Ruth – A Portrait of
God’s Grace – Part 2
Experiencing Grace!
Ruth 2
May 10, 2015 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I.
Introduction (James 4:6)
A.
What is
it like …
1.
Being
forgiven and loved, instead of condemned and cursed? Loads of people do
not know!
2.
What is
it like living free, instead of in bondage?
3.
What is
it like experiencing compassion, gentleness and mercy, instead of ruin?
4.
What is
it like being accepted, instead of rejected and refused?
B.
All of
that, God wraps in one package – one word… GRACE! Kindness, favour,
compassion, forgiveness, gentleness, mercy and love, all wrapped up in
one word… GRACE
C.
It is a
GIFT
1.
Mercy is NOT getting what you deserve – which is wrath
2.
Grace is getting what you DON’T deserve – which is compassion!
D.
It is absolutely Free! (Eph 2:8,9; Romans 3:24)
1.
That’s what Grace means! A GIFT!
2.
Real
kindness,
favour, compassion, forgiveness, gentleness, mercy and love cannot be earned, merited, lived up to, or bought!
3.
That doesn’t mean Grace is free of cost – just free to YOU!
4.
Grace always costs! And it cost the God EVERYTHING!
E.
But how
could anyone access such a gift? Where do you find it? How does someone
PLUG INTO IT?
F.
Last
week, we met a young woman named Ruth, as our next portrait of Grace
1.
A Moabite
woman
2.
Now, Moab
was not a great place to go
II.
Background (Jeremiah 5:25; Ruth Chapter 1)
A.
God is a
Gracious God – so kind!
1.
Yes, God
is holy, and right, and just in judging sin and sinners
2.
But it is
His nature as well, to be kind, longsuffering towards us, patient, to
love us, to change us, and to work everything out for us
3.
But He
doesn’t do it from a distance
4.
He
invites us to come to Him, and access, or “plug into” His grace
B.
There is
a wall between us, and God – built by our own prideful sin – that blocks
us from God’s good. Jeremiah 5:25
Your iniquities have turned
away these things, and your sins
have withholden good things from you.
C.
There is
a specific way to ACCESS God’s GRACE as said in James 4:6 – to open it
up!
1.
ALL of
God’s grace (His kindness, His help) is available to anyone (2Cor 9:8)!
2.
You can’t
just demand it, or just “expect” it
3.
Romans
5:2 “By whom also we have access
by faith into this grace”
4.
Ephesians
2:18, 19 “through him we both have
access by one Spirit unto the
Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners...”
5.
Hebrews
4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy”
6.
It is ALL
through JESUS! He is the
door, the only way that accesses God (John 10:9; 14:6)
7.
If we
would just access it! Open it!
D.
Last
week, we learned How Ruth Accessed God’s Grace
1.
Everything was against Ruth
a.
She was a
pagan girl from birth – only knew idolatry, abuses, and loss
b.
She was a
foreigner – NOT a Jew
c.
She was
cursed by God (Dt 23:3,4)
d.
She was a
complete failure in her soul, and her spirit – defeated, and lost!
e.
That is,
until she had met Naomi!
2.
Then Ruth
stumbled upon the Grace of God, and was invited to enter in
3.
And that
is exactly what she did in Chapter 1.
4.
It would
be good for everyone in the room to download last week’s message and
listen to it again, watch it online, and learn HOW to access God’s
boundless Grace!
E.
But there
is more than 1 chapter in Ruth. So, evidently God has a whole lot more
to show us about Grace!
Not just to access it, but to actually EXPERIENCE it, and enjoy it at
work in our lives!
III.
Message
A.
Naomi
Needs Something – A Miracle (Ruth 1:21)
1.
Naomi
literally has nothing
a.
Naomi is
Back Home, But Broke
b.
Naomi is
back home in Bethlehem, yes, but tired, worn out, bitter, and Broke
c.
Only
debts left by her dead husband – debts that go back over 10 years now
d.
And no
way to pay – no job, no health, no strength
e.
Living
with her daughter in law, Ruth, as poor widows
f.
It is one
thing to be financially broke, and another to me emotionally broken!
g.
And Naomi
is broken – no hope
h.
She is
not praying, not believing God for anything – just broken
2.
But Naomi
has Ruth
a.
She
doesn’t realise what a gift she has in Ruth
b.
A friend
who sticketh closer than a brother
c.
Someone
who loved Naomi, in spite of the fact Naomi was bitter, and harsh, and
backslidden
d.
But Naomi
had Ruth – what a gift such a friend is – such a wife, or a husband is!
3.
And Naomi
had a “Near Kinsman”
a.
Enter a
man named Boaz
b.
Not a
direct relative
c.
But
someone related to her husband
d.
And he
was wealthy. A mighty man, powerful in the community
e.
But she
had no connection with him
f.
We will
learn more about him in Chapters 3 and 4
B.
Ruth
Actually Looks for Grace (2:1-3,7) – Desires it!
1.
She has
the Right Desire
a.
Wants to
eat
b.
Wants to
live!
c.
Naomi may
be depressed, but Ruth wasn’t going to live like that!
2.
She Got
Busy Looking
a.
Doesn’t
want to just sit around and wait for charity
b.
Doesn’t
go looking for a handout, but for someone to be kind, to allow her to
work
c.
Willing
to work
d.
Willing
to go wherever she is allowed
3.
She Has
the Right Attitude
a.
Willing
to glean, and take crumbs – no pride
1)
Gleaning
is what very poor people, who have no money do
2)
It means
walking through a field AFTER it has been harvested by trained workers
3)
Finding
bits and pieces left-over – not much, but hopefully enough to have
something to eat
4)
God had
commanded that harvesters hold back on being thorough (Lev 19:9,10), so
that the poor, and the widows, and the fatherless could have food
b.
She had
such an attitude that sought permission, kindness of others – not
demanding it
4.
She
“Accidently” enters into the already harvested fields of a man named …
Boaz
a.
Ruth did
not know who Boaz was
b.
But God
did! God guides soft-hearted people
c.
The devil
guides hard-hearted people
C.
Boaz
Notices Ruth (Ruth 2:4-7) – She didn’t know him from Adam
1.
Boaz is a
very kind man – very gracious natured
a.
Kind and
respectful to people who worked for him – when he could have thought he
was above them
b.
Wealthy
people often ignore those under them
c.
But God
has a way of humbling even the wealthiest and most powerful of men!
2.
He
Notices Ruth
a.
There are
loads of young women working in the field… and he only notices Ruth!
b.
Ruth is
well known
c.
Ruth
cannot hide who she is – a Moabitish Woman – a foreigner, a stranger –
not a Jewess
d.
Ruth does
not act like the other poor widows, gleaning in the field. She doesn’t
moan and complain and give out to the workers
e.
Ruth is
happy and content to just glean in the field that she has been allowed
into!
f.
Ruth is
working as hard as one of Boaz’s hired workers
3.
He asks,
Whose wife is this?
a.
Didn’t
ask who she was, but who is she married to
b.
Usually,
a grown woman would be married – not single like so many are today
4.
Very
Impressed (2:7)
a.
At her
humility – men notice softness in a woman – sorry. So does GOD by the
way!
b.
With her
hard work
c.
With how
she has loved Naomi, a Jewess, more than her own family and country
d.
With all
that she has lost, and yet she is not discouraged
e.
That she
is willing to put up with constant rejection by the Jewish culture
f.
But most
of all, he is very impressed with her testimony of faith in the one true
God of Israel (2:12)!
D.
Grace Was
Extended to Ruth (2:8,9,11,12)
1.
At first,
Allowed to glean in the field – you may think that cruel, but it was
GRACE!
a.
She, as a
Moabite woman, could have been turned away! This is just as if someone
from the Ivory Coast just showed up at an airport and asked for help!
Immigration has the authority to turn them away!
b.
NOW, you
might start to be able to appreciate GRACE, if you have ever been turned
away like some people have!
c.
That
should have been enough! Ruth and Naomi would have just enough to live
on, because some nice servant had pity on Ruth to let her gather
left-over bits and pieces of barley and wheat
d.
But Grace
never really stops
2.
Then,
More Grace was Personally Extended by Boaz himself
a.
He went
right up to her and spoke with her
b.
She must
have been terrified when she found out she was in HIS field, and he was
now coming to talk with her – she probably thought he was going to be
rough with her and throw her out of the field!
c.
He
started to stay something to her from a distance, and she evidently did
not hear him – maybe pretended to not hear him
d.
He asks
her, Aren’t you listening?!
3.
Abide –
Stay!
a.
When she
was expecting to be thrown out
b.
She was
invited to STAY! WOW! Amen!
c.
Stay no
longer with the poor widows and poor men in the back of the fields,
after they have been harvested
d.
But stay
right alongside the other women workers
e.
No longer
picking up leftovers
f.
But
gathering full ears of wheat and barley
g.
Just
follow the other workers – and wherever they are working, YOU are
allowed to work as well
h.
Boaz has
already spoken to all the YOUNG men to leave her alone! Protected from
being mocked, persecuted, taken advantage of, and being abused (2:9)
i.
Welcome
to drink out of the water that is brought even for the MEN!
j.
Ruth was
being offered a position of equality with the paid men on Boaz’s staff
(2:9)
4.
Boaz was
NOT giving Ruth Money…
5.
He was
giving her something better – ACCESS to everything he had – all his
wealth of crops!
E.
Grace Was
More Than Ruth Deserved! (2:10,13)
1.
Ruth Was
Surprised
a.
She never
expected this gift of such access to such supply
b.
She just
wanted to gather the left-overs!
2.
She could
have been spoiled, selfish, and wanted MORE than Boaz was offering
a.
Could
have found fault with Boaz’s offer
b.
Could
have been a murmuring, complaining woman
1)
Upset
about all her problems – no one likes to constantly hear about all your
problems
2)
Upset
about being so poor – and believe me, she was very poor
3.
Instead
she notices GRACE being offered to her, an unworthy foreigner
a.
Kindness,
favour, compassion, forgiveness, gentleness, mercy and love, all wrapped
up in one word… GRACE
b.
A GIFT
c.
Absolutely Free!
Real
kindness, favour, compassion, forgiveness,
gentleness, mercy and love cannot be earned, merited, lived up to, or bought!
4.
Fell flat on the ground, face down before Boaz
a.
Up to this moment she feels inferior to him in every way
b.
Now, she even goes LOWER!
c.
Called him ‘lord’ (2:13) – that’s hard if you have pride!
5.
She asked WHY?
a.
Good question!
b.
Why have I found such grace in your eyes?
c.
Why have you noticed ME?
d.
I am a stranger
e.
I am a nobody
f.
I have nothing to offer you
g.
I am totally undeserving
h.
THAT is humility!
i.
You ought to just stop
sometimes and ask WHY God? Why are you being SOOOOOO good to ME?
6.
Ruth understood GRACE – valued it! DO YOU?
a.
A gift, kindness, compassion (2:13) given to someone that is undeserving
b.
She recognised grace
c.
I am not so quick to notice grace
d.
I think we are spoiled, and unthankful, and abuse the grace of God, all
the time
e.
And I think we receive no kindness from God because we are too proud to
value it like an unworthy sinner!
F.
More Grace was Extended! (2:14-17) – Kept opening more!
1.
It just got “gooder and gooder” for Ruth!
2.
Invited closer
a.
She was invited to eat with his paid staff at lunch
b.
To actually eat with Boaz
3.
Fed her well – already prepared food
4.
Made equal with even the men workers
a.
Invited Ruth to gather alongside the men workers
5.
Given gifts
a.
Boaz extended his own personal dipping sauce all the way down to Ruth
b.
He secretly told his staff to “let” handfuls of already cut stalks fall
to the ground for Ruth to find and gather – handfuls on purpose!
6.
Filled her life
a.
Filled her entire basket (a month’s supply of grain) in just one day –
what would have taken weeks to fill if she was just still gleaning!
b.
And if that wasn’t enough, Ruth was allowed to do this every day all the
way through BOTH harvests (2:21)
7.
Ruth made
it very easy for Boaz to extend grace to her – it is the Mirror
Principle! You want more grace, be more humble!
G.
Best
Part!!! Grace Was Accepted!
1.
Ruth did
not MISS the grace!
a.
She could
have been a spoiled brat about everything…
b.
Like
Veruca Salts in Willy Wonka
c.
Like the
two evil stepsisters in Cinderella
d.
Like most
children have been for the past 20 years
2.
Ruth did
not REJECT the grace
a.
That
would have been STUPID!
3.
Ruth did
not MANAGE the grace
a.
Try to
make it turn out more or what she wanted
4.
Ruth just
ACCEPTED it!
a.
Do you
understand what that means?
b.
It means
she just took what Boaz offered her
5.
She
EXPERIENCED Grace
a.
Grace is
not something dreamed about, and theorised about and philosophised about
b.
It is
something you must experience
c.
And Ruth
experienced it EVERY day from then on
d.
Being
allowed to be seen as an equal
e.
Every
morning heading off to a field of beautiful, ripe grains, and walking
right up to the paid staff, and being allowed to work right alongside
them
f.
And then
always finding huge clumps of already cut stalks siting there waiting
for her to pick up and put into her basket!
g.
Ruth
experienced grace!
6.
She
ENJOYED Grace
a.
The
kindnesses of Boaz
b.
The
bounty of the field
c.
The
already prepared food for the workers every lunchtime – THAT WAS GRACE
d.
She
enjoyed being noticed by the wealthiest man in the area
e.
If you
EVER recognise GRACE, you will really enjoy it!
7.
She
Did Not Abuse It! Didn’t try
and do things her own way now like she was in charge! She never changed
as far as her softness and humility!
H.
Boaz’s
Grace Affected Everything Now (2:18-23)
1.
She came
home full! After just one day’s work – with a whole basket of grain -
wow!
2.
She then
mentioned a name – just one name to Naomi – “Boaz”
3.
She told
Naomi this was not a once off thing – but would last till the end of all
the harvests
4.
For the
first time in over 10 years, Naomi gets excited!
a.
“This is good!”
Naomi hasn’t seen anything good in her life for far too long!
b.
But she
warns Ruth “Don’t go too fast. Stay with the women. Stay away from the
men”
1)
There is
a reason for it – but she doesn’t share it with Ruth – at least not yet
5.
So, Ruth
was content to do as Naomi told her – trusting Naomi, and enjoying the
grace of Boaz as she just kept happily gleaning!
IV.
Application
A.
Great
Truths!
1.
Ruth’s
soft, humble heart was directed and guided, while Naomi’s wasn’t
(because it was hard, and cold, and stiff, and bitter)
2.
Happenstances, Accidents are always under the direct hand and control of
God – stop complaining about what you cannot see!
3.
God
notices the humble heart, the broken hearted – the small hearted (Psalm
51:17)
4.
Just make
it very easy for God to extend grace to you – it is the Mirror
Principle!
5.
Grace
ALWAYS grows as we accept it humbly, and graciously!
B.
Every
person in this world Needs Something – A Miracle
1.
We are
all in debt before God – we have broken His laws, and owe Him for all
the damages
2.
People
live all their lives without God, and without hope
3.
A lot of
people are bitter – can’t pray; don’t believe God for anything
C.
It’s Time
for you to Look for Grace
1.
Not for
money, or success, or popularity, or the good ol’ days
2.
But for
GRACE
3.
Willing
to take crumbs – no pride
4.
No longer
complaining, and murmuring, and demanding
5.
But
humbly seeking permission, kindness of others
6.
That’s
when God will “Accidently” direct your paths right to where you can
avail of Grace!
D.
God
invites you to Abide – Stay!
1.
When we
OUGHT to be thrown out, and cast into a devil’s hell
2.
Yet God
invites us to STAY! WOW! Amen!
3.
No longer
picking up leftovers
4.
But
gathering full ears of every blessing of God
E.
Are you
beginning to see a bigger story here?
1.
Of a
sinner, foreign to God, unworthy of anything that God has
2.
Boaz is
in love with Ruth folks! So is God (John 3:16)
F.
Grace is
always More Than any of us Deserve!
1.
Do you
believe that? That, you don’t and
will never deserve God’s kindness?
a.
Kindness,
favour, compassion, forgiveness, gentleness, mercy and love, extended to
an unworthy foreigner
2.
Not because we are any
good, or worthy! (Deut
7:7,8; Rom 2:4)
3.
When was the last time you fell flat on the ground, face down before God
Almighty
a.
And called him ‘Lord’ Boss, the One in Charge
b.
That’s always hard if you have pride!
4.
When was the last time YOU asked God WHY?
a.
Why have I found such grace in your eyes?
b.
Why have you noticed ME?
c.
Why are you being SOOOOOO good to ME?
d.
I am a stranger
e.
I am a nobody
f.
I have nothing to offer you
g.
I am totally undeserving
h.
THAT is humility!
G.
God Gives MORE Grace
1.
He has so
much more to give! He has ALL grace!
2.
When we are humble
3.
Isaiah
64:4 For since the beginning
of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath
the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that
waiteth for him.
4.
1Cor 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.
H.
Grace
NEEDS to be Accepted!
1.
Don’t
MISS the grace!
2.
Don’t
REJECT the grace. That would be STUPID!
3.
Don’t try
and MANAGE God’s grace
4.
Do you
know why people are in hell? No because God has no grace for them… but
because they treat His grace wrongly! Doing despite to to His grace!
5.
Just
ACCEPT it!
a.
Do you
understand what that means?
b.
Take what
God has offered you!
c.
John
1:10-12 – receiving, accepting what God has offered…
6.
EXPERIENCE Grace
a.
In being
accepted in heaven
b.
In being
taken cared of, daily, moment by moment
7.
ENJOY
Grace
8.
Just
don’t ABUSE it – thinking you can now go your own way and live any way
you please!