Jesus Army Ministries (Pastor Mike Oriola) Sunday Service: Living A Steadfast Life -Part III (Ruth 1:14-22) Introduction Last Sunday we learnt, from the life of Orpah, that it is not good to go back in time of adversity to embrace the vanities of the world. In other word, we should not join the profession of Christianity with seeking after worldly advantages. In addition, there are things, places and people we must separate from for our Christianity to produce the required fruits and for us to receive our kingdom inheritance. Today, we shall look through the heart of Ruth. Ruths Loyal Commitment Ruth was a member of a condemned nation, Moab. She and her people were sinful and had been judged and condemned by The Lord (Deuteronomy 23:2-6). Hers was a desperate and lost condition. Ruths husband had died and she is left with no means of support and with no hope for the future. She faced a terrible trial. It seemed that her only hope was to return to the home of her father and hope another man would eventually marry her. However, her mother-in-law, Naomi, has heard that the famine that caused her family to leave Bethlehem to begin with has ended and that there is bread in the land. So, she rises up to go home, and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, rise up to go with her. As they begin their journey, her mother-in-law, Naomi, encourages her and her mate, Orpah, to return to the home of their mothers. Basically, this boils down to a challenge to the commitment made by Ruth and Orpah. Naomi tries to persuade these women to go home because she has no more sons to marry them and give them children under the law of the Levirate Marriage. And, even if she remarried and had children, Ruth and Orpah couldnt be expected to wait until these new sons were grown. This is just another attempt to get Ruth and Orpah to go back to their families. When Orpah heard this speech, she kissed her mother-in-law and turned around and went back to Moab. After Orpah leaves, Ruth clings to Naomi. She is determined to stay with her mother-in-law. This allows us a glimpse into her heart. She shows, by here actions, that which is the best response in a time of challenge. The heart Ruth reveals to us is one of absolute devotion and commitment. In this, Ruth is a picture of someone who is outside of a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, our status before Christ redeemed us (1 Peter 2:10). As a people, we were helpless and condemned before God. That condemnation fell upon us because of the sin of Adam, (Romans. 5:12), and we were all abiding under the wrath of God, John (3:36). The fact is, we were nothing but lost and undone sinners (Romans 3:23). Again, in her condition, we can see a picture of humanity. The Bible tells us that life will be filled with troubles and afflictions (Job 14:1). This is especially true in the lives of the lost (Proverbs. 13:15). Notwithstanding, despite her hopeless situation and plea from her mother-in-law to return back to her people, Ruth was determined to remain committed to her new found love. She said, Don’t force me to leave you. Don’t make me turn back from following you. Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and I will be buried there with you. May the Lord strike me down if anything but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17). She was committed to leaving and cleaving (Ruth 1:14-16a), committed to going where Naomi goes (Ruth 1:16b), committed to dwelling where Naomi makes her home (Ruth 1:16c), committed to changing Nationalities (Ruth 1:16d), committed to changing gods (Ruth 1:16e) and committed on a permanent basis (Ruth 1:17). Ruth realized that if she would commit herself to Naomi and go with her, she must also commit herself to Naomis people (Israel) and Naomis God (God of Abraham). This is unlike the story of the three unprofitable disciples in Luke 9:57-62, their commitments to Jesus were conditional. Ruths commitment is different from those who follow Jesus because of fish and loaves of bread (John6:26). Ruths decision is precisely how the new life begins. A conscious decision is made to leave the old life behind and to go with Jesus into a new life in Him. That is the starting point. That is where new life in Jesus Christ begins. We can see how Naomi persistently tried to persuade Ruth to go back. Hence, if you do not respond to one of Satans challenges, he will try another. His ambition is to get you to fail and to discredit the Lord Jesus through your life. Orpah-like, many people react to challenges by turning away from The Lord. However, like Job, the challenges of life should drive us closer to The Lord (Job 1:20-21). In other word, instead of driving us away from our commitments, the challenges of life should cause us to cleave to Jesus more strongly. In her commitment, Ruth demonstrates the fact that her heart had been changed and she was willing to follow a new Lord into a new land to live a new life. Thus, A Ruth, when tested, goes on. Her decision involves the surrender of a false belief. Our false god has no repulsive name, such as Baal; its real title is self, its worship sin, its wages death. It must be surrendered. True choice of God involves sacrifice, sacrifice that brings reward to man and glory to God (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). In Ruths case, to start out with Naomi meant not pleasantness, but bitterness. Ruth followed, as she thought, to loneliness, homelessness, perpetual widowhood; against the desire of those she left, without the wish of those to whom she was going. She was ready to work, to beg, to die if need be, for the one who stood to her as representing God. Earthly advantages are largely on its side but a cross seems to wait somewhere in the way. We have to surrender our pride and pleasure and will, which prompt our souls to refuse Jesus. In Ruths devotion to Naomi. She was less impulsive, perhaps, than Orpah, but hers was a love which bore testing. The Greeks and Latins distinguished between the emotional love of feeling and the intelligent love of choice. Orpah’s love was the former; that of Ruth was the love of choice. It grew out of careful reflection. It was a deep, undying attachment. That is the type of love we must have for Jesus. In addition, her conduct is a trait, a trait beside which Ruth’s exceeding love is wholly secondary. Ruth had chosen her mother-in-laws God. Although, she was moved by Naomi’s appeals. She was aware of what she was leaving. She heard tender voices calling her, of the living, of the dead: “Come back, come back and, probably, her heart began to yield. When Orpah returned, she could scarcely resist the impulse to go with her. Then “she strengthened herself.” She summoned her soul and she put forth a supreme exercise of will. We need Ruth-type of will to overcome temptation and follow God. Glory be to God for He sends help to a right choice. Thus, right decision has its great rewards. What Ruth feared proved to be only unsuspected blessings. Orpah of this world will think she will lose her life, however, she found it (Luke 9:24). No one ever forsook the Moab of this world for the true Israel, and did not at length rejoice in the change (Mark 10:28-30). Thus, on getting to Bethlehem, there was enough bread for herself and her mother-in-law and she became an ancestor of Jesus Christ. In addition, her husbands inheritance was restored to her. Most importantly, one of the outcome of her decision is that, today, Canaan in the Church welcomes even Moab to its circle (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). Conclusion An impulsive religion is not always real religion, is very often the reverse. It is better for one to be quiet and undemonstrative like Ruth, and to have the root of the matter in him, than to be impulsive and demonstrative like Orpah, and in the hour of trial to fail. Ruth was much like the man in Psalm 91:14-16, who had set his love upon The Lord and because of that, God said, I will rescue him, I will protect him. When he call, I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will save him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Many have tried to find satisfaction in different things, but the only lasting satisfaction that is worthwhile for time and eternity is to be found in Jesus Christ. Yet this satisfaction is not complete for man that still dwells in the realms of sin and still lives in the midst of temptations. David sense that fact and said, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness (Psalms 17:15). A straw will show in what direction the river is flowing. Let us ask ourselves, Is Jesus Christ my Lord as He is my Savior? Have I taken Christ to be mine? Do I cleave to Him? Is He supreme in my affections?” Is He calling into the ministry and the fear of what to eat is preventing you? Our choice to follow Jesus must be made with the full determination to abide by it, come rain or come sunshine, for ever.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 20:04:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015