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Dec 16, 2018

In Love is Our Rest

In Love is Our Rest

Passage: Ruth 2:1-3:18

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: 2018 Advent: "Strong Female Lead—Led by God: An Advent Series in the Book of Ruth"

Category: Advent

No matter how jaded this world may make us, we’re still drawn to love stories--surprising encounters that become enduring commitments. Why do those stories still capture us? Why does love retain a beauty that’s far more than a mere impulse to perpetuate the species?

Order of Worship

Pre-Service Text: Psalm 8
Call To Worship: Advent reading (see below)
Sermon Title: In Love is Our Rest
Central Text: Ruth 2-3
Response: Of the Father’s Love Begotten (see below)
Benediction: Hebrews 13:20-21
Post-Service Text: Psalm 23:5

12.16.18 Sermon Notes

Illustration

Signs - No Coincidences

Readings & Scripture

Pre-Service Text: Psalm 8
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

Call To Worship: Advent reading.

Reader #1 - “Advent is a time of waiting. During this season, we remember and celebrate Israel’s waiting for the birth of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And in this season, we also remember that we, the Church, are in another, larger season of waiting: waiting for Christ to return, as he said that he would. In this sense, we are in-between advents.
Two weeks ago, the first candle was lit, the Hope Candle, which invites us into a hopeful anticipation of the Coming King. Last week was to be the Peace Candle, reminding us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, restoring our relationship with God. And now, this third candle, is the Joy candle, reflecting the Good News of Great Joy that the angels proclaimed”

Reader #2 - Our Old Testament reading comes from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 9:

2c The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Reader #3 - And our New Testament reading is from Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Prayer - “Let’s pray together. --- Lord God. Thank you for sending your son, the Prince of Peace, to repair our relationship with you. Draw us to confess to you how we have broken our relationship with you and one another, and help us use this time to reflect on the peace, and not just peace, but also the joy, that you brought to us in your Son Jesus. And it is in his name, and for his glory, that we pray. Amen.”

Central Text: Ruth 2-3
Ruth 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered, “The LORD bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

Ruth 2:8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

Ruth 2:14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

Ruth 2:17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Ruth 3:1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

Ruth 3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

Ruth 3:14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Response: Of the Father’s Love Begotten
Of the Father’s love begotten,
E’er worlds began to be.
He is alpha and omega,
He the source, the ending he.
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see.
Evermore and evermore.

Benediction: Hebrews 13:20-21
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Post-Service Text: Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows...

Related Scriptures:

Leviticus 23:22
Psalm 8
Psalm 23:5
Isaiah 55:1-3
Isaiah 58:9-11
Matthew 5:6
Luke 1:30
Luke 9:10-17
Hosea 2:23 / Romans 9:25-26
*Ephesians 2:17-19

Discussion Questions & Applications:

  1. Why do they still tell love stories--both triumphant and tragic? What’s the most memorable one you know? What made it memorable?
  2. Naomi identifies with bitterness by telling everyone to call her by the name of “The Bitter One” (Mara). Where in these chapters do you notice in her something other than bitterness? How do you account for the disparity between her stated and actual outlook?
    1. What must one do to remain in a state of bitterness?
    2. What has the capacity to chip away at that hardened state?
  3. Track all the ways kindness is demonstrated in these two chapters? What’s behind each expression?
  4. In Chapter 3, both what is being sought there on the threshing floor, and also what is being offered in response just don’t fit with most of our modern categories about love. How did you first interpret that moment and what was your reaction? For all its unfamiliarity, what made it compelling--perhaps more so than the stories of romance we’re familiar with?
  5. What comparisons can you draw between Ruth and Jesus? Between Boaz and Jesus?
    1. How is Jesus an even more dramatic picture of what you see of Him in either character?
    2. What relevance might that greater picture in Jesus have for us? In how we think of what He has done for us? In how we think about what it means to follow Him?

Quotes

  • You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs
    I look around me and I see it isn't so. . . .
    - Paul McCartney
  • Nothing can save us that is possible.  - Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men
  • [Kindness is when] you’ve treated people with extraordinary decency and love, and pure uninterested concern, just because they were valuable as human beings. . . the way we would treat a really good, precious friend. Or a tiny child of ours that we absolutely loved more than life itself. . . .The ability to do that with ourselves. . . I think part of the job we’re here for is to learn how to do it. - David Foster Wallace
  • My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered time after time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence? The Incarnation is the supreme example; it leaves all previous ideas of the Messiah in ruins. And most are ‘offended’ by the iconoclasm; and blessed are those who are not. - C.S. Lewis
  • Up to a point it is good for us to know that there are people in the world who will give us love and unquestioned loyalty. I doubt, however, if it is good for us to feel assured of this devotion without the accompanying obligation of having to justify this devotion by our behavior. - Eleanor Roosevelt
  • To know God is to know Goodness. It is to see the beauty of infinite Love.- Thomas Traherne
  • It’s your kindness that shines so bright... - David Wilcox

Sermons/resources:

Related Media:

Joseph Anton Koch (Austrian, 1768–1839). Landscape with Ruth and Boaz, 1823/25.
 

"Meeting of Ruth and Boaz,” Marc Chagall, (1960)

 InView Media Album 12.16.18