Series: LoveUP
Sermon: LoveUP
Scripture: Ruth chapters 1-4
ICE BREAKER: In your opinion, what is the greatest love story (movie, play, book, etc.)?
REVIEW:
This week, we wrapped up the LoveUP series by looking at the Love story of Ruth and Boaz in Scripture. Ruth was a foreigner to the Israelite people and married in to Naomi's family. After Naomi lost her husband and both of her sons, she was left with her two daughter-in-laws. Orpah, one of the women, went back home to Moab to resume her life, find a husband, and get on with her future. However, Ruth, the other daughter-in-law, selflessly pledged to stay with Naomi and even surrendered her life to the one, true God of Israel!
Ruth and Naomi lived at a time where there was very little hope for unmarried women. Naomi was too old to find a husband and Ruth would struggle as a foreigner to find an Israelite husband. This meant that, without assistance, they would live in poverty - surviving off the scraps others left behind.
Have you ever felt relationally hopeless like Naomi?
Have you ever felt socially outcast like Ruth?
Ruth began gathering leftover Barley out of a local field. It was there she met a local man named Boaz. Boaz was more than impressed with her dedication to Naomi and how incredibly hard she worked! Ruth didn't know it, but Boaz was a close relative of Naomi's.
Over time the two began to fall in love. Boaz took special care of Ruth and made sure that her and Naomi always had plenty. When it became apparent this was something special, Naomi encouraged Ruth to ask Boaz to be her Family Redeemer. This was a Jewish custom where a close relative took care of weaker relatives needs.
Ruth put a plan together, went down to the field late at night, and proposed to Boaz that he should marry her and buy Naomi's family land. Boaz was honored, but knew there was one relative who was most closely related and had first choice. Boaz bravely confronted that relative and when the man relented, Boaz stepped in and went through with the process.
Every step of the way, Ruth and Boaz demonstrated PURPOSE and SELFLESSNESS and God used their honoring choices to forge a new family. Ruth gave birth to a son who would be the grandfather of King David - the greatest king in Israel's history!
APPLY:
We all want a great love story! We want to leave behind a great legacy! However, many of us still live our lives through the world's Selfish, Purposeless Framework.
If we want to become the right person, and find the right person, we must start doing the right things! We should seek to be like Ruth and Boaz:
-Putting other's needs before our own
-Finding ways to serve the people around us
-Seeking God's purposes in every situation
This is how we LOVEUP and experience relationships like we were created to!
HERE IS THIS WEEK'S APPLICATION QUESTION:
What is ONE WAY you can specifically be more selfless in your relationships this week?
PRAY:
Spend some time praying for God to show you the areas where you are not viewing the world through His framework. If you are single, begin to reimagine what you should be looking for in the people you date. If you are married, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can be like Ruth or Boaz to your spouse this week.
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