Sermon Cloud

Text: Ruth 4.1-12
Theme: the story of Redemption: the cost and reward of being a redeemer!
Aim:

INTRO: “Redeeming the Mess”
A Beautiful Love story – began with Tragedy, Loss, Sin, FAMINE – all comes down to TONIGHT.
The SUSPENSE of this point: Boaz will do it! Yet – there is a nearer redeemer… he can’t be the right man!

V.1-4: THE SET-UP
1.    The Gate: prominent & influential men of the city conducted law and business
2.    “Behold” – a subtle reminder of the main theme of RUTH: God’s invisible hand of providence
a.    His visible hand of miracle
b.    Providence is his invisible hand, particularly in Ruth: working through tragedy to beauty
i.    And doing so through mundane events in the life of simple but faithful people
ii.    Ruth goes to glean out of desire to care for NAOMI, not to find a man!
iii.    BUT: God knows her need and her heart, and he has a plan: BOAZ.
3.    Introducing Mr. So and So – hey, “FRIEND”:
a.    Names are important throughout the book; in this section, everyone is named again
b.    But this guy gets NO NAME… WHY? Much work done to NOT give his name!
4.    So BOAZ begins to take charge
a.    Has Mr. Nobody sit down; Gathers 10 elders – quorum: Official Plan, needs WITNESSES.
b.    Boaz has a plan: he is walking into this deal with every intention of winning
i.    Trusting the Lord – the reason we are here is that he wants to do it RIGHT
ii.    But he is not throwing up his hands – he’s planned this out: Spirit-led negotiating!
iii.    He is an ELDER in the GATE: RESPECTED, listened-to, he is HONORED.
5.    v.3: Naomi is selling the land of Elimelech
a.    In order to survive, Naomi is putting the land up for sale – a permanent loss for family w/o heir
b.    Redeemer had the right and responsibility to keep it in family: falls first to Mr. Nobody
i.    WEAKNESS: apparently knows nothing about what is going on – failed his responsibility
1.    Not cared for close relatives; not cared for the poor; ignorant of situation
2.    Men sin by what they DO; but MORE OFTEN by what THEY DON’T DO
3.    Remained blissfully IGNORANT of the NEED AROUND HIM
ii.    Boaz knows, and Boaz is bringing it to his attention with WITNESSES so he can do his duty
iii.    So; YOU buy it! But, if you won’t, then I WILL
c.    Boaz has given him the most basic details – a good land deal, would be permanently his
i.    Naomi is past the prime for heir – so land is HIS PERMANENTLY! Good DEAL!
6.    I will redeem it: disappointment! NO!!! This is NOT how it is supposed to go down!

V.5-6: SHREWD BUSINESS
1.    Boaz is not about to just ROLL OVER: he begins to lay out the fine print for Mr. So and So (FOOL!)
a.    First, there is the bitter mother in law that comes with the deal
b.    Second, there is Ruth, and the responsibility to raise-up an heir for the land
c.    In other words: b/c he didn’t get the details, he’s now in a very awkward position in front of elders!
2.    v.6: Starts to BACKPEDAL! I cannot, lest I impair my own inheritance!
a.    “lest I impair my own inheritance” – if it is just land w/o heir, he owns it permanently
i.    With a Widow, he must also marry her and have offspring, so the land ultimately isn’t his!
ii.    His VERDICT is that REDEEMING RUTH is Too Costly for Him
b.    Boaz is not just willing to do it, but he is also ABLE: Not WASTED his SINGLE YEARS
i.    Some guys think singleness is about extending adolescence as long as possible
1.    Spend time, energy, money on the moment, superficial accomplishments
2.    I will grow up when I get a wife
ii.    Boaz is a man who has been hard at work in his single years
1.    Has a successful business, a home, established in the community, respected
2.    Knows the Word of God, has learned to pray & commune with God
3.    Single man: JOB, HOUSE, SAVING, INVESTING, COLLEGE, REAL ESTATE
iii.    Marriage is for MEN: leave father & mother, move out, grow–up, get married
c.    Relationship, Marriage, and Family is COSTLY
i.    Visiting the jail this week: saddest thing to see the women of the losers (men suck!)
ii.    But women cling to these men (women suck!)
3.    Boaz’s character shines through again: He is A Man motivated by LAW and by LOVE
a.    He has acted wisely and shrewdly as a man who honors GOD and HIS LAW: first LOVE is GOD!
b.    But he is also a MAN IN LOVE, Strong enough to RISE to the OCCASION and OVERCOME!
c.    And through it all, God’s invisible hand of PROVIDENCE has been EMPOWERING HIM ON!
i.    Boaz has gotten in line with God and God’s work in the world – living in this STORY
ii.    STORY of REDEMPTION: God is taking what is broken and bringing wholeness & healing
4.    Three Men:
a.    Elimelech, like Boaz: both shrewd men of action, but one was a fool and one a godly sage
i.    Both able to assess the situation, determine what needed to be done, and make it happen
ii.    Both came to providential moments of decision, where much hung in the balance
b.    Mr. So and So: Elimelech seems to have intended to do the right thing; not Mr. Nobody
i.    He is out for personal gain; he refuses his responsibility until someone brings it up
ii.    Determines to do it as long as it is beneficial to him; soon as it is not, he is DONE.
iii.    Elimelech takes responsibility for family, but foolishly; Nobody doesn’t even do that!
c.    Big Bad Boaz: Not perfect (didn’t close the deal with Ruth earlier!!)
i.    But he is above reproach, a man intent on treating Ruth as a sister in the Lord
ii.    And intent on honoring GOD in how he goes about this business
d.    And the POINT at which it MAKES A DIFFERENCE is a WEIGHTY DECISION TIME
i.    Proverbs 1.22-28
ii.    POINT: IF you desire to be married some day, family: what NOW?
iii.    Don’t waste your singleness! Never have a time like this again! BE A REDEEMER!

V.7-12: THE REWARD OF REDEMPTION
1.    Sandal exchange – BOAZ will not let another moment pass; makes binding agreement (Wisdom!)
2.    SPEECH: I bought the LAND for the sake of the DEAD – To perpetuate the NAME of the DEAD
a.    NAME: not just memory, but their IDENTITY:
i.    Connected to God’s promise that the name of the righteous will not be blotted out
ii.    “Cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place” REALLY BAD!
b.    What has been hanging in the balance is not just Naomi and Ruth, but their FAMILY LINE
i.    And with the end of the family line, the end of recognition and importance in Israel
ii.    If BOAZ does not redeem, the family ceases to exist in the nation of Israel!
c.    This is REDEMPTION beyond Ruth, beyond Naomi – this is a whole FAMILY being SAVED
i.    These names were GONE and FORGOTTEN until the REDEEMER brings them back
ii.    Elimelech, Chilion and Mahlon all are NAMED again – not been since early chapter 1!
iii.    Virtual resurrection for these men – name was about to pass out of memory

3.    And RUTH the MOABITE to be MY WIFE.
a.    First, Didn’t have to marry her: possible just to take her in & impregnate her w/o marriage
i.    Of course, that just won’t do for Mr. Boaz!
ii.    He is going to do this RIGHT, above and beyond, in the spirit of it
b.    Second, he makes a public declaration of his intention to make her his WIFE – shifts to wedding
i.    You are Witnesses; all the people and the elders said, “We are witnesses.”
ii.    Watched this unfold and seen how BOAZ has worked this nameless redeemer to his favor
c.    We See: Marriage is a public covenant w/witnesses, not a private commitment
i.    Private: “we’re going to make it work” – we are committed, we love each other – sure
1.    Individualistic society: shack up, try on marriage, see if it works for you guys
2.    Don’t let anyone into it
ii.    Public: carries a greater weight – not just before God & state (good) but also community
1.    Creates an environment within which it flourishes vs. a secluded “do it ourselves”
2.    Certain parts of the marriage are private – we’ll talk about THAT next week ☺

And then, The elders & people pray a blessing on the Marriage, scene shifts to CELEBRATION!

4.    PRAYER for RUTH: 11a: Ruth becomes a Matriarch of Israel!  Full Inclusion!  She is HIS WIFE
a.    Like Rachel and Leah – the wives of Jacob/Israel: 12 sons were the 12 tribes of Israel
i.    These gals are PROMINENT PLAYERS in the history of Redemption
ii.    And NOW RUTH is TOO: no longer the Moabite, now she is a SISTER in the LORD
b.    Publicly affirming that RUTH is a WORTHY WOMAN, a GOOD MATCH for Boaz
5.    PRAYER for BOAZ 11b: AND Boaz gets a NAME: May they call you a NAME!
a.    Pray for HIS FAME and RENOWN in the family and in the town of Bethlehem: 3000 years later
6.    See why Mr. NOBODY is NAMELESS: he who refuses his responsibility has no further role in God’s plan!
a.    “Historical Oblivion”: has no name, and he never will
b.    Prov 10.7: The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot”
7.    PRAYER for CHILD: 12: Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah – PEREZ is a Child of REDEMPTION
a.    Boaz is in a family of Redemption; Now Boaz is in the family line, too
b.    BUT: will there be an “offspring?” The whole story won’t conclude until we know the offspring!

Elders: MORE than just ANOTHER LOVE STORY – zoom lens of the GREATEST LOVE STORY

God in LOVE created a perfect world and placed a people HE DELIGHTED IN, “NAMED THEM”
Adam & Eve were discontent being NAMED by GOD; wanted to make a NAME FOR THEMSELVES
    Found SIN, SHAME, FAILURE, and TRAGEDY b/c they WERE MADE to be NAMED by GOD

Therefore, we are all SEARCHING for SIGNIFICANCE, trying to make a NAME for OURSELVES
    Just like Adam & Eve, our rebellion & sin gets us tragedy, death, and messy lives
   
BUT: just as BOAZ has redeemed RUTH, so GOD has sent JESUS TO REDEEM US: Fix the Mess!
    Come to him: FORGIVES SIN, REMOVES OUR SHAME, NAMES US BELOVED: Names us!

AND: As that HAPPENS, as you are NAMED, you no longer NEED TO MAKE A NAME for YOURSELF
    So you can be FREE LIKE BOAZ to be A REDEEMER FOR OTHERS

THINK ABOUT IT: MR. NOBODY doesn’t get a NAME because he is TRYING TO SECURE HIS NAME:
Issue for him is inheritance: or, how HIS NAME continues on beyond him
He is willing to REDEEM as long as it is BENEFICIAL; Redemption doesn’t work like that!
Boaz got a NAME for himself because HE DIDN’T NEED TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF.
    Boaz put all of this on the line for RUTH, the widow, Moabite, bad girl from pagan family

Degree to which you are a part of THAT STORY is the degree to which you will HAVE A NAME.

WARNING: This is the way of LOVE: real love is always COSTLY, sacrificial substitution
    To be redeemed, JESUS had to pay the PRICE with HIS LIFE
    To be a redeemer, it will cost you – perhaps even your life!
        Think about great examples of those who have acted as Redeemers:
        Memorial Day: think of those who gave their life for our freedom
MLK, Jr: committed his life to
Mother Theresa
Moms, Dads: you give up your lie in order to help children succeed (Mos & Water)

Jesus says it like this:
If you save your life, you will lose it: Mr. So and So lost his life b/c he tried to hold onto it!
If you lose your life for my sake and gospel, you will find it!

Because I HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE FOR YOU – lived sinless life, died the death we deserve, rose to conquer
You CAN DO IT FOR OTHERS: COMMUNION & WORSHIP