Slide 1

Transcript Slide 1

Welcome To Pastor Garry Clark’s PowerPoint presentation from the May 21 st sermon: The Secret Plan Of God Information on ordering a DVD copy of this sermon will be available at the end of this presentation

Isaiah 55:8-9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Matthew 1:5-6 5 And Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

Last week we saw three dead husbands and two dead sons

We witnessed two of the three widows “roughing it” 60 miles though the desert, then returning back to Bethlehem

Naomi said don’t call me “sweet & pleasant” but rather call me “bitter!”

Can God use a despised foreign woman and the son of a prostitute?

LET’S CHECK IT OUT!

Ruth 2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

BOAZ • Related to Naomi’s husband Elimelech • Line traced back to the house of Judah • Man of great wealth

Ruth 2:2-3 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

What is this ‘Gleaning the Field’ stuff?

It was…  God’s mercy to the poor, widows & foreigners  God’s Law Leviticus 19:9-10 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

It was…  God’s mercy to the poor, widows & foreigners  God’s Law Leviticus 19:9-10 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Ruth Hit A Triple!

• She was poor!

• She was a widow!

• She was a foreigner!

She just so happened to be “gleaning” from Boaz’s field!

Ruth 2:4-7 4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

Ruth 2:4-7 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

Boaz Said: “Who is this chick?”

Ruth Said: “Please let me glean”

She didn’t claim her ’rights’ even though it was the law

Learn To Say Please & Thank You!

Don’t Claim Your Rights With God!

Rather humbly come to Him by Grace

Ruth 2:8-9 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

Ruth was vulnerable!

She was a young, Gentile woman that was basically all alone in a dangerous situation

 Boaz helped her not to fear  He made special provisions for her  He protected her from anyone who would harm her

Boaz Said: “Stay in the field!”

Stay In The Field!

Look to God for your provision and protection and know that the grass ain’t greener on the other side!

Don’t wander in religious fields!

STAY WITH JESUS CHRIST!

Galatians 1:6-7 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 3:1-3 1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

2 3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

It would have been STUPID for Ruth to glean from any other field!

Ruth 2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

Ruth Said: “Why are you so good to me?”

Ruth Said: “I am a Moabitess!” • My people’s name means “Incest” • My people are the enemy of Israel!

Are you amazed at how good God has been to you?

God is way too good to me!

Ruth 2:11-13 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

Ruth 2:11-13 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

Boaz knew some things about Ruth • Her loss • Her love and commitment to Naomi • Her desire to come to Israel

God Has Somebody Watching!

Ruth 2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

She ate and was satisfied!

When you live by Grace instead of by rights, you will be surprised at how content you will be

Ruth 2:15-16 15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: 16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

By rights she could glean the corners

By Grace, grain was pulled from the bundles for her

God’s Grace Is So Amazing!

Don’t Take It For Granted!

Ruth 2:17-19 17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

Ruth 2:17-19 19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

She didn’t take Grace for granted… SHE WORKED!

An ephah was 22 liters… Enough to feed both her and Naomi for 10 days

Ruth 2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

KINSMEN REDEEMER LAW  Individual would marry a “Childless Widow”  Preserve the dead husband’s name  He had to be a “blood relative” Also…  He must have the right of authority to redeem  He must be able to pay the price  He must be willing to redeem

This all took place in Bethlehem!

Listen…

Jesus became our blood relative in Bethlehem

Listen…

Jesus is the only one who has the authority to redeem us