Ruth

-Pastor Philip Joseph

Today, my heart is for character study from the Bible. If you look at the Old Testament and the New, there are many persons from whom we can learn and draw closer to God. And today I have chosen a very simple lady from the Bible.

Why simple? Because the book of Ruth is wedged between Judges and I Samuel; Judges-a book of great men and women who judged Israel, and 1 Samuel which describes the start of Kings like Saul and then David. And apart from the book of Ruth, you hardly find mention of Ruth in other books of the Bible, except in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the gospel according to Matthew, where it is written: …Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth … (Matt. 1:5)

The book of Ruth has only 4 chapters. But let us look at 5 things that Ruth did, that not only blessed her life but also made her a blessing for generations to come.

 

1. Make Correct Choices

Ruth 1:16

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (NIV)

Here is Ruth-a young widow, a Moabite, and obviously very poor, making a choice that was going to change her life and destiny. Remember, she had left her father and mother to cling on to Naomi-her mother-in-law, and was willing to embrace a new people, leaving her own nation and people. But the life defining choice is, to me, her choice of embracing the God of Israel. She declares, “Your God will be my God”.

Remember, Joshua declared a similar statement while bring the children of Israel into the promised land, only to find them disillusioned about life and possessions. Joshua declares, “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15). It is written about this Joshua that he followed the LORD wholeheartedly (Num. 32: 12).

For me, as a believer, I want to follow the Lord fully, wholeheartedly. Not sitting in the fence and waiting endlessly.

2. Take Concrete Steps

As Ruth made her right choices, some radical changes took place in her life. Some in the world would call it a fluke, or a stroke of luck-but for believers, as you all know, there is no such thing as luck. It is called God’s favour!

It says in Ruth 2:3 – So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz…

Prov. 20:24 confirms that a man’s step is ordained by the Lord. Psalm 37: 23, 24 says: The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

What a wonderful God we serve! We can fully trust God for every circumstance we may face in our own life. I am sure none of us have a situation as bad as Ruth’s. But it God who ordains our steps, day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. It may seem like routine for many of us. But beyond the unseen, we can know of his Hand that had held us from falling, His hand in making a way of escape for us, his hand in providing the right things at the right time… whatever you have in your life at present is because of a faithful and promise-keeping God.

3.  Come to God, Our Refuge

When Ruth acknowledged God as her refuge, everyone around could see her virtuousness and faith. Boaz had this to say of Ruth, in Ruth 2:12.

May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

One of the most memorised of Psalms is Psalm 91, full of promises and with one condition-come under His wings, acknowledge Him. Psalm 91: 2, 4 says,

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

He will cover you with his feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

And the Psalm ends with God proclaiming “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. (v14).

Psalm 46: 1,2 says: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…

We can constantly be led to pray that prayer of David, saying, Search me O God, and know my heart today. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Acknowledge Him and come under His everlasting wings.

4. Court God’s will

Ruth, being a foreigner, was unaware of the customs and practices in Israel. But she was willing to learn and live according to all that Naomi began to teach. She pursued the path of peace with courage, speaking to Boaz about marriage. Imagine a young foreign widow, coming and seeking the cover of her near relative Boaz. But she knew she was already under the cover of God’s hand, and so Ruth took steps of boldness as instructed by her mother-in-law, and she found the answer in Ruth 3:10 when Boaz replied:

“The LORD bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.”

It is God’s will for your marriage, beloved brothers and sisters. And I know of people seeking God’s will in marriage, but along with that, take instructions from your dear ones and pursue the path of peace. It is not God’s will for you to be endlessly waiting at the same place … seeking, seeking and not acting accordingly. Romans 12:2 says, that you have to prove what the will of the Lord is, by doing.

Some in their youth also have this attitude of seeking their own will in marriage, to the point that they reject every other path shown. Seek the Lord, get counsel from the elders, and submit your will to God saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

5. Find God’s Blessings

Ruth 4:13 (NIV)

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

The Lord enabled her to conceive! Earlier, she had no children. But now, God’s blessing hand was upon her and she became a joyful mother. Her barrenness was taken away in the most wonderful way. Psalm 113:9 says,

He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

The end of the book is that Ruth became so well loved, with neighbours pouring in to name her child, and she had great possessions too and was richly blessed. Imagine Ruth the Moabite, became Ruth the great-grandmother to the great king David and found herself in the everlasting genealogy of our LORD Jesus. What blessedness!

So, here we are. The crux of the matter is to come under God’s wings-under His authority to obey Him in all matters. Deut. 28:2 says,

All these blessings will come on you and {accompany | overtake} you if you obey the LORD you God:

Be blessed in Jesus. Amen.

Holy Communion

(Message by Pastor Joseph. Here's wishing you a meaningful sacrament participation.)

Personal Front

We-Florence and I, greet you and are so glad to be talking to you today. This year 2012 is special for us... and I also look back in a ministry that started in March 1957, spanning 55 years...and through trials and fruitfulness see God’s faithfulness (I can speak volumes on that); and I will be completing 80 years of age, this year... as I go on I know it is by His grace alone (you do realise this at 80!); and Florence and I will be completing 50 years of married life this November... and I promise you, He who has seen us through will see you through health, wealth, career, ministry, marriage and anything you have ever desired. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way... to be happy in Jesus...

If you are married, I ask you to put Jesus first in your life-the foundation of your marriage will be strengthened so... and the mess- in your marriage, will become a message. God is able to do anything... He can bring just one man and woman together, and let them see just one son, and yet go on and create a whole nation through them! Don’t we know the story of Abraham?

Today, I would want us to concentrate on the Communion-a divinely instituted doing of the believers. And in this land of so many religions, some consider it, a ‘prasad’ given by the church and others consider it, simply a waste of time. But people perish from lack of knowledge. We believers must know: who we are, where have we come from, where are we going and what are we doing here! And for this what better portion to choose than John 1; here we find our identity.

Position in Christ

And these three things we must bear in mind:-

(i)               We have the power in God, according to John 1:12 (KJV). But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God... and we are born of God (v13). Therefore, we are not just dwellers in the kingdom of God, but rightful citizens; and not just citizens, but Royal citizens, because God our King is our Father. And from Rev. 1:5 we know that God Himself has washed us in His own blood, and Rev. 5: 9, 10 goes further and says that He has made us kingdom priests unto God AND WE SHALL REIGN...

(ii)             We have a position from God: Not only has he made us kings and priests, but He has also seated us together with Christ, according to Eph. 2:6. That is why repentance from sin and water-baptism are SO SIGNIFICANT in a believer’s life; it is more than just dead to sins, buried with Christ and raised again to newness of life, here on earth!

(iii)           We have the provision of God, in the New Covenant- a far better Covenant than the shadow of Old Covenant with sacrifices and offerings; an intimate relationship in the body and blood of Jesus. A type portrayed in the Old Covenant when Melchizedek, the king of Salem, when he offered bread and wine to Abraham-the first Communion service in the Bible. These are not just emblems, as the Protestant church would have us believe; nor are they literal body and blood of Christ, as the Catholic church believes (I remember being told by my parish priest, to use only my tongue to receive the bread, and not to put my teeth, because blood may ooze out!)

Sacrament of the Holy Communion

The subject is dealt by Paul in 1 Cor. 11: 23-34. Paul, a latecomer to the discipleship of Christ, reveals to us that there is so much meaning to the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the necessity for believers to keep it. It is by revelation that Paul received these meaning, because he was not part of those disciples when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, in that Upper Room in Jerusalem, just before Gethsemane (the night He was betrayed).

Paul compels us to ponder when he starts with a sentence like this: I am passing on to you, what I received from the Lord…Therefore it is important to each one of us, as believers, to know Jesus more and more, by keeping this sacrament, instituted by the Lord Himself.

You can know Him by the breaking of bread (read Luke 24: 30, 31). Therefore take time to know Him, when the sacraments are given to you. I remember during the starting of New Life Fellowship, some 40 years back, when we used to sit in a circle, around a table carrying these emblems of bread and wine-this really helped us to focus on the Person and Provision of God.

A)    What we do:

a.       We Remember a Unique Person – Jesus Christ(1 Cor. 11:24)
b.      We Proclaim a wonderful death - the Lord's death (1 Cor. 11:26)
c.       We Celebrate a notable victory - raised up according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:4)
d.      We Express a worldwide fellowship - one body in Christ (1 Cor. 10: 16, 17)

e.       We Anticipate a glorious event - until He comes (1 Cor. 11:26)

B)    Why we do what we do:

a.       Because of its Divine Institution: Luke 22: 19, 20

Remember, it is called as the Lord’s Supper. We partake of His table in the Father’s counsel, by the Son’s command and through the Spirit’s confirmation.

b.      Because of its Historic Inauguration – that same night He was betrayed (1 Cor. 11:23)

c.       Because of its Apostolic Interpretation – One body in Christ (1 Cor. 10: 16, 17 and 1 Cor. 11:26)

    C)    How we do what we do:

a.       Mental comprehension – discerning the Lord’s body (1 Cor. 11:29)

b.      Moral conformity – worthy manner (1 Cor. 11:28)

c.       Mutual consideration – wait for one another (1 Cor. 11:33)

Therefore abstain from taking part in the Holy Communion in an unworthy manner. Paul clearly warns us, that for ‘this reason’, some of you (believers) are sick, some are weak and others die! (1 Cor. 11: 29, 30). Do you want to know that there is a death sentence for believers here (and here only)! It is included in the Holy Communion. Are you surprised? Maybe yes, but it is true… there is life in that cup and there is death. Examine yourselves. For the Bible says, if we judge ourselves, we will not be judged! Stay away from idolatry-You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s Table and the table of demons (1 Cor. 10: 21).

You know, in this Holy Communion, all Christian denominations merge somehow, and there is indeed a worldwide fellowship. I have participated in mass worship and ecumenical gatherings, where the Catholic priest handed out bread and the Protestant priest, the wine... We can grow to be mature believers, loving people- no matter which church they are from, and what denomination they belong to-because people are people and we must love them, just as God loves them. And as we celebrate a notable victory, we can have mutual consideration as we join in a worldwide fellowship.

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” [1 Cor. 10:16] Therefore, let us receive the Holy Communion with full comprehension of the better Covenant extended to us... and do it as often as you will.