(Audio and Text Available)
Title: When God says “Yesh”
Intro:
Well, it’s been four weeks since we were last in Ruth with the Easter holiday and Jared speaking for us at the beginning of April, but today we get to resume our study in Ruth and something quite fascinating, and quite relatable to us happens in today’s message.
(read/pray)
“Do not fear”
Just like what we just looked at last week during our Easter Sunday message, the concept of “Do not fear” shows itself in Scripture to us again.
If you recall, last week, we saw both the Angel at the tomb make this statement to Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary when they arrived to find Jesus’s tomb empty. Then, just moments later, as the women were on the way to tell the disciples that they had found the tomb empty, Jesus appears to them on the road and says “Do not be afraid…”
Question: What, specifically, do you think Boaz is telling Ruth to not fear? (Hint: I believe there are at least two answers to the question: One in the immediate sense, and another in the long term.)
Immediate: Do not fear me exposing your bold act. I will protect your honor. I know you took a huge risk by being so bold.
Long term: “Whatever happens, you will be taken care of. I care for you, and have both the power and resources to see you through this crisis.”
Is it not the same with our relationship to Jesus?
Let me put it another way: How many of our problems result when we somehow forget that God is always in control?
Also, have you ever considered that we don’t pray boldly enough?
As C.S. Lewis said:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
“I will do all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman…”
Matthew Henry makes a keen observation about Ruth’s virtue when he states:
Ruth was a poor woman, and poverty often obscures the luster of virtue; yet Ruth’s virtues, even in a mean condition, were generally taken notice of and could not be hid; nay, her virtues took away the reproach of her poverty.
If poor people be but good people, they shall have honor from God and man. Ruth had been remarkable for her humility, which paved the way to this honor. The less she proclaimed her own goodness the more did her neighbors take notice of it.
-Matthew Henry
Yesh: The Wrench In The Plan
“Yesh” (Yash) Hebrew for “being, existence, substance, there is or are”
Boaz makes Ruth aware that there already exists a more immediate relative, who, according to the law, has a closer claim to be Ruth’s redeemer than Boaz himself. And Boaz, being a man of honor, virtue, and respect for the law, says that what they need to do is approach this man first, and if he will marry Ruth, then that is how she shall be redeemed, but if he is not interested, then Boaz will be honored to become Ruth’s husband.
Four Critical Questions:
Do you think that Ruth would prefer Boaz or the new guy to redeem her? Why or why not?
Do you think the author of the book of Ruth prefers Boaz or the new guy? Why or why not?
(The new guy is never named.)
Do you think Boaz wanted to approach the new guy?
Why or why not?
So why does Boaz do it?
He’s a person of honor, and often being a person of honor often means testing your faith, and NOT taking shortcuts, or justifying your actions which are not honorable.
HUGE POINT: Be wary of sins of presumption.
Examples: Boaz, “Well, I know Ruth asked ME, and the Lord knows I’m really fond of HER…God would not have brought us together like this if it wasn’t meant to be…so I’ll just go ahead and marry her…”
Today: “We love each other, and we know we’re going to get married anyway, so I’m sure God is not mad that we are living together.” (Story of young girl at Fuse asking me to pray for her relationship with her boyfriend.)
Today: “This isn’t that big of a deal, God knows my heart, I’m not going to lose sleep over it…”
Others?
How do we prevent sins of presumption?
- Actually pray about decisions before making them.
- If there is a “pang” of doubt, pursue that doubt to see if it’s valid.
- Surround yourself with wise counsel and ASK people whom you trust to weigh in.
- What does scripture say?
Psalm 19:13
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [a]great transgression.
Pray/QA