s hands.
Ultimately no harm will come to us as we work for God.
Even if we die we simply pass on into the closer presence of Jesus.
sunday evening service 9th Aug 2009
Col 3v12-17
Last week we saw the need to Prepare for the Day of the Lord by putting to death sin, by putting off the old ways, by remembering the Lords coming judgement on sin, by remembering that such sin was how we used to live and by considering who we are now, made new and by considering who Christ is, the all in all!
This week we carry on with the same theme: the need to get ready for Gods coming:
Note: if there is a failure when the time of testing comes, it is because the preparation has not been good enough, or maybe none-existent!
1) again remember who you are! V12a.
This is so fundamental to all our living that Paul has no problem repeating it again and again though each time with a different emphasis.
This time he focuses on the fact of their status under God.
They are God’s chosen, they are holy, they are dearly loved!
That is they did not earn Gods salvation, they did not make themselves holy or lovable.
Their status as chosen, holy and loved is a given status.
App
All of our preparation work for the day of the Lord is based on what God has done for us.
We are not saved by grace and then work by our own effort.
We are saved by grace and work by grace.
Grace rules out earning but it does not rule out effort!
2) then get dressed, forgive and love! V12b-14
Previously they had been told to undress all the old sinful ways.
But they were not to stay naked or empty, now get dressed with new ways.
Put on – “Compassion .....” v12b.
Then having gotten dressed they area to put their new ways into use by forgiving v13.
Action has to follow, the putting on only really happens as the action goes on.
Building muscles only happens as the weights are lifted!
Forgiveness is to be inspired by Christ’s forgiveness of them!
That is one reason Paul mentions their previous ways, to remind them that they have been forgiven. And so should happily forgive others.
And furthermore, over is all put on love v14.
Love is the item of clothing that brings the whole outfit together into one peace.
Love here is the Christian love which is a thought-out, willed and conscious, not mere impulse or based on someone’s attractiveness.
It is the love that comes from knowing Christ’s love for us. So that we then love others!
Love is the mature expression of all the other items that the Colossians “put on”
App
The list of things that we are to put on are not legalistic obligations that we must follow.
Rather the picture is an expression of the kind of life the Christian is to mirror.
We could sum up the whole picture in one sentence “be good (v12), forgive (v13) and love (v14)”But how? from v13, from thinking about what Jesus has done for you.
We cannot drum up goodness, forgiveness and love just because we want to, that simply does not work. But if we focus on Christ and who he is and what he has done, then there will be a side effect, our growth in goodness, forgiveness and love!
3) let peace, let word and thanksgiving v15-17
Closely linked to love and following right after the love of v14 is the peace of v15.
But the picture moves from “putting on” to “allowing”.
The Colossians are to “let” the peace of Christ rule or govern over them.
The assumption is then that they may refuse the rule of peace over them!
Peace specifically in terms of their relationships with one another because Paul then again points out their unity as one body!
Peace is not just a feeling of serenity or calm, the rub comes in our relationships!
Are we at peace with our family!
Not only are we one and are to be at peace, this is in fact the purpose of our calling! To be at peace, Gods work is about creating a new humanity, one family without division, loving each other (John 13v34-35;17v21).
Further we are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly v16.
Again the language would point to there being a choice here that the Colossians have to make. Will they get saturated in the word or not?
It is only then as those full of the word that their hearts can continually turn to the Lord in worship, and by that will they keep one another mutually in check.
The verse is not calling the Colossians to start finding fault, and to start lording over each other in the truth. Rather the picture is of people being drawn together as they worship the Lord, in such an environment there is continual informal teaching and admonishing in the truth.
The capstone of it all is v17. This summarise the overall aim that Paul has for the Colossians.
He wants them to be doing everything, living the totality of their lives in Christ’s name.
That is by his authority and for his glory.
But how can they do that? By living a life of thanksgiving to the Father.
It would be hard to engage in sin if the focus was on giving thanks to God.
App: Letting
The preparing for the Lords coming takes definite indention and decision on our part.
Preparing will not just happen.
We are to allow Jesus rule in our hearts. That means we submit our will to His will.
The choice is always do what I want or do what He wants. Or to put it more simply obey or disobey! But there is a choice to make and just realising that we have to chose His way is the place to start.
Then we need “let” the word live in us. It is through the Word of Christ that we get to know the way of Christ. The word “dwell” is very rich. It is calling for more than a passing moment in the word. It is calling us to have scripture live in us continually.
So it is calling us to memorisation! Then meditation.
The lack of this one thing can be blamed for much of the illness that we see in the church in these days.
It is only as we are saturated in the word that we can be a blessing to one another (teach and admonish)
It is only as we are saturate in the word that we can really worship God! (sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs!)
Worship and fellowship depend on saturation in the word! How vital!
Thanksgiving:
There is no such thing as compartmentalisation in the Christian life! In everything we are called to give thanks to the Father.
A useful question then to ask: can I give thanks to God in this course of action?
