The Choices of Life – Part 3

The Choices of Life, “Ruth” Series – Part 3, Ruth 1:1-22

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SERMON OUTLINE:
“The Choices of Life - Part 3”
TEXT: Ruth 1:1-22

Every main character in Ruth Chapter 1 had a significant choice to make, choices we all face in life.

-Elimelech (a picture of the cultural Christian) made a sensible choice. It nearly detroyed his family.
-Naomi (a picture of the backslidden believer returning to God) made a bitter coice.
-Ruth (a Gentile Moabite girl) made a committed choice to Naomi and her God. This set in motion a chain of events, which pushed the redemptive plan of God forward.

There is a wrong conclusion to draw from this.

-”See choices really matter. It’s all on you. So make the right choice or else you will screw up your life.”
-That is not the message of Ruth.

Rather, here is the message of Ruth.

-Even if you make wrong choices and end up in very dark places, God is still sovereignly at work to fulfill His redemptive purpose in your life and in the world.
-We see this truth beautifully illustrated in Naomi’s life, but especially Ruth’s life.

If this is the message of Ruth, then it leads to an important question: “was Ruth’s decision to radically commit herself to Naomi and her God, was that decision Ruth’s choice or God’s choice?”

-By “Ruth’s choice” we mean, Ruth’s decision was completely hers to make.  No one forced her to make it against her will. And she was responsible for the consequences of her choice.
-By “God’s choice” we mean, God was the one working in Ruth to make that choice. God is the one who used her choice to sovereignly produce the exact outcome he wanted.
- So was Ruth’s decision to commit herself to Naomi and her God, was that Ruth’s choice or God’s choice?
- Answer: BOTH.

RUTH’S CHOICE

-Her choice was a total commitment
-Her choice was a fearless commitment
-Her choice was a disregarded commitment
-Her choice was really hers.
-It set in motion the chain of God’s blessings in the rest of the book.
-She deserves the credit.
-So choices matter. It matters whether we choose like Orpah or like Ruth.
-But who can be like Ruth consistely or when everything is on the line?
-Thankfully there’s more the text tells us.

GOD’S CHOICE

-The text points to more going on than Ruth simply making an awesome choice out of the strength of her own character.
- There are several clues pointing to God behind Ruth’s choice.

1.Her radical commitment to Naomi and her God was unexpected and unexplainable. It makes the reader wonder, where is this coming from?

2.The text took pains to contrast Ruth’s choice with Orpah’s choice. This too is unexplainable considering both women seemed to have the same ethnicity, same cultural background, were married into the same family, and had the same affection for Naomi.

3. The final verse of the chapter (v.22) subtly points to a divine setup for the redemption of Ruth and Naomi.

-The conclusion is there was more going on in Ruth’s choice than just Ruth. It was God sovereignly working through her choice to produce the exact outcome he wanted.
-Therefore, it was also God’s choice.

OUR CHOICES

-How does the Bible’s teaching that Ruth’s choice was really hers and really God’s, how does that help us when we face choices?
-Well, look at the unbiblical alternatives. Both of these are found in the world.

1. My choices don’t really matter because fate controls my life. What’s meant to be will happen no matter what I choose to do. This perspective will make a person very jaded or careless. They will be unmotivated to choose well and live well. They will diminsh their responsibility over their choices.

2. Or, my choices are totally and completely on me. I am the only one behind my choices. I am the only one responsbile for all of the consequences and outcomes coming from my choces. This perspective will make a person constantly anxious, stressed, and filled with regret. If someone really believed in this, they would become paralyzed. What if I pick the wrong school, the wrong job, the wrong career, the wrong spouse? What if I already picked the wrong ones? This is the dominant view in our culture.

-Both are highly impractical ways to live. And ultimately self-defeating.
-These views are on the polar ends of a spectrum.
-We are all on this spectrum, usually closer to one end or the other.

CONCLUSION

-Thankfully, the Bible teaches that all the choices in a believer’s life are both completely ours and completely God’s.
-So we make every choice in life as wisely as we can. We take full responsibility for them and their consequences.
-But we also make every choice knowing a sovereign, all-good, all-knowing, all-powerful God is at work in my life. And we can rest assured God will ultimately bring the exact outcome He wants through every twist and turn.

But how do we know God will do this with our choices?

-Ruth points to Christ.
-In the text we are more like Naomi than Ruth.
-In the same way, God sent Ruth to Naomi to make a commitment to her unto death; God also sent His son to make a commitment to us unto death.
-And now for those who are in Christ, “all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose.” Amen.

The Choices of Life – Part 2

The Choices of Life, “Ruth” Series – Part 2, Ruth 1:1-22

“In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her,No, we will return with you to your people. 11 But Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me. 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And she said See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law. 16 But Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you. 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, Is this Naomi? 20 She said to them, Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in- law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”

- Ruth 1:1-22

The Choices Of Life - Part 1

The Choices Of Life, “Ruth” Series Part 1, Ruth 1:1-22

Ruth 1:1-22

“In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.  2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.  3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.  4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,  5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.  6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.  7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.  8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.  9 The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.  10 And they said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."  11 But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?  12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,  13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."  14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.  15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."  16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."  18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.  19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, "Is this Naomi?"  20 She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.  21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?"  22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”

- Ruth 1:1-22  

Fervent Prayer

Fervent Prayer, “Pursuing God” Series – Part 11

TEXT:

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.  18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

- James 5:17-18

Hearts Lit By The Word

“Pursuing God” Series – Part 10, Luke 24:13-32

TEXT:

“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? 19 And he said to them, What things? And they said to him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. 25 And he said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent. So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?

- Luke 24:13-32

The People Who Hear God

The People Who Hear God, “Pursuing God” Series – Part 9, John 14:26, John 16:12-15

TEXT:

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

- John 14:26

12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

- John 16:12-15

The God Who Speaks

“THE GOD WHO SPEAKS,” “Pursuing God” Series – Part 8

TEXT:

“2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

- John 10:2-5

The Priority of God's Presence

“The Priority of God’s Presence,” “Pursuing God” Series – Part 7

TEXT:

“And he said to him, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.  16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?"  17 And the LORD said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."  18 Moses said, "Please show me your glory."

- Exodus 33:15-18