It's All About Jesus.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to Village Church. [0:01] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve. [0:03] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:05] As always, I’m thankful and grateful [0:07] to see each and every one of you this morning. [0:09] If you have your Bibles,

[0:10] go ahead and open them to Ruth chapter four. [0:13] By God’s grace, we will do the entire chapter today, [0:16] and we will finish our series [0:19] going through the book of Ruth. [0:20] And what we’ve seen as we’ve gone through this book, [0:23] if you haven’t been with us,

[0:25] just kinda to get you on the same page with us maybe, [0:28] is that we have seen the way that God’s sovereignty [0:31] works through everyday lives. [0:34] That the disappointing things of life, [0:37] the things that encourage us in life, [0:39] the things that we love to have come

[0:41] when things go our way, when things don’t go our way, [0:44] that absolutely every aspect of every part of your life [0:49] is under the control and command of a sovereign God [0:53] who’s working everything to his glory. [0:56] And so specifically in the book of Ruth, [0:58] what we’ve seen is that through tragic consequences,

[1:02] through extremely disappointing issues [1:06] that we’re dealing with from spouses dying [1:08] to basically being homeless beggars in fields [1:11] just hoping to glean from the crops [1:14] that people are harvesting, [1:15] that every moment in this book has served

[1:19] to get to the glory and the plan of God. [1:22] And we started with the first week [1:23] just by looking at the very end of the book, [1:25] which is where we’re going today, [1:26] that every aspect of this book has led [1:29] and was going to lead to the birth of Jesus Christ.

[1:34] At the whole point of Ruth and Boaz coming together, [1:38] the whole point of Naomi’s husband’s death, [1:40] the whole point of every single thing that’s happened [1:43] in every life, in every context of this book [1:46] has been under God’s complete plan and control [1:50] to get to the bloodline that immediately

[1:53] and extensively got to the birth of Jesus Christ. [1:56] So Jesus wasn’t born into this world [2:00] apart from regular human circumstances, [2:03] that God actually worked through history, [2:06] through lives to get to the birth of Jesus. [2:09] I think sometimes we kind of get this picture

[2:10] of little baby Jesus in the manger [2:13] and he’s got the little halo on his head [2:14] and it’s like, well, this is a completely removed event. [2:17] But the Bible doesn’t tell that story. [2:20] The Bible actually tells the record of God [2:23] from the book of Genesis working through

[2:25] all of the nation of Israel, [2:27] through all of the lives involved [2:29] in getting to the birth of Jesus. [2:32] And what you have going on in the book of Ruth, [2:33] these are just ordinary lives. [2:35] Nothing extraordinary really happens in this book

[2:37] from a human standpoint. [2:39] I mean, we deal with death all the time. [2:41] People’s husbands die, people’s wives die, [2:44] people lose fortunes, people gain fortunes. [2:47] And what’s rarely looked at is how is God [2:50] working in every moment of that?

[2:52] But what you have specifically here, [2:54] it’s just right in front of us, [2:56] is these ordinary lives that are not exciting, [3:01] that are not just you look at them, [3:03] you’re like, oh my goodness, [3:03] these are some amazing circumstances happening.

[3:05] No, you meet people every day. [3:07] But the only extraordinary thing that happens in this book [3:10] is literally the fact that every part of it leads to Jesus. [3:14] Every part of it happens under God’s plan. [3:17] And so what I’m hoping that you’re getting [3:20] is that when you look at your life,

[3:23] when you look at the sad moments, [3:26] when you look at the happy moments, [3:28] what you will see is that there’s nothing [3:30] that’s so ordinary that God has kind of removed himself [3:34] or God is not involved and things are just happening [3:37] all around you, just out of the blue,

[3:40] God didn’t see it coming, it’s just happening. [3:42] No, God’s involved. [3:44] There are no happy accidents in your life. [3:47] There’s nothing that happens in your life [3:48] and it’s just like, oh man, this is crazy serendipity. [3:51] This is just out of the blue.

[3:52] Nobody saw this coming, God saw it coming. [3:55] There’s no sad parts of your life [3:56] because there’s no sad accidents of your life. [3:59] But what really happens is that we’re really good [4:02] at when really good things happen. [4:04] And by good, I mean my definition of good.

[4:07] Something I wanted. [4:09] When something I wanted to happen happens, [4:12] I’m very quick to say, oh God is so good. [4:16] Oh man, he’s been so good to me. [4:19] But rarely do we see the type of faith [4:22] that when the tragic happens,

[4:25] when the disappointing happens, [4:27] when the diagnosis doesn’t go our way, [4:29] when the job interview doesn’t go our way, [4:32] when things just aren’t going our way, [4:34] rarely do we then in that moment say, oh God is so good. [4:38] Now those are the moments

[4:39] when we begin to question his goodness. [4:42] The definition of our worship is very reductionistic [4:46] and it’s often reduced to the sum total of our desires. [4:50] That as long as things are going [4:52] the way that we want them to go, [4:54] we easily see, oh my goodness,

[4:56] I see the fingerprints of God all over this. [4:59] And I think there’s a temptation in us [5:01] to think that it is somehow demeaning to God, [5:04] that it is somehow, we shouldn’t do this, [5:06] that when things don’t go the way that we saw them going, [5:12] then we’re very hesitant to say

[5:13] that we see the fingerprints of God all over. [5:15] But what Ruth actually shows us, [5:17] and what I hope we receive from this narrative [5:19] is that those are the moments [5:21] when you need to see the fingerprints of God the most. [5:25] Because we need to trust him

[5:27] not just when things are going our way, [5:30] but especially when things are hard. [5:34] Especially when the tragic happens. [5:37] Especially when you find yourself [5:39] in the middle of a completely disappointing life [5:42] and you don’t see any hope.

[5:45] You’re not seeing the silver lining. [5:47] You’re not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. [5:50] Or to quote the popular lyric, [5:52] you see the light at the end of the tunnel [5:53] and when you get there, [5:54] it’s actually a freight train headed straight for you.

[5:58] Those are the moments when we actually need [6:01] to find rest and comfort in the sovereignty of God [6:05] the most in our lives. [6:07] And I, what I’m receiving from Ruth [6:09] and what I’m hoping you receive as well is that message. [6:13] Because unless you have lived some type of charmed life,

[6:18] which I know there’s some weirdo among everybody [6:20] where it’s just like everything [6:21] you’ve ever put your hands to has turned to gold. [6:23] You’ve got the Midas Touch, [6:25] you’re carrying around the golden horseshoe. [6:27] You’ve never met a moment of despair in your life.

[6:30] And I actually think it’s just that you’re crazy [6:32] and you didn’t notice. [6:33] But the reality is that for all of us, [6:36] it’s either happening or it’s going to happen [6:39] and you’re going to need real faith to rest in. [6:43] Because if you haven’t experienced it,

[6:45] it’s coming around the corner [6:47] and my fear for you is that when the disappointing [6:50] enters into your life, which it must and it will, [6:55] that you will not have the faith to rest in [6:58] those moments and you will be looking and saying, [7:02] is God for me or is he against me?

[7:05] Because it feels like he’s against me right now. [7:08] But I want to prepare you for that. [7:10] And so I want to talk to you, number one, this morning. [7:12] I want to get right into it. [7:13] God’s plan is the best plan. [7:16] Takes a lot of faith to believe that sometimes.

[7:18] And what we’ve been seeing throughout the book of Ruth, [7:21] of course, is that Ruth and Naomi and her husband [7:24] have left Bethlehem because there’s a great famine [7:27] going on in the land. [7:28] So they move to a pagan country. [7:29] They move to Moab.

[7:31] They’re not the most faithful people. [7:32] So they think there’s food over here. [7:33] So they go to Moab and their sons marry two pagan daughters. [7:38] And then what happens is that Naomi’s husband dies, [7:41] then her two sons die, [7:43] and she’s down to just her daughters-in-law.

[7:46] And so one of her daughter-in-laws goes back to her [7:48] to Bethlehem after they hear that there’s actually [7:50] been plenty of food going on in Bethlehem. [7:52] And so they return and then they basically [7:54] become homeless beggars. [7:56] And then while Ruth is trying to provide

[7:59] for her mother-in-law, she, under the sovereign providence [8:02] of God, enters into the field of Boaz, [8:04] who happens to be from the line of a limelight. [8:08] And she, under the tutelage of Naomi, [8:11] who repents of her sin, trusts in God, [8:13] Naomi says, hey, go, God’s doing something here.

[8:16] Give yourself in marriage to Boaz. [8:18] Some crazy events happen, totally counter-cultural, [8:21] but she goes, Boaz loves her, she loves Boaz. [8:24] And now Boaz has to go and make this situation right [8:29] because there’s someone closer to the family line [8:32] of a limelight than he is,

[8:34] and that’s where we pick up in the story. [8:35] So go to Ruth, chapter four, verse one. [8:39] So after Ruth lays at his feet, posture of dependence, [8:43] she looks at Boaz and she’s like, [8:44] spread your wings over me, you know, that whole love thing. [8:47] And then Boaz is like, gotcha, babe.

[8:50] And so Boaz leaves, now he’s going. [8:52] And he says, now Boaz had gone up to the gate, [8:55] this is where they did business transactions, [8:57] sat down there, behold, the Redeemer, [9:00] of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. [9:02] So Boaz said, turn aside, my friend, sit down here.

[9:05] And he turned aside and sat down [9:07] and he took 10 men of the elders of the city and said, [9:11] sit down here. [9:12] So they sat, excuse me, so they sat down. [9:14] Then he said to the Redeemer, Naomi, [9:17] who’s come back from the country of Moab,

[9:20] is selling the parcel of land [9:21] that belonged to our relative, Elimelech. [9:23] So I thought I would tell you of it [9:26] and say, buy it in the presence of those sitting here [9:28] and in the presence of the elders of my people. [9:31] If you will redeem it, redeem it.

[9:33] But if not, tell me that I may know, [9:36] for there is no one besides you to redeem it [9:38] and I come after you. [9:40] And he said, I will redeem it. [9:42] Then Boaz said, the day you buy the field [9:46] from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,

[9:50] the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate [9:53] the name of the dead in his inheritance. [9:56] So you’re already seeing some of Boaz’s craftiness. [10:00] He’s like, hey, there’s this parcel of land, it’s yours, bro. [10:03] You just gotta give into the inheritance. [10:05] You gotta give this money to Naomi.

[10:07] If you do it, the land is yours, your next in line. [10:11] Now it also comes with this pagan woman, Ruth. [10:16] She’s this Moabite, probably gonna bring [10:18] child sacrifices into your house, those Moabites. [10:22] And her husband’s dead, the inheritance of the dead, [10:26] dead, dead, dead.

[10:28] So what we see Boaz doing is the bro is shrewd. [10:32] He’s working the system to his benefit. [10:37] This is what the mission of redemption is looking like [10:41] for Ruth, is that Boaz is actually pursuing her. [10:45] So he uses this term, redeem it, [10:48] to the closer kinsman redeemer.

[10:50] Now this term literally means to set free by paying a price. [10:56] This is the theme of the Bible. [11:00] This is the theme that you see working its way [11:03] throughout the entire Old Testament, [11:05] this theme of God pursuing with redemption. [11:08] And what he’s using in history here

[11:10] is that he’s using specific people to foreshadow [11:14] the redemption that he’s going to offer through Jesus. [11:18] And what we see in this section though [11:20] is this really weird back and forth, [11:22] and when in our mind, in our culture, [11:24] we’re like, look, Boaz, if you wanna marry Ruth,

[11:27] just give her a ring, buddy. [11:28] You’re really going about this in an odd way, [11:30] but what you don’t understand, [11:32] if you’re not familiar with the Old Testament, [11:33] is this is actually the civil law that God put in place [11:38] to help families with dead husbands.

[11:41] So if the husband died, he would leave a widow [11:43] and he would leave a lot of children behind oftentimes, [11:46] and the husband, the patriarch, [11:48] was seen as the provider for the family, [11:49] and so oftentimes, when you’ve got a widow [11:51] and just the children,

[11:52] they’re unable to provide for themselves. [11:55] And so what God sets forward specifically here [11:58] in Numbers chapter 27 and 11, [11:59] he does it through the book of Leviticus as well, [12:01] but in Numbers 27 and 11, [12:03] we have a really good explanation

[12:04] as to what is going on here. [12:06] It was the job of the closest living male relative [12:11] to the dead husband and dead father [12:15] to provide for the family, [12:17] and so what he would do is he would buy [12:20] the possessions of that man,

[12:23] and in that, he would also inherit the responsibility [12:28] of husband of any of those dead relatives. [12:31] And so because Naomi’s son, the father of Ruth, [12:37] excuse me, the husband of Ruth, [12:38] would have been in the line of a limelight, [12:42] it is the responsibility of anybody that buys that land

[12:44] to take care of Ruth, [12:46] but in God’s law to actually become the husband of Ruth [12:50] and carry on the family name. [12:52] And this is kind of the question [12:53] that the Sadducees and the Pharisees brought before Jesus, [12:57] and they were trying to perplex him

[12:58] when they were saying, hey look, [13:00] in the resurrection, if somebody’s husband dies, [13:03] and they don’t have any children, [13:05] and so she marries the brother of that husband [13:07] and then he dies without children, [13:08] and then the next brother dies,

[13:09] and then the next brother dies, [13:10] and then the next brother dies, [13:11] and it goes through, I think, seven brothers. [13:14] Whose husband will she be in the kingdom of heaven [13:16] if they don’t have any children? [13:17] And of course, Jesus was able to answer it masterfully,

[13:19] but it’s all coming off of this law [13:22] which was around in order to provide for a family [13:26] as well as perpetuate the name of the family, [13:29] and it is exactly what Boaz uses to discourage him [13:34] from buying the land. [13:37] Because Boaz, what does Boaz want?

[13:38] Boaz wants to marry Ruth. [13:40] Boaz wants to be the Redeemer. [13:42] Boaz isn’t really that interested in the land. [13:44] We’ve already seen Boaz is rich. [13:45] Boaz is a worthy man. [13:46] Boaz has many people that work for him.

[13:48] Boaz has plentiful fields. [13:50] And so Boaz isn’t interested in the land whatsoever. [13:52] Boaz is interested in actually coming in [13:55] and being the kinsman Redeemer of Ruth. [13:58] And what he does is he shows [14:01] that he is willing to pay the cost no matter what it is.

[14:05] What does he say to him? [14:06] He says, if you buy the land, fantastic, do it. [14:09] But if you won’t, I’m next in line, [14:12] therefore I will do what needs to be done. [14:15] And then he of course, in shrewd language, [14:18] because this is not the same language

[14:20] that he used about Ruth in the previous chapter. [14:23] I mean, he’s looking at Ruth in the previous chapter [14:25] and he’s just fawning over her. [14:26] He’s in love with Ruth. [14:28] But in his shrewdness, he’s smart enough [14:30] not to go after this guy and be like,

[14:32] man, when you buy this land,

[14:37] you get a babe. [14:39] No, he starts calling her a pagan. [14:41] She’s a Moabite. [14:42] You don’t really want any of that on you, do you? [14:45] More than that, what’s she bringing? [14:47] She’s bringing a history of death to you.

[14:49] Are you interested in that? [14:51] No. [14:52] But what you actually see Boaz do, [14:55] what’s underlying that is fascinating to me. [14:58] Because what’s underlying everything that Boaz is doing [15:01] is faith in God in two parts.

[15:04] First, we see that Boaz, in his worthiness, [15:07] in his faith in God, [15:08] he’s actually seeing the providence of God [15:11] taking place in his life. [15:12] He sees what God has done to bring Ruth into his life. [15:15] He sees the good that’s coming along with that

[15:17] and he’s saying, I’m going to follow God into this path [15:21] because she is of the line of Elimelech. [15:24] I am a redeemer of that line [15:25] and I believe that there is a work [15:27] that God wants to do here. [15:28] But secondly, we see his faith in God

[15:31] in the fact that Boaz is willing to go along [15:35] with God’s program in order to seek marriage with Ruth. [15:42] Because Boaz takes a very calculated risk [15:45] at this point in the story. [15:47] Because the risk is that Boaz takes this offer of redemption [15:51] to the closer relative to Elimelech

[15:53] and what if that guy had said yes?

[15:57] It would have undone everything that Boaz had wanted. [16:02] That would have undone all of the desires [16:03] that Boaz has for Ruth. [16:05] But Boaz was willing to do it. [16:07] Why? [16:08] Because Boaz trusted God more than he trusted himself.

[16:13] Boaz trusted that doing things God’s way [16:17] is really what faith looks like [16:20] and going against God’s plan is not what faith looks like. [16:24] Because so often, [16:25] in this situation, many of us would have looked [16:28] at the situation and been like, all right,

[16:31] now I’m in love with Ruth, [16:33] I’ve got a great desire for Ruth [16:34] but there’s this other redeemer. [16:36] So Ruth, let’s keep this a secret. [16:38] Let’s you and I go next town over [16:40] and we can get married over there

[16:42] and we can just become husband and wife [16:43] and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. [16:46] Because that’s how we often handle something. [16:48] So we often live lives where we fear [16:51] that faithfulness to God will take desires away from us. [16:56] We fear that giving our lives over into God’s plan,

[16:59] doing things God’s way, [17:01] seeking to be obedient to the plans, [17:04] programs and commands that God has given us [17:06] and all the environments that we’re going to need to enter [17:09] and all of the lifestyle changes [17:10] that we’re going to need to make

[17:12] in order to be faithful to God. [17:13] And what do we see? [17:14] We see risk in losing what we want. [17:19] But Boaz looks at it differently, obviously, [17:21] because there’s no temptation as recorded in scripture. [17:23] There’s no thought that Boaz is gonna try to be subversive

[17:27] to the plan of God. [17:28] Rather, Boaz is completely obedient to the plan of God [17:32] to the point where he’s willing to even risk [17:35] losing Ruth over it. [17:37] Why? [17:38] Because in God’s providence,

[17:40] if obedience to God had cost him Ruth, [17:44] then it wouldn’t have been the plan of God [17:46] for him to have Ruth in his life to begin with. [17:48] And so it would have been better for him to have lost Ruth. [17:53] You see, many of you think that trusting God’s plan [17:57] is a good thing.

[17:59] But are you arranging your life [18:02] and seeking the desires of your heart [18:05] by going headlong into God’s plan? [18:08] Or are you hesitant to do that? [18:10] And are you actually keeping great aspects of your life [18:14] apart from God’s plan, holding back from God,

[18:17] ceasing to give more over to God, [18:19] because you are afraid it’s going to cost you [18:22] the things that you want. [18:24] And Boaz does risk it.

[18:28] But it’s worth it, why? [18:29] Because this is what faith actually looks like. [18:34] See, many of us proclaim that I wanna be faithful to God, [18:39] but are you actually living lives that show that? [18:43] Are you actually living lives that example [18:46] what faith in God looks like?

[18:48] Or are you wasting your time investing in things [18:51] and in lifestyles apart from God’s plan, [18:54] all the while just saying and throwing lip service, [18:57] I want God’s plan in my life, [18:58] but it never seems to work out. [19:00] I want God’s plan in my life,

[19:01] but I never seem to hear his word. [19:03] I want God’s plan in my life, [19:05] but nothing ever goes my way. [19:07] It’s not that God isn’t blessing you. [19:09] It’s not that God’s plan can’t work out in your life. [19:12] It is that you are being disobedient

[19:14] and you are actually spending most of your life [19:17] entering into environments that God doesn’t want you in, [19:20] exhibiting actions that God doesn’t want you to have, [19:23] and then on the back end, [19:24] acting like there’s something wrong with God [19:26] when the fact is there’s something wrong with your faith.

[19:30] The fact is that you’re just living a life of rebellion. [19:33] The fact is that you’re pretending to trust God [19:36] without realizing trusting God means doing thing God’s way. [19:42] Trusting God means looking at the life [19:44] that he would have you to build, [19:46] looking at the environments

[19:47] that he would have you to invest in, [19:49] and looking at what following Jesus actually looks like [19:52] and doing that because that’s an act of faith. [19:57] Faith is not saying, [19:58] well, I believe that God wants me to have this thing. [20:02] And then when he doesn’t bring it into your life,

[20:04] you’re like, well, I guess I wasn’t faithful enough [20:05] or I guess I didn’t have enough faith [20:07] or I guess God just doesn’t love me. [20:09] That’s not what faith is. [20:11] Because all that is is basically saying, [20:14] well, follow your heart.

[20:17] Well, if I want this thing, [20:20] I don’t believe that God would put a desire in my heart [20:22] that he didn’t want to fulfill. [20:25] That’s arrogant.

[20:27] That’s arrogant.

[20:29] Because what you’re doing is you’re basically saying [20:31] that every thought that comes into your head, [20:35] every desire that you have for pleasure in your life, [20:38] obviously God put it there. [20:40] Dude, 90% of what’s going on in here is sin, all right? [20:44] And so you’ve got to realize that follow your heart

[20:47] is the worst piece of advice [20:48] you could ever follow in your life. [20:51] When a friend tells you that, [20:53] tell them that one or two things need to happen. [20:54] Either A, they need to never give you advice again, [20:57] or B, they need to change the perspective of their advice.

[21:01] The scriptures tell us that the heart [21:02] is sinful above all things. [21:04] Your desires will lead you astray. [21:08] God has not left us to just go on what feels right. [21:13] God has not left us to make decisions [21:16] to chase after what we want,

[21:18] to chase after our hopes and dreams, [21:20] to chase after everything that seems good to us, [21:24] and just bank that God’s gonna bless it. [21:26] No, God has been objectively clear [21:29] as to following him in a faithful lifestyle [21:34] and as to what it actually looks like.

[21:36] It looks like what Boaz is doing. [21:38] You say, how can you say that? [21:40] Because Boaz is obeying the word. [21:43] Boaz is actually basing the ethics [21:46] that he is pouring his life from on the Bible. [21:50] Boaz obviously knew Numbers 27, 11,

[21:53] and he didn’t look at it and say, [21:56] hmm, that’s a roadblock to what I want. [22:00] So let’s see if we can wiggle around it. [22:03] No, what Boaz does is, is he sees that, [22:07] and he says, I’m gonna be obedient to that, [22:10] and I’m gonna be shrewd enough to use it to my advantage.

[22:15] If you would do that with your life,

[22:19] you would experience what real faithfulness looks like.

[22:24] You would be able to understand the marriage [22:26] and the tension between obeying God’s word [22:31] and using common sense to obey God’s word. [22:35] That’s what Boaz is doing. [22:37] He’s saying, I’m gonna run headlong, [22:39] and I’m gonna do it God’s way,

[22:41] but I’m gonna be shrewd in the way that I do it [22:43] because I really do wanna marry Ruth.

[22:47] Those things do not contradict one another, [22:49] and they actually serve to Boaz’s benefit, [22:53] because, understand, God never calls us to go somewhere [22:57] or do something that goes against his word. [23:00] Never.

[23:02] Never. [23:03] But I honestly have people come to me all the time, [23:06] and they’re like, I believe God is calling me here. [23:10] Oh yeah, well, how’s that working [23:12] in faithfully following Jesus, [23:14] faithfully growing as a disciple of Christ?

[23:16] Well, I don’t know how that’s all gonna work out, [23:17] but I know that God’s called me. [23:20] My response is typically, no, he hasn’t, [23:22] because you don’t even know what his voice sounds like. [23:25] Or my favorite one is when somebody comes to me, [23:28] and before the conversation even starts,

[23:30] you throw the trump card that you heard from God, [23:33] and you say, well, I believe that God is telling me this. [23:37] What do you think about that? [23:39] My response in my head is typically, [23:42] are you trying to get me to argue against God?

[23:48] And so when someone does that, [23:49] there’s really nothing you can say. [23:51] They’re setting you up for a trap. [23:52] It’s that Star Wars thing. [23:53] It’s a trap. [23:56] So just look at them and be like,

[23:57] if you heard from God, who am I to disagree with God? [24:01] All they’re doing is coming to you [24:04] so that you’ll just say yes. [24:07] If you throw the trump card of God against me, [24:09] I’m not gonna go against it, [24:11] but I’m also not gonna be the one that you blame

[24:13] when it all falls apart.

[24:16] The reality is is that you can know where God is leading you [24:20] if you will build a life off of the ethics of God’s word, [24:24] and that’s exactly what Boaz is doing. [24:26] But look at the person that isn’t doing that, [24:28] and that’s the one that is the closer Redeemer. [24:31] So number two this morning, understand,

[24:33] don’t fall in love with this world. [24:36] Don’t fall in love with this world [24:38] because usually the problem with our faith [24:41] and the reason that we don’t wanna do things [24:43] according to God’s plan [24:44] is because we’re so in love with this world,

[24:45] which is going to pass away. [24:47] Look at what begins to happen in verse four. [24:50] I wanna repeat these verses. [24:51] So I thought I would tell you of it and say, [24:53] this is Boaz speaking to the closer Redeemer, [24:56] by it in the presence of those sitting here

[24:57] and in the presence of the elders of my people. [24:59] If you will redeem it, redeem it, [25:00] but if not, tell me that I may know, [25:03] for there is no one besides you to redeem it [25:04] and I come after you. [25:06] And he said, I will redeem it.

[25:08] Then Boaz said, the day you buy the field [25:09] from the hand of Naomi, [25:11] you also acquire Ruth, that pagan idol worshiper. [25:14] She’s the widow of the dead [25:16] and you’re probably gonna die too, [25:17] and you’re gonna have to perpetuate the name of the dead

[25:20] in his inheritance. [25:21] Then the Redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself. [25:25] That’s probably what I would have said. [25:27] And be like, well, if you put it like that, [25:29] I don’t want her in my life. [25:31] Lest I impair my own inheritance,

[25:33] take my right of redemption yourself, [25:36] for I cannot redeem it.

[25:40] The most optimal phrase he uses in that paragraph [25:44] is lest I impair my own inheritance.

[25:49] That is why you know Boaz’s name [25:55] and this guy’s name is completely forgotten [25:58] to the extent that they don’t even put it [26:00] in the book of Ruth. [26:02] He was so self-absorbed [26:04] that he could not even bring himself to obey the law.

[26:13] Well, if I redeem Boaz, [26:16] well, that means that not what I have is going to diminish. [26:21] What I might get later from an inheritance [26:25] would be diminished because if I redeem Ruth, [26:29] that means I need to perpetuate that family name [26:31] and that means I’m gonna have children.

[26:33] And if I have children, [26:34] then I’m gonna have less in my inheritance [26:36] to share with the people that I’ve got in my life [26:38] and to give myself. [26:40] And so he is a completely self-absorbed man. [26:44] Friend, do not become so self-absorbed

[26:46] that you miss what God has for you.

[26:50] Note the difference between Boaz and this unnamed guy [26:53] that all we have is Boaz called him friend. [26:56] So let’s just call him Captain Nameless. [26:59] So we’ve got Boaz and we’ve got Captain Nameless. [27:02] Boaz is seeking to fulfill the law of God. [27:05] He’s going out of his way to help.

[27:08] He seeks this man out at a detriment to himself [27:12] in order to step out on faith and be obedient to God. [27:15] This man though, looks for the personal benefit [27:18] but at the risk of helping Ruth costing him something, [27:22] he completely rejects the deal. [27:26] This is the issue that you face frequently in your life.

[27:32] Boaz is seeking to sacrifice [27:34] so that he might gain what God has brought into his life [27:37] and through faith, he’s going to give up something [27:39] so that he can have what he knows is better. [27:45] I mean, this is what following Jesus is. [27:47] Jesus tells us countless times throughout the gospels

[27:50] and throughout the rest of the New Testament, [27:51] through the apostles, that if you want to follow him, [27:55] it is going to cost you something. [27:58] You are going to have to sacrifice. [28:01] You are going to lose relationships. [28:04] You are going to lose materials.

[28:06] You are going to have to pay a price with your time. [28:11] It is going to cost you, [28:13] affections for one thing being shifted over [28:15] to putting your affections into the person [28:17] and work of Jesus Christ. [28:19] That is what obeying God is

[28:21] and that is what obeying God has always been. [28:24] It always has cost, but too frequently, [28:28] we’re so selfish and self-absorbed [28:31] that we pretend to follow Jesus [28:33] while we are not paying any price for it [28:36] because we want the gain,

[28:38] like he wanted the gain of the land. [28:41] It’s like, oh, I’ll believe in Jesus [28:43] because I’ll get heaven. [28:46] I got heaven at the end if I believe in Jesus, [28:47] but then if you actually begin to look at [28:50] what being a Christian is

[28:51] and note that it is not heaven at the end, [28:54] it is following Jesus in this life, [28:58] then you begin to say, [29:02] oh, it’s going to cost me something.

[29:07] So that is why we have more in common [29:09] with Captain Nameless than we have in common with Boaz [29:11] at this point in the story. [29:15] See, that is what selfishness [29:17] and complete self-absorption will do to you. [29:20] You miss the gain because you were afraid

[29:23] that you might lose something in order to get it [29:26] and when we begin to consider the things [29:29] that we think we’re going to lose [29:30] in order to faithfully follow Jesus, [29:32] they are typically so petty. [29:35] In our culture, at least.

[29:38] I mean, we have a history behind us in the church [29:40] of people who gave their very lives [29:43] for the gospel of Jesus, [29:44] people who lost their entire families [29:46] for the gospel of Jesus, [29:48] people who truly lost every bit of financial gain

[29:51] that they had in this life, [29:53] people who lost every bit of reputation [29:55] that they ever had in this life to follow Jesus Christ [29:57] and we look at it and we’re like, [29:59] wait a second, it’s going to cost me an hour a week?

[30:03] Well, hold on a second, that’s when I bowl.

[30:11] You see, the things that stand between you [30:14] and your relationship with God are often petty. [30:16] I hear about them all the time.

[30:20] And I’ve rarely heard somebody say, [30:22] well look, I can’t follow Jesus [30:23] because I mean, it’s a really good reason. [30:26] No, it’s typically something really small [30:28] that’s all wrapped up in you [30:30] because you truly believe that your hopes,

[30:33] your dreams, your desires, your possessions, [30:36] your time is more valuable than Jesus Christ. [30:39] You say, well, that’s not what I’m saying. [30:41] No, it really is.

[30:45] It’s the same story throughout all of history, [30:48] people wanting the benefits of Christ [30:50] without the life of Christ and you cannot have it. [30:57] See, this man will go nameless forever. [31:00] Why? [31:01] Because of his selfishness.

[31:04] When God’s law was going to benefit him, he was all in, [31:06] but when it was going to cost him [31:08] a possible future inheritance, [31:09] he’s totally out. [31:11] Friend, you may be missing what God wants to do [31:13] in your life because you are arrogantly

[31:15] holding on to things that God wants you to give up. [31:19] You’ve got a death grip on the transient. [31:22] You’ve got a death grip on the things [31:25] that are actually causing the problems in your life. [31:28] You’ve got a death grip on the things [31:30] that God is telling you.

[31:31] If you will let this go, [31:34] you will know what real worship is, [31:37] but too often we’re stuck in the default mode [31:41] of just saying God is good when things are going our way, [31:44] but when the sacrifice comes in, [31:46] when the hard times come in,

[31:48] when the seasons where God wants us to experience [31:50] what the valley feels like so that we can be used [31:54] more mightily for his name later in life, [31:56] we look to him and we begin to question his goodness [31:59] because things aren’t making me feel good right now. [32:03] See friend, that’s not what following Jesus is.

[32:06] What you need to do is obey Jesus with the future vision [32:09] that you have in your life. [32:11] I mean, note what’s going on with Boaz. [32:13] I mean, in this story, it’s been no secret [32:15] over the past couple of weeks, Boaz is the Jesus figure, [32:18] but Jesus is the better Boaz.

[32:21] Look at the parallels that this story has [32:23] to the work of redemption through Jesus. [32:25] I mean, Boaz is so much like Jesus. [32:28] He’s shrewdly subverting a sinful situation [32:32] at the cost of himself in order to redeem someone [32:36] graciously to be in a covenant relationship with them.

[32:40] But we, of course, are just like the nameless man. [32:42] We cannot redeem because we are so selfish. [32:44] We are hindering ourselves because we don’t want to lose [32:48] what the world has offered us. [32:51] Boaz is the redeemer. [32:52] The nameless man is nothing.

[32:56] But then Ruth is the redeemed because of Boaz. [33:00] Look at the way the story, this line so much up [33:04] with Ephesians one, five through eight [33:05] when we’re thinking about the relationship [33:06] between Boaz and Ruth. [33:08] It says, speaking of our salvation in Jesus,

[33:10] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons [33:13] through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose [33:15] of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, [33:18] with which he has blessed us in the beloved. [33:19] Look, in him, we have redemption through his blood, [33:23] the forgiveness of our trespasses,

[33:25] according to the riches of his grace, [33:27] which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. [33:32] This is what Boaz is seeking to do for Ruth. [33:35] He is seeking to graciously give her all of his life, [33:41] lavish grace onto her at great cost to himself. [33:46] And he uses great wisdom and great insight

[33:49] to run headlong into the law of God in order to do it. [33:54] That is what Jesus did for us. [33:56] Jesus doesn’t come and say, okay, well I’ve got a man. [33:59] Oh my goodness, what kind of law did I write here? [34:02] I don’t know how I’m gonna redeem him from that. [34:04] No, in shrewdness, in wisdom, in insight,

[34:09] Jesus comes, completely obeys his own law [34:13] and subverts the sinful aspect that we’re struggling with [34:16] and at great cost to himself redeems us. [34:21] Now we haven’t gotten to Ruth’s response to this redemption,

[34:27] but let me put a hypothetical to you.

[34:32] Once Ruth is redeemed, how foolish do you think [34:36] it would have been for Ruth to have claimed redemption [34:38] by Boaz, yet still sought the joy of being a widowed beggar [34:44] gleaning in the fields? [34:46] He’s like, okay Boaz, thank you so much [34:48] for what you’ve done for me.

[34:49] I know I have all the rights of everything that you have, [34:53] but man, I just really loved walking behind the harvesters [34:57] and picking up the scraps.

[35:01] Loved that part of being a beggar. [35:04] Look at her, I say, boy, you’re a fool. [35:06] Why would you do that, Ruth? [35:08] Would have been extremely foolish. [35:10] It is as foolish as you and I when we claim redemption [35:15] through Christ, yet continue to seek the joy of sin

[35:19] that we claim to have been redeemed from. [35:23] It’s as foolish as when you and I believe [35:26] that because of the pain that we’re enduring, [35:29] because of the hard season that we’re enduring, [35:31] there’s no way God can work through this. [35:34] It’s as foolish as you and I because of the things

[35:38] that we have in our past, because of the struggles, [35:41] because of the shame that we carry, [35:43] because of something that happened before Christ, [35:45] or shame because of something that’s happened [35:47] on the road of sanctification that we’re walking [35:49] in this life, or the guilt that we feel

[35:52] from being before Christ and finding our identity [35:55] in that type of guilt. [35:56] It’s that type of foolishness that keeps us [36:01] from the life that God has for us. [36:04] You see, when we need to reject the mindset [36:08] that would have us believe lies

[36:12] apart from the gospel of Jesus, [36:15] we need to reject the mindset that would have us [36:17] just like that nameless man, [36:21] or just like a possible ungrateful recipient of grace. [36:25] See, faith follows Jesus. [36:27] Faith trusts the Redeemer.

[36:30] Faith looks to the one who pays the cost [36:33] and is worthy to pay it, [36:34] and spends a lifetime pursuing that joy.

[36:40] That’s what faith does. [36:42] Now, what takes place in the next couple of verses [36:45] is a lot of legalese. [36:47] Contracts were a lot easier to get into back then. [36:51] Now, we have like 75 pages that a lawyer needs to read, [36:55] and we have to pay him to figure it out.

[36:57] And this time, you just took your shoe off [36:59] and handed it to someone, and that sealed the deal. [37:02] I wish we could do that. [37:03] I wish I could go to a cell phone company [37:05] and just be like, all right, I want that phone, [37:06] take my shoe off, hand it to him.

[37:08] Like, okay, everybody see this? [37:10] Steve took his shoe off and smells a little bit, [37:12] so he’s gonna put it on now. [37:13] We’re good, but he didn’t. [37:15] And so what takes place in the next couple of verses is [37:17] they seal the deal.

[37:19] The Redeemer and Boaz, [37:21] they kind of look at each other’s shoes, [37:22] and everybody thinks that’s good enough. [37:24] And so Boaz redeems Ruth in the presence of the town elders, [37:28] and then here is what happens. [37:31] Down in verse 13, it says,

[37:33] so Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. [37:36] And he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, [37:39] and she bore a son. [37:41] Then the women said to Naomi, blessed be the Lord, [37:43] who has not left you this day without a Redeemer, [37:46] and may his name be renowned in Israel.

[37:49] He shall be to you a restorer of life [37:51] and a nourisher of your old age. [37:53] For your daughter-in-law who loves you, [37:56] who is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him. [38:00] Now think about that just for a moment. [38:03] Think about the story of Naomi, where God has brought her.

[38:06] What God is allowing her to experience, [38:07] think about how crazy what’s just been said is. [38:10] Even to this day, culturally speaking, [38:15] having sons is seen as superior to having daughters. [38:20] I mean, there are countries where there are laws [38:22] as to how many children that you can have is gauged on.

[38:27] If I think I’m going to have a girl, [38:29] well, they’ll even get an abortion in order to have a son, [38:31] and so much so that it’s been to the detriment [38:33] of many of these societies. [38:35] But note what is being said in this culture [38:39] according to the plan of God.

[38:41] And note how God oftentimes turns things over [38:44] to show his blessing through very difficult circumstances. [38:47] This isn’t even Naomi’s daughter. [38:51] This is Naomi’s daughter-in-law. [38:53] And it’s not Naomi making this proclamation. [38:56] It is the women around Naomi in Bethlehem looking at her

[38:59] and saying, Ruth is more valuable to you [39:03] than if you had seven sons.

[39:10] Note the hand of a mighty God working in his people. [39:15] And note what is missed by us when we distrust God [39:20] to the extent where we are unwilling [39:23] to enter into environments that may disappoint us, [39:28] where we are unwilling to exhibit the kind of faith [39:31] that costs us something,

[39:32] when we are unwilling to exhibit the type of faith [39:36] that we would enter into where, reputation speaking, [39:39] it may cost me something. [39:41] Because that is the story of Naomi, [39:45] where everybody looks at her and says, [39:46] poor Naomi, her sons are dead,

[39:49] and all she’s left with is a daughter-in-law [39:52] and not even a Jewish one, a Moabite.

[39:59] But what she didn’t see is the hand of God [40:02] working through it. [40:05] What she didn’t see is the plan of God [40:07] working against culture in that moment. [40:09] What she didn’t see is the hand of God working in her life. [40:12] But what God in his providence graciously allows her to see

[40:17] is the joy on this side of heaven [40:20] that she’s going to experience tenfold on that side of heaven. [40:23] Where she looks and the people around her say, [40:26] this is the plan of God. [40:29] You are blessed.

[40:34] Then Naomi took the child, laid him on her lap, [40:36] and became his nurse. [40:38] And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, [40:39] saying, a son has been born to Naomi. [40:41] They named him Obed. [40:43] He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

[40:45] Now, these are the generations of Perez. [40:48] Perez fathered Hezrin. [40:49] Hezrin fathered Ram. [40:50] Ram fathered Amenadab. [40:52] Amenadab fathered Naishon. [40:53] Naishon fathered Salmon.

[40:55] Salmon fathered Boaz. [40:56] Boaz fathered Obed. [40:58] Obed fathered Jesse. [40:59] And Jesse fathered David. [41:02] If you read the lineage in Matthew chapter one, [41:04] you will see 14 generations after David

[41:07] is Jesus Christ, the son of God.

[41:12] Finally, this morning, I want you to understand [41:15] that the point of everything is Jesus. [41:19] Point of everything. [41:20] First, you see it in the foreshadowing of the gospel [41:23] that we see throughout this. [41:24] You see foreshadowing of communion in Ruth two.

[41:27] You see foreshadowing of redemption [41:28] in chapters two through four. [41:30] You see foreshadowing of our kinsmen redeemer in Ruth four [41:33] with Boaz redeeming Ruth faithfully. [41:36] I mean, Boaz is the worthy man. [41:38] He’s worthy to redeem Ruth.

[41:40] He had to be worthy to redeem Ruth. [41:42] God’s law dictated that a kinsman had to do it. [41:45] That is the story of Jesus. [41:48] Only Jesus is worthy to redeem us. [41:51] Only Jesus could be the one. [41:54] He had to become a human being to be our kinsman.

[41:57] That’s what he did. [41:57] He had to be perfect. [41:58] And he was he had to be God. [42:01] And he was Jesus is all of those things. [42:04] Therefore, he could redeem. [42:06] Then we look at Naomi, she’s Naomi, the suffering

[42:09] who becomes Naomi, the repentant victor. [42:13] We look at Ruth. [42:14] Ruth is the pagan sufferer who becomes Ruth the redeemed. [42:18] And we see Boaz, the worthy become Boaz, the redeemer. [42:22] This is a picture of the gospel of Jesus.

[42:27] Is this what I love? [42:28] It’s extraordinary to me about the Old Testament, [42:30] is that you see this when you look at the Old Testament [42:32] through the lens of the gospel of Jesus Christ, [42:34] you see this everywhere throughout the Old Testament, [42:37] that every character, Jesus is the better Moses.

[42:39] Jesus is the better Noah. [42:41] Jesus is the better every character in the Old Testament. [42:44] And we’re like, man, was it about Jesus? [42:46] Even Jesus himself said it was in Luke 24 after he’s risen from the dead. [42:51] He’s walking down the road to Emmaus and some guys are trying [42:53] to figure out what’s going on.

[42:55] Some people said Jesus rose from the dead. [42:56] Some people say it’s some kind of crazy fairy tale. [42:59] Then Jesus speaks up and it says that he unpacked the Old Testament [43:03] for them with the prophets and everything showing them [43:06] that the whole thing had been about him. [43:10] It’s always all about Jesus.

[43:13] To the extent where it’s not just a foreshadowing, [43:17] it’s not just the story, it’s not just the record [43:20] where God actually takes people and says, [43:23] I’m going to make your life be about Jesus. [43:25] Now, the lineage is about Jesus at the whole point of Naomi, [43:31] the whole point of Boaz, the whole point of Ruth.

[43:33] It’s never just about them. [43:35] It was about generations and generations later where David would be born. [43:39] Then generations and generations and 14 more generations. [43:43] It would be about Jesus. [43:47] You see, friends, what you miss in making faith all about you, [43:52] making faith all about things working out to your benefit

[43:55] is that you miss what’s going to happen in the future. [43:58] See, I don’t know what’s going to happen to my kids. [44:00] I got three of them. [44:01] I don’t know what their future is going to look like. [44:02] I’m not a psychic. [44:03] I never claimed to be.

[44:05] I don’t know what’s going to happen with my grandchildren. [44:07] If the father grants that to my kids, I don’t know what’s going to happen [44:10] with my great grandchildren. [44:12] My great grandchildren are the ones that are to come after that. [44:14] I have no idea. [44:16] But what I do know is that what I do in my life

[44:21] is not disconnected from two and three generations in the future. [44:25] What I know is that what I do in my life will have an effect [44:30] no matter what they endure, no matter what sin they deal with, [44:33] no matter what choices that they make. [44:35] My prayer is that they will be able to look back either through written [44:40] word or through reputation, that someone will look to them and say,

[44:43] I don’t know much about your grandfather, but what I do know [44:47] is that Steve Gentry loved and followed Jesus.

[44:52] That’s called a legacy.

[44:56] And that should be the primary concern [45:00] of each and every one of you. [45:05] But your faith sometimes becomes so self-absorbed [45:08] that all you can think about is how God is working things out for you [45:14] today. Friends, I’ll tell you right now, the older I get, [45:18] the less concerned I get about today and the more concerned

[45:20] I get about 100 years from now. [45:23] And what is remembered from my life?

[45:28] It needs to be about Jesus because your life, [45:35] just like these lives, will only matter if it’s about Jesus.

[45:43] But if we get to the end of this story [45:45] and Jesus is never born, we get to the end of this story [45:49] and foreshadowings don’t exist because it doesn’t lead to Jesus, [45:52] then this story is stupid.

[45:56] The story is meaningless. [45:58] The story has no point, no greater point than any lullaby [46:01] I read to my kids at night. [46:04] But because the stories about Jesus, because there is a conclusion [46:08] that leads to the resurrected savior, it’s full of meaning. [46:11] And friend, you can pour your life into a great deal of things

[46:14] and every one of them is going to die with you. [46:16] But if you pour your life into following Jesus faithfully [46:19] and making his name known to those around you, [46:21] then you will have a life of eternal consequence. [46:26] These people are only significant because of the role that they played [46:29] in the sovereign hand of God working through history.

[46:32] And so the question that we have to leave with today [46:36] is where is God working through your life to lead you to Jesus?

[46:42] And the second one is like it. [46:44] Where is he working to use you to lead others to Jesus? [46:50] You need Jesus to do that in and through your life. [46:55] Ultimately, nothing else will matter. [46:57] Ultimately, nothing else that I build with my life will go with me. [47:03] It will all rust, it will all corrupt,

[47:06] it will all be gone soon after I am, probably before I’m even gone. [47:10] But Jesus.

[47:13] That’s forever. [47:16] That’s eternal.

[47:18] The gospel of Jesus Christ is forever.

[47:23] Live for it. [47:26] As the band comes up, pray with me. [47:30] Father.

[47:34] There are so many moments where faith is difficult for us. [47:37] There are so many moments where we feel faithless, filled with doubt, [47:43] even abandoned. [47:45] My prayer. [47:47] It’s very simple. [47:49] God, give us faith.

[47:52] God, grant us belief, trust in you. [47:56] Lord, give us the ability to repent and turn towards you. [48:02] That we could live lives pursuing your son Jesus.

[48:09] In the name of Christ, amen. [48:12] The bread on the table represents the broken body of Jesus. [48:15] The cup represents his shed blood. [48:18] When we eat and drink, what we’re doing is we’re testifying to the price [48:24] that Jesus paid to redeem you and I. [48:27] And when we eat and when we drink, what we proclaim to all those around you

[48:31] and around us is, yes, I believe [48:35] I trust Jesus have been redeemed by him. [48:38] He is my kinsman redeemer. [48:41] My hope is in him. [48:43] My faith is in him. [48:46] And by God’s grace, my life will be spent pursuing him.

[48:52] Today, if you can say that.

[48:56] These tables are open. [48:58] Come proclaim the death of our king.